I have return from our southwest vacation, and now it is time to get back into my composing routine. As you have seen from my last post, I was still active revising Guatemaya according to Meggie Aube's suggestions. I'm pleased to report that she has said the revisions work.
I also spent some time while sitting outside in the sunny 60 degree desert weather working on a project I do every year for the York Symphony. The York Symphony has an annual song writing competition. There are three levels, elementary, middle school, and high school. The winners get to have their compositions scored for orchestra and performed on the April Young Person's Concert. That is where I come in. I get the privilege of orchestrating their pieces. Some of the pieces are for piano and others have some basic orchestration. This April's concert is Classical Kid's Vivaldi program, so the orchestra is limited to strings, 2 flutes, and 2 trumpets. But even with that limited orchestration, it is fun to give the kid's music a new setting. Besides hearing there piece performed, the winners receive cash prizes and a score and recording of their piece. It is a wonderful inspiration for young composers and the program has won recognition by the American Symphony Orchestra League. My challenge is to preserve what they wrote yet enhance it so that it sounds more professional. I did 5 of the six arrangements while in AZ and I am finishing the last one probably later today or tomorrow.
I have two composition projects for the spring, one for unaccompanied Eb clarinet in a jazz style, and the other a piece for saxophone and percussion. Both these works are a result of the Co-op Press Recording Grants and will be part of CDs featuring the artists who were awarded the grant.
I am also busy working out my schedule for two performances during February. One next Saturday, where the Lancaster-Lebanon H.S. Honors Orchestra is doing my "Gettysburg Portrait" with me narrating and the other for a Feb. 16th premiere by the Washington Sinfonietta of my "Legacy", which deals with the climate change issue. More about these later.
Last night, my wife and I played a concert with the York Symphony as we backed up Manhattan Transfer. What a thrill to work with these fine musicians! But putting a show together in one rehearsal is always stressful, so today is a day of rest!
Look for more regular posts now that I'm back from vacation and I'd love to hear from you as to whether you find any of this interesting.
Dr. B
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
Revision of Guatemaya Movement 3
I have received more feedback from Meggie Aube, this time about the second and third movements of Guatemaya. I am sitting at a picnic table at Bottomless Lakes state Park in Roswell, NM in 75 degree sunshine doing revisions to this piece. I have my M-Audio Oxygen 8 MIDI Controller, which fits conveniently into an attaché case, and my laptop, so my composing studio is portable. Meggie’s latest email that appears below:
Hi Sy,
I hope you had a very nice Christmas and New Years. I'm so sorry for taking so long to give you more comments. First it was finishing the semester, and then the holidays. I have had some time to look over your piece now though. From what I can see right now, the second movement is fine and everything seems possible. I do have a couple of comments for the 3rd movement, and then I need to spend a little bit of time looking at the 4th movement. Just as an overall comment, I noticed that everything is written in a fairly high range and nothing goes below the range of a 4 1/3 octave marimba. Most people and schools have 5 octave marimbas, I own one and the University of Iowa actually owns 3. So, if you would like to write anything lower, it would be possible to play. I must say that I am slightly partial to the lower end of the marimba. I thought a good section in the 3rd movement to transpose down the octave would be the 16th notes starting in measure 9. This would help the melody in the right hand come out louder. One handed rolls and difficult to play loudly anyways so having the hands close together will make it harder to hear the hands separately. If it is possible to change, the one handed roll of a B flat and D is very awkward to play, it happens in measure 5, 10, 12, 14, 34 and 36. The end of measure 27 going into 28 and the end of measure 29 going into 30 are both very awkward because of the angles the hand has to change between notes, and the fact that they are rolled, when I tried playing them without rolling it was more comfortable. The pitches in measure 38 in the right hand are going to be very hard to hear because they so high, and again, single handed rolls are hard to hear, especially in a high range. It will be especially hard to bring them out because the left hand notes are in a very loud range on the marimba. In beats 2 and 3 of measure 38, the movement from C and E flat to B flat and D is also very awkward.
I think that is all for now. I will try to have comments on the 4th movement within the next couple of days. I also wanted to tell you that I am really enjoying working on your piece right now!
Meggie Aube
I started by trying to solve the problem of the awkward Bb-D intervals. In measure 5, I put the Bb in the left hand instead of the D and moved the Bb’s in the right hand to G’s. In measures 10, 12, 34, & 36, I changed the Bb’s in the right hand to A’s. In measure 14, I changed the Bb to a G. All of this works because the harmony is slightly more open sounding with the use of 4ths instead of thirds and that fits with the majestic picture I am trying to paint. The end of 27-28 and again at 29-30, I removed the rolls on the 4 eighth notes. This seemed to be the best solution as the intensity is lessening at this point.
The suggestion of writing for a 5 octave marimba was a welcomed one. A lot of what I was writing, I was hearing in a lower range and Sibelius kept telling me I was going out of range. So to be on the safe side, I kept things in Sibelius’ parameters for the most part. In addition, the marimba playback on Sibelius produces overtones that I don’t think would be present on a real marimba, so all the things in the lower register sound almost two octaves higher. I did plunge ahead and made some changes that I think will work. I began by taking the left hand in measure 32 down an octave, then both hands in 33-47 down an octave. I also fixed the awkwardness of m. 38 by changing the Bb to G. I then worked on the beginning section. I took the left hand of measures 9-21 down an octave. In 22, I took the 1st three beats down an octave but changed the last note from a Bb to an F so it leads the line back to the original register where the end of 21 moves smoothly into the section beginning at 22. I hope that these changes make the movement more interesting and solve the balance of line problems. I’ll send it off to Meggie within the next few days.
To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
Hi Sy,
I hope you had a very nice Christmas and New Years. I'm so sorry for taking so long to give you more comments. First it was finishing the semester, and then the holidays. I have had some time to look over your piece now though. From what I can see right now, the second movement is fine and everything seems possible. I do have a couple of comments for the 3rd movement, and then I need to spend a little bit of time looking at the 4th movement. Just as an overall comment, I noticed that everything is written in a fairly high range and nothing goes below the range of a 4 1/3 octave marimba. Most people and schools have 5 octave marimbas, I own one and the University of Iowa actually owns 3. So, if you would like to write anything lower, it would be possible to play. I must say that I am slightly partial to the lower end of the marimba. I thought a good section in the 3rd movement to transpose down the octave would be the 16th notes starting in measure 9. This would help the melody in the right hand come out louder. One handed rolls and difficult to play loudly anyways so having the hands close together will make it harder to hear the hands separately. If it is possible to change, the one handed roll of a B flat and D is very awkward to play, it happens in measure 5, 10, 12, 14, 34 and 36. The end of measure 27 going into 28 and the end of measure 29 going into 30 are both very awkward because of the angles the hand has to change between notes, and the fact that they are rolled, when I tried playing them without rolling it was more comfortable. The pitches in measure 38 in the right hand are going to be very hard to hear because they so high, and again, single handed rolls are hard to hear, especially in a high range. It will be especially hard to bring them out because the left hand notes are in a very loud range on the marimba. In beats 2 and 3 of measure 38, the movement from C and E flat to B flat and D is also very awkward.
I think that is all for now. I will try to have comments on the 4th movement within the next couple of days. I also wanted to tell you that I am really enjoying working on your piece right now!
Meggie Aube
I started by trying to solve the problem of the awkward Bb-D intervals. In measure 5, I put the Bb in the left hand instead of the D and moved the Bb’s in the right hand to G’s. In measures 10, 12, 34, & 36, I changed the Bb’s in the right hand to A’s. In measure 14, I changed the Bb to a G. All of this works because the harmony is slightly more open sounding with the use of 4ths instead of thirds and that fits with the majestic picture I am trying to paint. The end of 27-28 and again at 29-30, I removed the rolls on the 4 eighth notes. This seemed to be the best solution as the intensity is lessening at this point.
The suggestion of writing for a 5 octave marimba was a welcomed one. A lot of what I was writing, I was hearing in a lower range and Sibelius kept telling me I was going out of range. So to be on the safe side, I kept things in Sibelius’ parameters for the most part. In addition, the marimba playback on Sibelius produces overtones that I don’t think would be present on a real marimba, so all the things in the lower register sound almost two octaves higher. I did plunge ahead and made some changes that I think will work. I began by taking the left hand in measure 32 down an octave, then both hands in 33-47 down an octave. I also fixed the awkwardness of m. 38 by changing the Bb to G. I then worked on the beginning section. I took the left hand of measures 9-21 down an octave. In 22, I took the 1st three beats down an octave but changed the last note from a Bb to an F so it leads the line back to the original register where the end of 21 moves smoothly into the section beginning at 22. I hope that these changes make the movement more interesting and solve the balance of line problems. I’ll send it off to Meggie within the next few days.
To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
Sunday, December 30, 2007
End of Year Musings
Even though I have not been composing during the holidays, I have been busy preparing scores for posting at my website and at sibeliusmusic.com. For the 7 1/2 years that I have been retired from teaching, I have been gradually working on getting examples of all my music posted in both places. For each piece, I create a file that can be seen and heard simultaneously using the free Scorch player from Sibelius. I also create mp3 excerpts and a graphic of the first page of the score. I have been a Sibelius user for about 8 years, ever since they came out with a version for MAC. Prior to that, I used Finale since around the mid 1980's. Therefore, out of my over 250 compositions arrangements, over half need to be converted to Sibelius files. The ones in Finale come over fairly easily, but need a lot of formatting to look correct. The works that were in manuscript need to be entered into Sibelius. This takes a lot of time. Then I need to create all the files and post them in the two places.
At the end of the year, I usually update my composition records. It had been two years since my last update, and it was interesting to see what I accomplished. During the two year period, I wrote around 15 new compositions, transcribed 3 works that were in manuscript, converted around 35 works that were in Finale, and posted around 40 works to my website and sibeliusmusic.com. If you would like to see how my website functions, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net
I think there is no better way to find new music than to see and hear the music in the convenience of your own home. I remember the hours I used to spend in the music store looking for new music and often guessing whether it would sound right for my needs. The internet certainly has changed the way we can select music.
While you are at my website, you may wish to check out my publishing company's grant programs and recording competition. Via a generous donation from a supporter and contributions from earnings from my music, we have established the Co-op Press Fund. The fund offers grants to encourage musicians to become involved in promoting the excitement of new music. The idea behind the "co-op" in Co-op Press is to find innovative ways for performers and composers to work together to create an excitement for contemporary art music and to spread the word to both audiences and other performers about the wealth of good literature that has recently or is presently being written. We really believe that both these talented musicians and composers need to be heard. As funds and time permit, our goal is to expand this program to continually create projects to achieve this goal. Our affiliate CD label, Emeritus Recordings, has two series of CDs. Our Artist Series features talented musicians playing a variety of repertoire, some older and some recent. Our Repertoire Series, focuses on recent repertoire in specific genres. A lot of my music has been recorded as a result of these projects and we are proud to be able to share the talent of these artists and composers with audiences throughout the world.
I hope that 2008 brings all my readers all the musical and personal blessings that are on your wish list. I look forward to productive year and to traveling to premieres and performances of my music. During the early part of 2008, I'll be in Lancaster, PA, Washington, DC, Cincinnati, OH, Manhattan, KA, and Iowa City, IA for performances. If you are a reader of my blog in those areas, please ask for details of my trip and stop by and say "hello".
Dr. B
At the end of the year, I usually update my composition records. It had been two years since my last update, and it was interesting to see what I accomplished. During the two year period, I wrote around 15 new compositions, transcribed 3 works that were in manuscript, converted around 35 works that were in Finale, and posted around 40 works to my website and sibeliusmusic.com. If you would like to see how my website functions, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net
I think there is no better way to find new music than to see and hear the music in the convenience of your own home. I remember the hours I used to spend in the music store looking for new music and often guessing whether it would sound right for my needs. The internet certainly has changed the way we can select music.
While you are at my website, you may wish to check out my publishing company's grant programs and recording competition. Via a generous donation from a supporter and contributions from earnings from my music, we have established the Co-op Press Fund. The fund offers grants to encourage musicians to become involved in promoting the excitement of new music. The idea behind the "co-op" in Co-op Press is to find innovative ways for performers and composers to work together to create an excitement for contemporary art music and to spread the word to both audiences and other performers about the wealth of good literature that has recently or is presently being written. We really believe that both these talented musicians and composers need to be heard. As funds and time permit, our goal is to expand this program to continually create projects to achieve this goal. Our affiliate CD label, Emeritus Recordings, has two series of CDs. Our Artist Series features talented musicians playing a variety of repertoire, some older and some recent. Our Repertoire Series, focuses on recent repertoire in specific genres. A lot of my music has been recorded as a result of these projects and we are proud to be able to share the talent of these artists and composers with audiences throughout the world.
I hope that 2008 brings all my readers all the musical and personal blessings that are on your wish list. I look forward to productive year and to traveling to premieres and performances of my music. During the early part of 2008, I'll be in Lancaster, PA, Washington, DC, Cincinnati, OH, Manhattan, KA, and Iowa City, IA for performances. If you are a reader of my blog in those areas, please ask for details of my trip and stop by and say "hello".
Dr. B
Friday, December 14, 2007
Odds and ends
As you can see it has been a while since my last post. I'm still waiting for some more feedback from Meggie Aube regarding Guatemaya. It is exam time for her so I understand that she has other priorities. I have also been busy preparing some of my orchestral scores for posting on sibeliusmusic.com. If you haven't discovered this site yet, you will be amazed with what is available. There are over 75,000 scores that can be seen and heard with a lot of them available for free printing. Most of my scores that are posted cost, but I charge less at sibeliusmusic than I do at my website because the customer prints the music instead of my printing it and mailing it to you. There is also the fact that there is no waiting to receive your music. My goal is to have all music available through sibeliusmusic so I as I get a little extra time, I work on getting scores and parts ready for download. This is usually a fairly easy process except when my scores have been written using Finale first as I need to import them into Sibelius and edit them. I also still have several compositions in manuscript that I need to enter into Sibelius. My website at sibeliusmusic is http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin/user_page.pl?url=sbrandon
I have been working on my orchestral music because my publishing company is sponsoring a recording competition for my large ensemble compositions with a deadline of November 1, 2008. There are two prizes; $1000 and $500. So all band, orchestra, choir, brass ensemble, and percussion ensemble folks may wish to check out http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/recordingcompetition.htm
The performance of my "Peace Is Not A Season" for chorus and strings by the York Symphony Chorus and Orchestra went very well. I am anxious to hear the recording which should be available in January. The few weeks are busy with brass quintet performances and then in January, I get to take a vacation from retirement! My wife and I plan to enjoy a camping trip to the sunny Southwest.
My posts will be less frequent, but I still intent to write as things crop up. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and may there truly be peace on earth and goodwill, not just during the season, but forever.
Dr. B
I have been working on my orchestral music because my publishing company is sponsoring a recording competition for my large ensemble compositions with a deadline of November 1, 2008. There are two prizes; $1000 and $500. So all band, orchestra, choir, brass ensemble, and percussion ensemble folks may wish to check out http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/recordingcompetition.htm
The performance of my "Peace Is Not A Season" for chorus and strings by the York Symphony Chorus and Orchestra went very well. I am anxious to hear the recording which should be available in January. The few weeks are busy with brass quintet performances and then in January, I get to take a vacation from retirement! My wife and I plan to enjoy a camping trip to the sunny Southwest.
My posts will be less frequent, but I still intent to write as things crop up. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and may there truly be peace on earth and goodwill, not just during the season, but forever.
Dr. B
Friday, December 7, 2007
Revision of Guatemaya Movement 1
I have received from feedback from Meggie Aube regarding the first movement of Guatemaya and I thought it would be informative to my readers to see how a collaboration between composer and performer often works. As I have said earlier, I am not a marimba player although I am generally aware of what the instrument can do. But it takes an expert to reflect on what is technically easy and hard. Meggie has done that for me in her latest email that appears below:
Hi Sy,
I have some comments on the first movement to give you after my initial reading of it. If you don't mind I will give you my comments for each movement seperately. I have been so busy with the semester ending that I don't have a lot of time. Also, I officially set the concert date for April 30th and it will be at 6:00 p.m.
An over all comment for the first movement is that it could be harder if you would like to make it so. There are many sections where I am only using two of the four mallets, so you could fill those sections in with more notes if you would like. Measure 13-33 would be a good example of this. And there are some moments where it goes from needing two mallets to needing 4 mallets and then back, I think it could just use 4 mallets all the way, unless there is a measure run of single notes which does happen. Measures 33, 34, and 35 seem to go between needing two and then four mallets.
Some of the double stops when you wrote for two notes played by one hand are awkward and will be very difficult to play accurately at a faster tempo. When there is a G and B flat going to an A flat and C in the right hand, and a C and E flat going to a B flat and D, the movement is very uncomfortable. This happens in measures 3 and 9 and the one in measure 67 is also awkward. The double stops in measure 10 and measure 66 are ok and so is the one in measure 34 since it is a D flat. And any time they are played with both hands, not just the right hand, those are also ok.
Those are all the comments that I wrote down. When I play it again I may find more. If you have any questions about my comments or any questions about anything in particular that your wondering if I can do, please let me know. Its fun looking at your piece!
Thanks,
Meggie
I began by tackling the passages that are too difficult and considered the comment about using 4 mallets more often. In measure 3, I eliminated the awkward movement on beat 4 by putting notes in the left hand and removing one from the right hand. I carried over two notes in the left hand into measure 4 as well and it adds a richness to the harmony. In measure 4 on beat 1, I moved the first C of the right hand down to an Ab. What I am gathering from Meggie’s comments is that it difficult in rapid passages to change the angle of mallets when the top mallet goes from natural to flat and the bottom mallet goes from flat to natural and vice versa. I know from my reading about the marimba that keeping one note the same facilitates the technique and this solution worked well here. In measure 8, I filled out the harmony like I did in measure 4. In measure 9, I used the repeated note technique to eliminate the awkward technique of the left hand on beats 3 & 4. In measures 66 & 67, I copied the solution from Measures 8 & 9.
I now began to look for other places to use 4 mallets more often. The first place I chose was measures 14 and 15. There is still some of the technical challenge of changing hand position between over the bar line in the right hand, but I hope the fact that these are quarter notes and not eighths makes it easier. I definitely wanted a change of texture in the section beginning at 16 so left some of the measures alone. I did fill in the harmony at 17, 19 & 20 and again at 33 and 34. Measures 38 & 39 are a repeat of 8 & 9 so I copied the changes into those measures. At measures 42 & 43, I used a variant of what I did at 14 & 15 since these measures are in a lower register. The section at 44 is a repeat of the section at 16, so it changed accordingly.
I hope these adjustments got rid of the awkward technique, filled in the harmony in some sections by using 3 and 4 mallets, and preserved my original intent of the movement. I feel that the texture change between 2, 3 & 4 mallets are important to add variety to the movement. I did attempt to incorporate Meggie’s suggestions where I felt appropriate. Hopefully it satisfies her concerns. I’ll report back to you as to her comments regarding the revised movement.
To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
Hi Sy,
I have some comments on the first movement to give you after my initial reading of it. If you don't mind I will give you my comments for each movement seperately. I have been so busy with the semester ending that I don't have a lot of time. Also, I officially set the concert date for April 30th and it will be at 6:00 p.m.
An over all comment for the first movement is that it could be harder if you would like to make it so. There are many sections where I am only using two of the four mallets, so you could fill those sections in with more notes if you would like. Measure 13-33 would be a good example of this. And there are some moments where it goes from needing two mallets to needing 4 mallets and then back, I think it could just use 4 mallets all the way, unless there is a measure run of single notes which does happen. Measures 33, 34, and 35 seem to go between needing two and then four mallets.
Some of the double stops when you wrote for two notes played by one hand are awkward and will be very difficult to play accurately at a faster tempo. When there is a G and B flat going to an A flat and C in the right hand, and a C and E flat going to a B flat and D, the movement is very uncomfortable. This happens in measures 3 and 9 and the one in measure 67 is also awkward. The double stops in measure 10 and measure 66 are ok and so is the one in measure 34 since it is a D flat. And any time they are played with both hands, not just the right hand, those are also ok.
Those are all the comments that I wrote down. When I play it again I may find more. If you have any questions about my comments or any questions about anything in particular that your wondering if I can do, please let me know. Its fun looking at your piece!
Thanks,
Meggie
I began by tackling the passages that are too difficult and considered the comment about using 4 mallets more often. In measure 3, I eliminated the awkward movement on beat 4 by putting notes in the left hand and removing one from the right hand. I carried over two notes in the left hand into measure 4 as well and it adds a richness to the harmony. In measure 4 on beat 1, I moved the first C of the right hand down to an Ab. What I am gathering from Meggie’s comments is that it difficult in rapid passages to change the angle of mallets when the top mallet goes from natural to flat and the bottom mallet goes from flat to natural and vice versa. I know from my reading about the marimba that keeping one note the same facilitates the technique and this solution worked well here. In measure 8, I filled out the harmony like I did in measure 4. In measure 9, I used the repeated note technique to eliminate the awkward technique of the left hand on beats 3 & 4. In measures 66 & 67, I copied the solution from Measures 8 & 9.
I now began to look for other places to use 4 mallets more often. The first place I chose was measures 14 and 15. There is still some of the technical challenge of changing hand position between over the bar line in the right hand, but I hope the fact that these are quarter notes and not eighths makes it easier. I definitely wanted a change of texture in the section beginning at 16 so left some of the measures alone. I did fill in the harmony at 17, 19 & 20 and again at 33 and 34. Measures 38 & 39 are a repeat of 8 & 9 so I copied the changes into those measures. At measures 42 & 43, I used a variant of what I did at 14 & 15 since these measures are in a lower register. The section at 44 is a repeat of the section at 16, so it changed accordingly.
I hope these adjustments got rid of the awkward technique, filled in the harmony in some sections by using 3 and 4 mallets, and preserved my original intent of the movement. I feel that the texture change between 2, 3 & 4 mallets are important to add variety to the movement. I did attempt to incorporate Meggie’s suggestions where I felt appropriate. Hopefully it satisfies her concerns. I’ll report back to you as to her comments regarding the revised movement.
To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Guatemaya - 4th Movement
On Friday and Saturday, I worked on the fourth movement, Chichicastenango. I constantly marvel at the wealth of information available on the internet. I decided to base this movement more on direct quotes of folk songs than the previous movements. The internet made this task much easier than if I had to go to a library for research. Youtube was particularly helpful because I was able to find clips of actually performances of Guatemalan music that people captured on digital video equipment so I felt like I was actually in Guatemala. I also found a Folkways recording of a marimba group playing a tune called Chichicastenango and downloaded it for $.99. With this material at hand, I was able to put together my fourth movement.
I began with an introduction that quotes a brief flute melody heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Te-KwXMF4M&feature=related. After that quote, I then transcribed part of a celebratory instrumental heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL1EXOPG7t4&feature=related. Measures 40 - 86 is a development section of the celebratory song. I used some free material of my own invention and motives from the tune itself and juxtaposed them, and transformed them through modulation, sequence, fragmentation, etc. I then returned to a quote of the introductory folksong (measures 87-92) that has a few notes added. Measures 93-121 contains more repetition and development of the celebratory song. Fragmentation of a motive and an accelerando leads into the statement of the song "Chichicastenango". The recording by Chaplandia can be found at http://www.folkways.si.edu./search/AlbumDetails.aspx?ID=3180#. I adapted it for one player and shortened it to fit my needs. The ending combines parts of the two main songs used in this movement.
When I use folk songs in my music, the challenge is knowing when to leave them in their original form or when to stylize them to bring them closer to the realm of art music. In this movement, I have done some of both. I frequently use folk material in my compositions. I have a set of four Spanish Dances that are my own melodies stylized from characteristics of these dances. I used a similar approach with three Greek Dances I wrote for clarinet and marimba. Even when quoting directly, I often combine one melody with another as in my Civil War Suite. I find that using folk music adds a sense a familiarity to a piece of music and at the same time enables the composer to use his/her craftmanship to present the material in unique ways.
To see and hear what is discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
I began with an introduction that quotes a brief flute melody heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Te-KwXMF4M&feature=related. After that quote, I then transcribed part of a celebratory instrumental heard at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yL1EXOPG7t4&feature=related. Measures 40 - 86 is a development section of the celebratory song. I used some free material of my own invention and motives from the tune itself and juxtaposed them, and transformed them through modulation, sequence, fragmentation, etc. I then returned to a quote of the introductory folksong (measures 87-92) that has a few notes added. Measures 93-121 contains more repetition and development of the celebratory song. Fragmentation of a motive and an accelerando leads into the statement of the song "Chichicastenango". The recording by Chaplandia can be found at http://www.folkways.si.edu./search/AlbumDetails.aspx?ID=3180#. I adapted it for one player and shortened it to fit my needs. The ending combines parts of the two main songs used in this movement.
When I use folk songs in my music, the challenge is knowing when to leave them in their original form or when to stylize them to bring them closer to the realm of art music. In this movement, I have done some of both. I frequently use folk material in my compositions. I have a set of four Spanish Dances that are my own melodies stylized from characteristics of these dances. I used a similar approach with three Greek Dances I wrote for clarinet and marimba. Even when quoting directly, I often combine one melody with another as in my Civil War Suite. I find that using folk music adds a sense a familiarity to a piece of music and at the same time enables the composer to use his/her craftmanship to present the material in unique ways.
To see and hear what is discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Movement 3
Movement 3 is titled "Lake Atitlán" after the deep blue volcanic lake. I began by looking for some deep and rich rolled chordal sounds. I started with the interval of a perfect fifth in each hand and then began moving the parts to create the rest of the harmony and melody. The chord progression is non-traditional. The 3/4 cadence chord at measure 8breaks up the 4/4 pattern. I then started to hear a syncopated 16th note ostinato pattern that was used in measure 9. The rolled melodic idea enters in measure ten. I wanted the ostinato effect to continue, but I made smaller intervals so that it could be played with the left hand only. This section builds in intensity by repeating measures 12 - 15 up a fifth at measures 16 - 19. The 5/4 measure at 15 again breaks the 4/4 pattern as does the 2/4 measures in this section. Measure 22 ushers in a repeat of the opening measures up an octave and slightly varied, climaxing in measures 25 and 26 before relaxing into the 16th note ostinato idea at measure 33. Measures 10 - 19 are repeated next, but the octaves are changed and the idea is slightly varied. The ending shifts the listener's ear to a new tonality as the memory of the lake fades into the distance.
I envision soft mallets throughout this movement so that the strokes of the rolls are not very prominent. Unfortunately MIDI doesn't have mallet options, so the movement sounds choppier than the way I hear it. Imagine a deep blue lake with the image of a volcanic mountain reflecting on its surface for the sustained sections and sunlight glistening off the waves for the 16th note sections.
To see and hear what is discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
I envision soft mallets throughout this movement so that the strokes of the rolls are not very prominent. Unfortunately MIDI doesn't have mallet options, so the movement sounds choppier than the way I hear it. Imagine a deep blue lake with the image of a volcanic mountain reflecting on its surface for the sustained sections and sunlight glistening off the waves for the 16th note sections.
To see and hear what is discussed, go to http://www.cooppress.net/guatemayablog.html
Dr. B
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