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.

Listening Journal: June 13-19, 2011

Billy Joel - Invention in C minor, op. 6 (2001) for piano
Billy Joel - Waltz #3 (For Lola), op. 9 for piano
Witold Lutoslawski - Lacrimosa (1937) for soprano, choir and orchestra
Igor Stravinsky - Suite No. 1 (1917) for small orchestra
Iannis Xenakis - Mikka (1971) for violin
Kaija Saariaho - Monkey Fingers, Velvet Hand (1991) for piano

Composing briefly takes a backseat

While I am close to completing Flit for flute I have decided to spend some time focusing on my website.  My intent was to compose Flit for this year's Festival of Contemporary Music.  However, I realize that even if I were to finish this piece today, it would be a difficult piece to learn in a few weeks.

I feel like some of my time is better spent adding content and trying to complete the website.  I am also considering moving this blog to bicemusic.com.  However, I am not certain if I want to combine both things.  My goal is to complete Flit within the next two weeks and send the piece to Greer Ellison.

bicemusic.com: Page added - Sleep's Journey

Sleep’s Journey is my first work for solo piano.  It was also the first piece I composed as a Master’s student at Bowling Green State University.  I distinctly remember the composition lessons with Burton Beerman.  I learned a lot from him and the rest of the composition faculty at Bowling Green State University, but that is a story for another time.

The following statement taken from the program notes sums up this piece quite nicely:
This piece represents a dream or a sequence of dreams one might have during the night.  Sometimes in dreams, ideas and streams of thought can be broken or interrupted without notice taking the dreamer to another place and time.

Sleep’s Journey was composed during September and October 2000.  I revised this piece in the summer of 2001.  On the page for this piece you will find the complete program notes, score and recording from the premiere of the original version.  I do not currently have a recording of the revision.  I am trying to locate a recording and will post it when (or if) I get it.

http://bicemusic.com/?page_id=457

Coming Soon: The Recital Hall

Coming soon to bicemusic.com is The Recital Hall.  This area will be your one-stop listening room for all of the recordings posted on the website.  Currently there are 15 composition pages with recordings.  In an effort to streamline the listening I have decided to create a Recital Hall where you can listen to recordings without switching pages.  There will also be links to the information pages for the compositions so you can read about the piece.

More information about The Recital Hall is forthcoming.

bicemusic.com: Page added - Age Of...

Age Of... is the second piece I had composed.  The pitch material comes from a twelve-tone row I constructed for a music theory class in Fall 1997.  The first three tones of the row are A-G-E, hence the title.  The ensemble for which the piece was composed is different: flute, soprano saxophone, horn and tuba.  I chose these instruments in part because of people I knew who could play the piece.  In addition, I chose this ensemble because I was not interested in writing for a more "traditional" ensemble at the time.

The page for Age Of... can be found under the Chamber Music heading at bicemusic.com.  On this page you will find information about the piece, a PDF of the score and a recording created at a recording session in October 1998.

bicemusic.com/?page_id=440

Listening Journal: June 5-12, 2011

Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 6 in B minor, op. 53 (1939)
Anton Webern - Variations for Piano, op. 27 (1937)
George Crumb - Pastoral Drone (1982) for organ
Joseph Dangerfield - Ascent (2007) for wind ensemble