Footsteps on Water
November 9, 2021
Soren Allen, piano
Footsteps on Water is a collection of five pieces for solo piano inspired by the bluffs surrounding the Cape Neddick Light in York, Maine. In the rock near the shore lies a series of small tide pools that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the base of the lighthouse, almost as if some supernatural creature walked right out of the water. Footsteps is a musical exploration of this curiosity, attempting to discover who may have left these "footprints" and why. You may notice these footprints throughout the piece: rising and falling patterns that are built on two consecutive notes or chords articulated throughout the wide range of the piano. Additionally, each piece is built in a simple binary form, with each large section being akin to one of two musical "footprints."
Four of the five pieces in the album are complete and recordings are available on YouTube, and the fifth, "Towering Trunks," is in progress.
The photograph above was taken by Soren on May 28, 2018.The first piece, titled "Gentle Giants," represents my journey walking along the rocky shore, leaving footprints of my own. The relaxed and free tempo allows the performer to take the time they require with each phrase - as I took mine looking out across the waves. "Gentle Giants" was first premiered virtually on April 8, 2020.
The second piece, titled "Humble Herons," describes a flock of birds taking off across a lake or a stream. The first section of the piece portrays the majesty of the heron and its striking plumage and features; the second section portrays the wonder of seeing a siege in flight. "Humble Herons" was first premiered virtually on April 9, 2020.
The third piece, titled "Wistful Winds," demonstrates the power of the air at this place where land, sea, and sky all meet. The repeated patterns after the modulation reflect the wind blowing waves near the shore, and the piece ends with the wind eroding away at the rock, leaving its own footsteps. "Wistful Winds" was first premiered virtually on October 5, 2020 and was performed at Belmont University on March 13, 2021.
The fourth piece, titled "Solemn Snowfall," reflects the wonder of snow - peering out the window at morning's first light and seeing the ground covered with a soft, white blanket. This piece attempts to capture the majesty and wonder of nature in the wintertime: playful, yet powerful, always beautiful. "Solemn Snowfall" was first premiered at UNC Greensboro on November 9, 2021.