29/05/2026
https://fortonmusic.co.uk/product/the-hawthorn-blues/
I wrote The Hawthorn Blues for a family I know, who live near London. All four children played a musical instrument and for several years, I had promised that I would write something for them. In 2005, their parents came to a concert featuring one of my pieces, at London’s South Bank Centre and I was reminded of my promise to their children! On the last day of 2005, I finished a three movement work – The Hawthorn Blues. ‘The Hawthorns’ is the name of their house, hence the title. The three older girls played the flute, clarinet and piano and wanted something ‘unique’ to play if they were ever asked to perform at a school concert. The piece was designed to be performed as a whole or if desired, as separate ‘stand alone’ pieces. The first movement incorporates a 12-bar structure (with some adaptations) as the basis. The second, a much slower piece, uses a mournful tonic minor – subdominant minor (including the 7th) progression coupled with a gentle swinging 4 beats in the bar. The final movement is a quick, boogie-woogie based in part, on one of the pieces their parents heard at the SBC in 2005. Here, the performers will need to work hard to stay together!
