Welcome to my blog

I have created this site in order to provide performers, listeners and composers with a description of a composer's experiences with the creative process. The posts will provide discussions of the inspirations, challenges, and successes of a composer from the inception of the piece to the culmination in performance. I will provide a link to where you can see and hear the works in progress. Comments and questions are always welcomed. They will not posted unless you grant me permission.

Monday, August 31, 2009

Concertino Continued

I'm now about 1:45 into the piece and I am still unsure of the structure. The first agitated section has now wound down to a lyrical saxophone melody over a staccato bass line. The agitated section is exciting and colorful and it uses many motives in different settings giving it unity and variety at the same time. The lyrical section which begins at measure 60 provides contrast by thinning the texture and being more sustained. At 81, the flutes and oboes will do a harmonized version of the saxophone melody at 64 while the saxophone will fill in some of the sustained notes with noodling.

I like what I am writing but always feel unsure of the piece until I can see where it is going. I think that once I finish this next session, the structure may become clearer.

Your comments are always welcomed.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/concertino_blog.html

Dr. B

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Concertino Continued

I'm back from camping and have been working on the Concertino again as well as the adaptation of my orchestral piece, Legacy, for the quartet enhaké. I hope to post about the adaptation once I complete each movement.

The Concertino is coming along. The ideas are starting to flow more easily. The structure is still very loose and doesn't follow the typical concerto form where the ensemble presents the themes first followed by the soloist presenting the themes. In fact, this piece doesn't really have any themes per se, but rather a number of related motifs that are introduced by both the ensemble and the saxophone. As the movement is developing, the motifs are presented in varying order and with varying instrumentation. The motifs are often expanded therefore the structure is more like a development rather than an exposition. With this being said, I still feel that the piece is both interesting and cohesive.

I will probably fill in some instrumentation as the movement progresses and give it more of a shape with dynamics, but the basic thoughts are already notated.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/concertino_blog.html

Dr. B