Liam Brennan's Music

That was then

Working class lad Liam was born with an innate desire to blow things. This manifested itself at the tender age of seven when he learnt to play the recorder with noted skill. A year later he’d moved on to the oboe, an altogether more difficult woodwind instrument to master. By 15, he’d learnt to play the piano and started composing simple ditties in a classical genre. By 18 he was studying for a music degree, became an oboe for hire for various lower league orchestras and his then more complex compositions attracted a more discerning audience. A career in serious music seemed assured. But, by 20 Liam discovered the love that dares not speak its name and, with hormones raging, his creative juices flowed in an entirely different direction. His classical career in tatters and with penury looming, he joined the civil service. That was then.

This is now

A real challenge to active expats is to find gainful occupation that doesn’t involve propping up the bar in some sad, insular dive to Blighty-bash and complain ad nauseum of all things local. I have my writing but what of Liam? An early decision was to order a Roland keyboard from Istanbul. A creative renaissance ensued. Liam spends endless hours tickling the ivories and fiddling with his knobs. His real dream is to complete the requiem he began to write a decade or so ago and to write a score for a film. This is now.

Soundtrack

Liam has been experimenting with his keyboard by writing some short pieces as part of his score for a soundtrack. It's very much a work in progress but if you fancy a listen, please click below.

Catherine

Elphame Wood

Sylvie

Second Time Around

At Jack and Liam's Civil Partnership Liam said it all with a song called Second Time Around. Vocals were supplied by Sally Rivers, a top-notch singer of enormous depth and experience with a rich, soulful voice.

The Promise

Liam set down some lyrics to music. The words in question were penned by our nephew and my namesake, Jack. The prose is very deep, very torch song - all lost love, bitterness, angst and misery. It’s entitled the Promise. Classically trained Liam can’t do hooks and struggled with the composition. He’s developed a deeper appreciation of the well-crafted three minute pop song. This is the result. Not a pop song perhaps, but beautiful nonetheless.

Back in the Day

In 1990, Liam won the Wales on Sunday Christmas Carol Competition with his composition Bethlehem Star. The competition was broadcast by HTV, one of the (now defunct) regional TV channels in Britain. Liam also sought satisfaction for his creative juices with the Mountain Ash and District Choral Society. Liam’s never quite forgotten those halcyon days of quavers and choirs. Imagine his pleasure and surprise when, two decades on, he discovered that they are once again performing one of his pieces, Miracle Child, at a 2011 Christmas service. It made his year.

You can listen to both festive tunes below. They're a bit ropey as they've been transferred from old cassette recordings.