Chapter 7 - Ashes Above the River
Fourteen months after Daniel’s death, Victor premiered a new twelve-minute orchestral work.
Ashes Above the River.
I received an invitation.
Did not attend.
Then I heard the recording.
The opening was different.
New title.
Different orchestration.
Several altered harmonic transitions.
But the central second movement material came directly from The Lantern Sea.
Not vaguely inspired.
Daniel’s melody.
His bass progression.
His counter-line.
A distinctive seven-note descending phrase I had heard from our kitchen for years.
I called Peter Lang.
He said:
“Nora, Victor and Daniel developed that material together.”
“No.”
“You weren’t in every session.”
“No.”
“The files were on Blackwood servers.”
“Because Victor wanted to produce Daniel’s symphony.”
Silence.
Then:
“There are contracts.”
“What contracts?”
“I can’t discuss legal matters.”
I called Victor.
He agreed to see me.
I expected denial.
May you like
He gave me something more complicated.
────────────────────
