For my third adage to represent with music, I selected "Time flies when you are having fun" or as Kermit the Frog might say, "Time's fun when you are having flies." The first thing that came to mind when reading this adage was the similarity between it and a musical scherzo. The scherzo is at a fast tempo and is usually light and humorous, or in other words, fun. After composing the movement, I envisioned children playing a game of tag with their relentless energy, teasing and taunting, and twists and turns.
I chose the 6/8 meter because of its division of three parts to each beat, which gives a feeling of rolling forward. A playful violin melody with the tuba harmonizing with a short note on each beat is used to begin the movement. In measures 5-8, there is a sudden shift of tonality as if the children are trying to avoid being tagged. In measures 9-14, the violin and tuba alternate phrases suggesting that the person who is "it" cannot catch up with the one he wants to tag. The music becomes louder and more accented in measures 15-22, as the teasing and taunting begins. The violin plays double stops that contain dissonance and the tuba responds with short notes as if sticking his tongue out. Measures 23-37 is a repeat of the opening material but with the violin and tuba parts exchanged as we have a new person as "it." The violin also plays pizzicato for additional variety. The taunting and teasing returns in measures 38-45 with a slightly different harmony in the violin double stops. The closing measures have the violin and tuba chasing each other again but with a little more silence between the phrases towards the end as the children's energy is fading. The last note is the children collapsing on the grass from shear enjoyment.
To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/adages_blog.html. You will be viewing a transposed score.
As always, your comments are appreciated.
Dr. B
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