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SP-Chrystalis
ALGONQUIN (2025)
Enjoy Brendan's collection of (12) original piano pieces inspired by the life & paintings of Canadian artist, Tom Thomson (1877-1917), whose paintings capture Ontario's Algonquin Park.
A celebration of the Canadian wilderness on cavas, this narrative-driven life-to-death ordering of Thomson's paintings, were arranged to follow the arc of his artistic growth, his deepening bond with Algonquin Park, and the mystery surrounding his final days.
Each placement reflects both the general chronology of his work and the symbolic “story” these paintings collectively tell.
Sheet Music Available Soon!
A Story of Tom Thomson's Life and Death Told Through His Paintings...
01) Byng Inlet
02) Northern River
03) Algonquin
04) Spring Ice
05) Burnt Land
06) Summer Day
07) Autumn Foliage
08) Jack Pine
09) Path Behind Mowat Lodge
10) Something Told The Wild Geese
11) Canoe Lake
12) Moonlight
01: 'Byng Inlet'
Early wanderings and northern inspiration begin.
His first encounters with Ontario’s rugged shoreline spark the sensibility that will define him.
02: 'Northern River'
A young artist finding his direction.
He discovers the quiet, spiritual pull of the wilderness—his first major artistic breakthrough.
03: 'Algonquin Park'
A new world opens.
He ventures deeper into the backcountry that will become his home, muse, and destiny.
04: 'Spring Ice'
The season of becoming.
Melting rivers and glassy thaw reflect his growing mastery and the renewal of his artistic confidence.
05: 'Burnt Land'
Toughening, testing, transforming.
He begins charting harsher terrains, embracing the resilience found in scarred landscapes.
06: 'Summer Day'
Life at its height.
Luminous light and open lakes evoke the harmony he felt during his most productive seasons.
07: 'Autumn Foliage'
The great blaze before decline.
He paints autumn with unmatched intensity, capturing the fleeting fire of nature—and of life.
08: 'Jack Pine'
The emblem of his vision.
A solitary, wind-bent tree stands as the fullest expression of his mature style and spirit.
09: 'Path Behind Mowat Lodge'
Stepping closer to his final chapter.
These familiar trails echo the rhythms of Canoe Lake and the quiet days leading up to his disappearance.
10: 'Something Told The Wild Geese'
Nature shifts toward departure.
The migratory V becomes a subtle metaphor for transition, movement, and impending loss.
Footnote:
This is the title of a poem by Rachel Field 1934, which captures the essence of Thomson's painting, Round Lake - Geese Flying V, 1915.
11: 'Canoe Lake'
The place of mystery.
His last days gather around these waters—mirror-still, uncertain, carrying the weight of legend.
12: 'Moonlight'
Aftermath and remembrance.
A nocturne of silence and reflection, suggesting both his absence and the lingering glow of what he left behind.
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