One Day Wonder #202

For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.

My previous efforts with minimalism – with notable exceptions, of course – have revealed that I have a tendency to use too many notes. For this one, I wanted to embrace the “minimal” aspect of the genre. The problem is that without some kind of rhythmic hitch, it’ll get quite monotonous very quickly. That’s why I cap off most phrases with a 2/4 bar, but the great thing about this tune is that it deviates from its basic four-bar set-up (3 bars of 6/8 and 1 of 2/4), which further prohibits it from getting dull. Funny thing here, when I usually finish a first version of any piece and give it a listen-to all the way through, I generally end up making cuts of some kind. Not so here! I expanded this one from start to finish. According to my ear, I just wasn’t giving the themes enough time to unfold. Everything sounded rushed, so I stuck in more measures and it truly became a new piece. That’s right, I inserted the musical equivalent of placeholders and it really improved things. Some time has passed since I’ve written this and I like it very, very much. If I give it a little more time, it might end up as one of my favorites. I could write more about this piece, but it would probably be better if you had a listen.