This set of five miniatures for piano solo originate from a visit to the village of Rhynie, where there are several stones carved with Pictish symbols. I was intrigued by the mystery of these symbols, which range from animals (real and fantastical) to inanimate objects and abstract symbols, often in combinations on each stone. For this piece, each miniature is based on a different symbol, from which I interpreted based on possible meaning and historical context as well as design. Because almost nothing is known for certain about their meanings, I have had the freedom to express my own interpretations of the symbols through musical means.

I chose a variety of animals and abstract symbols that interested me in particular for this set, and modelled it so that the former were placed in odd-numbered positions and the latter in even-numbered ones, as shown below. The animals are generally self-contained character pieces, and the abstract symbols act more as interludes.

I. The Salmon

Quite clearly identifiable, the salmon represents magic and travels through and between other worlds according to some scholars; hence, by representing a gateway into this mysterious world of symbols, I have chosen to begin the set with it. In musical terms, the salmon flows gently through the water with fluid harmonies and in a constantly moving compound metre.

II. The Z-Rod

This abstract symbol seems to possibly represent the sun. For this, along with the other abstract symbol in the 4th miniature, I have gone for a sustained, more rhythmically static atmosphere, focusing mainly on harmonies and registers. I have also gone to interpret the shape of the symbol zig-zagging through a crossing set of arpeggios in the densely climactic middle, and the harmonic chords cross one another in a very rough symmetrical rotation.

III. The Head Cult

The head, almost clearly defined as a dog, is said to represent the seat of the spirit. Some have also suggested it to be representative of a shape-shifter. In contrast to the Salmon, the music is sharp and hollow, with a pulsing irregular rhythm and an almost ritualistic pattern in the bass-line, perhaps suggesting constant metamorphosis.

IV. The V-Rod

This abstract symbol with its crescent shape suggests a representation of the moon, and so I have gone for a quiet nocturnal feel in this miniature. Like the Z-Rod, the music is sustained and static and is made up mostly of chords. It also has a reflective symmetry in relation to its V-shape.

V. The Pictish Beast

This enigmatic creature has been interpreted variously as a dolphin, an elephant, a kelpie and even a dragon, but regardless of what it truly is, it has a formidably graceful aesthetic to it, and so I have decided on a brutal, rhythmically irregular (yet precise) nature to finish off this set. One reading of the symbol suggests its power over water, hence dominating and controlling the paths between worlds. To symbolise this, I have returned to the harmonic language of the first miniature. It is also the most characteristically diverse miniature of the set, combining elements of the Salmon and Head Cult.

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