Katrina Gordon

Fine Day? and Skerry Selkie

This work for unaccompanied double bass portrays a conversation between two Hirta wifies, perhaps meeting by chance while going about their daily lives. The first lady is older, calm, and serene - she's seen it all before and expects to see nothing new. In bar 9, a younger lady appears - much more animated and excited, and bursting with gossip. The characters converse, with a double bar, and often a tempo change, indicating the change of speaker. While the younger lady becomes very animated (and slightly frustrated) trying to ply her elder with today's juiciest gossip, the older lady remains calm and serene, apparently showing little interest, until the final bars, where, after her neighbour has walked away, she smiles, and we see that she was listening, after all…

Skerry Selkie "Skerry" is an old Norse word for a small rocky island in the sea. Most Skerries are populated only by birds and seals. "Selkie" is a local dialect word used right along the north coast of Scotland to describe seals. It also refers to a creature of Norse myth which could transform from seal to human form at will. Selkies, like mermaids, would mischieviously enchant sailors with their beautiful singing...