Memoirs of Childhood for Piano

Memoirs of Childhood for PianoMemoirs of Childhood was composed in Nigeria in 1993. The first piece, Lullaby, suggests a cradle song a mother would sing to rock her child to sleep. The rocking imagery of a lullaby can be heard in the basic pulsation of the rhythmic patterns in the bass, while the melodic line in the right hand bears the song. The second piece, Supplication, depicts a mood of prayer. It reminisces one of the most important task of mothers when raising their

Memoirs of Childhood was composed in Nigeria in 1993. The first piece, Lullaby, suggests a cradle song a mother would sing to rock her child to sleep. The ÔrockingÕ imagery of a lullaby can be heard in the basic pulsation of the rhythmic patterns in the bass, while the melodic line in the right hand bears the song. The second piece, Supplication, depicts a mood of prayer. It reminisces one of the most important task of mothers when raising their children. Most mothers pray for their children to grow up and become great men and women in the society. The introduction of this piece with half notes in the first two measures represents a gradual walk to the presence of God in prayer. Lullaby and Supplication are based on pentatonic scale, one of the modes of traditional music in Nigeria. The melodic contours of these two pieces have been influenced by Yoruba language. Highlife Jump is the last piece. It is constructed in the style of highlife music, popular dance band music in West Africa.