Concert performance of my piece for harpsichord

Hi to all.

Just wanted to share this recent performance by professional harpsichordist Katarzyna Kowalik, of my work "The Sun Dappled Forest".

The work was inspired by J.S. Bach and William Byrd; but I guess it also sounds a bit Halloweeny: so topical!

Apologies for the low record level. (Please note the applause at the beginning and end is very loud by comparison!)

Hope you enjoy.

I remember when you posted this piece while working on it. It's come a long way, congrats on the performance!

17 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I remember when you posted this piece while working on it. It's come a long way, congrats on the performance!

Thanks Vince!

Heres the programme note I wrote for the concert:

My journey into composition began in 2022, guided by a lifelong admiration for Bach and the intricate elegance of the Baroque era. That gravitational pull toward counterpoint and ornamentation shaped the earliest incarnation of this piece: a three-movement work blending electronic synths with orchestral textures, piano, harpsichord, and SATB choir. It was a fusion of old and new, structure and shimmer.

Since then, the piece has evolved through several arrangements, each a recalibration of its emotional and sonic architecture. This latest version distills the work into two movements for solo harpsichord, shedding layers while introducing new material that reframes its core motifs.

The intention is simple yet vivid: to evoke the image of a sun-dappled forest, where light filters through leaves in shifting patterns, and time feels suspended in golden stillness. I hope the music invites you into that space.

N.B. I gave the third movement to the harpsichordist; but she told me it was unplayable: so it wasn't performed.

I'm very happy with her interpretation of the other two movements. She played them slower than the tempo I'd imagined; but I think it suited the music very well.

Edited November 8, 2025Nov 8 by Alex Weidmann