Birth Music (for solo piano) – COLIN McKELLAR


“Birth Music” – performed by Danaë Killian (piano)


Program Note

Birth Music was written ten years ago around the birth of my daughter, Nora. This presentation has been slightly revised and re- scored. The work uses Bell Ringing Charts superimposed over chord progressions from early jazz standards. There is a story to my happening upon both sets of charts. The scale associated with the chord responds to the number order in the permutations within the specific bell chart being referred to at the time. The material is then interpreted vertically and horizontally into the structural architecture of the composition.