If you’ve ever seen the bench made by Paul Sivel in the small public garden in Spring Hill, Ventnor and wondered about the short musical notation carved into the back of it, read on.
Ventnorian, John Nash, has been in touch with us to explain the bench is a memorial to the composer Thomas Grant. The musical quote is of the opening notes of his ‘Impromptus for Guitar’ (listen to John playing below).
Ventnor-based composer
Thomas Grant (1918-2006) was a Ventnor-based composer who loved the guitar and its nuances.
He was close friends with John, who says,
“The guitar was very much Tom’s personal instrument. These brief Impromptus are unlike anything else in the guitar repertoire. They are by turn tender, wistful and wayward, with a refreshing disregard for formality.
“Tom’s works for guitar include his Concertino Breve which received its premiere in St John’s Church Newport in 1986 with John Nash (guitar) and the Isle of Wight Symphony Orchestra.”
John goes on to explain,
“The photo was taken at the inauguration of a memorial bench to Tom, in Spring Hill Garden, Ventnor in 2007.
“The notation on the bench, above the word “PEACE”, is of the opening phrase of the Impromptus.”
Image: © John Nash
