St. Catherine's Hill lies near Winchester, England. It is a part of the ancient road "The Ridgeway" which has existed for over 5,000 years. At the zenith, there lies a large circle of beautiful tall trees. Underneath their shade, an overwhelming sense of serenity exists. It feels like a place that was once worshipped. It occurred to me, as the wind blew silently through the trees, that it felt as if they were speaking to one another. The sun was lowering in the sky and I snapped this photograph as it peeped through the silhouetted trees.

This musical composition is seemingly simple in its construction. It is written for only 3 strings (two violas, one cello). Equally, the three different musical lines move for the most part in the same direction. The key changes quite dramatically at moments, but never enough to stop the momentum of the piece or jar the ears of the listener. There is a solemnity to the sound of the strings. I feel as if this is what the trees were saying as the breeze blew through their leaves. Tales of their long lives, some uplifting, some filled with sorrow.

I recently read Thomas Hardy's Jude the Obscure and was taken by the intense feeling of despair felt by the main character Jude. As I was reading, especially at the heartbreaking conclusion, I found myself playing this composition in my head. The solemn and thoughtful tone fit with Thomas Hardy's linguistic palette.

Standing on the hill, feeling the country breeze on my face, breathing in the fresh air, staring at the surrounding English countryside that seemed to extend to all corners of the Earth, I couldn't help but feel thoughtful, reflective and above all... at peace.

Recording credits:
Viola I: Saagar Asnani
Viola II: Lynna Ye
Cello: Curtis Kuo, Nick Beckish