Playground Movement 1 - Seesaw

This is the is the first movement of a three movement composition for Drei Bones ( a trombone trio) called Playground by Sy Brandon. The other movements will be called Slides and Swings.

I began the movement with a two measure syncopated figure that I refer to as the "playground motif." This figure and variants of it serve as a means of linking various seesaw users similar in concept to Mussorgsky's Promenade in Pictures at an Exhibition, but on a much smaller scale.

What I am trying to musically represent is the ups and downs of a seesaw. I was surprised by the number of different ways that I was able to do this and each section represents a different type of seesaw user. The A section (measures 1-14)  is the more aggressive type of seesaw user. Its rhythms are snappy and the dynamics loud. The B section (measures 15-24) represents those users who are laughing and having a good time. The rhythms are even, the articulation staccato, and the up and down idea is represented in a single line. Measures 25-50 is the C sections which is more flowing representing a romantic couple enjoying the ride. The dynamic is softer and the rhythmic activity is at a slower pace.

The movement is in an inverted arch form ABCBA. I refer to it as inverted because the climax of the form occurs at the beginning and the end and the middle sections are more relaxed.

The movement ends with the person at the bottom getting off suddenly causing the person at the top to plop to the ground.