First look at Flit

Here is a first look at my flute piece Flit. I realize the image is not the best, but I do plan on scanning the sketch and posting it at some point. This sketch encompasses the first 28 measures, about a minute in duration. Flit is almost complete and I hope to finish it within the next two weeks.

Increasing playability

Another of Adam's comments about Night Sky was in regards to the ostinato starting at measure 33.  The instruments that play the ostinato do not get a break for at least twenty four measures. (see example #1)  This is something that I forgot to consider.  I am accustomed to writing for college or professional performers and they know how to handle these types of situations.  I need to consider the fatigue factor.  Kids who are in that age group do not have the training or in some instances the lung capacity to play for long durations.

Example #1 - in the original key: E minor

There are two parts to this ostinato.  The tenor line which consists of primarily quarter notes.  Te bass line which either plays a pedal tone or an ascending half note line, depending on the measure.  I took a look at the instruments that play the ostinato and I made a list of those instruments.  I then redistributed those instruments into four groups.

Group 1: Bassoon, Tenor Sax and Baritone
Group 2: Bass Clarinet, Bari Sax and Tuba
Group 3: Alto Sax and Horn
Group 4: Trombone 1 and 2

I broke to ostinato into four measure sections.  Then I charted out which groups will play what part and section of the ostinato at what time.  Each group plays every other section with the exception of groups 1 and 2.  Groups 1 and 2 play the first eight measures of the ostinato as all groups play the first four measures. (see example #2)

Example #2 - in the new key: C minor

I like the effect this change will have.  I think the integrity of the ostinato remains.  I have smoothed out the transition between the sections as each group plays four measures plus one beat.  This change will also allow for variety and contrast which is needed in this section.  The different groupings will create color and textural changes which will make this section more interesting to listen to.  It does not hurt that the score looks more interesting as well.

A First Look at "Night Sky"

Here is the first page of the sketch score for Night Sky. (Click on image for larger view)  The sketch includes the first 18 measures of the piece.  The piece is being written for concert band and I have not yet begun to orchestrate the piece.  I do have ideas of what instruments I would like to play what lines, but I will make those decisions later.  This page includes most of the thematic material that I will incorporate in the A sections of Night Sky.

Phases of the accompaniment

In the sketching of the accompaniment for Mutability there have been a few phases through which the thematic ideas have gone. The sketch on the left contains examples of such phases.  (Click on image to enlarge)  Example 1 illustrates the basic, almost primitive gesture.  This is a two-beat quintuplet gesture that was to be transformed in many different ways.  I had initially chose the quintuplet gesture because the word "mutability" is a five-syllable word.  As you will see the quintuplet gesture is no longer the base for the accompaniment; however the number five will remain prevalent.

Example 2 shows the second phase of the accompaniment.  Here is the quintuplet gesture is replaced by two sets of triplets.  My intent here was to create a gesture that floats to the top and then tumbles down.  This is the phase in which I did the most experimentation.  Because of my amazing piano skills (please note the sarcasm) I entered this gesture into Finale.  From there I varied it through transposition and interval adjustment in order to try and find the sound I was looking for.  A couple of examples of the variations are included in example 3.

The fourth example includes the current state of the gesture.  After I had found the harmonic language I wanted, I decided to cut the tumbling aspect of the gesture.  I started to think that this last part of the gesture was too final.  It brings the gesture to a point of repose in the middle of the phrase.  This did not allow for the fluidity which I desired.  After settling on this I created two secondary gestures as contrasting ideas.  These are shown in examples 5 and 6.  From there, I assembled these gestures to create the introduction for the song.

All of the gestures in the introduction will be utilized as primary gestures for each stanza.  The "floating" gesture is used with stanza one.  The secondary gesture in example 5 will be used in stanza two.  The one in example 6 will be used in the third stanza, probably along with the "floating" gesture (not sure yet).  The fourth and final stanza will use a combination of all three gestures, possibly in a similar fashion to the introduction.

Sketch process: I Dream'd in a Dream

When composing the song I Dream'd in a Dream the accompaniment was derived first.  I am not saying that the vocal setting was an after thought.  Rather, I drafted the accompaniment ideas first since they were the more prominent  musical ideas that came to mind.  Then as I was composing the vocal setting, I worked with the accompaniment to mould the two parts into a cohesive unit.

On the left I posted the initial sketch page for this song.  (Click sketch for full-size image)  The top system includes the ideas I toyed with for the introduction/primary motif.  The second system is where I started outlining possibilities for the vocal setting.  The third system is where I sketched the basic accompaniment figures for the second through fourth lines of the text.

It was when I worked on this part of the sketch that I began to see the song come together as a whole.  The text written below the thematic lines does not correlate to any specific rhythms or texture.  I wrote the text under the lines so that I could outline what text will go with what accompaniment.

From that point I worked on composing out the accompaniment, creating the form and structure.  When adding the vocal setting I found that I needed to tighten up the accompaniment making slight changes to the texture so that the two parts can work together, but that is a topic for another entry.

Shadows of Dreams: Composing the Final Section

Sketch page 5-1

Final Score page 7

Final Score page 8

Tomorrow, May 28th, I am invited to attend the final rehearsal for Shadows of Dreams at U.C. Santa Cruz.  So today I will spend some time looking at my score and notes.  I need to prepare to work with the ensemble tomorrow.  As I was looking at my notes I came across my initial sketch for the final section of the piece (Sketch page 5-1, above).  My goal for the finale was to combine the various melodies and themes into a distinct and cohesive unit.

The sketch consists of 3 staff systems.  The first is the opening alto flute melody (untransposed, measures 1-8).  The second system contains the melody from the 3rd section (measures 102-11) in the 2nd flute.  The 1st flute counterpoint from measure 103 is added to fill the rests.  This 2nd  flute melody is transposed down a half-step so that the two melodies will blend together.

The third system is the first attempt at combining the two melodies.  This happens to be the way it appears in the score beginning at measure 120.  The primary difference is that the 1st flute plays the melody, from the 3rd section, up an octave.  Measure 135 brings that melody back to the 2nd flute in the original octave and the combination of the two melodies is expanded to bring the piece to a more natural close.

I provided the final copy of the notated score illustrate how the sketches come together.  This section of the sketch score spans 4 pages due to various edits and deletions.

A progression of sketches

Sketch Score 11/6/08

Outline Sketch 11/6/08

Sketch Score 11/5/08

The three images above are a few of the sketches from my composing sessions on November 5th and 6th.  There are two sketch scores and one outline sketch.  The outline sketch bridges the two sketch scores.  All of these sketches focus on the same opening group of measures.  The sketch score dated 11/6/08 is the current revision of this section.  The first four measures did not change.  Measures 5 and forward were subject to the revision.

When I started to think about this piece on November 6th, I decided that the septuplet figure and even the quintuplet figure would not create the desired effect.  These are the ideas I referred to in my last post as needing an instrument that resonates.  So, as I was thinking about it, I began to work on the outline sketch.  I figured that there should be some counterpoint.  I got rid of some of the figurations and reworked the section so that the pace and texture are more like the first four measures.

My intent here is to illustrate how I got from the first sketch to the current one.  The third staff system of the outline sketch is where the reworking begins.  The small sketch at the top of the page is incorporated in measure 13 of the outline sketch.  It is not seen in the sketch score because this page only goes up to measure 12, so it will be on the next page.

A first look at my flute quartet

Here is the first look at one of the sketches I have been working on for my flute quartet.  I realize the image is light.  However, if you click on the image you can see the full size image.  It becomes a little easier to read.  My sketches are done in pencil.  I will consider trying to darken the sketch before scanning it, but I don't want to take time away from the compositional process.

This is the sketch I referred to in my last posting, the one I wasn't sure how to develop.  I am going to spend some time today composing and maybe this time I'll figure it out.