1 In Memory of Bea	7. The Gentle Wind	13.To Ann-revisit	19.Stallion	25.Morning Walk	31. It is Over
2. Waves	8.Questions	14.Timberline!	20.Starlight Sonata	26.April Rains
3. Memories	9.Sonata for Julie	15.Curiosity	21.Ode To Life	27.Confusion
4. Wagon Train	10.Cathedral Bells	16.Echos	22. Soaring	28.Easterly Winds
5. Swaying Pines	11.Contemplation	17.Eveningtides	23. Desert Sings	29.Mountain Trail
6. Towering Forest	12.Hummingbird	18. Magestic Peaks	24. Prelude-David	30. AMEN!

1. In Memory of Bea…"a  bubbling, effervescent, spirit… Life's energies continually renewed"

"Gentle sweet mixtures of love and loss"
 

2. Waves… "I picture the gentle, rhythmic waves washing the sea shore, hypnotically transfixing one in the calmness of the moment"

"Sooooothing!"
 

3. Memories… "Exposure of the soul. This music really grabbed me, but I have a difficulty describing it for some reason"

"Initial somberness followed by growing hope"
 

4. Wagon Train…"The theme and rhythmic pattern paint a picture of anxiety, sadness, and strength of the human spirit. The ominous strains portraying the uncertainties around every turn in the trail"

"First part-proud, brave people-then a trip among mountain peaks on a magic carpet--then tired but happy memories"
 

5. Swaying Pines …"Beautiful, soothing"

"Lovely except for brief period of low notes preceding sweet conclusion"
 

6. Towering Forest…"Wonderful! Made me imagine the giant redwoods not just towering but marching!"

"Picture wasn't there for me-puzzling-military marching?"
 

7. Gentle Wind  …"I was mesmerized by being at the center of the repeating gentle flow of wind"

"Soft, gentle, and tranquil loveliness"
 

8. Questions  …"What else can I say?"

"Peaceful questions"
 

9. Sonata for Julie…"Discordant sounds reflect life's challenges, but throughout, the harmonic melody of life's happy times enable us to continue life's journey"

"Pure love…no more and no less! Rare!"
 

10. Cathedral Bells …" This piece does everything it sets out to do"

"Fun bells!"
 

11. Contemplation …" This reached the inner core of my being. As it pleads to ask why, why am I who I am?"

"Peaceful and softly lovely"
 

12. Humming Bird …"Musical energy. Nectar of the Gods"

"I can see Malcolm peeking at the hummingbirds---and grinning!"
 

13. To Ann-Revisited…"Beauty, kindness, gentility-essence of womanhood-A true-love theme"

" I easily recognize the feeling!"

1. In Memory of  Bea
 This brief melody was composed for my aunt, the late Bea Brown who was so full of life and love. The uplifting song attempts to convey Bea's tremendous energy which was felt by all.

2. Waves
 This piece has a rhythmic theme which reflects the periodicity of waves coming ashore, and it is a very smooth harmonic with positive and uplifting feelings. The idea behind this emotion is to reflect on life at the brink of a calm seashore on a moonlit night!

3. Memories
 "Happiness is Countless"  I recently came upon this slogan in my room in a Japanese Inn in Kyoto. Memories of happiness drive  the human spirit to remain positive and energetic for undertaking the difficult tasks of life. This work reflects these moods.

4. Wagon Train
 This song attempts to convey the long trudge to find a place to live on the high plains after an arduous trek across the Mississippi valley. At last a beautiful site is found on the high plains and territory is staked out, but doubts remain that the travelers can hold onto their land because of  drought and severe climate.  The homesteaders gaze across their land with anxious eyes, and the music ends without knowledge that the homesteaders will be able to keep their newly acquired land.

5. Swaying Pines
 On a spring day when the air is still, the echoes of birds among the pines is heard as one takes a walk among these stately trees. They all seem alike and they move in unison when a small breeze flows over them, whispering quietly.

6. Towering Forest
 The absolute beauty and size of the redwoods is overwhelming. This music tries to convey the majestic size of these trees in the primeval ancient forest. These giants are the masters of their environment, having survived flood, fire, and yes, invasion by humans!

7. The Gentle Wind
  During an approaching cold front, the easterly winds become ambivalent, yet they still express a gentle flow, not telling what is soon to happen as the wind direction is reversed. The song concludes without knowledge of the frontal passage.

8. Questions
 The world is so full of questions! Who are we? How did we get here? What is our destiny?  The music conveys questions ending with a very positive feeling that there is a purpose in the plan for our existence.

9. Sonata for Julie
 This work is dedicated to my beautiful daughter, Julie. I have always encouraged her to "be happy" and to "do her best". The theme is one which has never and will never leave my memory. I hope that the listener will continue to think about this song in contemplating struggles for achieving one's best and being happy in spite of the great challenges in life.

10. Cathedral Bells
 This work comes from my year residing in Germany. On  Sundays, the air would become filled with bells from churches in the village of Denzlingen and yes, one could even hear the giant bell from the Cathedral in Freiburg i. Br.. These bells beckon one into the spirituality of Nature.

11. Contemplation
 This music sets the stage for one sitting on a cliff overlooking a beautiful valley on a spring day and simply just contemplating the beauty of Nature and the bewilderment of it all, simply asking, "Why am I here?  Why life? Why existence?"  The song was written to express human emotions that probably always accompany such questions of our origins and existence.

12. The Humming Bird
 This is a brisk song which represents the incredibly fast wings and movements of a hummingbird as it flits and flies from one flower to another, seeking nectar. Some flowers lack such sweet nectar, and the work shows some elements of frustration of what may be the bird's search for nectar in other flowers. At last, the humming bird finds an ultimate flower and the music concludes with a bang as the sumptuous nectar is engorged!

13. To Ann- Revisited
 One of the first pieces I composed on the Roland KR-1070 was dedicated to my wife of 38 years, Ann! I am truly grateful for her companionship over the years, and decided to revisit this theme which has never left my mind! This theme reflects years of satisfaction living with one of the most beautiful human beings on earth, my wife, Ann!

14. Timberline!
 A long climb at high altitude and the lack of oxygen can cause some hallucinations. This song gives what might be thoughts of a mountaineer who has reached the land beyond trees where the vistas are far and wide. It is a short reflection of this ebullient condition.

15. Curiosity
 What? Why? When? How? Who? Where? These are the elements of questions to be asked because of curiosity-the need to know, the narcotic to learn. That is the theme of this short melody.

16. Echoes
 This ethereal song attempts to convey echoes in an ancient hall of a Cistercian monastery in Germany where the monks regularly met and chanted their songs to God. The echoes are uplifting and express their wonder over the handiwork of God.

17. Eveningtides
 Just as the tides come and go, so do the last rays of light flickering on leaves as sunset approaches. This work attempts to convey the steady, yet flickering progression of the loss of photons as the earth prepares for darkness.

18. Majestic Peaks at Sunset
 Witnessing the Grand Tetons at sunset is an experience I shall never forget! Clouds swirl around these sharp, relatively young mountains, and the colors are simply awe-inspiring. Then the sun sets, and colors rapidly change, fading to monotones as the land darkens.

19. The Wild Stallion
 Free and wild! This piece reflects the freedom to roam and gallop across the plains, suddenly coming to a stop, then meandering across the prairie, grazing on the  grass, and enjoying the wind.

20. Starlight Sonata
 The deep blackness of space is enriched with points of flashing light, tiny but powerful and oh so far away! Just the thought that we are such a miniscule part of the Universe is truly bewildering to me. This work reflects my perceived smallness in the vast reaches of space.

21. Ode To Life
 Life is so precious. We need to celebrate it and often! This music celebrates life and our perspective to be a part of the "life experience" and to witness the gifts that God has given.

22. Soaring
 This short melody reflects what it may be like for an instant soaring above the valley floor, taking in all of the sights below.

23. The Desert Sings!
 Shifting winds and blazing sun! The elements of stress in the desert are conveyed in this melody. The vastness of so much sand and so little water, as well as the chills of the night are reflected in the desert' s response  Howling winds never ending, the thirst for water and moisture are contemplated as one walks for kilometers through countless dunes, one after another, ending with the discovery of a beautiful oasis!

24. Prelude for David
 When my son David heard this work, he liked it very much and said that it was a little like Rachmoninoff.  The work represents life in its fullest with all of the "gives and takes" the struggles, and the rewards. Martin Luther King once remarked that he had been to the mountaintop. This piece attempts to convey the struggles to reach that ultimate experience as well as the sheer contentment upon reaching the goal

25. Morning Walk
 Ah the beauty of the early morning!  The dew on the leaves, the fragrances in the air, and the songs of the birds. As I walk through the woods, I contemplate with each step and renew my faith.

26. April Rains
 A sudden burst of wind, then the sheets of rain begin to flow. It is springtime and the plants thrust for this precious moisture.  The birds take shelter. The rains come and go, nurturing the land, and the sun peaks through the clouds, and the fragrance of the moment suddenly is realized.  It has rained and the forest and plants are revitalized!

27. Confusion
 This work reflects ambivalence in thought and action.  The idea is not clear, and direction is sought. The music theme ends with an open question. Some may interpret a positive ending, and others may believe in a negative ending. The emotional response is one of confusion, hence the clue for the selection of the title.

28. Easterly Winds
 Why easterly winds? Here in Austin, Texas, these are the warm trade winds arriving from the Gulf of Mexico. They are steady and beautiful and speak of fair weather. Thus, my emotions of a beautiful day in the making!

29. The Mountain Trail
 Climbing is a difficult, arduous task. This song reflects the long trek to the top of a vista which awaits a strenuous climb. Along the way, pleasant thoughts of reaching this goal are elaborated. Near the top, shear exhaustion but great beauty is beholden to the hiker!

30. Amen!
 This music has as its theme, two notes, F and G, Thus, My first notion was to title this work, "Come Home" but a friend suggested "Amen". I agree! The two syllables in "Amen" are reflected through dozens of different expressions, ending with a very positive and direct, "AMEN"!

31. It is Over
 Sadness prevails. A life that would have been. Opportunities lost. Seeking understanding, trying to understand why. Why is it over? Why did this happen? Can one ever be happy again? Sadly, these questions are not answered by the theme of this music, but the sadness and loneliness are conveyed until the very end.

Modified on March 5, 2000

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