Grass Roots 2nd Movement Completed

It is interesting how I seemed to have struggled with thew beginning of this movement because ideas seemed to be slow in coming and all of a sudden, the ideas started flowing so fast, I didn't want to stop to blog about what I was writing until I finished the movement. The last time I blogged, I was talking about the section between measures 21 and 40 that I referred to as "quiet seething". Beginning at measure 41, the piano takes over the argument with only brief interruptions by the tuba, until the tuba renews its point of view beginning at measure 46.

The conflict winds down leading to a canonic section at measure 53. The three part canon is like thee voices presenting their argument. There are subtle variations in the presentation of the canon to make it work harmonically and to adapt it to suit the instruments. For example, the 4 repeated sixteenth notes that begins the canon are easy on tuba, but difficult on piano. They become 4 different pitches in the piano. It also adds a slight variation to the melodic idea. Notice that the canonic entrances are separated by an unequal number of beats. At 61 and 62, the right hand of the piano fills in the melodic line with some harmony. At 63, the canon begins anew, this time starting in the right hand of the piano and the entrances are a measure apart as the argument becomes more intense. When the tuba enters at measure 65, the canon loses a beat and becomes more syncopated and this new rhythmic variant of the canon is repeated in the other voices.

After the canon quiets down, measure 76 begins to recapitulate the section from 21-50. The tuba plays alone for around 10 measures with only short punctuations by the piano. Measure 105 presents the climax and coda of the movement. The glisses do not play back well on MIDI as they start immediately, where in a live performance, one would hear more of the initial pitch. I am thinking that I will write a transition from the 2nd movement to the 3rd movement as I don't want this movement to sound too final.

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

Dr. B