The Blessing Bell of St. Patrick
Summary
| Original Title | The blessing bell of St. Patrick |
| Composer | Masakazu Shiokawa |
| Year of Composition | September 2024 |
| Instrumentation | Piano solo |
| Duration | approx. 6 minutes |
| Sheet Music Publisher | LesClefsOffice co.,Ltd. |
| Copyright Management | LesClefsOffice co.,Ltd. |
Work Description
This is a set of variations consisting of a theme, five variations, and a finale.
On a personal note, I composed this piece for my wedding, which was held in Tokyo this past September. It was written specifically to be performed at the reception.
The venue was beautifully designed, and I shaped the music around the architectural inspiration and atmosphere of the place.
The performance time is about five minutes. The piece has a solemn, sacred, yet celebratory character—perfectly suited for a wedding ceremony. While preserving a classical structure and aesthetic, I incorporated many popular-style harmonies, giving the work a catchy and appealing quality. I am personally quite satisfied with how it turned out.
However, the technical difficulty is rather high, requiring a large hand span. In particular, Variation IV features demanding, almost virtuoso-like scale passages in the left hand, which require advanced technique.
I composed the piece roughly two weeks before the ceremony. Although the music itself was completed in a single day, it ended up being more difficult than expected, so I spent the remaining two weeks practicing intensely. It is a memorable work for me, bearing the traces of that effort.
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