Music
Album
Genesis—Modern eclectic classical.
William Ramsay did not consider labels to be limits. He was equally comfortable and talented as a writer, a physicist, and a composer of music. His music appeals to the intellect as well as the ear. These pieces draw inspiration from a broad range of sources, from Scott Joplin and Dvorak, to a pair of red shouldered hawks that nested year after year in a Monterey cedar tree near his home in Santa Barbara. The title piece, Genesis, is an interpretation of the Book of Genesis from the King James Bible. They are performed on piano, flute, violin, and violoncello. Two of the twenty-eight compositions feature mezzo-soprano vocals. Performed and recorded by professionals, this is the collection of his music that William Ramsay chose to share with the world.
Operas
Bigbrains.com
A comic mini-opera.
Scenes from this opera were performed by the Santa Barbara Music Club Saturday, February 7, 2015 at the Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library, Santa Barbara, California. Performed by soprano Christine Hollinger, mezzo-soprano Holly Clementz, tenor Gabriel Silva, baritone Andre Shillo, and pianist Christopher Davis.
In the composer’s words, “Bigbrains.com is a short comic opera based on the current rage of for developing new information technologies—often by tiny startup firms. In the story, Jesse and Lisa, partners in bigbrains.com, have developed a brand-new media concept—they sing It All Starts With the Idea. They are looking to merge with a large firm—owned by Hugo. Lisa has a yen for Jesse, but he has his eye on someone else—who turns out to be Hugo’s girlfriend. These relationship issues threaten to nix the planned merger. They sing No Merger? No Merger! and I’ll Get That Guy If It Takes All Week. But in the end, it all turns out for the best.”
The Return of Don Giovanni
A comic mini-opera, unfinished.
Scenes from this opera were performed by the Santa Barbara Music Club on Saturday, February 11, 2017, at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California. Performed by soprano Christine Hollinger as Donna Elvira, soprano Kyra Folk-Farber as Donna Anna, tenor Bryan Lane as Don Ottavio, baritone Tyler Reece as Don Giovanni, baritone Bryon Mayes as Leporello, narrator Patrick McHugh, and pianist Christopher Davis.
This sequel to Don Giovanni was written in the spirit of the playwright Tirso de Molina, who wrote the first play about Don Juan.
Piano Pieces
Pieces with the symbol are available on the Genesis album.
“African Waters”
Humerto Almeida, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
Zanzibar
The frustrations of a mismanaged trip to Africa boom out in Madagascar. Zanzibar was more fun.
“Cities”
Humerto Almeida, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
San Diego
Sao Paulo
“Four Songs for Piano”
Kary Kramer, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
Glasgow Blues
Neapolitan Rag — Get the score.
“Serious Song” is a try at being Vaughn Williams.
“Neapolitan” refers to the chord a major third below the tonic.
“The Guns of August”
An homage to Barbara Tuchman.
“Save Me, Phoenix”
Depressed in the Phoenix airport.
Songs
Pieces with the symbol are available on the Genesis album.
“The Affair with Julia”
Celeste Travera, mezzo-soprano; Valerie Malvini, viola; Egle Janulevicite, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
Middle
End
“Lovely Eyes”
For mezzo-soprano and piano. Text by Heinrich Heine.
“A Red, Red Rose”
For voice and piano. Text by Robert Burns.
“Santa Barbara”
For voice and piano. A patriotic tribute to his town.
“They Flee from Me”
For mezzo-soprano and piano. Lyrics by his ancestor Sir Thomas Wyatt, a noted poet of the court of Henry VIII.
“Three Sapphic Songs”
For mezzo-soprano and piano. Text by the greek poet Sappho.
“Three Songs”
For mezzo-soprano and piano.
Spring Dawn
Song of Solomon
“Aubade” was his first composition, written on a dare from his teacher, Matt Harre.
“Three Songs (2013)”
Text by Emily Dickenson. Performed by Bryan Lane, tenor; Tyler Reece, baritone; Christopher Davis, piano. William Ramsay Memorial Concert, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, California, February 11, 2017.
Magic
Dirks of Melody
“Four Songs (2011)”
Performed by Christine Hollinger, soprano; Christopher Davis, piano. William Ramsay Memorial Concert, Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, California, February 11, 2017.
Love Sounds So Nice—text by William Ramsay
J. Alfred's Lament—text by T. S. Eliot
Prufrock Muses—text by T. S. Eliot
“Go and Catch a Falling Star”
Written for his daughter Alice Ramsay, soprano. Words by John Donne. Watch the video below to hear her singing it.
Strings/Strings and Piano
Pieces with the symbol are available on the Genesis album.
“Fantasy, for Piano Trio”
Robert Biaggnini, violin; Jeness Johnson, violincello; Humberto Almeida, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
Reflections on a trio by Dvorak.
“Genesis”
Lesley Chen, violin; Leah Lucas, violin; Jeness Johnson, violincello; Melody Lai, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
The Noösphere
The Magic Garden
The Andromeda Galaxy
Leviathan
Lucy
Football
Inspired by Adam Nicholson’s book God’s Secretaries, about the devising of the King James Bible.
“Golden Fortresses”
For viola and piano
Ranthambhore
Udaipur
Using raga riffs heard on a trip to India.
“The Hawk”
Lesley Chen, violin; Melody Lai, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
Nesting
Defending the Nest
Red-shouldered hawks roost in our neighbor’s cedar tree.
“Kauai”
For solo violin.
“Riviera Dawn”
For cello and piano.
“Tumbleweed”
For solo violin.
For Lesley Chen in far-off El Paso.
“Wedding Ballade”
For cello and piano.
Written for and performed by him on the piano and son John on cello at daughter Carol’s wedding in 1987.
Other Instruments and Ensembles
Pieces with the symbol are available on the Genesis album.
“Betelgeuse”
For guitar and vibraphone.
“Espiritu de la Selva”
Sonata for flute and piano. Linda Holland, flute; Egle Januleviciute, piano. Genesis, 2008, William Ramsay.
“Glory Road”
For symphonic orchestra.
“King Jesus”
For mezzo-soprano and string quartet.
A tribute to “Negro” spirituals.
“Luna Clara en Bolivia”
For solo flute.
“Past Connections”
For woodwind quintet.
“Tain Bo Cuailnge”
For Irish flute and piano.
The Cooley Bull Heist.