Distant Memories is the third piece from

Alexina Louie Alexina Diane Louie, (born July 30, 1949) is a Canadian composer of contemporary art music. She has composed for various instrumental and vocal combinations in a variety of genres. She has fulfilled a number of commissions, and her works, whic ...

's ''Music for Piano''. It was commissioned by the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects in 1982. This piece features the changing meters and " senza misura", meaning "without measure". The other pieces in this songbook are "Changes", "The Enchanted Bells", and "Once Upon a Time". The four short solo piano pieces explore contemporary musical concepts and techniques while remaining accessible to younger students. As this was her first set of compositions for solo piano, it is fitting that Louie dedicated the pieces to her former childhood piano teacher and mentor Jean Lyons.

Intention

The intention of Music for Piano was to create 4 contrasting works; Louie wanted "each work to address a new compositional, pianistic, or notational 'technique' or 'device'. At the same time, I did not want to write a dry pedagogical piece, as these pieces often are."

Terms

Senza Misura

Instead of bar lines, the suggested performance time is given in

second The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...

s, which is marked by senza misura, or "without measure". This technique is also used in Louie's other pieces, which creates rhythmic complexity. Western music's tempo and rhythm are more strictly measured compared to Eastern music.

Arch Form

A sectional structure based on repetition in reverse order (for example, ABCBA) that imparts an overall symmetry.

Berceuse

A French term for lullaby.

A Tempo

Term seen after a change of speed, ''a tempo'' indicates to return to the tempo played before a change of speed.

Characteristics

Characteristics include a fluid sense of time, fermatas, many

tenuto In musical notation, ''tenuto'' (Italian, past participle of ''tenere'', "to hold"), denoted as a horizontal bar adjacent to a note, is a direction for the performer to hold or sustain a note for its full length. Its precise interpretation can ...

signs, and specific

rubato Tempo rubato (, , ; 'free in the presentation', literally ) is a musical term referring to expressive and rhythmic freedom by a slight speeding up and then slowing down of the tempo of a piece at the discretion of the soloist or the conductor. Rub ...

instructions such as

rallentando In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

and ''a tempo''. Additionally, you can find turns, trills, and

grace notes {{italic title ''Grace Notes'' is a novel by Bernard MacLaverty, first published in 1997. It was was shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize for Fiction. Plot summary The book centers around the postpartum depression of its female pro ...

. Shifting meters is also utilized in the B section; 6/8 to 4/8 to 5/8.

Structure

Arch form. (see below )

Section A- Senza Misura

The beginning is fluid, with a

cadenza In music, a cadenza (from it, cadenza, link=no , meaning cadence; plural, ''cadenze'' ) is, generically, an improvisation, improvised or written-out ornament (music), ornamental passage (music), passage played or sung by a solo (music), sol ...

-like and improvisory feeling. This section is also very florid and shows a fluidity of time. Reminiscence of the gamelan can be found both at the beginning and end: they are the whole tones and fast passages. This section is notated in real time. There are note heads without stems, and grace notes indicated with smaller font and a slash across its beam; both of these are unusual notations.

Section B- Quasi Berceuse

The

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

is quasi berceuse, or "in the style of a lullaby". This section now has metered notation. The theme has

accents at the beginning of each bar, emphasizing the shifting

meter The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...

in this section. 3 sharps are added in the introduction, though there is an absence of any

key signature In Western musical notation, a key signature is a set of sharp (), flat (), or rarely, natural () symbols placed on the staff at the beginning of a section of music. The initial key signature in a piece is placed immediately after the clef at ...

and a distinct key is still avoided.

Pedal point In music, a pedal point (also pedal note, organ point, pedal tone, or pedal) is a sustained tone, typically in the bass, during which at least one foreign (i.e. dissonant) harmony is sounded in the other parts. A pedal point sometimes function ...

s are used in the left hand, and the E and C sharp notes are emphasized throughout the berceuse section. The time signature appears on the 3rd line and

measures Measure may refer to: * Measurement, the assignment of a number to a characteristic of an object or event Law * Ballot measure, proposed legislation in the United States * Church of England Measure, legislation of the Church of England * Measu ...

then begin. The pianist is directed to play with a gently rocking motion. Louie, the composer, noted that this part should have a "lovely yearning, tender quality to it." She reminds her daughters this piece should "sing in her heart".

Section C- Più Mosso

Triple meter is maintained throughout this section. The new tempo indication calls for more forward motion and there is a first appearance of homophonic texture: the melodic line presented over an arpeggiated accompaniment. There is more harmonic interest as the bass line changes to support the melodic motion.

Section B- A Tempo

Section B returns.

Section A- Senza Misura

Section A returns modified and expanded.

References

Sheppard, Linda. Musical overview (1600-2000) : from the History à la carte series. Canada : Longbow Publishing, 2006. Compositions for solo piano 1982 compositions