Three Fantasies
solo piano
duration 17:00 © 2025 Faber Music
Also see: Piano Solos and Duos Program Note:- Gothic Fantasy
- Cerulean Fantasy
- Fantasia Divina
The idea for this set of fantasies began with the commission of Gothic Fantasy for pianist Janice Carrisa, as her prize as Gilmore Young Artist at the 2022 Gilmore International Piano Festival in Michigan, USA. Her only request was that the music be "a fantasy" and I gave it the gothic qualifier to move towards the darker sides of the fantastical.
Fantasia Divina was commissioned by the Music Department and Cultural Management Office of the University of Hong Kong with support from the UOB (United Overseas Bank) to be premiered at the University by my friend, Poom Prommachart, who asked if it could be a divine fantasy.
In English, divine can have the mundane meaning of delightful, and for me the Italian version, Fantasia Divina, suggests something more supernatural and superhuman, and hints at a mystical aspect to the incredible skill of an accomplished pianist. This work focuses on producing multiple waves of sound that it is hard to imagine emerging from a single instrument, or from just one musician. In the world of the divine one must remember that deities not only inspire awe, but can also be implacable and unforgiving.
The centre of the triptych, Cerulean Fantasy, was composed as a gift to Poom so he could give the the world premiere of the complete set at the University of Hong Kong on 26 October 2025. The most striking aspect of my childhood summer holidays spent in the Darling Ranges outside Perth, Western Australia, was the endless blue skies stretching to the horizon. That impossibly deep blue still signifies to me warmth, relaxation and the simplicity of youth. Carl Vine, July 2025 |
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