R & M: A Requiem for Two Lovers

Sometimes, a composition begins not with a melody, but with a ghost story.

R & M was born from a random conversation with my parents about historical figures—specifically, a pair of lovers allegedly executed to protect the image of a royal court. Their end was officially archived as a tragedy of their own making, but the rumors suggested something far more sinister.

I felt as though these two souls were asking for peace. The inception of the piece came from a vivid, haunting image: Two lovers, separated by a gunshot, searching for one another in the gray expanse of the afterlife. They are inches apart, yet invisible to one another, until the moment their hands touch.

The Execution and the Search

I chose to begin the composition at the end: two gunshots.

From the silence that follows, the story unfolds through two primary actors. The Oboe represents the male character, R, while the Flute embodies M. The strings and piano paint the landscape—a shifting, ethereal place that seems to cheer for their reunion.

In the video accompanying the piece, you will hear a narration that guides you through their journey:

“Finding himself in the afterlife, R starts looking for M… The more he wanders, the more frustrated he becomes, but his love is too large to surrender. Suddenly, she appears. They walk in circles, missing each other by a step. They scream each other’s names until, walking backwards, their backs touch. They turn. They gaze. Sadness dissolves into an eternal vow… You and me. Forever.”

A Crossroad in the Soul

Writing “R & M” was about more than just notes; it was about embodying longing and the weight of anticipation. When I finished, I found myself smiling. I pictured the two lovers finally walking away, hand in hand, giving me a small nod of thanks for the gift of this closure.

Every piece I write is like a child to me, but “R & M” holds a unique place in my heart. It represents a crossroad—the seed of a more introspective journey in my path as a composer. It was the moment I began to truly develop my own musical language.

I’ll share more about that evolution in the next entry.

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