Defender of the Realm, Early Intermediate/Intermediate Solo

Defender of the Realm: Standing at the top of a hill, looking down into a valley; the mist begins to clear. What do we see? Is it time to stand and fight?

The main melody of this piece is taken from the notes of the D Dorian mode; which gives it that haunting, Medieval sound. Placing that melody in different octaves creates ambiguity - just who are we are talking about here?  Did you notice the heavy, accented quarter notes in measure 21? What does this remind you of? Maybe clashing swords? Marching armies? Horses hooves stomping?  The contrasting B section moves faster- maybe call to action? Charge or Retreat? Pianists are asked to play You’ll find blocked octaves in Left Hand with some stride-like chord jumps from bass note to chord accompaniment- but slowly.  The piece ends with a restatement of beginning melody- is it now a distant memory?  How will you portray this one?

Key: D Dorian mode and D Natural minor

Time signature: 4/4

Skills: Interesting lyrical melody, Right Hand rotation figures, Dramatic mood

What level: Early Intermediate/Intermediate

How long: Cover + 3 pages, Performance time 02:45.

This is a Single License: One purchase - One copy. Thank for honoring the composer’s work by not sharing.

Want this as a STUDIO License? Check out the Collection.

This piece is part of the Collection, Castle Tales, which is a set of 6 original compositions exploring a wide range of moods from Epic to Tender - created to encourage pianists to achieve musical expression. These descriptive pieces are educational as well as inspiring to play; appealing to tweens, teenagers and adult pianists. The Collection is designed as a whole- offering contrasting pieces to work on different musical skills, inspired by stories of Medieval life as seen in video games; but each piece stands equally on its own.

Titles:  Journey to Castle Roche, The Chase is On, When Winter Comes, Defender of the Realm, Waiting for Your Return, and Night Flight

Level: Early Intermediate - Intermediate, RCM 4 - 5 equivalent