Nigel Paterson | Composer

An orchestral piece, evoking the cold outside & the warmth inside. Dissonance (representing cold) gives way to Consonance (representing warmth), only to be pushed aside as the cold rushes in. An energetic dance to warm us up leads to a brief recapitulation of the opening, concluding with a gentle, warm chord played by the Strings.

A reflective piece for string orchestra (no DB) in the style of a lament. A detailed re-working of the 2019 release. Re-EQd; re-mastered; small rewrites to the intro & ending. Some phrases in the 1st & 2nd Violin parts have been transposed up or down an 8ve. The Gaelic title translates as: "Lament for the Earth". It is in the key of Gm/GM with leanings towards the Mixolydian Mode. The opening lament gives way to a more optimistic section, but it is the Lament, in the modal minor that brings the piece to it's concluding unison. Pessimistic, or optimistic...you decide.

The title, in Gaelic, translates as: 'Lament for the Earth'. A reflective piece for small string orchestra (No DB). It is in the key of Gm/GM with leanings towards the Mixolydian Mode. The opening lament gives way to a more optimistic section, but it is the Lament, in the modal minor that brings the piece to it's concluding unison. Pessimistic, or optimistic...you decide.

'Fake Blues' is assembled entirely from Apple Loops. I didn't play a single note, hence the word 'fake' in the title! Available as a free download for a while.

Slow, sustained string clusters, create a 'wash' of sound, under which the celli & bassi play a fragmentary, modal melody. Consonance & dissonance are at the heart of this piece. Scored for double string orchestra.

Uptempo (118 bpm)orchestral piece scored for full strings, 3 trumpets, electric guitar & percussion. 'Changing Times' does just that, it begins in 6/8, changes to 4/4 & concludes in 6/8. The ending is heavily influenced by Stokowski's orchestral transcription of J.S. Bach's Toccata & Fugue in Dm from Disney's 'Fantasia' (1940).

A slow, reflective piece for Full Strings, 2 Flutes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Oboes & 3 French Horns. It is dedicated to all who have loved & lost. 'Letting Go' is not descriptive as such, rather, it invokes a mood of contemplation & reflection.

'Meditation Tone' conforms to a Transcendental Meditation model in terms of length. It is an experiment. 'Meditation Tone' is now available as a permanent free download. Best listened to with noise-cancelling headphones. Adjust the volume level carefully; the first 30 seconds are extremely quiet, after which the volume increases marginally. DISCLAIMER: Nigel Paterson, the creator of this tone, accepts no responsibility for any adverse affects resulting from listening to 'Meditation Tone', howsoever caused. Nigel Paterson makes no claims that the 'Tone' will in any way aid or enhance the practise of meditation. It is an experiment. You are exercising your freedom of choice should you choose to listen. Every effort has been made to ensure 'Meditation Tone' is benign & safe to use.

Edgy piece for two pianos. Dissonant, aggressively chromatic harmonies vie with each other, but the 'conflict' concludes unresolved. The recording uses the sampled sound from The Modell 370i, built by David Klavins. It is a custom 88-key upright piano permanently installed at the University of Tübingen in Germany. The number 370 refers to the number of centimeters of the height of the piano (12 feet), while the i stands for "integrated" (into a building, as opposed to free-standing). See Wikipedia for more information. Immaculately sampled by Native Instruments.

Two vintage synths establish the harmonic shape. Strings & one synth repeat the material in a new key. A counter melody gently floats above the shifting harmonic foundation, played by three Violas. 'Thinking Music' (Pax Vobiscum) was written in response to horrific world events. It is, effectively, a wordless hymn.

A canon in four parts, cellos arranged in four pairs. The canon is not adhered to strictly. Passing dissonances are tolerated, the counterpoint deliberately 'edgy' at times. 'Loose Canon' is, in part, antiphonal. A useful concert feature if you're looking for something a little different.

Having seen Pete Tong & The Heritage Orchestra at The Proms, I thought it would be fun to write a modest tribute. Such a good idea to unite the talents of PT with an orchestra. Regardless of genre, good music will always shine through. No attempt has been made to copy or replicate the sound of Pete Tong & The Heritage Orchestra.

'The Vendigum', or as they are more commonly called, Elves, are craftspeople. They can make almost anything a human can desire. I have attempted to draw a picture in music of these industrious Little People, capturing their energy, quirky personalities & inventiveness. A saxophone sextet, four Tenor & two Baritone sets the scene. 'The Vendigum' is also an homage to the late Steve Martland, a composer who knew a thing or two about saxes.

Strong & bold contrasting with gentle & compassionate, ultimately ending gently & at peace. I respectfully acknowledge using twelve notes in Clarinet 2, taken from 'Jupiter' by Holst.

This work is divided into three sections & is influenced by the outstandingly iconic contributions made to the world of music by The Hilliard Ensemble & Jan Garbarek.

Dance music with an African flavour. No conscious attempt has been made to create indigenous African rhythms or melodies... a personal re-imagining. Assembled entirely from Apple Loops & Apple Ultrabeat.

Four vintage synths, plus 'Ultrabeat' combined together to create a retro-feel dance track. An 'Anty Dote' to orchestral writing.

A driving, slightly sinister opening gives way to a gentle section from the Woodwind. A solo Bassoon introduces the first of two, traditional style folk melodies. The second & more dance-like melody brings 'Folkstravivo'' to a boisterous conclusion. [Renamed to avoid confusion with fellow musos]

A 'sound painting' inspired by the 100th anniversary of The Battle of The Somme. It is scored for solo D Trumpet, Trumpets in A, Trombones, Tuba in F & percussion. All royalties from this work will be donated equally between The Royal British Legion & The War Graves Commission.

Inspired by the Waltz from Shostakovich's Jazz Suite No. 2. My Waltz is not 'pastiche', more a grateful, respectful homage. 'Valse Russe' is scored for Strings, 2 Flutes, 2Clarinets, 2 Trumpets, 3 French Horns, Timps & Percussion. Hidden in the orchestration are the first four notes from the Jazz Suite Waltz, inverted, rhythmically modified & 'demoted' to an accompanying rôle. No prizes on offer, but can you identify the instrument playing the quotation?