The Willows

by Terhi Dostal

Suite for piano

Description

My composition The Willows Op. 6 was commissioned by the British pianist Joseph Tong who premiered it at Blackheath Hall in London on 7 April 2025. The piece is dedicated to him. The total duration of the suite is 15-18 minutes. The movements can also be played separately.

My work was inspired by certain scenes in three well-known British novels that have been important to me for decades.

I. The first movement, “Black Willow”, was inspired by a very violent magical tree, “Whomping Willow” in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series. This tree seems to sleep peacefully in the Hogwarts Grounds until someone comes near it. It attacks anyone who disturbs its branches. However, pressing a small knot near the base can cause the tree to become magically immobilised.

II. The second movement, “White Willow”, describes a completely different scene from Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre. This is a very romantic moment in the novel: Jane Eyre has just met her future love interest, Mr. Rochester, on a road at night for the first time. When Jane then returns to Thornfield Manor after this exciting encounter, she describes the pollard willow and the wind in the trees around Thornfield.

III. The third movement, “Grey Willow”, was inspired by a whole scene from J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. The hobbits encounter Old Man Willow, a malign tree-spirit of great age in the Old Forest. In the story, Old Man Willow sings and casts a spell on the hobbits, causing them to feel sleepy. The willow then traps Merry and Pippin in the cracks of its trunk and tips Frodo into the stream. The tree says it is going to squeeze the two hobbits to death. They are saved by the arrival of Tom Bombadil who sings to the ancient tree to release the two hobbits. They then escape from Old Man Willow and find a happy and safe haven in Tom Bombadil's home.

Instrumentation

pno

Category

Works for Solo Instrument

Opus no.

op. 6

Premiere

Joseph Tong, 7 April 2025, Blackheath Halls, London

Movements

I. Black Willow, II. White Willow, III. Grey Willow

Commisioned by / dedications

Dedicated to Joseph Tong

Archive number

MF35982

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