Soliloquy: Kevin Ure’s Musical Interpretations of Literary Works

March 27, 2023 Staff 0 Comments

Have you ever wondered what music sounds like when it is inspired by stories? Stories that make you feel, think, and imagine? Stories that take you to different places and times? Stories that are full of magic, mystery, and tragedy? If you have, then you might want to listen to Kevin Ure’s Soliloquy album. Kevin Ure is a composer and musician from Las Vegas, who creates music that is diverse and expressive. His Soliloquy album is a collection of meditation pieces that explore the darker aspects of human emotions. Some of these pieces are based on literary works, such as La Llorona, Queen Mab, and The Garden Tower. In this article, we will discover how Ure uses musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythms, and textures to tell the stories behind these works.

La Llorona: The Weeping Woman’s Lament

One of the most popular and tragic folk tales in Mexican culture is that of La Llorona, the weeping woman who drowned her children and herself in a river after being abandoned by her lover. Her ghostly cries can still be heard near the water, mourning her loss and seeking her children. Kevin Ure captures the essence of this story in his haunting piece for solo piano, La Llorona, which is part of his Soliloquy album. The piece uses musical elements such as dissonance, chromaticism, and dynamics to convey the emotions of sorrow, anger, and madness that torment La Llorona.

A haunting piece for solo piano that depicts a Mexican folk tale of a woman who drowns her children and herself in a river after being betrayed by her lover. The piece uses dissonant harmonies, chromatic melodies, and dramatic dynamics to create a sense of sorrow, anger, and madness. The piece is part of Ure’s Soliloquy album.

The piece begins with a light melody that sets the mood for the tragedy. The piano then plays a descending chromatic motif representing the woman's tears and lament. The motif is repeated and varied throughout the piece, sometimes in different registers, sometimes with different accompaniments, and sometimes with different articulations. The piece gradually builds up in intensity and volume, reaching a climactic point where the piano plays loud and fast chords that mimic the sound of the river. The piece then abruptly ends with a high tessitura that fades away, symbolizing the woman's death and ghostly presence.


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Queen Mab: The Fairy Queen’s Dream

In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Mercutio delivers a famous speech about Queen Mab, the fairy queen who visits people in their dreams and influences their fantasies. She is described as a tiny and beautiful creature who rides in a chariot made of an empty hazelnut and drives over people’s noses as they sleep. Kevin Ure depicts this whimsical and magical character in his lyrical piece for flute and piano, Queen Mab, which is part of his Soliloquy album. The piece uses musical elements such as lightness, gracefulness, and playfulness to evoke a sense of wonder, mischief, and imagination that Queen Mab inspires.

A lyrical piece for flute and piano that portrays a fairy queen from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The piece uses light and airy textures, graceful melodies, and playful rhythms to evoke a sense of magic, wonder, and mischief. 

The piece begins with a soft, delicate piano introduction that creates a dreamy atmosphere. The flute then enters with a melodic theme that is based on the rhythm of Queen Mab's speech in the play. The theme is expressive and flexible, changing in tempo and dynamics according to the mood of the words. The flute and piano conversationally interact with each other, sometimes echoing, sometimes contrasting, sometimes harmonizing. The piece has several sections exploring different aspects of Queen Mab's character and realm, such as her beauty, power, mischief, and influence on dreams. The piece ends with a gentle coda that returns to the original theme and fades away.


Purchase the Album Soliloquy by Kevin Ure

The Garden Tower: The Tower of Light and Darkness

One of the most iconic and notorious landmarks in London is the Tower of London, a historic castle that has served as a royal palace, a prison, a fortress, and a museum. Among its many buildings is the Bloody Tower, which was originally known as the Garden Tower. It was here that many prisoners and executions took place, such as the murder of the Princes in the Tower, the imprisonment of Sir Walter Raleigh, and the martyrdom of Protestant reformers. Kevin Ure reflects on the history and stories of this tower in his beautiful piece for violin and piano, The Garden Tower, which is part of his Soliloquy album. The piece uses musical elements such as contrast, texture, and harmony to express the lightness and darkness that coexist in this tower.

A beautiful violin and piano piece inspired by a trip to London, where Ure visited the Bloody Tower, one of the most notorious buildings in the history of England. The piece contrasts lightness and darkness using musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythms, and textures. The piece reflects some of the stories and events that occurred in the tower, such as the murder of the Princes in the Tower, the imprisonment of Sir Walter Raleigh, and the martyrdom of Protestant reformers. 

The piece begins with a bright, but moody violin melody that represents the beauty and majesty of the tower. The piano accompanies with mostly major chords and arpeggios used in a non-traditional manner that create a sense of harmony and stability. The piece then shifts to a darker and more somber mood as the violin plays a minor melody representing the tower's tragedy and violence. The piano accompanies with dissonant chords and syncopated rhythms that create a sense of tension and instability. The piece alternates between these two moods, reflecting the contrast between the tower's appearance and reality. The piece ends with a hopeful and optimistic melody that represents the resilience and courage of those who suffered in the tower. The piano accompanies with major chords and regular rhythms that create a sense of resolution and peace.



Have you ever wondered what music sounds like when it is inspired by stories? Stories that make you feel, think, and imagine? Stories that t...

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Kevin Ure: A Composer and Musician with a Diverse and Expressive Style

March 20, 2023 Staff 0 Comments

If you are looking for some original and captivating music to listen to, you might want to check out Kevin Ure’s SoundCloud page. Kevin Ure is a composer and musician based in Las Vegas, who creates diverse and expressive pieces for various instruments and ensembles. His music ranges from classical to contemporary, from lyrical to dramatic, from solo to orchestral.

Kevin Ure holds music composition degrees from The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (BM) and The University of Arizona (MM). He also studied electronic music composition at Western Michigan University. He is currently a professor at UNLV, where he teaches courses in music theory and ear training. He is also the founder of UreMusic.com, where he offers online music composition lessons.

One of his recent works is A Medieval Fantasy for Tuba and Euphonium Choir, which was inspired by the medieval era and its legends. The piece features a rich and colorful harmony, a rhythmic and energetic drive, and a contrast between dark and light moods. The tuba and euphonium choir creates a powerful and majestic sound that transports the listener to a different time and place.



Another work that showcases Kevin Ure’s creativity is La Llorona, a three-movement piece for piano based on the Mexican folk tale of the same name. The piece depicts the story of a woman who drowned her children in a river out of jealousy and grief, and then wanders the earth as a ghost, crying for them. The music captures the emotions of sorrow, anger, madness, and regret that haunt the protagonist. The clarinet quartet uses various techniques such as glissandi, multiphonics, flutter tonguing, and microtones to create an eerie and haunting atmosphere.



Kevin Ure has also composed music for other genres such as film and classical music. He has collaborated with several artists and performers, including the Las Vegas Brass Band. 

If you want to discover more of Kevin Ure’s music, you can visit his SoundCloud page where he uploads his tracks regularly. You can also follow him on Facebook or Twitter where he shares his latest projects and updates. You can also visit his website kevinure.com where you can find more information about his biography, works, books, and lessons.123

1: https://www.kevinure.com/ 

2: https://www.unlv.edu/people/kevin-ure 

3: https://www.uremusic.com/p/lessons.html

References: 


1. kevinure.com2. kevinure.com3. uremusic.com4. uremusic.com5. unlv.edu

If you are looking for some original and captivating music to listen to, you might want to check out Kevin Ure’s SoundCloud page. Kevin Ure...

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The Garden Tower: A Song of Light and Darkness

March 18, 2023 Staff 0 Comments

Have you ever heard of Kevin Ure's The Garden Tower? It is a beautiful work inspired by a trip to London, where he visited the Bloody Tower, one of the most notorious buildings in the history of England. Learn more about the meaning and symbolism behind this piece for violin and piano, and how it relates to the contrast between light and darkness in the human condition.

The Bloody Tower, originally known as the Garden Tower, was built in the 13th century as part of the defensive system of the Tower of London. It was initially named after the constable's garden beneath it but later acquired its bloody reputation due to its association with several prisoners and executions.

Some of the most famous prisoners who were held or killed in the Bloody Tower include:

– The Princes in the Tower: Edward V and his younger brother Richard were allegedly murdered by their uncle Richard III in 1483.
– Sir Walter Raleigh: An explorer, poet and courtier who spent 13 years in captivity under James I and was eventually beheaded for treason in 1618.
– Archbishop Thomas Cranmer and Bishops Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley: Protestant reformers who were burned at the stake for heresy by Queen Mary I in 1556.

These stories reflect some of the darkest moments in English history, when violence, betrayal and oppression were rampant. However, they also reveal glimpses of light, courage and hope that shone through these tragic events.

For example:

– The Princes in the Tower are remembered as innocent victims who inspired many legends and sympathies over time.
– Sir Walter Raleigh used his time in prison to write poetry, history and science books. He also cultivated a small garden outside his cell, where he grew exotic plants from his travels.
– Archbishop Cranmer and Bishops Latimer and Ridley died as martyrs for their faith. Their last words became famous expressions of defiance and conviction.

The Garden Tower by Kevin Ure is a musical reflection on the history and stories of the Tower of London. The work contrasts lightness and darkness by using different musical elements such as melody, harmony, rhythms, and textures.

The work begins with a gentle piano introduction, setting a peaceful and serene mood. The melody is simple and lyrical, evoking a sense of nostalgia and longing for a lost paradise. The violin joins in with a soaring theme that expresses hope and optimism.

However, as the work progresses, darker elements start to emerge. The harmony becomes more dissonant and chromatic, creating tension and instability. The rhythms become more syncopated and irregular, suggesting agitation and conflict. The texture becomes thicker and more complex, representing the chaos and violence that occurred in the tower.

The work ends dramatically as the violin and piano build intensity until there is a rousing final burst of energy, which depicts the relief of those who entered the tower and left unscathed.

According to Ure1, he was inspired by his trip to London in 1996. He visited the Tower of London2, a historic castle that has served as a royal palace3, a prison, a treasury, and a place of execution. Among the many towers within the castle complex, he was particularly drawn to one called “The Garden Tower” or “The Bloody Tower” because of its history.

He said: “I was fascinated by how this tower had witnessed so many events over time - some tragic, some heroic - but also how it had this beautiful garden outside where prisoners could grow plants or enjoy nature. I wanted to capture this contrast between lightness and darkness in my music.”
The Bloody Tower is notorious for being the site of several murders and mysterious deaths. Some of the most famous victims include the two young princes allegedly killed by their uncle Richard III in 1483 and Sir Walter Raleigh, imprisoned there for 13 years before being beheaded in 1618.

But beneath this tower of horror lies a surprising sight: a beautiful garden. The garden was created by Sir Geoffrey de Mandeville, who was appointed constable of the Tower in 1241. He decided to plant flowers and herbs in an area previously used as a rubbish dump. He also built a small house within the garden walls for himself and his family.

The garden became known as the constable's garden and was maintained by successive constables until 1974. Today, it is open to visitors who can admire its roses, lavender, sage, thyme, and other plants. It also hosts an annual ceremony where new constables are sworn in.
Ure was fascinated by this contrast between darkness and lightness, death and life, despair and hope. He decided to capture it in his musical work, The Garden Tower. He used vibrant colors and expressive lyrical lines to create a sense of movement and energy in the garden scene. He contrasted this with dark tones and sharp angles to convey the menace of the tower looming above.

The result is a stunning visual metaphor for how beauty can emerge from tragedy, how hope can overcome fear, and how life can persist in spite of death. The Garden Tower is a tribute to Ure's personal experience at the Tower of London and a universal message of resilience and optimism.

Kevin Ure's The Garden Tower is thus an artistic expression of how lightness can coexist with darkness, how beauty can emerge from tragedy, and how life can endure even in the most dire circumstances.

Purchase the music on Amazon, iTunes, or your favorite streaming service. 

Reviewed by Kevin Ure on 3/18/2023

Have you ever heard of Kevin Ure's The Garden Tower? It is a beautiful work inspired by a trip to London, where he visited the Bloody To...

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Soliloquy: A Captivating Musical Journey Through the Darker Aspects of Human Emotions

March 16, 2023 Staff 0 Comments

If you are looking for music that will make you think, feel and reflect, you should check out Kevin Ure's Soliloquy album. This album is different from your typical classical music collection. It is a set of "meditation" pieces designed to put the listener into a suggestive but contemplative state of mind.

The album consists of 15 tracks, each with a different theme and mood. Some of them are inspired by literary works, such as La Llorona (a Mexican folk tale), Queen Mab (a fairy from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) and The Garden Tower (a poem by Robert Browning). Others are based on natural elements, such as The Trees (a series of four pieces dedicated to different types of trees) and Burned (a three-movement piece that evokes fire and destruction).

The music isn't cheerful or happy but rather overcast and melancholy. It explores the darker aspects of human emotions, such as grief, loss, anger and despair. The melodies are haunting and the harmonies are dissonant. The instruments used include piano, violin, cello, guitar and percussion.

This album is unique because it doesn't follow any conventional rules or structures. It is more like a musical stream of consciousness than a composed work. The pieces are free-form and improvisational, sometimes changing tempo or key without warning. The music is unpredictable and challenging but also captivating and expressive.

Kevin Ure is an independent composer who has been making music since 2009. He has released several albums in various genres, such as ambient, electronic, and classical. He describes his music as "an exploration of soundscapes" that "create an emotional response" in the listener.

If you are interested in listening to Soliloquy by Kevin Ure, you can find it on Apple Music, Spotify or Qobuz. You might also want to check out his other albums on his website. Prepare for a musical journey that will challenge your expectations and stimulate your imagination.

If you are looking for music that will make you think, feel and reflect, you should check out Kevin Ure's Soliloquy album. This album i...

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