Listening Log – [Pt. V]- Lee Westwood Ensemble – My Mind Is A Valley (2008)
Listening Log – [Pt. V]- Lee Westwood Ensemble – My Mind Is A Valley (2008)
LISTENING LOG
Listening Log – [Pt. V]- Lee Westwood Ensemble – My Mind Is A Valley (2008). 6.38 min. Throughout May- July 2020 Listened (streaming) to youtube clip below : Lee Westwood Ensemble – My Mind Is A Valley. Aug 25, 2008. Performer: Lee Westwood Ensemble
A few years ago, I came across the Brighton composer/musician Lee Westwood online and started following him on Twitter. I greatly enjoy his compositions, guitar playing and various projects he has done. I had not yet checked out one of his earlier groups, the Lee Westwood Ensemble. The Lee Westwood Ensemble is a trio consisting of acoustic guitar, piccolo and cello. I picked the Aug 25, 2008 live premier of ‘My Mind Is A Valley’ from The Chapel Royal in Brighton as an introduction to their music.
‘My Mind Is A Valley’ starts with arpeggiated finger picking on the guitar and a pitch bent rising figure on the piccolo. The guitar playing becomes increasing more percussive with lower notes added creating a pizzicato style bass line for the piece. The cello comes in with long sustained bowed notes for a few bars before joining in with the pizzicato.
The piccolo, which is providing the top melody erupts into busier and busier and agile figures, soaring in the high register. The nature of these ornate lines is such that it brings a folk melody element to the sound although it is far more complex and progressive than a traditional folk tune.
The second movement is in ¾ time and starts at a low pp dynamic, fingerpicking on the guitar, gently ushering in the other two players. Again, the piccolo gets the melody whilst the cello provides and slow counter melody. Eventually the melody is passed on to the cello, all the while the guitar is still providing the arpeggiated accompaniment and harmonic progression. During this passage the piccolo is silent until the finale when everyone joins in at a louder dynamic leading to a frenzied climax.