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.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Sonatina for any brass or woodwind instrument - Movement 3

This is the third and last movement of an unaccompanied sonata is being composed for a commissioning consortium where participants contribute a small amount to make the piece happen. While this version is for euphonium, I will be creating a version for each participant's instrument. For more information, visit http://cooppress.net

The form of this movement is an ABACABA rondo. There are subtle differences between the A sections. Sometimes its dynamics and other times articulation, pitch or rhythm.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sonatina for any brass or woodwind instrument - Movement 2

This is the second movement of an unaccompanied sonata is being composed for a commissioning consortium where participants contribute a small amount to make the piece happen. While this version is for euphonium, I will be creating a version for each participant's instrument. For more information, visit http://cooppress.net

The form of this movement is a simple A (M. 1-21) B (M. 22-33) A (M. 34-end). It is very lyrical with sliding tonality, in other words, a phrase in one key slips into another key through the use of chromaticism.

I was influenced by a technique used by Fred L. Clinard in his Sonata fro Unaccompanied Euphonium.  In one of the fast movements, he clearly incorporates two distinct lines, a melodic line and an accompaniment line. My 2nd movement begins with an introduction of 3 measures that I call the accompaniment line. The melodic line then begins on beat two of measure 4. Whenever the melodic line feels like it should come to a sustained note, I insert part of the accompaniment line instead of sustaining the note. An example of this is in measure 5. I offset these two lines using dynamics to further distinguish between the two lines. This technique is used throughout the movement and adds variety to the texture.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B