Under A Mediterranean Sky: Journeys Of Inspiration - Part Two
January 2021
Steve in ancient Olympia, Greece
Photo © Jo Hackett
The beauty of North East Italy
Photo © Jo Hackett
Steve outside the Sacré Coeur in Paris
Photo © Jo Hackett
In Part One of this blog, I explored the wonders of Malta, Croatia's sublime Adriatic coastline, and the magical desert landscapes and cultures of Morocco, Jordan and Egypt, which all inspired the first three tracks of my upcoming album.
This blog features the places behind the next four tracks...
The wonderful joy of life I've always experienced in France gave me the idea for Joie de Vivre, an acoustic guitar piece with folk influence. My wife Jo had a French grandmother and she remembers how her French relations made the most of every meal and event with wine, music and laughter. It's always a delight to visit Paris, and we particularly love the vibrancy of Montmartre, full of life with all its colours and creativity. I'm sure it'll all explode back into life once we're all safe again.
Another piece involving Jo and myself is The Memory Of Myth, inspired by the compelling mystery of the Ancient Greek myths. We explore different parts of Greece most years and we share a fascination with those magical and heroic legends, which echo through the ruins and around the islands across the Aegean. The soul of that world lives on and quickens the spirit...
Scarlatti's Sonata is the only non-original piece on the album. I felt moved to play it, as for me it encapsulates the beauty of Italy, where Scarlatti hailed from. All those stunning historic buildings, charming hilltop towns and breathtaking landscapes to me are perfect settings for Scarlatti's music. We love Italy and always feel a quickening of the spirit as soon as we arrive and join our wonderful friends there.
Casa Del Fauno is also inspired by the soul of Italy, and in particular the beauty of the little Faun statue in the House of the Faun, Pompeii. The Ancient Greco-Roman world contained the most gorgeous sculptures and artwork as well its magnificent architecture. In my composition, I imagine the Faun coming to life and dancing out into the sublime garden that once adjoined the villa.
The third blog will reveal my experiences that lay behind the last four tracks of the album...
The wonder of the Ancient Roman world
Photo © Jo Hackett
Ancient Cumae, Italy, where the oracle spoke. This photo gives a sense of the thin veil between past and present...
Photo © Jo Hackett
