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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.

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