Remember

Remember was written for Patrick Armstrong with the intent that he would play it at his 4th-year piano recital. Unfortunately for that plan, it ended up 5 movements and 20 minutes — a bit long for the original purpose! The five movements are in the order fast – slow – fast – slow – fast. The opening is similar to a Chopin prelude. The two slow movements are lyrical and atmospheric. The 3rd and 5th movements use related material in different ways. Movement 3 is a scherzo with traditional repeats, some exact and some varied. Movement 5 develops that material in something similar to a sonata form.

Remember was premiered on Nov. 5, 2017, by Patrick Armstrong, at the Salle Huguette Labelle (Tabaret), University of Ottawa as part of the concert “Music of John Gordon Armstrong”. The following recording is from that performance.