'1957 Flying Scot', is an Artists Book that has been created much in the same way as the bicycle it is named for in that each copy
has been hand-made and individually assembled. Rab Wilson's sonnet redoublé has been lovingly incorporated into a book designed and illustrated by Hugh Bryden which features not only the sonnets, but two audio CDs. The first, a Jazz Suite inspired by the sonnets composed and performed by Ben Bryden, the second of the poet reciting the work.
The Sonnets
'1957 Flying Scot' is a sonnet redoublé, or heroic crown of sonnets, that is at once an elegy and a celebration of the UK's, and more especially Glasgow's, great heritage of building high quality racing and touring bicycles. The eponymous marque of the sequence's title has been specifically chosen to exemplify the many companies who led the world in this vast industry. Once upon a time a Flying Scot bicycle was the dream and aspiration of many working class boys in Scotland. They were incredibly expensive, exotic and desirable objects in their day.
The poems celebrate the way these machines were revered, coveted and sought after; the skills that went into their construction and building; the artistry and aesthetic beauty of them and the characters who rode them to victory and glory.
The Music
1957 Flying Scot Suite is a musical imagining of Rab Wilson's sonnet reboublé. It comprises fifteen original contemporary jazz compositions inspired by the sonnets and performed by a quintet of saxophone, flute, guitar, double bass and drums.
Each composition hinges on a ten note melody drawn from the final line of every poem, echoing the iambic pentameter of the verse. These melodies have then been expanded and extemporized upon to create short pieces which act as a launching pad for improvised solos. Each piece has been written with a specific mood in mind, designed to describe the constantly changing atmosphere and "whippiness" of a cycling run: "That 'thing' we can't define, that can't be said". The Finale, like the final sonnet, incorporates all of the previous ten note melodies to create a fourteen line musical sonnet.
The music of '1957 Flying Scot' is available both on the Double CD poetry pamphlet but also as a stand-alone album, both of which can be purchased below:
Double CD with Poetry pamphletPlease note that this link will take you to Paypal |
Single CD (Music Only)Please note that this link will take you to Paypal |
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Audio:
Audio exerpts from 1957 Flying Scot:
