Composing Session: July 31, 2010

Yesterday I was able to do something that I have not done in over a month.  I was able to devote a large block of time to composing.  Typically I can spend two maybe three hours at the most composing on a day when I am off work.  Yesterday, however, I spent at least five hours composing.  During that time I was able to complete the goals that I had set for myself.

As I outlined in a previous post I completed the sketch for the second movement, titled Drifting, of Trackings No. 2.  I had also adjusted the harmonies of a section of the first movement.  This was the last "big" thing I needed to do for that movement.  So that movement is now complete.  The primary thing I need to do to finish the second movement is to add expressions, articulations and dynamics.

I also spent time working on more preliminary ideas for Time in Memoriam.  I revisited my notes regarding my thoughts on the piece.  From there I was able to sketch out at least the first eight measures of the piece.

All-in-all it was a good day for composing.  While I was working on Time in Memoriam I listened to a recording of a concert that featured the music of György Ligeti.  On this recording is one of my favorite pieces, the Chamber Concerto.  There are a lot of fascinating techniques and music ideas that Ligeti used in the four movements of that piece.  My hope is to find another day in which I can spend most of the day working on my music.