Edward Lear (1812-1888) travelled extensively. He published ‘THE STORY OF THE FOUR LITTLE CHILDREN WHO WENT ROUND THE WORLD’ in 1871 – he named the children: Violet, Slingsby, Guy and Lionel.

If they now went around the world OF MUSIC, what might they ?nd there?
This Cabinet of Curiosities, resulting from their Grand Tour, is imaginary – although its content draws on facts: plainsong, Lutheran chorale, a melody of only two pitches, another of four, many of unconventional modalities and textures, some others from ‘far away’ – either geographically or in historical time.
Is it a Teaching Compendium? I would rather it were considered an Exploration, with some sites of musical interest.
Some pieces are easy to play, some more di?cult. There are challenges, a few jokes, odd corners of compositional inspiration and design.
As with assessments of Lear‘s writing these pieces might be thought ‘fantastical & irreverent’ or even undermining of conventional, and repressive, politico-cultural orderliness.
Michael Finnissy