ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS

ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS

My own compositions

I live in the North East of England so my music is heavily influenced by local music "Geordie Songs" in particular.

I have written

•  Divertimento in Eb for wind quintet, in the classical style.

It is in 4 movements and is available to purchase. 

1. Allegro "The Blaydon Races".

2. Andante "The Cliffs of Old Tynemouth"

3. Minuet and Trio "The Keel Row"

4. Rondo "Keep your feet still, Geordie Hinny

•  "Tyneside Songs Medley" for wind quintet: A medley of many of the North East of England’s finest songs (Geordie Songs) includes Bobby Shaftoe, The Keel Row and The Blaydon Races

• Idyll: Blow the Wind Southerly

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An original composition for wind quintet based on 2 Northumbrian traditional tunes: "Blow the Wind Southerly", and "When the boat comes in"

The melody moves around the individual instruments, rather than the flute.

I have tried to write this in the "English Pastoral Style" of George Butterworth and Ralph Vaughan Williams.

"Blow the Wind Southerly" tells the tale of a woman desperately hoping for a southerly wind to blow her lover back home over the ocean to her.

 
Kathleen Ferrier recorded what is perhaps the best-known version of the song in London in 1949.

"When the boat comes in" was popularised as the theme tune to the 1970s BBC drama serial "When The Boat Comes In "in an arrangement by the composer David Fanshawe.

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The series was set in North East England during the 20s/30s.
It is also known as "Dance to your Daddie"
I have used it as a counter melody to the theme.


Loads of Maggots!!


A maggot is an old English word for fancy or whimsy:
There are a lot of them....all used for dancing.


I have composed 2 of them, based on the original tunes, for various combinations of instrumentation.

• Dick's Maggot

Dick's Maggot for wind quintet.Dick’s Maggot is a traditional English Country Dance in 3/2 time.

It can be found in the collection made by Henry Playford in 1695. It was arranged for orchestra by Ernest Tomlinson in the 1940s/50s?? and was part of his suite of English Country Dances.

It was used as the theme music to the BBC Radio Programme Steve Race’s  "Invitation to Music", a programme which took the place of educational broadcasting during school holidays.

My composition is entirely original, based on the Dick’s Maggot tune.

It is also available free for download as an mp3 on Soundcloud.

Also available for flute  and clarinet quintet

• Mr Beveridge's Maggot

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This old English Dance Tune was used for the dance in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice TV mini series.
I have arranged it for the following: string quartet, wind quartet and various solo instruments with piano.

I have also composed a longer version of a Theme and Variations, based around the tune.
This is available for wind, recorder and string quartet

All of my music is available here and at SheetMusicPlus