Fourth in 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.
The ‘Scherzetto’ is the exception in the set, being a miniature picture of Barb, a lovely if slightly mercurial cat, whose time was sadly cut short on the road outside. The mercurial is represented by arpeggiated figures shared between the hands and a strong rhythmic drive. A more tranquil middle section features triads which overlap between the hands.
You can watch Martin Bussey play the piece here: