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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.

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


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