Happy New Year and 60X60

I wish all my readers a very Happy New Year! May 2010 bring you all that you wish for.

I was inspired during the second half of December to compose a piece to enter in the Orchestra 60X60 Composition Competition. This unique project selects 60 one minute or less compositions and combines them into one large piece that will be played by several orchestras around the world and broadcast on many radio stations. The idea of creating a one-minute piece intrigued me because there is not much time for development of ideas. I came up with the title "Vortex" after doing a crossword puzzle where this was the answer to the clue "eddy". A trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon is what came to mind immediately. The danger and excitement of the opening measures give way to a playful woodwind canonic section. The mood changes often reflecting the fickleness of the river, but the overall tension of a hidden vortex is always present.

I was pleased with the result. To my surprise, the piece is cohesive yet interesting. It was challenge to limit myself to less than a minute and I think it is a worthwhile activity for all composers to do.

Since I am entering the work in a competition, I am not providing a link for you to see and hear the piece. Once the competition is over, I will provide the link.

Dr. B

Grass Roots Ending Revised

I played Grass Roots for my wife yesterday and she had some suggestions for a better ending. She felt that after the tuba flourish near the end that the last measures were an anti-climax. I had to agree with her and after about an hour of trying different things, I felt that I came up with a stronger ending. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts as well.

This new ending incorporates the syncopated rhythm introduced at the Majestic section at measure 79 and also ties things together harmonically by borrowing chords from the modes used in this final section.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/grass_roots_blog.html
Dr. B

Arizona Centennial Commission

I just received word that I won the Arizona Centennial Commission's Composition Commission to write a new band composition to celebrate Arizona's 100th Anniversary in 2012. The piece is to made available to high schools, colleges/universities, community bands, and professional/semi-professional ensembles throughout the state, so I should get many performances. In addition, I will receive $5,000! I was selected out of the many Arizona composers who applied for this project, so the competition was stiff. The judges were professional musicians and conductors from Arizona. I will be working on the piece during the first part of 2010 as it needs to be completed by June.

The piece that I envision writing, would be a five-minute composition called “Arizona Centennial Overture”, celebrating the various cultures that make Arizona a unique blend of old and new. Sections of the overture would depict the indigenous cultures, the Spanish and Mexican heritage, the early pioneers, and finally, the recent diverse population growth.

I am also excited because I should get some good publicity and recognition as a composer in my new home state that may lead to other opportunities. I am humbled and thankful for this opportunity.

May my readers be blessed with a joyous holiday season and a wonderful 2010.

Grass Roots 3rd Movement Continued and Completed

I have completed the 3rd movement of Grass Roots and therefore the entire piece. The third movement is not only a "Manifestation", but a triumph. The "Manifestation"is represented by the rich harmonies and lyrical lines. The triumph is represented by the gradual increase in intensity as the movement unfolds. The increase in intensity is accomplished through the use of slight increases in tempo, changes in tessitura, increase in dynamics, and shortening of measures (6/8 to 5/8).

I continue my discussion of this movement with the section from 35 to 59. This section depicts a sense of grandeur, reflective of the awe-inspiring scenery of the National Parks. The tuba and left hand of the piano alternate phrases frequently in this section. The right hand of the piano fills in the lush harmony with an arpeggiated figure. When I first composed this section, it was 8 measures shorter. After I arrived at an end of the piece, I felt that I needed to add something here to balance the other movements as the movement was ending too soon. Therefore, M. 41-48 are repeated at 49-56 with some slight variations.

M. 56 begins the triumphant section. The tempo increases, measures are shortened, range is higher and more dotted rhythms are used to create the excitement.

M. 79 is the culmination of the excitement. The melodic line is even more syncopated and both piano and tuba have final flourishes expressing triumph.

I usually struggle with endings and this piece was no exception. My first attempts were too abrupt so I added a repeat of M. 79 & 80 done solely by the piano at 81 and 82. I also added some notes to the piano part in the last three measures as the motion stopped more abruptly than what I had in mind. The ending now has the appropriate length and a sense of broadening towards the final notes instead of just stopping.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/grass_roots_blog.html

Dr. B

Grass Roots 3rd Movement

I am about a minute and a half into the third movement and thought it would be a good time to pause and write about what I have accomplished. I did link the 2nd movement to the third by having the piano left hand sustain the dominant pitch C after the final chord of the 2nd movement. As this fades, the left hand continues with pyramid arpeggios and chords while the right hand answers with a more florid figure. The ideas develop and the hands change roles through measure 7 where the tuba enters with a variation of what the left hand did earlier. At M. 15 the ideas repeat up a half step. Although the meter is 6/8, the regularity of the 6/8 pattern is broken up with ties and syncopation, some which create more of a 3/4 feel against the 6/8. At M. 22, the meter is changed to 9/8 to break up the pattern even further.

It was about this point in the movement that I changed the movement's title. It was originally going to be called "Joining Forces". That title was only a working title as I knew I wanted something different. I had trouble with coming up with a word and figured if I just compose the music the title would come. I also felt that while the music was going well, I was a little unsure of the direction of the movement. If you remember, the inspiration for the entire piece was Ken Burn's film on the National Parks. While the piece can refer to the success of any social change, it is the power of those individuals with the vision of a park system that is being celebrated. So I wanted the last movement to reflect "America's Best Idea" and that gave rise to the new title, "Manifestation". It is the dream of many individuals coming into reality. My goal is to make the movement serene and awe inspiring.

M. 23 moves the piece ahead by using a development and elaboration of some of the ideas already presented. The piano accompaniment creates a 3/4 feel by alternating eighth notes between the hands. At M. 25, the pattern reverses itself for a measure to add variety. M 29 uses techniques such as inversion and retrograde of the tuba melody from M. 25 part of the time. This turning of the intervals upside down or doing some of the notes in reverse order adds variety but still keeps the melodic idea familiar. M 35 begins one of the awe-inspiring sections and I will talk about this when I do my next post.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/grass_roots_blog.html

Dr. B

Grass Roots 2nd Movement Completed

It is interesting how I seemed to have struggled with thew beginning of this movement because ideas seemed to be slow in coming and all of a sudden, the ideas started flowing so fast, I didn't want to stop to blog about what I was writing until I finished the movement. The last time I blogged, I was talking about the section between measures 21 and 40 that I referred to as "quiet seething". Beginning at measure 41, the piano takes over the argument with only brief interruptions by the tuba, until the tuba renews its point of view beginning at measure 46.

The conflict winds down leading to a canonic section at measure 53. The three part canon is like thee voices presenting their argument. There are subtle variations in the presentation of the canon to make it work harmonically and to adapt it to suit the instruments. For example, the 4 repeated sixteenth notes that begins the canon are easy on tuba, but difficult on piano. They become 4 different pitches in the piano. It also adds a slight variation to the melodic idea. Notice that the canonic entrances are separated by an unequal number of beats. At 61 and 62, the right hand of the piano fills in the melodic line with some harmony. At 63, the canon begins anew, this time starting in the right hand of the piano and the entrances are a measure apart as the argument becomes more intense. When the tuba enters at measure 65, the canon loses a beat and becomes more syncopated and this new rhythmic variant of the canon is repeated in the other voices.

After the canon quiets down, measure 76 begins to recapitulate the section from 21-50. The tuba plays alone for around 10 measures with only short punctuations by the piano. Measure 105 presents the climax and coda of the movement. The glisses do not play back well on MIDI as they start immediately, where in a live performance, one would hear more of the initial pitch. I am thinking that I will write a transition from the 2nd movement to the 3rd movement as I don't want this movement to sound too final.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/grass_roots_blog.html

Dr. B

Grass Roots 2nd Movement Continued

It didn't take me long to get over the hurdle of where to go next. The inspiration came while I was at concert of the Verde Valley Sinfonietta on Saturday Night. The 2nd piece on the program was a Mozart Clarinet Concerto and the first movement is a sonata form where the orchestra plays the themes then the clarinet. It was this simple form of repetition that gave me the idea of where I needed to go next in this 2nd movement.

I was originally thinking that I needed a change of thematic material at measure 11 where all I needed was a change in instrumentation. I put the tuba line from the first 10 measures in the right hand of the piano and gave the left hand a combination of what the two habns were doing before, although I used more left hand material than right hand. I also elaborated the right hand with harmony at times and extra notes so that the ideas flow a little more when compared to the first 10 measures.

I continued on at measure 21 with a quieter tuba line and a more flowing piano part. This section is like a quiet seething. The alternating eighth note accompaniment is varied as the hands switch beats after 2 measures. I expect to continue on in this manner for a while.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.net/grass_roots_blog.html

Dr. B