Though It Were Ten Thousand Mile

Scottish Concert Fantasy
For Two Recorders and Piano
Bass / Alt - Tenor

In 2020 the Scottish Recorder Orchestra under the conduct of Stuart Forrester commissioned a piece for their 40th jubilee. I chose the poem THE RED RED ROSE of Robert Burns as the foundation of this concert fantasy that has always deeply impressed me.

THE RED RED ROSE
O my Luve is like a red, red rose
That’s newly sprung in June;
O my Luve is like the melody
That’s sweetly played in tune.
So fair art thou, my bonnie lass,
So deep in luve am I;
And I will luve thee still, my dear,
Till a’ the seas gang dry.
Till a’ the seas gang dry, my dear,
And the rocks melt wi’ the sun;
I will love thee still, my dear,
While the sands o’ life shall run.
And fare thee weel, my only luve!
And fare thee weel awhile!
And I will come again, my luve,
Though it were ten thousand mile.

For some reason, this poem touches my heart very deeply.
I wrote to Stuart Forrester at the time:
"The subject of the piece is homecoming. Now, I know that this a real Scottish thing. Not only in this poem of Robert Burns. I know that it were especially Scottish who left their country and settled in America and Australia and all around the world. At the same time longing for their home. I wanted the melody to resemble the tradi-tional flute tune of a Scottish shepherd I hope that the joy of homecoming becomes clear through the music in the end. The whole minor part is the longing and mourning, and it is preparing for this big happy moment in the end."
Two years later, I re-wrote the piece for the album RITUALS I recorded with the Belgium recorder players Tom Beets and Joris Van Goethem. I thank Tom and Joris for putting all their love in this recording and wish you a lot of joy with this piece!