Over the years, as I have become more familiar with British cuisine, I have developed a fascination with its wonderfully peculiar names. Bangers and Mash, Spotted Dick, and Bubble and Squeak, to name only a few, strike me as some of the most amusing and delightfully absurd titles imaginable for food. I often found myself thinking that these names would make excellent movement titles; a whimsical idea that lingered in the back of my mind for quite some time. 

The inspiration for Potted Meats & Princely Wines finally came when my good friend Nick Logan suggested that we learn Black by Marc Mellits. Mellits has been one of the most influential composers in my development, particularly as a bass clarinetist, an instrument for which he has written extensively. Inspired by his distinctive musical language, I decided it would be rewarding to compose an original work for Nick and myself that combined his energetic, evocative style with my longstanding fascination with the eccentric names of British dishes. As is often the case in Mellits's music, each movement serves as a musical portrayal of the subject from which it takes its title. 

Throughout the work, listeners may notice an emphasis on atmosphere and character. The music frequently explores a sense of dreariness, melancholy, and misty ambiguity; an affectionate musical nod to the stereotypically overcast landscapes often associated with Great Britain. Ultimately, Potted Meats & Princely Wines is both a tribute to the profound influence Marc Mellits has had on my musical voice and a celebration of the quirky charm and colorful imagination found in the names of British cuisine.