As a child the response was glorious. The South-East Northumbrian coalfield thrived with wonders; coal-black skies stuck with stars & frost patterning windows in the days before central heating. Winter came gladly - welcomed as cherished & no claims otherwise. Thus my concept of the Biblical is a subjective notion born somewhere between the Nativity Play & the prints of Paul Klee paintings along the reeking corridors of Shiremoor Middle School circa 1971. Elsewhere (in the Oriental Museum in Durham for example) Ancient Egyptian pomegranates inspire the notion of Biblical Fruit & dark blue skies stuck with constellations of gold glimpsed in the freezing dark windswept chapels on cliff tops overlooking the cold north sea served only to confirm it. Seen it in the images too; the Magi on the Franks Casket (in case you were wondering) astray no doubt to some other calling whilst shepherds watched.

The Exotic invigorates such appreciations which will always be as intimate as they are idiosyncratic - indeed as intimate and as idiosyncratic as the instruments used in this music.



Of course these aren't always so very exotic, the Hohner Melodica-Alto for example (see above: click for appropriate audio...) has been with me for a while now & finds its way into most things I do even though over the years the accumulations of gob have warped it away from the pristine concert pitch it had when it was brand new back in October 1993 but to my ears that just adds to the character of the thing although in deference to convention I do find myself avoiding certain intervals which even by my standards are too far gone.