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.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

Divertimento for Woodwind Trio or Quartet Movement 3

This is the third movement of a three-movement composition for a flexible instrumentation woodwind trio/quartet being composed as part of a commissioning consortium. Groups interested in joining the consortium can do so until November 30, 2016 at http://www.cooppress.net/page9/page10/index.html

This movement is called Tarantella and is in a lively tempo. The form of this movement is a large ABA (Scherzo, Trio, Scherzo). The A sections are in triple meter while the B section is in duple. The
A section is in three parts, forming an ABA within the large A. The material for the first part is
motivically derived. The first motive is a dotted eighth, sixteenth, eighth note followed by even
eighth notes. The second motive is four chromatic sixteenth notes followed by an eighth note.
This motive appears both ascending and descending. The B section within this large A consists
of a slurred melodic line that has both stepwise motion and leaps. It is accompanied by
staccato chromatic eighth notes. The large B section is folksong-like and is in a recognizable
binary form that repeats in a new key. The large A serves as a recapitulation of the opening
section and it ends lightly and playfully in keeping with the Divertimento title that means to
divert or amuse.

The major challenge in composing this piece is to make it playable by either a trio or quartet. I accomplished this by making the 2nd part an optional part. It adds some harmony that is not present in the trio version. The 2nd part also has important melodic lines, but those are cued in other instruments. After creating the piece in this manner, I then created specific versions for a trio of flute, clarinet, and bassoon or tenor saxophone; a quartet flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon; and a SATB saxophone quartet. The quartet versions gave even more melodic material to the second part.

Videos of the transposed score playing with sampled sounds appear below.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon Version

Saxophone Quartet Version

Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon Version

Flute, Clarinet, and Tenor Saxophone Version

Monday, November 14, 2016

Divertimento for Woodwind Trio or Quartet Movement 2

This is the second movement of a three-movement composition for a flexible instrumentation woodwind trio/quartet being composed as part of a commissioning consortium. Groups interested in joining the consortium can do so until November 30, 2016 at http://www.cooppress.net/page9/page10/index.html

This movement is called Ballad and is lyrical at an Andante tempo. The form of the movement is through-composed as the motives develop into new variations instead of having clearly distinguished themes. There is however a recapitulation that brings the listen back to the opening material.

Some of the main motives that develop are:
  • a sixteenth note pattern that is arpeggiated and also stepwise
  • a dotted quarter and eighth note idea that is often on weak beats as well as appearing on strong beats
  • scalewise eighth note lines
All of these interweave among the parts with frequent counterpoint and some imitation. The harmony is lush with seventh chords used frequently.

The major challenge in composing this piece is to make it playable by either a trio or quartet. I accomplished this by making the 2nd part an optional part. It adds some harmony that is not present in the trio version. The 2nd part also has important melodic lines, but those are cued in other instruments. After creating the piece in this manner, I then created specific versions for a trio of flute, clarinet, and bassoon or tenor saxophone; a quartet flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon; and a SATB saxophone quartet. The quartet versions gave even more melodic material to the second part.

The Saxophone Quartet version was particular challenging in this movement because the lines frequently crossed obscuring the identity of the contrapuntal lines. I put the Sax Quartet version in a different key from the other versions and adjusted the octaves carefully to preserve the lines and also avoid the crossed voices. Videos of the transposed score playing with sampled sounds appear below.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon Version

Saxophone Quartet Version

Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon Version

Flute, Clarinet, and Tenor Saxophone Version

Friday, November 4, 2016

Divertimento for Woodwind Trio or Quartet Movement 1

This is the first movement of a three-movement composition for a flexible instrumentation woodwind trio/quartet being composed as part of a commissioning consortium. Groups interested in joining the consortium can do so until November 30, 2016 at http://www.cooppress.net/page9/page10/index.html

 This movement is called Frolic and is light and energetic. There are three main thematic ideas. The first is the section that occurs beginning at measure 4 and goes through measure 19. Dotted rhythms, staccato, and meter change are the main characteristics of this section. At measure 20, the second thematic idea begins. It is related to the first section in that it also uses dotted rhythms and meter change, but is more legato and begins with more sustained notes. The third thematic section begins at measure 54 and is thinner in texture, more playful, and has a legato theme over a staccato background. The motivic material in each of these sections has similarities and contrast is primarily obtained through contrast of style and mood.

These sections develop throughout the movement by varying key, instrumentation, and melodic material. There are several sections of imitation that are very energetic.

The major challenge in composing this piece is to make it playable by either a trio or quartet. I accomplished this by making the 2nd part an optional part. It adds some harmony that is not present in the trio version. The 2nd part also has important melodic lines, but those are cued in other instruments. After creating the piece in this manner, I then created specific versions for a trio of flute, clarinet, and bassoon or tenor saxophone; a quartet flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon; and a SATB saxophone quartet. The quartet versions gave even more melodic material to the second part. Videos of the transposed score (except WW Quartet Version which is in concert pitch) playing with sampled sounds appear below.

Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Flute, Oboe, Clarinet and Bassoon Version


Saxophone Quartet Version


Flute, Clarinet, and Bassoon Version


Flute, Clarinet, and Tenor Saxophone Version


Monday, October 24, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 8

This is the eighth and last movement of a multi-movement composition that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is called "If You Don't Want To Get In Trouble".

"If You Don't Want To Get In Trouble" comes from the Spiritual Section of the book and is perfect for the Gospel-swing style that I had in mind for the last movement.

To begin the movement, the chorus is heard in the tuba while the left hand of the piano plays a bass line. This is followed by the verse in the tuba with piano chordal punctuation. At measure 17, the chorus is heard again, this time with a little flare inserted in the right hand of the piano. At measure 25, the piano plays a harmonized version of the chorus. This sections ends with chromaticism in both the tuba and piano that leads the listener into a louder, more intense section at measure 34. The material of this section is taken from motifs of the tune. A modulation up a half step at 42 adds to the excitement.

At 51, the chorus of the tune returns with tuba solo and piano accompaniment. This leads to a long tuba cadenza whose material is freely derived from motifs of the tune. After the cadenza settles down on a low tuba note, the piano returns with the harmonized version of the chorus and the tuba plays the ascending flares. The two measure chromatic section heard earlier returns before the tempo slows down to an "Amen" type cadence.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Sunday, October 23, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 7

This is the seventh movement of a multi-movement composition that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is called "Jesus Goin' to Make Up My Dyin' Bed".

The 5/4 meter is one of the things that attracted me to this song. The song first appears with the melody in the tuba. The piano plays a simple accompaniment during the chorus and a chromatic bass line is added during the verse. Measures 9-16 has the tuba playing the melody up an octave and the piano doing an arpeggiated accompaniment during the chorus and a similar accompaniment to measures 5-8 during the verse. The difference is the piano right hand being up an octave.

Measures 18-26 uses the motive from measure 3 of the chorus to build a development-like section that modulates frequently and uses chromaticism. This wild section tapers down in measure 26 and the verse returns in the piano at measure 27. A quiet statement of the chorus completes the movement.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, October 22, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 6

This is the sixth movement of a multi-movement composition that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is called "Niggljy Naggljy".

I was attracted to this song because of the title and also that I thought it would make a great scherzo movement.

In all the movements, I tried to have the song appear at the beginning, sometimes with accompaniment and other times without, since these pieces may be brought to schools and used as a demonstration of the songs and also the settings. I decided to begin this movement with the tuba alone. At measure 11, the piano plays a two-measure vamp before it accompanies the tuba on the melody. At 23 and 32, the piano plays the tune in a one-measure canon, first in G then in Ab. At 41, the tuba plays a variation of the tune with piano accompaniment in Eb. At 51, the accompaniment becomes more active.

Measure 63 begins a development section. The characteristic long-short rhythm becomes a two-measure vamp that occurs between fragments of the tune. Sometimes the vamp stays on the same pitch and other times it alternates octaves. It is varied in register and instrumentation. This section constantly changes tonality and has measures of chromaticism. Measure 87 serves as a recapitulation, but the variation of the tune returns rather than the tune itself. A 4-measure coda ends the movement.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Monday, October 3, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 5

This is the fifth movement of a multi-movement composition that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is called "Drunkard's Song".

My goal in writing this movement is to make the tuba sound drunk. I do a number of things in both the tuba and piano to create this illusion of inconsistencies common in an inebriated person.

While the song itself in in 6/8, I begin the movement with two measures of piano in 9/8, therefore disguising the meter. When the tuba comes in with the song in 6/8, the piano continues its 9/8 pattern. The pattern disguises the tonality by using the lowered 7th scale degree in the triplet. The tuba player is asked to play the tune in a drunkard manner. I am envisioning scooped notes and bending of pitch.

Measures 17-34 is a free section loosely based on motives from the song. Accidentals and tonality shifts obscure the sense of key and hemiola is used to disguise the rhythm.

Measures 35- 45 is a section of all out drunkenness. The tuba uses flutter tongue, high register squeals, and grace notes. the piano imitates the tuba and sometimes mocks the tuba with laughing sounds.

Measures 47-62 brings back a slightly elaborated version of the tune and tuba is muted. The ending incorporates the laughing sounds and the flutter tongue. The tuba is so drunk, that he can't even find the correct pitch to end on until the last moment.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 4

This is the fourth movement of a multi-movement composition that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement combines two songs, "Boil Them Cabbage Down" and "No!No!No!".

One of the things I enjoy a lot is seeing if I can combine two folk songs together in a variety of ways. These two songs seemed like they would go together well and would create interesting possibilities as "Boil Them Cabbage Down" is in major and "No!No!No!" is in Dorian mode. Below is a description of the movement:

M. 1-16 - The tuba plays "No!No!No!" while the right hand of the piano plays "Boil Them Cabbage Down"
M. 17-38 - The piano plays a two measure vamp that alternates G major and G minor and continues this throughout this section. The tuba plays a variation based on both tunes. Some of the phrases are in E minor and others in G major. Measure 30 adds rhythmic variety through the use of a 5/8 measure.
M. 39-56 - The piano plays a variant of "Boil Them Cabbage Down". Chromatic Scales and pointallism are used. The tuba enters in canon at measure 49. A 3/4 measure at 55 is used to add rhythmic variety.
M. 57-74 - The is like a development section. It uses fragments of both tunes and three tonalities/modalities are present. There is a change of key at measure 65.
M. 75-92 - This section is like M. 39-56.
M. 93-108 - This is like M. 1-16 except that the left hand of the piano adds a canonic statement of "Boil Them Cabbage Down".
M. 109 - end - The tuba plays "Boil Them Cabbage Down" while the left hand of the piano plays a bass line derived from "No!No!No!" The four measure ending exploits the vague modality before ending on an open fifth chord of C and G.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Friday, September 23, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 3

This is the third movement of a multi-movement composition for tuba and piano that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is Logan O. Bucken.

I was looking for a song in triple meter and this song appealed to me because of its rhythmic variety and possible motifs for development. The 7/8 measure is a curiosity as I am sure it is a result of Byron Arnold's transcription of the way the song was sung as he recorded it. Often folk songs are sung with rhythmic liberties that were not originally intended. Nevertheless, the 7/8 measure provides a nice break to the steadiness of the rhythm.

I provide a four measure introduction using one of the motifs from the song. It moves around tonally providing a hint of some of the altered chords that appear in my setting. The verse appears immediately afterwards in a very simple setting. I did not include the chorus here because of its similarity to the verse.

At measure 13, I create a contrasting section using a motif derived from the first measure of the song. The last motif of the song is used to modulate through a number of keys before arriving on the 7/8 measure at 22. This short section treats one of the motifs in a short canon before repeating and extending the introduction.

The section from measures 31-40 is a development section using another motif from the song that emphasizes hemiola rhythm. Instead of two groups of 3 in the 6/8, it becomes three groups of 2. This section is also in minor.

At measure 41, I take advantage of the Scottish roots of this Alabama folk song by creating a drone. The setting is in the piano and is the verse of the song. The chorus of the song appears in its entirety next in the piano while the tuba plays a technical countermelody. A deceptive cadence precedes the final fortissimo declaration.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement 2

This is the second movement of a multi-movement composition for tuba and piano that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is Little Dove.

I was attracted to this song because of its simple beauty. In this instance, it was challenging to preserve the natural characteristics of the song yet create interesting variations.

I started first with an unaccompanied version of the song played by tuba alone. I found the motif of the last two measures to be the most interesting part of the song and used it to create an ostinato in the next section. The right hand of the piano plays simple arpeggiated chords. I move the tuba to the upper register as I love the sonority of the instrument in that range.

At measure 19, the key changes, the tempo increases slightly, and the melody and accompaniment are more elaborate. I trade the melodic phrases between the tuba and piano. I also add some borrowed chords, one at measure 24 and the others at measure 27. The ones at 27 create a deceptive cadence and a modulation back to the original key.

Measure 28 ushers in the most elaborate setting of the song with chromatic lines in the piano left hand switching to the right hand 4 measures later. The tuba is once again in its high register.  The key change at measure 37 has the piano playing the tune in canon while the tuba plays an obligato. The movement ends with chromatically altered chords over my favorite motif.

Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B


Monday, August 29, 2016

Alabama Songbook Suite Movement I

This is the first movement of a multi-movement composition for tuba and piano that I am writing for Jeremy Crawford. It is based on selections from The Alabama Songbook compiled by Byron Arnold. This movement is Jack the Sailor.

I was attracted to this song because of its rhythmic variety and the way it has measures with two beats and measures with three beats. After stating the song as is, I begin to create variations of it as follows:
  • 11-20 - ornamented version of the melody in the tuba
  • 21-34 - 5/8 (2+3) variation - inspired by the measures of 2 and measures of 3, this diminution of the rhythm creates an interesting metrical variation
  • 35 - 46 - Still in 5/8, tonality change, tuba melody from the previous variation is stated in cannon in the piano
  • 47-61 - A free variation using motifs from the tune, back to 2/4 and 3/4 meter
  • 62-74 - Sudden shift of tonality, meter is now 7/8 (2+2+3), canon between tuba and right hand of the piano
  • 75-end - Sudden shift of tonality. A free variation using motifs from the tune, back to 2/4 and 3/4 meter, coda added
Below is a video of the score that uses sampled sounds. You comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B


Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Recent Activity

Hi everyone,
I have not posted about my more recent compositions because they have been written as individual commissions and to honor premiere aspect, I decided not to unveil the compositions here. I will tell you that I composed compositions for Saxophone Quartet and Piano, Saxophone Quartet and Organ, and Saxophone Quartet with Middle School Band. These compositions will be made available to the public after they are premiered in the Fall.

At the request of the commissioner, I plan to make several versions of the Saxophone Quartet with Middle School Band composition. This piece is called "The Tortoise and the Hare" and the story fits the idea of the band having easy parts and the soloists more technically demanding parts. A narrator reads sections of the story and the band and soloists illustrate those sections. I will create a version that has a clarinet quartet (3 Bb clarinets and bass clarinet), woodwind quintet, and brass quintet playing the solo parts in order to give the piece wider appeal.

I am also honored to have had my composition "Portrait of Don Quixote" selected as the winning composition in the Hillcrest Wind Ensemble's 2016 Composition Contest. The piece will be premiered on October 8 in San Diego and if you are in the area, I hope you will come to the concert and say "hello." Here is a link to information about the concert http://hillcrestwindensemble.com/index.html

If you are in New York City on September 11, you can hear my composition "Rescue" performed by the West Point Band as part of Vox Novus Fifteen Minutes of Fame. My composition was one of 15 one-minute compositions specifically written for this concert out of 100 entries. Here is a link to more information about this concert http://www.voxnovus.com/15_Minutes_of_Fame//featuring/West_Point_Band/

I have also recently completed a number of arrangements of show music for various small ensembles. Here is a list with links:

    •    I Cain't Say No from Oklahoma for Brass Trio
    •    I Cain't Say No from Oklahoma for Woodwind Trio
    •    Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man from Showboat for Brass Trio
    •    Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man from Showboat for Woodwind Trio
    •    Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) for Brass Quintet

Thanks for reading my posts.

Dr. B

Friday, July 8, 2016

Lexicon No. 1 - 4th Movement - Fortitude

This the fourth movement of four of a composition for SATB Saxophone Quartet and Piano. It is commissioned by Louis Sinoff. I am calling the composition Lexicon No. 1 because each movement will be a musical definition of an interesting word. I envision that there will be many more "Lexicon" compositions in my future.

The word for the fourth movement is Fortitude. Its definition is "strength and determination." A passacaglia, with its repeating bass line, came to mind as being the perfect form to express the word fortitude.

The movement begins with an Allegro introduction of rising and falling non-triadic arpeggios and a rising syncopated motif before settling into the passacaglia theme. The passacaglia theme in the piano left hand is four measures long that suggests both g minor and Bb major simultaneously. Each variation adds intensity through dynamics, texture, harmony, rhythmic activity and articulation. The variations are as follows:
15-18 - one beat canon between the piano left hand and tenor sax
19-22 - countermelody in the piano right hand that suggests Eb major before ending in Bb major
23-26 - similar countermelody in Soprano and Alto Saxes
27-30 - new countermelody in piano right hand; Bari Sax joins in on the passacaglia theme
31-34 - more countermelody in the piano right hand; triplets becoming more dominant
35-38 - Saxes only; intense harmony with dissonance and resolution
39-42 - Harmony in the piano; saxes increase triplet activity
43-46 - Slower tempo and sixteenths take over in importance
47-50 - Similar to before; contrast in articulation between saxes and passacaglia theme; piano right hand up 8va
51-54 - Unison FF restatement of passacaglia theme

The movement ends with two measures of Brilliante in G major.

After composing this movement, I decided to create a poem to go along with it. Here it is:

Strength rises from within
Chakras of energy emanating
From my soul to my halo
And back down again
Forces of motivation
Recede into quiet determination

A guiding principle forms
Soon echoed
In the silences of my mind
A four-measure mantra
Steadfast to outside influences

Complimentary countermelodies
Tease with temptation
Blending in and out
Of my unfaltering fortitude

Triplets intensify their efforts
Persuading elaboration
Of my basic stand
To emphasize our similarities
And not our differences

Desperate rapid utterances
Scream over my firm voice
To no avail

Finally
A unison proclamation
Emerges from the chaos
To celebrate the unwavering power of
A lone voice in tune with the universe

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Monday, July 4, 2016

Lexicon No. 1 - 3rd Movement - Hyperbole

This the third movement of four of a composition for SATB Saxophone Quartet and Piano. It is commissioned by Louis Sinoff. I am calling the composition Lexicon No. 1 because each movement will be a musical definition of an interesting word. I envision that there will be many more "Lexicon" compositions in my future.

The word for the third movement is Hyperbole. Its definition is "exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally."The first thing that came to mind in this election year is a political debate. In the composition I tried to exaggerate dynamics, articulation, instrumentation, and motifs. I think of this movement as having free form as the musical ideas are used throughout. There is a slight shift of mood measure 13 and again at measure 36, but in my mind, the contrast is not sufficient for me to call these a B section.

Here is a list of the motifs that are used and what they represent in my mind:

Accented dotted quarter and eighth note - When FF - hammering when P - exhaustion
Slurred 16th notes - issues being glossed over
Triplet chords - the moderator trying to bring the debate under control
Syncopated staccato eighths - scare tactics
Even eighth note melody - Hopeful audience

After composing this movement, I decided to create a poem to go along with it. Here it is:

Raised Voices spout rhetoric
While fists pound the podium
Volume and theatrics
Obscure the issues

Quiet responses of denial
Go unheard
Slurring meanings with
Distorted facts

Staccato utterances cut
Like faraway gunshots
Inciting fear
Instead of reason

A melodic theme resonates
Striking a chord with
An audience of voters
Grasping at straws for optimism

Hyperbole shields voters
From the democratic process
And antiquated laws insulate
Citizens from making a direct choice

Politicians play
With those who pay while
Bickering and inaction is
The rule in Washington

A cloudy future hovers
Over a divided nation
Will a leader emerge with healing powers
From the debris of hyperbole

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Lexicon No. 1 - 2nd Movement - Oxymoron

This the second movement of four of a composition for SATB Saxophone Quartet and Piano. It is commissioned by Louis Sinoff. I am calling the composition Lexicon No. 1 because each movement will be a musical definition of an interesting word. I envision that there will be many more "Lexicon" compositions in my future.

The word for the second movement is Oxymoron. Its definition is "opposite ideas that don't fit; incongruous." My inspiration is the phrase "melancholy gladness," To represent this oxymoron musically, I use two contrasting sections, the first in an Andante tempo (A) and the second in an Allegro tempo (B). The form is ABA'B'A''B''.

The oxymoron goes beyond the contrasting sections. There are incongruous elements within the sections as well. The A section is in 3/4 and the melody follows that pattern. The accompaniment however uses triplets against the duplets of the melody and the harmonic rhythm, exemplified by the right hand of the piano, is in a hemiola pattern of 2/4.

The Allegro "Gladness" section has a melody and bass line that suggest one set of chords and the inner voices doing another set of chords. The harmony doesn't quite fit the melody and bass line. In the second B section, modulation is used to add to the gladness.

The movement ends with a measure of the melancholy followed by two measures of gladness that once again emphasizes the oxymoron.

After composing this movement, I decided to create a poem to go along with it. Here it is:

Oxymorons of my psyche
Buried beneath the surface
Id, ego and super-ego
Wage unwinnable wars

Anima and Animus mirror
Masculine and feminine
Traits waiting to be discovered
As life unfolds

Yin and Yang interconnect
Creating perfect balance
If allowed to prevail
Over surface turmoil

My melancholy floats
Over contrasting rhythms
A shroud of doubt
Added to my sadness

Then gladness bursts forth
The sun shinning through
A break in the clouds
Dancing in major-colored skirts

I often wonder
Which is the real me
The oxymoron of life
Imprisons my soul

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Monday, June 27, 2016

Lexicon No. 1 - 1st Movement - Rambunctious

This the first movement of four of a composition for SATB Saxophone Quartet and Piano. It is commissioned by Louis Sinoff. I am calling the composition Lexicon No. 1 because each movement will be a musical definition of an interesting word. I envision that there will be many more "Lexicon" compositions in my future.

The word for the first movement is Rambunctious. Its definition is "difficult to control and wildly boisterous." To represent this definition musically, I chose a Vivace tempo in duple meter. The meter changes frequently and contains a lot of syncopation and hemiola, as if the music can't contain itself to a meter pattern.

The movement has a relentless energy and is mostly at a forte dynamic. While I can delineate a form (ABCAB), the contrast is more of mood and texture instead of musical material. Motifs are used freely between sections and develop symphonically, thus making them the same but different. The canonic middle section (C) is wildly boisterous because of the five imitative lines over an ostinato bass.

After composing this movement, I decided to create a poem to go along with it. Here it is:

Rambunctious is a scrumptious word
That rolls around my tongue
Rapscallion sounds are often heard
And playful tunes are sung

Scampering chords set the mood
Syncopated rhythms abound
Down and up the melody feuds
Playful turbulence all around

An instigator emerges from the pack
Others begin to follow
Maybe the leader should be on Prozac
To control the urge to wallow

Scampering chords and syncopated rhythms
Become more boisterous and wild
Wondering what can be done with him
How to control this unruly child

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Friday, June 17, 2016

Travelogue Movement 3 - The Alhambra


This is the third movement of a composition being composed as a result of a woodwind quintet commissioning consortium. The title of the piece is Travelogue and is an aural representation of interesting places from around the world. The places to be represented are the Sailing on the Mediterranean Sea, Rocky Mountain Starlight, and the Alhambra. The composition would be 10-12 minutes total. For more information about the consortium. please visit http://cooppress.net

I tried to create a movement that represents the strength of this famous fortress that has stood for hundreds of years through occupations of different powers. The movement has Spanish flavor because of the use of the Phrygian mode with its characteristic lowered second degree. The movement appears to be in A minor because of the key signature and the way the melodic line starts out, but the tonality and modality constantly shift over the the descending bass line that is 4,3,2,1 in the Phrygian mode.

There are three main thematic sections in this movement and each constantly vary. These thematic sections appear to use similar melodic ideas, but they are different in key and mood. Think of m. 4-11 as A and m. 22-30 as B. There is also a canonic section from m. 40-47 that we can call C. The resulting form is AA'BB'CB''A''A'''A''''B'''C''B''''A'''''Coda. Beginning at m. 80, the music seems quite different because of the running 16th notes, but it is really variants of the three sections.

Another key ingredient that is a constant yet also varies is the four note cadence idea at the end of each section. Notice how this is varied by repeating itself, changing key, elongating the rhythm, and the use of rests. When it elongates, it has the characteristic Spanish two feel against the 3 feel.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Travelogue Movement 2 - Rocky Mountain Starlight


This is the second movement of a composition being composed as a result of a woodwind quintet commissioning consortium. The title of the piece is Travelogue and is an aural representation of interesting places from around the world. The places to be represented are the Sailing on the Mediterranean Sea, Rocky Mountain Starlight, and the Alhambra. The composition would be 10-12 minutes total. For more information about the consortium. please visit http://cooppress.net

This movement is in ABABA form. The instrumentation of the musical material changes in the A sections but is similar in the B sections. To add variety, there are differences in tempo and dynamics. In addition, the movement should be performed with rubato. I have written in the major places where rubato occurs, but the performers should feel free to add more. In other words, the tempo should be very liquid.

The movement is modal, polytonal at times, chromatic at times, lyrical, and has interweaving lines. The accompaniment is homophonic at the beginning and the end and frequently arpeggiated in the middle. All this adds up to a movement that reflects the wonder and beauty of a clear evening in the high elevations of the Rocky Mountains where one feels they could reach out and touch the stars.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Monday, June 6, 2016

Travelogue Movement 1 - Sailing on the Mediterranean Sea


This is the first movement of a composition being composed as a result of a woodwind quintet commissioning consortium. The title of the piece is Travelogue and is an aural representation of interesting places from around the world. The places to be represented are the Sailing on the Mediterranean Sea, Rocky Mountain Starlight, and the Alhambra. The composition would be 10-12 minutes total. For more information about the consortium. please visit http://cooppress.net

This movement is very free in form representing the carefreeness of sailing in a sunny, warm climate. Most of this Moderato movement is very gentle. It reaches three climaxes where perhaps the wind becomes stronger adding excitement to the adventure. One is at measure 22, another at 58, and the last at 66.

The flow of the movement is interrupted at m. 8 by a staccato 16th note motive. This motive represents sun reflecting off of the wave crests and interrupts and permeates the movement as the movement progresses.

The harmony is tonal throughout and even though the movement appears to be in g minor, it is bright and sunny most of the time due to the frequent tonality and modality shifts, some use of mild polytonality, and counterpoint. At measure 32, the music echoes the previous measure but with minor modality. It is as if a cloud has drifted in front of the sun for a brief moment, darkening the sunny landscape.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B



Friday, May 27, 2016

Inventions - Movement 5 - The Airplane

This is the fifth movement of a composition being composed as a result of a brass trio commissioning consortium. The title "Inventions' has a double meaning as a musical invention is a short contrapuntal composition that is usually based on a single theme. The second meaning is that each movement represents a significant invention. There will be five movements.

I created this last movement from a 2002 composition called "Celebration of Flight" that was written for alto saxophone and violin to commemorate the 100th anniversary of controlled flight. At the request of Shelley Jagow, the saxophonist, I transcribed the work for soprano, alto, and tenor saxophones and it is this version that became the basis for "The Airplane" movement of Inventions. Only the last movement of Celebration of Flight was used.

The Airplane movement begins with a celebratory section in 7/8 and 6/8 representing the success of the Wright Brothers. After this festive beginning, a sustained melody represents the first flight that lasted 12 seconds with Orville at the controls. This melody also lasts 12 seconds. Accompanying the sustained melody is the steady staccato eighth note rhythm representing the sound of the motor. After a short celebratory interlude, another sustained “melody of flight” occurs with Wilbur is at the controls. The staccato eighth note “motor” accompaniment changes into a flowing triplet figure during 59-second flight, the longest of 1903. The “flight” melody now lasts 59 seconds as well. After a “soft” landing of the “flight” melody, the “celebration” theme ends the movement in a festive and exciting manner.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Inventions - Movement 4 - Morse Code

This is the fourth movement of a composition being composed as a result of a brass trio commissioning consortium. The title "Inventions' has a double meaning as a musical invention is a short contrapuntal composition that is usually based on a single theme. The second meaning is that each movement represents a significant invention. There will be five movements.

I had fun trying to work out a scientific approach to composing this movement and having it sound musical. My goal was to create a simple rondo form where the A sections would spell out in Morse code the words "brass trio" and the B sections would spell out the names of the three brass instruments. Eighth notes were used for the dots and quarter notes for the dashes. Eighth or quarter rests were used for the spaces between the letters.

The first part of the A section is homophonic and in the second part, each instrument plays their own line in canon with entrances a quarter note apart. The dashes at the end of the tailing instruments were elongated so that the instruments could end together. The harmony is a mixture of gentle tone clusters and triads.

The B sections are either monophonic in texture as each instrument plays its name or contrapuntal as the lines overlap.

To make this work, I used a lot of dynamic changes for variety and adjusted the ends of the sections to create cadences.

The form is ABA'B'AB''A''Coda. The Coda spells out the words "The End."

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Saturday, May 21, 2016

Inventions - Movement 3 - The Periscope

This is the third movement of a composition being composed as a result of a brass trio commissioning consortium. The title "Inventions' has a double meaning as a musical invention is a short contrapuntal composition that is usually based on a single theme. The second meaning is that each movement represents a significant invention. There will be five movements.

It may seem like I am posting these movements very rapidly and one may wonder how I can compose this fast. First of all, the ideas for these movements are coming quite easily, something I don't always experience. Secondly, I am composing 4-5 hours per day. With that amount of time, it is very possible to complete two minutes of music for three brass instruments. I often complete the movement in one day, but I like to let the music sit for at least a day before reviewing it. I find that while composing, I am too close to the details of the music and by coming back to it a day later, I can have a broader perspective.

The way I decided to represent the periscope is to create a scenario. A submarine is lurking under water (Section A). That is represented by the dark colors in a slow 6/8. The melodic lines swell and recede representing the undulations of the ocean. Ominous sounds accompany the rising of the periscope and the scanning of the horizon for destroyers and for prey (Section B). The ascending staccato sixteenth notes represent the periscope going up and when the sixteenth notes descend, the periscope is being lowered. The half-step repeated figure is the periscope scanning the horizon.

The movement is in an ABA'B' form. Subtle variations in instrumentation, melody, harmony, and dynamics created the differences in the repeated A and B sections.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Inventions - Movement 2 - The Metronome

This is the second movement of a composition being composed as a result of a brass trio commissioning consortium. The title "Inventions' has a double meaning as a musical invention is a short contrapuntal composition that is usually based on a single theme. The second meaning is that each movement represents a significant invention. There will be five movements.

This second movement represents the metronome. Please keep in mind that the music in this movement represents the mechanical, wind-up metronome that is very different than the modern-day digital metronome. Because it uses a pendulum, the metronome is very sensitive to the surface it is on. If it is slightly uneven, the ticks of the metronome will be erratic. Tempo was determined by the position of the weight on the pendulum. Since the metronome was wound using a spring mechanism, it tended to get slower as the spring tension decreased.

The music of the section that goes through measure 37 represents metronome practice. This section consists of constant eighth notes for 33 measures. While the rhythm is static, being in 2/4 with an occasional 3/4, the tempo, melodic line, harmony, and dynamics are varied. Imagine someone practicing a passage with a metronome and gradually increasing the tempo until the tempo gets so fast, the musicians goofs up. Measures 34-37 represent the frustration of the musician when he/she can't keep up with the metronome.

At measure 38, the musician goes back to practicing slower, but as he/she practices, the metronome begins to wind down and get slower. At measure 62, the tempo is so slow that the uneven surface the metronome is on begins to make the metronome beat unsteadily. The movement ends with the metronome stopping completely.

In keeping with the double meaning of the word invention, there are sections of tight imitation. An example would be measure 23-24 where the trombone lead is followed by the Horn a fifth above an eighth note later and then the trumpet at the octave an eighth note later than the Horn.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B

Monday, May 16, 2016

Inventions - Movement 1 - The Wheel

This is the first movement of a composition being composed as a result of a brass trio commissioning consortium. The title "Inventions' has a double meaning as a musical invention is a short contrapuntal composition that is usually based on a single theme. The second meaning is that each movement represents a significant invention. There will be five movements.

This first movement represents the wheel and is a perpetual motion in a fast 6/8 meter. It contains many sections of imitation. There are only two melodies in the movement and the rest consists of short motives. The first melody occurs divided between the trombone and trumpet from measure 3 - 11 and is extended and re-orchestrated in measures 12 - 22. Several motives appear in this section as well. One is the arpeggiated diminished seventh chord in even eighth notes that opens the composition. The second is a chromatic line in quarters and eighths that becomes straight eighths as an accompanying figure.

The second melody first appears in the trumpet at measure 32. It begins with a dotted rhythm that makes it distinctive. These two melodies and motives are combined and developed in different ways. The diminished seventh motive occurs with different articulations, for example. Dynamics are used to create variety. The ideas are used imitatively throughout most of the movement.

If one would try to analyze the harmony, one would have a difficult time because the movement is conceived linearly. Various modes are used for the melodies. The diminished seventh chord and chromaticism create a vague tonality. The ideas sometimes create a polytonality. The few chords that are used are basically quintal in structure.

The form of the movement is free, but sections do repeat with some variation. If one thinks of the first melody section as A and the second melody section as B, the form would be A transition B transition A' transition B' transition B'' transition B''' Coda.

Below is the transposed score and sampled sounds in video format. Your comments are always welcomed.

Dr. B


Monday, April 18, 2016

Three Desert Pictures Movement 3 - Monsoon

I am composing Three Desert Pictures for Frequency 49, a marvelous group of musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area. The combination of woodwind quintet and piano provides a wonderful palette of colors to represent a Haboob, Virga, and a Monsoon, which are the titles of the three movements of this work.

When I first moved to Arizona and discovered that we have a monsoon season, I was very surprised. I always thought that a monsoon was a period when it never stops raining. But after reading a definition, I discovered that it is any change in a weather pattern that brings excessive moisture to an area. That is what Arizona has during the summer when moisture in drawn into the desert from the Gulf of Mexico. It creates dramatic afternoon and evening thunderstorms with high winds, heavy rain, and thunder and lightning, bringing the desert much needed rain.

My vision for this movement was to create sections that would represent wind, thunder and lightning, and heavy rain. It is as if one were looking at a painting of an Arizona monsoon storm where one sees the entire picture and then begins to concentrate on sections of the painting that represent each of these.

The movement begins with a representation of wind by having a three-note motif in 6/8 time travel from low to high and back down in the winds and also simultaneously creating a crescendo-decrescendo effect. The motif consists of consecutive fourths where one of the fourths is augmented. The piano plays the fourths as a chord on each beat. After eight measures, the piano has the wind idea and the winds play the chord on the beat.

To represent lightning, I use a chromatic scale in the flute and oboe and a high trill in the piano. Thunder immediately follows in the form of a loud augmented chord with descending whole steps and fades away in the form of a low trill in the piano.

Heavy rain is represented by repeated staccato notes in 2/4 time, sometimes in canon and other times in rhythmic unison. Once again fourths are used both melodically and harmonically.

These three ideas are combined and developed in different ways throughout the movement, building to a climax near the end. Then the storm fades away before the movement ends with a flash of lightning.

Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated.

Dr. B



Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Three Desert Pictures Movement 2 - Virga

I am composing Three Desert Pictures for Frequency 49, a marvelous group of musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area. The combination of woodwind quintet and piano provides a wonderful palette of colors to represent a Haboob, Virga, and a Monsoon, which are the titles of the three movements of this work.

Virga is rainfall that evaporates before it reaches the ground. In the desert, Virga clouds can be present when other parts of the sky are clear. When sunlight reflects off of Virga, the visual effects are very ethereal. Here is a short video of Virga taken in 2010 that I found on YouTube:


There are two things that unify this movement. The first is the use of major 7th chords that are sometimes varied by substituting an augmented fifth or adding a ninth. These chords give an ethereal beauty to the movement. The second is the descending staccato sextuplets that diminuendo representing the falling rain evaporating.

The form of the movement is loosely A A'. Within each section, the musical material is varied through use of different motifs, instrumentation, and texture.

Your comments about this blog post are always appreciated.

Dr. B



Saturday, April 9, 2016

Three Desert Pictures Movement 1 - Haboob

I am composing Three Desert Pictures for Frequency 49, a marvelous group of musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area. The combination of woodwind quintet and piano provides a wonderful palette of colors to represent a Haboob, Virga, and a Monsoon, which are the titles of the three movements of this work.

A haboob is caused by a downdraft of air in a thunderstorm that blows a huge amount of dust as it moves across a desert area. Here is time-lapse video of a haboob in the Phoenix area in 2011.

  

The Haboob movement is in ABA form. It begins quietly with a diminished fifth in the left hand of the piano that represents foreboding. This low diminished fifth is present throughout the A section, sometimes occurring in the Horn and bassoon as well. A swirling dust motif is introduced first as just three notes and then expanding as the section progresses. Trills also represent swirling dust. The A section builds in intensity leading into the B section that represents the Haboob itself. 

The B section is in 2/4 except for one 3/8 measure. It begins with a wall of sound in the form of a diminished 7th chord. In fact, all the material of this section is derived from the diminished 7th chord. There are three elements to the section. The first is the wall of sound that represents the wall of dust. It appears in all instruments at various times and becomes syncopated as the section progresses. The second is the swirling dust motifs that are similar to the first section. Lastly, there is the staccato eighth note ostinato that represents people scurrying to the safety of indoors.

The last section is essentially a reverse of the opening section where it moves from intensity to quietude as the dust storm winds down. The low diminished fifth interval takes on a different meaning than when it occurs in the first section. Here it represents the devastation that was left behind by the haboob.

Your comments about this blog post are always appreciated.

Dr. B



Thursday, March 10, 2016

Ideas for Commissioning Consortium Needed


I have an idea for a new composition but I am undecided regarding what instrumentation to write it for, therefore I am seeking ideas from performers. I like to compose new pieces as a result of a commissioning consortium. Whoever suggests an instrumentation and ability level that most appeals to me by April 1, 2016 can participate in the Commissioning Consortium for free. The composition “Three Desert Pictures” would be in three movements (Haboob, Virga, and Monsoon) and would be written during April. For more information about this potential commissioning consortium and more details about the proposed composition, please visit http://www.cooppress.net/page9/page10/index.html

Thursday, February 11, 2016

High Desert Apparitions for Soprano Sax and Piano 3rd Movement

This is the third movement of a composition for soprano saxophone and piano,called High Desert Apparitions, being written as a result of a commissioning consortium. It is in three movements at a graduate or professional level. The first movement is called Shapeshifters (Skinwalkers or yee naaldlooshii). These are evil creatures that appear as humans or as animals. This movement would have the piano representing the human form and the saxophone representing various animals. The second movement is Mirages. This movement is ethereal with an interplay of soft sustained notes between instruments. The last movement is Ancestral Spirits. This movement uses Native American sounding melodic lines and would be uplifting in character. The composition would be 8-10 minutes in length. For more information about the consortium, please visit http://cooppress.net

Ancient Spirits is in two sections. The slower opening is atmospheric, evoking images of Native
American flutes calling to the ancient spirits. The second section is chant-like and is influenced by
recordings of Navajo Yeibichai songs. A Yeibichai is a supernatural represented by a masked dancer in an initiation or curative ceremony. The piano chords are dissonant and steady imitating the sound of drums. While the music is repetitive, there are subtle changes to the melodic material as well as the accompanying chords.

Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B

Thursday, February 4, 2016

High Desert Apparitions for Soprano Sax and Piano 2nd Movement

This is the second movement of a composition for soprano saxophone and piano, called High Desert Apparitions, being written as a result of a commissioning consortium. It is in three movements at a graduate or professional level. The first movement is called Shapeshifters (Skinwalkers or yee naaldlooshii). These are evil creatures that appear as humans or as animals. This movement has the piano representing the human form and the saxophone representing various animals. The second movement is Mirages. This movement is ethereal with an interplay of soft sustained notes between instruments. The last movement will be Ancestral Spirits. This movement would use Native American sounding melodic lines and would be uplifting in character. The composition would be 8-10 minutes in length. For more information about the consortium, please visit http://cooppress.net

This movement is very free in form. Mirages in the desert appear as a steady mirage or as a wavy mirage. The saxophone sustained notes begin and end with no vibrato and have subtle vibrato or timbre trill added in the middle of the note. The piano clusters represent the vagueness of the mirage. The fast note patterns represent the fleetingness of a mirage. The dynamics are soft throughout.

Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B


High Desert Apparitions for Soprano Sax and Piano 1st Movement

After working on the Thor Johnson Memorial Commission and several contest entries that I couldn't reveal here, I am now working on Commissioning Consortium composition. This composition, for soprano saxophone and piano, is called High Desert Apparitions and would be in three movements at a graduate or professional level. The first would be called Shapeshifters (Skinwalkers or yee naaldlooshii). These are evil creatures that appear as humans or as animals. This movement would have the piano representing the human form and the saxophone representing various animals. The second movement would be Mirages. This movement would be ethereal with an interplay of soft sustained notes between instruments. The last movement would be Ancestral Spirits. This movement would use Native American sounding melodic lines and would be uplifting in character. The composition would be 8-10 minutes in length. For more information about the consortium, please visit http://cooppress.net

The four animal shapes I chose to represent in the first movement are coyote, owl, fox, and crow. I listened to recordings of these animals and did my best to imitate them using the saxophone. Many of the sounds contain multiple pitches and multiphonics were used for these. Grace notes, pitch bends, and rapid passages are other techniques utilized.

The movement is in a rondo form without the final A. The piano represents a normal Navajo person. An undulating sixteenth note figure that goes from loud to soft serves as the transition to animal forms and back. By the end of the movement, the normal Navajo persona is consumed by the crow as the piano becomes part of crow sounds.

Your comments are always appreciated.

Dr. B