Red Leaf Pianoworks

Composer: Martha Hill Duncan
Format: Book
Instrumentation: Piano

Limestone Etchings is a collection of piano works paired with original pencil drawings by artist Spencer Hope. This musical and visual collaboration honours the picturesque and historic city of Kingston, Ontario. Other titles published separately are the piano duets Hollyhocks and The Old Stone Church.

1. THE WAR MEMORIAL is inspired by The War Memorial on the shores of Lake Ontario and has a Celtic flavor reflecting the background of the Kingston families whose fallen sons are honored. Distant drums and cannons remind us of a sorrowful past but the bells toll for a brighter future.

2.KINGSTON MILLS LOCKS is my musical attempt to depict the past and present of the most southerly component of the Rideau Canal System. The grinding of the locks mechanism, present day boating and a haunting underwater scene underscore this beautiful, poignant and historical landmark. Many lives were lost in the building of the locks, but they still operate today marking the resolve of early settlers to navigate a new homeland.

3. ON THE POND Imagine a shivery winter morning surrounded by ice fog with the sun just beginning to peek through. The lone skater christens the pristine ice first with easy glides, then more energetic spins and jumps, an exquisite solitary moment amid the natural winter magic.

4. AT CITY HALL The closing piece follows the bustling and energetically charged outdoor rink from the first skater of the day to the last straggler of the night. A variety of skaters are featured including beginners and experienced, along with rambunctious teenagers and romantic couples. - MH Duncan