Piano Sonata No. 2, "Royston" (2021-24)

My second piano sonata initially began as a short sketch of a planned 7-piece suite for piano, but I started moving towards a more large-scale work after the death of my grandfather, a man who I'd admired, respected and loved, having been there for me my whole life, bringing a robust sense of humour, a lifetime of wisdom and a helping hand to every situation, and losing him marked a major turning point in my life.

As such, I wanted to be able to honour him, and I felt that this piece would be an ideal way of doing so. As such, this piece contains some of what I believe to be my most personal writing yet, combining a vast variety of styles, motifs, techniques and atmospheres, from the deep and introspective impressionism of Debussy, to the angular and biting modernism of Carter and Birtwistle. This was my attempt to find a plethora of different ways of channelling both my sadness and grief at the loss of one of my closest family members, and my profound honour and respect for him. I also tried to ensure that the form and the character of the music developed and blossomed at a steady but fluid pace, in order for it to feel as cohesive and natural as possible. The piece is in two movements (played attacca), with a balance of "orchestral" and soloistic passages to draw out as much of a concerto-like atmosphere as possible.

This piece is subtitled Royston, after the town in Hertfordshire, England, where my grandparents lived together up to my grandfather's passing. It's a place that I associate very deeply with him and the memories of the time spent with him; playing in the park with my little brother, visiting the many shops along the cobbled streets, travelling to the train station, descending into the enigmatic cave beneath the town, listening to the church bells in the distance on Sunday mornings. I will forever hold them close to me, and I will never forget the joy that they continue to bring.

Thank you for being in my life, Grandad. Rest in peace.

In memoriam John Edward Grove (1947 - 2021)