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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.

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

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