First Piece - Revamped

Well, it's been a while since I wrote.

Last week I had my first piece played, I completely revamped it. I initially thought that the last section was out of character. But the reaction of the class was that is was perfectly in character. One of the main comments was, brought up by Dr. Ross, was creating a smoother transition between sections. Which is something I'm going to go back and do when all three pieces are done, I think I could create some meaningful connection between the three then. I started writing the second piece this week, and it opens with a similar motif that ended the first, I think it'll end up being the third of the three, since it is very similar in character. I need to create something contrasting for the second.

Post First Performance

Had the first few ideas of my piece played today, it isn't a real representation of what I want to create, but an idea of some ideas I want to elaborate on. I felt like the piano and violin had some sort of musical dialogue on, so I might keep going with that, and gradually increase the tension as if the two parts were fighting with each other.

Then, thinking back to the good-old da capo aria, I thought it would be funny to have a reverse version of the format. Typically it would be happy-sad-happy - which never really made sense in moving the opera forward. So, instead I think I'll have a frustrated and negative interaction (more tension) as an A section, then a atonally resolved and peaceful B section, going back to the angry A - embellishments adding more to that energy. It kind of mirrors a lot of unhealthy relationships people put themselves in.

I should write about the piece itself, and the process I went through. I experienced ultimate frustration yesterday, I have an unregistered version of Sibelius, so initially I started noting by hand. Which was painful, being not so proficient on piano made it difficult to try and communicate any idea what so ever. I ended up writing in Sibelius - and being unable to save it left the program open all day and night. I ended up creating a pretty tense progression in the first four bars in the piano. The violin then comes in aggressively, but there was the comment of making that energy gradually build.

So, after the piano's intro, I'm going to use the same progression and establish the sonority further by easing the violin in, instead of having it do a canon ball. I felt I had three different ideas in the page of music I created, and to get the most out of them it will be a good idea to revoice and stretch the ideas further, develop them more. Some other things I have to look at; writing for the violin (bowing options, range), writing accidentals for ease of players, perhaps a time change for a B section, and slower or faster movement in lines of ascent (what kind of character do I want to establish?).

Anywho...I should go back to paying attention to a presentation on Adolescent Social Stressors.

Stephen

Revamp

Well, well...Since playing my chords in class I've changed them A LOT!

After listening to every one's, and hearing feedback, I felt like I approached creating my chords blindly at first. Just sitting there and bashing them out for the sake of bashing them out. People in class had different ways of creating cohesiveness and continuity with their progression, or had a kind of sequencing. So, I guess after being enlightened, I went back and started from scratch.

I (finally!) came to a point where I was happy with my chords, and that was only yesterday...

Experienced a little bit of frustration in trying my hand at creativity at the piano. I feel like I need to figure out Sibelius.

Stephen

Played the 12 chords I created in class on Friday. The classes opinions on which chords were the most tense correlated with my own. What I need to do now is create some stark contrast in tension between chords, voicing them differently will help, and this will make creating the variations a little easier. Also, I should create a couple of more chords and play around with the overall order a little more.

Giving and receiving feedback is good. It's interesting how people can pick out a chord from your progression and notice its tonality, when in creating it you had no idea.

Making a blog entry on a Saturday night...? Time to go out!

Stephen

First day...

Have to write 12 to 16 atonal chords for Friday's class. This will be an interesting task and will take up most of my Thursday afternoon. I think this course is going to be pleasantly challenging.