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, November 9, 2014

Intermezzi for Euphonium and Piano Movement 4

This is the last movement of a composition for euphonium and piano at a college level. It is being composed through a commissioning consortium where each participant pays a small fee that is refundable and receives score and parts, local premiere rights and an inclusion in the dedication. For more information about the consortium, please visit http://www.cooppress.net/page9/page385/index.htmlhttp://www.cooppress.net/page9/page385/index.html

The composition for euphonium piano is a series of intermezzi in a third stream style. Third Stream is a combination of classical and jazz elements.The fourth Intermezzo is rhapsodic in an Andante tempo. By rhapsodic I mean that the music seems to self generate itself. For example, the euphonium part in measure 3 introduces the basic motivic idea of a rising leap followed by a scalar descent. This motive is transformed in measures 7 and 8 but still follows the same shape. The transformation is then sped up and generates a longer sixteenth note conclusion that evolves into a new syncopated idea that explores the leaps. Each idea generates a variant that sounds related, yet is fresh. The music develops in this manner and climaxes at measure 31. After measure 31, the music winds down back to a restatement of the opening before ending quietly. Once more lush jazz chords and counterpoint are employed to accompany the melodic lines.

I export my Sibelius Music Notation file as a movie (new to version 7.5). I also use Noteperformer software for the sounds. These are sample sounds, but the software also includes an algorithm that reads ahead in the music and phrases the music according to context, therefore making the realization closer to live performance. I  upload these videos to youtube and embed the video for each movement. I hope that this technology allows the reader to have an easier experience and a more realistic performance. To see and hear what I have discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/Intermezzi_blog.html

As always, your comments are appreciated.
Dr. B

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