This track sets the scene for the whole album, a short but exciting story about the adventure of the curious squirrel named Whiskers. The title of this piece is a cliché for fairy tales but I thought it would fit for this album as the idea of the album is a bit of a fairy tale, or somewhat of a magical story.

The piece encapsulates the entire story from beginning to end, a kind of foreshadowing of what is to come. It begins with a slow but curious melody reflecting the curious nature of Whiskers and then the melody becomes more active as things begin to escalate. It then takes a turn into a very active melody with lots of movement as the story reaches its climax. Finally, the melody returns to the original motif that we heard at the start which leaves the door open for the rest of the story. We had a brief look into what is to come, but we are yet to actually start the story.

Now that the story has begun, we are introduced to ‘A Squirrel Named Whiskers’! This piece is all about Whiskers, his curious nature, and the adventure he is about to set out on. The piece begins out as a timid, careful melody that slowly creeps around. Then the piece takes a turn into a vibrant and cheerful melody with a constantly moving accompaniment that reflects Whiskers’ energetic and vibrant nature.

There are a some points where the melody goes off on a tangent which reflects Whiskers’ sporadic nature but he eventually returns back to his usual self. Halfway through the composition, the piece takes a turn and becomes much more active and tense. The loud dynamics as well as the foreign key reflect what Whiskers the Squirrel is known for, his curiosity to venture into dangerous and unknown places.

Luckily however, he returns back to his safe and usual self which is reflected by the return of the original melody that we heard at the beginning. Like ‘Once Upon A Time’, this piece is a foreshadowing of what is to come in the rest of the album.

Whiskers now begins on his curious adventure into the unknown. He begins carefully stepping through the forest with caution into unfamiliar territory, his ear pricked to listen out for any sounds that might be someone or something else. As he makes his way through the forest looking for something to explore, the wind begins to pick up. The trees move in the wind and the leaves rustle and fly around Whiskers which causes him to panic.

As the piece moves to a more active section with the use of semiquavers, Whiskers begins to run further into the forest, losing his sense of direction from the confusion caused by the wind and all the leaves about. Whiskers frantically tries to find his way back home but the wind grows stronger blowing more leaves around which makes it even harder to see where he’s going.

Eventually the leaves settle back on the ground as the wind dies down and comes to a rest. Whiskers has stumbled across something he has never seen before in this forest, a house. It looks abandoned and like someone used to live there many decades ago. He stops in his tracks to take a good long look at the mysterious looking house that towers before him.

Now Whiskers has come across this mysterious house in the forest, he approaches it with curiosity and cautiousness. This is reflected in the start of the piece where the chords are slow and cautious but they eventually turn into quaver broken chords as Whiskers begins to have a look around the house, taking care in every step he takes. As Whiskers explores the outside of the house, he finds smashed windows, broken doors, rotting wood, and a once loved and alive home, abandoned and forgotten, left to rot and fall apart.

He comes back around to the front of the house now that he has had a good look around it and has a decision to make. Does his curious nature take him inside to explore the unknown, with a possibility of finding food or a safe place to live or does he go back and find his way back home? Of course, Whiskers can’t help himself and he decides to venture into the house to find out what lies inside.

The middle section does go in a bit of a different direction but I still wanted to infuse elements from the first section into this section as well as use the gesture of ‘Bloom’ in some way. This sections still evolves in it’s own way but I would say I wrote it in a more through-composed style with different little themes that come and go. I hope you are able to image the music ‘Bloom’ when you listen to it.

This piece was actually the first piece I wrote for this album, I wrote it initially without even thinking that I would make an album out of it. So it has a special place in the album and is quite a simple piece compared to the other tracks. I wrote it during 2021 and then later I had the idea to make a music box album. About halfway through composing the album, I had the idea to create a story about a squirrel so this piece was written well before the title was written but it fits quite well in the story.

Now that Whiskers has explored the outside of the house, his curious nature couldn't help but explore this mysterious house that he found. Slowly and carefully he creeps inside to see if he can find anything to eat or a safe place to call home. He creeps around and can’t hear a sound - just the sound of the gentle breeze rustling the leaves outside. Everything is damaged and abandoned. The wallpaper is torn and drooping, the floorboards broken and creaky, and the furniture has seen much better days.

As Whiskers continues to look around, his ears are pricked to listen out for anything unusual that might be a threat…

As for the melodic material, I wrote in a sort of improvisatory style by with compositional devices as well to make sure the melody didn’t change too much and had some repetition and variation. The name of the this piece came after I wrote it as I began with the 10/8 time signature and then came up with the rhythmic ostinato. I feel like the title matches the feel of this piece though, I mean that was my goal for the title. ‘Spritzer’ has an active and springy sound to it, like this piece.

Whiskers ears prick up as he hears that he is not the only creature inside this mysterious house. His little heart begins to race which is reflected in the opening of this piece. Whiskers knows that he isn’t the only one in this house but he is curious as to who else might be in here. He finds a safe spot under a table but keeps his ears and eyes out to hear who might be creeping around.

The footsteps stop and start, they sound small but he’s not too sure. Whiskers once again can’t help his curious nature and he decides to venture out and find who or what this other creature is that has the same idea to explore this house. He makes sure to keep his footsteps light to not bring any attention to himself and not scare away the other creature. He looks around one room, and then another, covering almost the entire house except the attic. Whiskers decides to climb up into to the attic to find out once and for all what this other creature is.

The name then inspired the rest of the piece and I think the story in a general sense is the feeling of someone or something being taken away from you. The feeling of grief, mourning, and loss that underlies your day to day life from that point on. As the piece progresses, it moves through sections that are brighter or darker which reflect the up and down nature of these life experiences, sometimes you feel more hopeful and other days you don’t feel so great.

A shadow! Whiskers heart begins to race once again, he needs to get out of here as quick as he can, something else is here and it could be out to get him. Whiskers jumps out of the attic and scurries down the stairs. He needs to be quick though because he can hear the other creature not far behind him. He looks for an exit out of the house but he has no luck. Time is running out and he needs to get out or hide before he is caught.

Whiskers finds a safe spot to hide once again behind a rotting bookshelf that does a decent job to conceal himself. He can relax now but he needs to be quiet to make sure that the other creature doesn’t find him. He waits for a while and doesn’t hear much movement but he can’t be too sure. Whiskers thinks that the other creature must have lost interest and ventured elsewhere so he decides to leave his hiding spot and explore the house some more.

It’s funny, when I write these program notes I am listening back to the piece I have written and I am able to see the full picture as I am able to stand back and look at it as a whole piece. I think the last 7 bars with the quaint melody quite high on the piano is where the piece finally found where it needed to go. Everything else before it is just noise. Then as soon as that melody comes it only lasts for a very short time and then the piece ends. Maybe that is a reflection of the time we take to rest or go on a holiday. We take a lot of time to get into ‘relaxation mode’ and then by the time we are fully relaxed and disconnected, we need to get back to reality or whatever we were doing before.

What a relief! It was just another squirrel all along! Whiskers and the other squirrel are cautious to meet each other but they walk up to each other slowly and carefully, ready to run at any moment in case something happens. Whiskers thinks to himself about all that fear and chaos he felt earlier that was all for nothing, he is very relieved to find out that the scary creature he was so scared about was just another squirrel.

Whiskers doesn’t have many other friends so he’s happy to find someone else in these woods to become friends with. The scary abandoned house that they’re in seems to fade away now that he feels comfortable with this other squirrel. What an adventure it has been so far, from finding this abandoned house to running for his life to making a new friend. I wonder what her name is?

As you listen to this piece, I want to relax and just imagine a place where you are alone or with someone you love, on that swing in the warmth of that summer evening. The swing is gently swaying back and forth in the breeze and the clouds are starting to set in as the night settles in once again.

Her name is Pippin, and, much to Whiskers’ surprise, she’s just like him—same colour, same cautious yet curious nature. It’s almost as if fate brought them together in this old, abandoned house.

As they slowly approach each other, any lingering fears melt away, replaced by the joy of meeting someone so similar. Both curious and cautious, it’s no wonder these two found each other in such an unusual place. Before long, Whiskers and Pippin start to play, their trust in each other growing with every moment. They share stories, laugh, and explore the corners of the house together, learning more about one another with each step.

Excitement builds as they realise there’s so much more to discover outside these walls. With a shared eagerness to show off their homes, they decide to leave the abandoned house behind. Whiskers leads the way, Pippin by his side, as they venture into the woods, ready to explore each other’s worlds and embark on new adventures together.

I think one of the really important aspects of this piece is the phrasing as it really is one continuous idea that doesn’t stop until the very end. The phrasing is essential for the piece to make sense and breath naturally. So the dynamics, use of rubato, and accents are all very important tools to be used in order to bring out the true nature of this piece.

Whiskers and Pippin had left the abandoned house behind, but they carried with them something far more valuable than anything they could have found within its dusty walls—a new friendship. As they journeyed through the woods, they discovered that they had more in common than just their fur colour. Their shared curiosity led them to explore new paths, while their cautious natures kept them safe from danger. Every rustle of the leaves, every flicker of movement in the underbrush, became an adventure when they were together.

Day after day, Whiskers and Pippin would meet at the edge of the forest, eager to explore each other’s favourite spots. Whether it was a hidden grove full of the sweetest acorns or a quiet stream perfect for reflection, they found joy in sharing these special places with each other. The once lonely woods now felt alive with the warmth of their companionship. They would chase each other up trees, playfully darting between branches, and when the day grew late, they would sit side by side, watching the sun dip below the horizon.

The fear and hesitation that once filled their first encounter was now just a distant memory. In its place was a deep bond, forged through shared experiences and a mutual understanding. Whiskers and Pippin might have been cautious, but together, they found the courage to explore a world that felt much less daunting with a friend by their side. And so, from that day on, they were inseparable—two squirrels who had found in each other a lifelong companion, proving that sometimes, the best adventures begin when you least expect them.