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.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Bandscapes Movement 13 - Finale Variations

I am pleased that I have completed the last movement to Bandscapes. Before I discuss it, let me once again thank the sixteen bands that have joined the consortium to help make this composition possible. I am very pleased with the results as the composition and poetry accomplishes what I set out to do; creating a composition that introduces the instruments of the band to an audience of all ages in a manner that is educational, entertaining, and artistic. I am sending a copy of the score to the participating bands so that can they can review what I have written and suggest any simplifications that might be made as ossia parts to accommodate the level of their band.

Narration for Finale Variations

After all these solos, it is time for review
First the band plays a theme that is totally new.
Many variations follow that alter the theme
Like 31 flavors of Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream.

Now that you have heard the instruments featured
We will mix them together to create new creatures.
Brand new colors by combining the tones
Clarioboe, tubassoon, xyloflute and baribone.

We hope that you have enjoyed this tour of the band
Its many sounds are surely grand.
Sit back and relax and keep an instrument tally
While the concert band plays its glorious finale.


My goal in this last movement was to create a theme and variations where different combinations of instruments could be explored. I had two false starts trying find a theme that would work before coming up with the one I settled on. This theme is like a passacaglia theme in that it first appears in the bass instruments and then new treatments occur over it. The theme itself is 16 measures long and consists of 4 four measure phrases forming and ABA'B' structure of a double period (antecedent, consequence ending on the dominant, antecedent, consequence). There are frequent orchestration changes during the theme, sometimes every 8 measures and sometimes every 4, giving the movement a lot of timbral variety. I had to be careful to double sufficiently so that if some instrumentation is lacking, the timbres are covered by the more common instruments.

Another challenge I faced with this movement was the regularity of the meter (3/4) and phrasing. I felt that this regularity needed to broken up without destroying the essential nature of the theme. I accomplished by changing some phrase endings to 2/4 or 4/4, overlapping into the next phrase, and retardations (suspending the leading tone resolution over the chord change before resolving upward).

Another ingredient that makes this apparently simple structure more complex is the use of imitation. Measure 16 and 17 usher in the first use between the trumpets and oboe combination and the clarinets. Slight bitonality is used here as well. Measure 32 introduces a counter melody that uses a dotted rhythm that is also treated imitatively. At measure 48, the theme itself is varied through the use of triplets and then subject to imitation. The dotted rhythm idea also occurs with its on imitation creating double counterpoint. This dotted rhythm imitation disguising the 3/4 pattern as it occurs every two beats therefore creating a hemiola feel. At measure 60, the last phrase of the theme appears in 4 part counterpoint one beat apart.

After a two measure percussion and piccolo interlude, the final variation begins at measure 67 with an augmentation of the theme's rhythm into straight eighth notes and an eighth note triplet before sustaining. The woodwinds play flourishes during the sustain notes. Further fragmentation and inversion of a motive from the last phrase of the theme, brings the meter into 2/4. Repetition and increased instrumentation and dynamics lead to the climatic ending.

I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

Please read earlier posts for information about earlier movements. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Bandscapes Movements 10, 11, and 12

I am surprised with how quickly this composition is coming together. When I say quickly, I mean that it is taking me 4-6 hours for the smaller movements and 3-4 times as long for the first movement. I think the reason why it feels fast is because there is not much development of the material as I'm am trying to keep each "instrument demonstration" movement to 30-45 seconds. However, I do try to add slight variations to initial idea, whether it be orchestration, ornamentation, rhythm, dynamics, articulation, tempo, etc.

Here is the narration for Baritone Ballad (with apologies to Shakespeare)

What's in a name? That which we call a baritone


By any other name would sound as sweet;
So a baritone would, if it were a euphonium call'd,


Retain that dear perfection.

Its deep rich voice sounds like Romeo in love
Singing to Juliet on the balcony above
This lyrical ballad its amorous voice
Euphonium or baritone, the player’s choice.


A 5/4 meter in a slow tempo was chosen for this movement. I look for little ways to give fairly straight-forward music a little twist and in this case, the 5/4 meter creates a different rhythmic feel for the ballad. I also use rich jazz harmony and the accompaniment is syncopated. There is a blues feel to some of the motives. 

Narration for Tuba Tango

The tuba rounds out the band’s brass section
Its deep low voice sounding to perfection.
When it wraps around the head it is called a sousaphone
Because of its size, with a lot of wind it’s blown.

Known for its oom-pah due to polkas and marches
Supporting the band like majestic arches
Now it is featured in this Argentine dance
Sensuous and sultry, a mesmerizing trance.


The form of this short moveent is in ABAB with A being diatonic and B being chromatic. The full band section is very colorful with French Horn and trombone rips (glissandi).

Narration for Percussion Polka

The percussion make their sounds by striking
Almost anything they find to their liking.
Some of the sounds have a definite pitch
Others have none, yet still are rich.

Xylophones, timpani, and bells sounding clear
Things hitting metal, skin and wood you will hear
Mallets and sticks and even a spoon
Creating this polka, a light lilting tune.


The band plays a short introduction before the percussion take over with an AABA form. The 4 measures main theme starts diatonically and finishes chromatically. These 4 measure phrases are followed by the indefinite pitch percussion along with the timpani. The triangle and the suspended cymbal are indeed hit with a spoon as the poem suggests.

I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

Please read earlier posts for information about earlier movements. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Bandscapes Movements 7, 8, and 9

Greetings readers and I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  One of the  things that I am thankful for is the support that I am receiving through the Bandscapes Commisioning Consortium. It is has been a lot of fun writing this composition and it is now more than 2/3 of the way composed. 

Movement 7 is a Trumpet Taratella. Here is the poem that introduces the movement:

Vibrate your lips into a mouthpiece
Turn it into a buzzing bee
Put it into a tube with valves
A trumpet or cornet you shall see.

The highest brass look alike at a glance
But the trumpet appears slightly bigger.
Now listen to them as they play a dance
About a spider, not a hornet or jigger.


One of the things that I am able to do as I am writing the brass movements is to involve the rest of the band more because of the carrying power of the brass. The tarantella is in a lively 6/8. The phrasing is irregular in this movement consisting of a 5 measure phrase, two 6 measure phrases, and a 5 measure phrase. At measure 23, the first two phrases repeat but there is a further irregularity caused by breaking the phrase after the second measure by having the piccolo echo the trumpets. 

Hymn for Horns is the eighth movement. Here is the poem:

Born from a hunting horn
Its bell towards the rear
Valves fingered by the left hand
With a sound strong and clear.

Majestic mellow Horns
Sing like an angelic choir
Blending their harmonies
In a song that inspires.


You may have noticed a pattern to the poems. The first stanza describes the instrument and the second describes the music. This movement is very straightforward yet the harmony is enhanced with chromatically altered chords. The arpeggios at measure 9 add color and movement to the harmony. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Horns are cued in the trombones allowing the movement to be played with as little as one Horn.

The trombones are featured in movement 9, Trombone Trepak. Here is the poem:

The trombonist says with certain pride,
“My instrument has no valves, just a slide
By moving it out the notes get low
And I can play precise or with a glissando.”

What better instrument to play this dance
In a lively two-four the rhythms prance.
It came to Russia from the Ukraine
It goes by so quick we will play it again.


The trepak is a very simple dance in AABA form using only I and V chords. I enhanced the harmony by substituted an augmented V chord in several places which gave rise to the melody of the first 4 measures. My form is AABB with the AA repeated. When the repeat occurs, I shift keys for tonal interest before returning to the original key. Trombone glissandi are used in the B sections.

I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

Please read earlier posts for information about earlier movements. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Friday, November 22, 2013

Bandscapes Movements 4, 5, and 6

Since my last post, I am pleased to welcome the Richmond Concert Band, Richmond, VA Mark Poland, Conductor. That makes a total so far of 16. Other bands are still welcome to join and you can be part of the dedication page and receive score and parts for just $50.

The fourth movement is Clarinet Capriccio. Here is the poem:

Clarinets galore!
Soprano, alto, bass, and contrabass.
Woody sounds abound.
Fingers cover holes, flick keys;
Music to please.

Playful and humorous
Piercing and sonorous
Higher and lower
Leader and follower


The capriccio is an Italian movement that is lively and humorous. It is also a prefugal form. The Clarinet Capriccio is in a fast 2 with the exception of four measures of 3/8. This rhythmic change, along with the uses of melodic and harmonic fourths and fifths give the movement its playful quality. Measure 16 begins a section of three-part imitation. The return to the opening and a flourish conclude the movement. If the band has no low clarinets, this movement can still be played as the low clarinet parts are either doubled in the 3rd clarinet or cued in the euphonium and tuba.

The fifth movement movement is a Bassoon Bourée. Here is the poem:


The big bassoon
A cousin of the oboe
Both have two reeds
But its size makes it blow low.

When it plays a Bourée
A French dance from yesterday,
It sounds like grandpa chortling
With notes crisp and shortling.


The French Bourée is a dance in quick duple time with a single upbeat. While the two bassoons play a duet through most of the movement, it can be played with only one bassoon as the 2nd bassooon is cued in the bass clarinet and tuba. As the poem suggests, humor is present through the use of staccato. The wandering chromaticism, the jeering muted trumpets and the unexpected triangle all add to the charm of this movement. 


The sixth movement brings the tour of the woodwind section to a close with a Saxophone Samba. Here is the poem:

The last of a family of wood and wind.
How do the saxophones seem to fit in?
They are made from metal just like the flute
With keys and a reed, like a clarinet they toot.

At home in jazz and also a band
Banned from the orchestra, an outcast at hand.
With their mellow rich sound they surely please
Alto, tenor, and baritone dance a samba with ease.


If the band lacks tenor and/or baritone saxophones, those parts are cued in the euphonium and tuba. The movement begins with a syncopated pyramid that shows the saxophones from low to high. Then the section plays a gentle samba tune which is punctuated by syncopated muted brass. The full band has an interlude for two measures in the middle and joins the saxophones at the end. Jazzy harmonies dominate this movement.


I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

Please read earlier posts for information about earlier movements. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Friday, November 15, 2013

Bandscapes Movements 2 and 3

Since my last post, I am pleased to welcome two additional bands as part of the consortium: Rotterdam Town Band Schenectady, NY Mark Eiser, Conductor and the Gulf Coast Concert Band Pasadena, TX Ben Butler II, Conductor. That makes a total so far of 15. Other bands are still welcome to join and you can be part of the dedication page and receive score and parts for just $50.

The second movement is Flute Fandango. Here is the poem:

The highest woodwinds lead the parade.
The piercing piccolo and fluttering flutes.
Metal descendants from wooden roots.

Blown like a Coke bottle
Keys fingered full throttle.
They dance with dexterity
With Spanish celerity.


The Fandango is a Spanish dance in 3 with rapid passages. It also uses a rhythmic pattern that accents beat 3 in the first measure and beat 2 in the second measure. The percussion begin this movement with that pattern in the tambourine that is reinforced by the timpani, bass drum and a bass line. The flutes and piccolo play the melodic material. It is possible to do this movement with three flutes if a piccolo is not available. Muted brass add to the Spanish color and a bit of imitation of a short motive involves some of the rest of the band near the end. 


The third movement is an Ode to the Oboe. Here is the poem:


Most woodwinds make sound with a single reed
A thin strip of wood that vibrates indeed
The oboe has two, laid back to back
That sounds like a duck, ready to quack.

When placed in a hole at the top of a tube
The quack mellows out and certainly soothes
We pay tribute to the oboe with a lyrical song
Touching the heart where emotions belong.

The first oboe is featured and the second oboe has some fills that are cued in the alto saxophone part if no second oboe is present. It is a lyrical piece in 6/8 with lush harmony. The full band gets to shine for two measures at the climax of the movement towards the middle. 



I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

Please read earlier posts for information about earlier movements. As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Bandscapes Movement 1

There are now 13 bands that are part of the Bandscapes Commission Consortium (see posts below for more information). The two latest bands are the Hinsdale Town Band Hinsdale, NH Matt Kennedy, Conductor and the Dalton-Whitfield Community Band Dalton, GA Ellie Jenkins, Conductor. My initial deadline of November 8th was to determine if there was enough interest to move forward with this project. Other bands are welcome to become a part of the consortium up until the work is completed by the end of December 2013. The cost is only $50 which is not due until after score and parts are sent and the band and conductor will be listed on the dedication page of the score.

I decided to write poetry for the suggested narration for this composition. Poetry is another one of my passions and I have been writing poems for over 40 years. Here is poem for the first movement:

Celebrate the band!
Whirling woodwinds
Bold brass
Pounding percussion

From pickling piccolos
To tumbling tubas
Spectrum of sounds
Delight the senses.

The first movement, Intrada, opens with a fanfare. The Allegro theme is first presented by the woodwinds alone. The woodwinds begin the second statement of the theme with three part imitation before melding into rhythmic unison. In this section, the brass and percussion add the counterpoint. The brass then usher in a contrasting section that is reminiscent of the opening fanfares. The percussion then takes over as the focal point with some brass punctuations derived from the previous section. There is a recapitulation of the woodwind parts of the movement with some slight variation before the coda. The coda returns to the opening fanfare tempo before accelerating to an exciting conclusion. The last chord serves as both an ending for the movement and is purposely slightly unsettled, indicating that there is more to come.

The second movement begins the tour of the individual families of instruments starting with the piccolo and flutes. Each of these movements with be 30"-45" long. Here is narration for the next movement as a teaser of what is to come.

Narration for Flute Fandango

The highest woodwinds lead the parade.
The piercing piccolo and fluttering flutes.
Metal descendants from wooden roots.

Blown like a Coke bottle
Keys fingered full throttle.
They dance with dexterity
With Spanish celerity.

I use flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time and you can use the zoom in feature to see more detail on larger scores. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Bandscapes_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Band Commission Consortium - November 6 update

As you can see below, we have enough bands expressing interest to make this a reality. In fact, I have already begun working on the first movement and will be posting about it shortly. If any other bands are interested in joining the consortium, please read the post before this one. I am accepting bands up until the time that the score goes to print, which I anticipate to be around December 31. No money is necessary until you receive the score and parts. Thank you to all the bands that have expressed interest.

Dr. B

Interested Bands as of 11/6/13:

West Valley Pops Band Sun City, AZ Larry Swanson, Conductor
Pomona Concert Band Pomona, CA Linda Taylor, Conductor
Coronado Community Band Coronado, CA Phil Imming, Conductor
Central Florida Winds Satellite Beach, FL Richard Sabino, Conductor
West Bay Community Band Milbrae, CA Doug Miner, Conductor
Suncoast Concert Band Sarasota, FL Robert Stoll, Conductor
Tulare Community Band Tulare, CA Bill Ingram, Conductor
Wauwatosa Community Band Wauwatosa, WI Donna Kummer, Conductor
Shippensburg Band Shippensburg, PA Carl Sponenberg, Conductor
Cottonwood Community Band Cottonwood, AZ Will Norris, Conductor
Green Valley Concert Band Green Valley, AZ John Snavely, Conductor

Monday, October 21, 2013

Band Commissioning Consortium

Please forgive my own self promotion of this project, but I am very excited about this and want to give band directors an opportunity to be a part of it.

“Bandscapes” Commissioning Consortium

I would like to invite you to participate in a band commissioning consortium for $50. Each participating school or organization would receive the following:
·      PDF files of the score and individual parts along with an mp3 of an electronic realization
·      A listing as one of the commissioning organizations and its director on the title page of the composition that will be published through Co-op Press and distributed through J.W. Pepper
·      The right to print as many copies of the score and parts as needed for personal use and the right to perform the composition as often as desired.

The composition I am planning to write is a 10 minute piece called “Bandscapes” that would be a showcase for the sections of the band. The first movement would have an opening section that features the full band followed by features for the woodwinds, brass and percussion sections. Short movements (around 30 seconds each) showcasing each of the families within the band (flutes, oboes, clarinets, low clarinets, etc.) will follow. The finale will once again feature the entire band. The composition would be playable by high school/college level bands by my creating A and B versions of the movements and by carefully cueing exposed parts. Bands lacking instrumentation for the instrument family features can simply omit those movements. A suggested optional narration will be included so that the composition can be used on educational concerts.

The timeline for this project is as follows:
·      No later that November 1, 2013 – expression of interest
·      November and December – creation of the composition
·      January 2014 – payment required and emailing of pdf files of score and parts and mp3 of electronic version of the composition

My bio and samples of my music can be found at my website http://www.cooppress.net/

Please feel free to contact me using sybrandon at gmail.com if you have further questions. Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from interested parties.

Dr. Sy Brandon
Professor Emeritus of Music
Millersville University of PA

Monday, October 7, 2013

Modern Jazz Suite Movement 4

Hello readers,

It may seem like I have fallen off the face of the earth as I have not posted in quite a while. Part of the reason was because I as on tour to Oklahoma for performances of my music by the h2 Saxophone Quartet in Oklahoma and for some presentations along the way. Another reason is that I was waiting to hear back from Todd and Mark regarding the last movement of Modern Jazz Suite. They were both busy with other projects this summer. We now have the premiere scheduled for April 21, 2014 at Texas State University so it is time that I got caught up discussing the last movement.

It was while writing this last movement that I decided to change the titles of the movements to tributes to the major figure in each modern jazz style. Therefore the movements are Parkeriana, Milesiana, Schulleriana, and Corealiana respectively.

Since the last movement is in a jazz rock style, I decided to use an electric guitar. The form of the movement is head, guitar solo, saxophone solo, riff passage, head, ending. A lot of different guitar effects are used including slap tone, tone bends, pizzicato, and use of the whammy bar. The saxophonist does some slap tonguing. Jazz rock rhythms permeate the movement.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/modern_jazz_suite_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

National Broadcast of My Composition

This week, my composition "Prelude and Festive Celebration" for clarinet and organ is part of the American Public Radio Pipedreams program "Organ and Friends" that is broadcast nationally over many public radio stations. You can listen anytime on the web at http://pipedreams.publicradio.org/listings/2013/1330/ My piece is during the first hour from 9:22 to 17:23. I am honored that my music and CD label Emeritus Recordings product is included in this program.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Performer and Composer Partnerships

As a composer and performer, I am very concerned about the gap that exists between today’s composers and the rest of the musical community, whether they are performers or listeners. One way to help bridge this gap is for composers and performers to work together to create win-win opportunities. I have done this throughout my career from both the composer and performer end and continue to do so through my publishing company, Co-op Press.

The purpose of my publishing company is to partner with performers to serve their needs. To this end, we have created numerous opportunities that we feel serve the needs of performers at various levels of accomplishment. Accomplished musicians at any level can apply for our Commission Assistance Grant or our Fund Raising Program. Accomplished musicians at an advanced level can apply for our Recording Assistance Grant or to become part of our Performing Partner Program. If you perform with groups of unusual instrumentation, we can often adapt our chamber music selections to fit your instrumentation. We offer some free music at our website as well as a free guide to practicing. Right now, if your sign up for our mailing list, we are offering a free copy of my Holiday Etudes/Duets that contains original pieces that celebrate various holidays throughout the year. All of our profits go into supporting these programs. We are always looking for ways we can better serve the performer, so any ideas are welcomed. Please visit my website at http://cooppress.net for more information on any of these programs.

I encourage other composers and performers to be creative in working together where the exchange of money is not the primary criteria.

Dr. B

Friday, July 12, 2013

Modern Jazz Suite Movement 3

Before I discuss this movement, I want to tell you about a website that has helped me greatly in composing for the guitar. It comes out of Indiana University and is called Instrument Studies for the Eyes and Ears http://www.music.indiana.edu/department/composition/isfee/ Most instruments are represented here and it demonstrates and shows the various playing techniques used by those instruments and how to notate the effects. Thank you Indiana University for this valuable resource.

The third movement is titled "Third Stream," which is a style of jazz that marries classical and jazz elements. This is a Lento movement and it is designed to be played straight instead with a swing feel. Therefore the style of playing is more classical than jazz. However, there is a large use of blue notes and jazz sounding chords that flavor it with jazz characteristics.

Once again, the form is quite free where the ideas develop and repeat as needed. The rehearsal numbers delineate the sections of ABCA'B'A'DA''. Variations are achieved through instrumentation changes, melodic elaboration, fragmentation of sections, and tonal shifts. The guitar uses harmonics, slurs, arpeggios, and single melodic lines to achieve a variety of tone color and texture.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/modern_jazz_suite_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Modern Jazz Suite Movement 2

The second movement of this suite is called "Cool." Cool jazz is very laid back, therefore I chose a moderate tempo. It also can use odd meters so this movement is in 7/4 time. Another characteristic is the use of pastel type colors therefore the saxophonist is asked to play subtone (with a breathy sound) most of the time.

This movement is typical of what happens when I compose. I begin with an idea and see where it will take me. As a result, the movement seems to develop, much in the manner a development section of a symphony develops. Motives are transformed, counterpoint is used, the music wanders between keys freely, etc. When I get to a certain point, the music suggests a need to restate something familiar, thus I return to the opening material. This restatement is often a slight variation of the opening material therefore one can look at the form of this movement as ABCDEA'B'CCoda. The rehearsal numbers help delineate this form.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/modern_jazz_suite_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Happiness

I was talking with Joan Wolf Prefontaine, a poet friend of mine, about how I want to write something for the Verde Valley Voices and she sent me a lovely poem that really inspired me. As a result, I sat down this week and composed "Happiness" for one of the premiere musical organizations in the Verde Valley and its wonderful conductor, Beverly Hall.

While the poem has three stanzas, I really saw it in two main sections, a slightly humorous part and a more serious reflection. My music begins with a folksy type accompaniment and the chorus sings joyously over little things that bring happiness. There is tone painting in the section reflecting the swirling of "dust devils." The piano picks up this material and uses it as a transition to the more reflective part which is in a slower tempo with lush chords reflecting the text. I tie the composition together at the end by bringing back the "I am happy" motif before the final chord.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Happiness_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Modern Jazz Suite Movement 1

I am currently working on a composition for alto saxophone and guitar for two Texas State University faculty members, Todd Oxford and Mark Cruz. They want a crossover piece that might use electric guitar and I decide to write a Modern Jazz Suite with the movements being Bebop, Cool, Third Stream, and Jazz Rock.

The first movement starts with an ABAB head then has a sax solo accompanied by percussive use of the guitar. Then the guitar has a solo with slap tonguing used in the sax to imitate a bass line. Then the two instruments trade two measure solos with the guitar being a "Drum" again. Lastly the head comes back with some slight variations leading to the end. I really didn't follow a chord progression. The movement is more linearly conceived with the lines dictating where they want to go and the harmony a result of voice leading in colorful chords.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/modern_jazz_suite_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Composers and Academia


The stories posted on the Olist about composition study at music schools, especially Amy Scurria’s, inspired me to share my thoughts on the subject.

I have been retired from the academic world for thirteen years, yet I still attend College Music Society and Society of Composers conferences and occasionally have my music selected for performance. My style is very different from the majority of the compositions heard on these programs as I am a tonalist and adhere to the principles espoused in John Winsor’s excellent book, “Breaking the Sound Barrier: An Argument for Mainstream Literary Music.” In this book, Mainstream Literary Music is defined as music that builds upon the traditions of music established prior to 1950 and is music that has dramatic shape similar to its literary counterparts.

Most of the music heard on these programs emphasizes timbre and dissonance. It goes on for long periods of time with little or no dramatic shape. The audiences for these programs are other academic composers, usually only the ones that are also having their music performed. Also, the selection of the music to be performed on these programs is done by academic composers as well. I am often surprised that my music gets selected, as it does not fit into what is considered “the norm.” This type of academic backscratching seems very far removed from the non-academic concert environment where the audiences are more varied.

I heard a presentation about jazz trombonists at the Eastern Trombone Workshop almost 25 years ago that described jazz trombonists as falling into one of three categories; innovators, preservers, and refiners. Innovators are those that create something new. Preservers are those that recreate and an older style. Refiners are those that combine the old and the new into an artistic expression. These categories also translate well for describing composers.

Innovators are definitely needed in order for our art to move forward, but just because something is new doesn’t automatically mean it is good. It takes refiners to take the new ideas and to use them in an artistic manner that serves the art of music. I keep hoping that at these concerts I would hear a change from the academic style of composing that has been prevalent since the 1950s as the change has definitely permeated the non-academic concert world. But I have yet to see it take hold in academia. These styles that emphasize dissonance and timbre are no longer new and have served their experimental purpose. It is time for the academic world to get caught up with the rest of the concert scene.

It is difficult for a composition teacher to not impose his or her style on their students, but allowing a student to find their own voice is absolutely essential. One way to do this is to have students study the style of composers different from themselves. After taking a poetry class where we analyzed a poem and them wrote one using the things we gleaned from the analysis, I decided to try the approach with my composition student. I have blogged about the results on my composinginsights blog and here is a direct link http://www.composinginsights.blogspot.com/2013/02/learning-from-other-composers.html

You can see and hear Josh’s composition and his analysis of Stravinsky. We repeated this activity with Copland, Bartok and Ives and the growth in Josh’s musical vocabulary was amazing.

No student should go through what Amy and others have experienced. It is time for academic composers to break from the need to be motivated by peer pressure and to be more motivated by what is good for the art of music before the ivory tower of academia crumbles into ruins.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Elements Movement IV

I have finished the last movement of Elements and I am pleased with the results. This movement represents the Earth element whose main characteristic is stability. To represent stability musically, I used a lot of ostinatos during the movement. While this movement contains a lot of repetition, if one listens carefully, one becomes aware that the repetitions are constantly being varied.

The slow seven measure introduction presents some of the main motives used in this movement. It is ethereal, almost like the formation of the Earth itself. The most obvious ostinato is the one that appears in the baritone saxophone at measure 8. This two measure pattern repeats 7 times with some subtle variations before the tenor saxophone takes it over at measure 22. The soprano saxophone presents another ostinato at measure 10. Notice that its repeat does not line up with the 3/4 meter. It is answered by a third ostinato in the tenor sax and later in canon with alto sax 2.

At measure 13, a rising motive that is harmonized in 4ths and has its origins in the introduction, becomes the first melodic material that is not an ostinato. At measure 22, the movement becomes more lyrical with less use of the ostinato figures. Measures 34-44 provides relief from the ostinatos and is more lyrical with richer harmony and the use of imitation. The ostinato ideas then return and build to the Presto climax.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/elements_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Elements Movement III

I have completed the third movement of "Elements," a piece designed to musically portray the essential nature of the Classical Greek elements, fire, water, air and earth and their astrological implications.

If there is one word that describes the chief characteristic of the air element it is changeable, therefore this movement is filled with contrast. Some of the contrasts I use are, texture, dynamics, articulation, meter, tonality, and orchestration.

The movement begins quietly with primarily a monophonic texture with some instrumentation changes as a way of adding variety. At measure 10, the texture changes to homophonic and there is a lot of contrast of dynamics and metrical feel with the use of the 6/8 3/4 hemiola.

Measure 11 introduces an interesting harmonic technique that I use frequently in this movement. I call it common tone harmony where one note remains constant as the chords change around it. In this measure, the Bb concert remains constant. Sometimes it is the root of the chord and other times the 3rd, 5th or 7th. The chords themselves could be major, minor, augmented or diminished, depending upon my choice of harmonic direction. I even use the common tone as a member of a chord built in 4ths. This gives the harmony a lot of flexibility and works well in a movement where changeability is a characteristic as the chords don't fall into any one key.

The basic melodic ideas go through a series of transformations as the piece progresses and contrasting elements are incorporated throughout. The biggest rhythmic change is from triple to duple meter at measure 52 where there is a contrast in articulation as well. Measure 87 brings the listener back to triple meter and the movement ends with hemiola contrast and dynamic contrast.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/elements_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Elements Movement II

I have completed the second movement of "Elements," a piece designed to musically portray the essential nature of the Classical Greek elements, fire, water, air and earth and their astrological implications.

The water element's chief characteristic is sensitivity, therefore I chose a slow tempo and wrote a movement that is lyrical and harmonically rich. This movement is in an ABA' form. The B section uses some tone painting where the undulating 16th notes are designed to represent the flow of water.

From a compositional viewpoint, I feel that the things that make this movement work well are the subtleties. Phrases are interchanged between instruments so in order to create continuity, I often overlap the phrases. When the A section returns, try to note the differences from the first A section. Since this section comes at the end, it needed some slight variation from its opening statement. The meter changes throughout add an element of subtle irregularity so that the lines are not predictable. The ending has a delayed cadence that once again adds a subtlety that hopefully delights the ear.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/elements_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Elements for Saxophone Quartet Movement I

I am back writing about my compositions after a hiatus of almost a year. I have been commissioned by the h2 Saxophone Quartet and we decided to have me write a quartet that would be playable by good high school, college, and weekend warrior quartets. The piece I am creating is called "Elements" and is designed to musically portray the essential nature of the Classical Greek elements,
fire, water, air and earth and their astrological implications.

The first movement is Fire whose essential nature is strong and controlling. The music contains a lot of forceful sections, primarily in a homophonic style. In order to contrast these sections, quieter polyphonic sections are used that build into the more forceful sections. The technique of counterpoint in music is one that demands great control, thus fitting subject matter.

The harmonic style is a mixture of quartal harmony and triadic harmony. The music wanders freely between keys therefore creating harmonic interest. There is much rhythmic interest through the use of syncopation and hemiola.

I am now using flip pdf technology for the musical examples that go along with my posts. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/elements_blog.html.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Composition Competitions

I thought that I would say a few words about composition competitions as I have entered several over the past few months and have met with some success and have been disappointed with others. I hope that my viewpoints will be useful to other composers.

The two major resources I use to find out about competitions are the American Composers Forum http://composersforum.org/ and the Society of Composers http://www.societyofcomposers.org/. Both are membership organizations and the benefits are well worth the membership fee.

The next step is to be selective regarding which competitions you enter. Entering competitions can get expensive, as some have entrance fees and many require mailing multiple copies of scores. More and more competitions are going to online submission which saves duplicating and postage costs and I applaud this direction. It is bad enough that one sometimes needs to pay an entrance fee and many composers refuse to enter these contests because they say "why should I be supporting the prize money?" People running the competitions justify the fee by saying "it pays the costs of the judges and the administration of the contest." It is a personal choice as to whether you decide to enter competitions with fees. If I feel that my composition and the competition are a match, I will usually enter the competition even if it has a fee.

To determine if your composition and the competition are a match, see if you can find a list previous winners of the competition and try to locate their music. Google searching makes this fairly easy to do and it will give you a good idea of what the sponsors are looking for.

If you enter a competition, do not expect to receive feedback. I wish that feedback would be provided, especially if it is an annual competition that you have entered several times and not been successful. I recently experienced a non-placement in a competition that I felt sure that I would place. I did all the research and felt that my entry was very strong. However, it was not successful and the only thing I can determine is that judges found things more to their liking. One needs to realize that there are many fine composers entering the competitions and the judges will have their own personal preferences.

But if one is to further one's compositional career, one needs too realize that entering competitions are part of the process. It is easy to get discourage when one does not meet with success, but as the advertisement for the lottery says, "You can't win if you don't play." Just be selective, do your research, enter quality material, and do not take it too personally if you don't meet with success. If you keep doing it long enough, you will have success. Out of the dozen or so competitions I have recently entered, I have had success with two.

I hope that my experiences with competitions will help other composers navigate the maze of competitions. I wish all of you much success.

Dr. B

Thursday, February 28, 2013

Learning from Other Composers

Throughout music history, composers have always studied the works of other composers that came before them.  It is a great learning tool for further enhancing one's own style.

During the fall, I took a class in Poetry from Ann Metlay through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of Yavapai College. Ann gave us an assignment where she developed a questionnaire on how to analyze a poem that we liked and then take what we liked to create a poem of our own. I found this assignment very helpful and decided that it would work very well to help composers learn from other composers. Ann gave gave me permission to translate her questions for music composition.

I recently had an opportunity to try this assignment with my composition student Joshua Torok-Bachar. Josh has been studying with me for about three years and is a very talented eighteen year old composer. This semester, I am having him analyze a work by Stravinsky, a work by Copland, and a work by Bartok. He has completed the analysis of the Devil's Dance from Histoire Du Soldat of Stravinsky and then wrote is own composition, The Flight of the Wulzak based on what he learned. I was extremely pleased with the results and thought I would share them here (with Josh's permission). First is his analysis of the Stravinsky along with the questions he had to answer, followed by a youtube of a performance of the Devil's Dance.

Composition Analysis - Stravinsky Histoire du Soldat

1. What attracts me to the composition?
The frenetic energy. On a composition level, the harmonies seem to lie just on the borderline of unrecognizable, but stay enough within conventional harmony that I, as a listener, have a hard time labeling this piece as avant-garde or atonal. Most of the interest comes from the interplay of the rhythms and motivic material. Stravinsky expertly weaves these two musical components in ways that are unexpected and exciting, but still within ‘reason’ to keep the listener’s attention.  The contrasting mini-sections of the piece area good example of the way Stravinsky switches between his motivic ideas extremely quickly and abruptly, at points. However, he does usually include some sort of echo of the previous section early on in a new section to tie them together. 

2. What sections are most attractive?
The sections with the most note space between instruments. These sections also seem to hold much of the contrapuntal melodic lines and are extremely exciting and invigorating! The contrasting quiet sections are also very effective.

3. Tone and message of the music and how is that conveyed.
Frenzied and with a feeling of insanity, but with a good dose of humor. Stravinsky uses the humorous side of the music (conveyed with scattering of emphasized comical intervals, like seconds in a random place, by staying mostly in a major-sounding tonality, and through chromatic melodic runs over major tonalities) to avoid having the listener take the music too seriously. I believe he wanted the listener to feel as though all was lost but ‘you can’t help laughing about it.’ The ‘crazy’ nature of the music is conveyed through abrupt changes in thematic motives and abrupt/extreme register changes in instruments. The fast tempo of the music also adds to this frenzied feeling, along with the long strings of notes in motives, which gives a maniac, never-ending feel to the music.

4. Dominant harmonic language used.
Stravinsky combines the major and minor instances of the tone center/key (which changes often, but seems to resemble a combo of “G” major and minor with “A” major, along with chromatic notes). The tritone is quite prominent in one of the main themes and is often combined with notes that would form a diminished chord. Stravinsky also uses the natural and flat third of the tonal center “G” close together either together in harmony or very close in melodic sequences. This brings out the natural dissonance of a minor chord, accentuating the minor second dissonance of the overtone series.

5. Analyze the form of each movement or section.
The form as I perceive it: A, B, B’, A’, B’’, Fine
A opens with the characteristic accented 8ths and 16th patterns. The piece transitions quickly into B which introduces the quieter chromatic melody section. B also includes a quick interjection of the 16th motive of A. B continues with the staccato/legato chromatic melody and lets evolve before slipping into B’. B’ transforms the B motives and adds harmony. Harmony and melody line are both played by the violin. The section is much softer as well. A’ brings back a sparser version of A and expands the running 16th lines somewhat. A’ then crescendos into a neat transition to B’’, which is soft and uses transformed material from B and B’. B’’ is followed by the finale.

6. Instrumentation and how it contributes.
Piano, violin, clarinet.
-The piano plays a multitude of roles in this piece; melodic, supportive, rhythmic, and as a powerful ‘hit’ behind notes/chords that are heavily accented.
-The violin is often playing double stops and its single lines are often complimentary or contrapuntal to the clarinet’s. It also has some rhythmic functions. The violin really shines in the quiet sections where Stravinsky uses the naturally expressive and coloristic quality of strings to enhance the alternate color and contrast of the soft sections.
-The clarinet is the poignant, sarcastic, and insistent voice of the piece. Disregarding other instruments, it soars through extreme register changes at fortissimo. It does also play a supportive role, but most often its lines are the melodic lead in the ensemble.

7. Rhythmic devices used.
The most common devices I see used in the piece are fragmentation and combinations of rhythmic motives. Stravinsky also uses a technique in which he will place a part (usually syncopated) of a rhythmic motive in the context of a different meter. For example, in a 4/4 measure, 2 16ths, 8th tied to 8th, 8th tied to 8th, 8th. Stravinsky takes 3 quarters of this sequence and places in (8th to 8th, 8 to 8th, 8th) and places it in a 5/8 measure. The result is quarter note, quarter note, 8th.  At the top of page 3 Stravinsky also uses what could be considered a diminution of half of the main opening rhythmic motive.

8. Any extra-musical ideas used?
Well, the story behind this movement is that the soldier steals the violin from the devil and begins to play music that the devil MUST dance to. The movement seems to reflect the torment and teasing that the soldier inflicts on the devil. For example, the movement starts out very fast and insistent. It slows at some points, but never for long, and it always comes back with more force than ever. I think this symbolizes the soldier teasing the devil, making the devil think that he is going to stop playing, but then keeps on. The end also seems like both a release and the end of the devil’s energy. However, the music ends with a bang showing that the soldier ends the music with the upper hand.

9. What specific compositional devices are utilized?
It is quite difficult to keep track of everything going on in this piece! I see a lot of theme fragmentation and transposition. Stravinsky enjoys blending this with contrapuntal techniques to form a hail storm of music, so to speak. For example, the two major motives (accented 8ths ostinato, and arpeggiated 16ths followed by syncopated 8ths) are transposed and juxtaposed in contrapuntal styles. Stravinsky also likes to play with the roles of each instrument through these motives. In one instant the clarinet is playing the rolling 16th line up the scale, but then falls quickly to the background accented 8ths as the piano picks up the 16th sequence. In the quieter 8th note melody passages it would be reasonable to consider the sequences a melodic expansion of the accented 8th note ostinato.

10. Additional comments.
I think one of the most fascinating aspects of this work is its ability to seem both completely out of control and completely planned out at the same time. This seems to bepresent in much of Stravinsky’s music. He uses such a brilliant blend of harmonies, rhythms, and motivic development, while being ultra-conscious of how close he is getting to the edge of atonality. This ambiguity -- between tonal and non-tonal, standard rhythms and rhythmic surprises and oddities – is what keeps Stravinsky’s work fresh and utterly fascinating throughout.


Here is Josh's composition that uses flip pdf technology http://www.cooppress.net/flight_of_the_wulzak/flight_of_the_wulzak.html. You will be hearing an mp3 of sampled sounds playing the music and you will see the score at the same time. It uses Flash Player that most browsers come with and I have a mobile version that uses an embedded mp3 file. You will need to turn the pages by clicking on the arrows at the appropriate time.

If you would like to hear more of Josh's music, his web site is http://joshuabachar.com/.

As always, your comments are appreciated.

Dr. B