What I Heard Last Summer
What I Heard Last Summer is a collection of orchestral pieces composed by Frederik van Eske. It remains unfinished, with the most recent addition being Soldiers Sailing to War. The collection serves as one of the earliest works of written music in the history of Alathra.
List of works
I - Gates of Kalikhan
Finished on June 16, 4 AC, Gates of Kalikhan is the first completed piece. It is intended to provide a powerful introduction and establishes a narrative theme centered around places found in Kuthara.
The title of the piece is a reference to the city of Kalikhan, where Van Eske resided during most of his work on the collection.
II - Vacant Halls of Vanadiar
The second entry was introduced on Jule 10, 5 AC, this time centered around the ruins of Vanadiar, which lie southwest of Kalikhan. A much more nostalgic and sombre tune, it contrasts quite clearly from the previous piece.
III - Soldiers Sailing to War
By the second half of Jule, 5 AC, the Thaambailian war had grown to involve nearly all the states of Kuthara. Hearing of the news that Kalikhan would soon be pulled into the conflict, Van Eske wrote a piece to honor the soon-to-be battling soldiers, some of which he had known for long.
Soldiers Sailing to War remains the longest piece in the entire collection, consisting of two distinctly different movements.
Related works
Park Bench Waltz
This piece was finished between the first and the second entry to the collection. It shares the overall narrative of describing the emotion or thoughts regarding a specific location, but this time written for a piano solo.
Stubborn Souls
Written in the beginning of August, this violin duet was a submission for a privately-held contest for composers. Van Eske has stated that the theme of the piece is the determination he sees in the people of Kalikhan, and their will to persevere.