Second of a set of six short pieces for piano with the collective title
Shocklach Diary. These stemmed from moving in 2015 to a converted Methodist Chapel on the borders of Cheshire and Wales. Border lands have long held a strong interest for Martin Bussey, and the English/Welsh borders are represented in varied genres, including his
Border Studies for organ and the stage works
A Shropshire Lass and
Timeless Figure. Links between place and music are hard to define and seldom absolute, but they form a common strand in much music that has influenced Martin, along with a sense of history, evident in this piece.
‘Deganwy/Conwy’ reflects the contrast between the sturdy, intact remains of Edward I’s Conwy Castle, represented by block chords in both hands in a chromatic idiom, and the barely evident ruins of Deganwy Castle, on the opposite side of the Conwy estuary, reflected in a plaintive, undulating melody.
You can watch Martin Bussey play the piece here: