For 3 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
I wanted to use the palindrome effect on a larger group, more expansive tune and I wanted to write a different kind of melody to see what would happen. The entire intro, A section and B section go by with nothing special except a cascading melody between the trumpet and the horn. This differs from the previous day’s short motifs. The B section is just an exchange between the trumpet and the horns. From the end of the B section to the end is a palindrome of the A section and the intro, with added commentary from the trumpet and horn. I’m not exactly sure whether I like this piece. There’s something about it that doesn’t sit quite right. Like with #259, I had to change some note values in the horn on the reverse, but other than that, it’s the genuine article. Regardless of how I feel about this, I’m still very excited about this whole palindrome dealie.
One Day Wonder #259
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and tuba.
Problem solved! Well, at least for the moment. I thought of something that I haven’t done yet – a palindrome. It’s just what you think it is: a tune that goes on for a time, then reverses itself and tries to sound halfway normal. Although it seems like it would be a breeze (I mean, you only have to write half a piece), there is a lot of planning to it. For this one, I use short motifs instead of full-on melodies and try to keep the instruments in contact with each other as much as possible. This is how the first effort turned out. I had to make just a few changes to the horn’s note values on the reverse, but otherwise, it holds up well. I’m very excited about this approach, so I am determined to over-use it till I’m totally sick to death of it.
Problem solved! Well, at least for the moment. I thought of something that I haven’t done yet – a palindrome. It’s just what you think it is: a tune that goes on for a time, then reverses itself and tries to sound halfway normal. Although it seems like it would be a breeze (I mean, you only have to write half a piece), there is a lot of planning to it. For this one, I use short motifs instead of full-on melodies and try to keep the instruments in contact with each other as much as possible. This is how the first effort turned out. I had to make just a few changes to the horn’s note values on the reverse, but otherwise, it holds up well. I’m very excited about this approach, so I am determined to over-use it till I’m totally sick to death of it.
One Day Wonder #258
For 3 horns, 1 trumpet and tuba.
I seem to be hitting some kind of wall here. It’s not the first time it’s happened, but I’m really at a loss as to what I should write. It’s a really terrible feeling to be this far along in the process and have absolutely no idea what to do. I mean, I’ve gotten this far almost completely on my own (with only a little subject matter help from my friend Kris) and to be blocked like this is a little distressing. These days, I should be writing roaring stuff like #242 or wild experiments like #253, but this piece and the previous one seem excessively simple in comparison. There’s no sliding tonality, no energy, and nothing to distinguish it from a raft of other stuff that I’ve done. Plus, both pieces are in 7 - #257 was in 7/4; this one’s in 7/8. What’s going on here?? Can I be running so dry on ideas that I’ll be forced to limp across the finish line with a bunch of bland pieces? Gosh, I hope not. I’ve found that identifying the problem is the beginning of the solution. Something usually comes along to solve the dilemma. I can only hope that it will. No, I don’t think this piece is terrible; it’s really quite pleasant, especially in the B section with the tuba. I would have been happy to write it 100 pieces ago, but I’ve evolved past that. So I’m upset that it couldn’t distinguish itself. I’ll try to figure out what to do for tomorrow. It may take some heavy thought or it may just come to me out of the blue.
I seem to be hitting some kind of wall here. It’s not the first time it’s happened, but I’m really at a loss as to what I should write. It’s a really terrible feeling to be this far along in the process and have absolutely no idea what to do. I mean, I’ve gotten this far almost completely on my own (with only a little subject matter help from my friend Kris) and to be blocked like this is a little distressing. These days, I should be writing roaring stuff like #242 or wild experiments like #253, but this piece and the previous one seem excessively simple in comparison. There’s no sliding tonality, no energy, and nothing to distinguish it from a raft of other stuff that I’ve done. Plus, both pieces are in 7 - #257 was in 7/4; this one’s in 7/8. What’s going on here?? Can I be running so dry on ideas that I’ll be forced to limp across the finish line with a bunch of bland pieces? Gosh, I hope not. I’ve found that identifying the problem is the beginning of the solution. Something usually comes along to solve the dilemma. I can only hope that it will. No, I don’t think this piece is terrible; it’s really quite pleasant, especially in the B section with the tuba. I would have been happy to write it 100 pieces ago, but I’ve evolved past that. So I’m upset that it couldn’t distinguish itself. I’ll try to figure out what to do for tomorrow. It may take some heavy thought or it may just come to me out of the blue.
One Day Wonder #257
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
It was my intention to write a major-key tango in 7/4 for today’s effort. The only problem is that it didn’t work out too well. From the git-go, it sounds oompah-riffic (something a tango shouldn’t do, unless it’s being played by Germans), which is why I quickly jump from D major to B minor. Yeah, it still doesn’t sound like a tango. Oh well, so much for that! But I did want to exploit the “start-stop” aspect that tango uses so often. You know what that is, right? It’s where the solo voice makes a statement alone, then the ensemble comes in, adds to the action, cuts out, solo voice makes another statement and so on. It can only work for so long before the piece doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. I think that I might have taken it a little beyond that point, but it’s still pleasant enough. There are a lot of nice fourth and fifth intervals in the A theme that give it a nice diatonic feel. In this case, I wasn’t trying to flee from the key, so to speak. Since the tango-thing wasn’t working out, I took it down a different, very conventional road.
It was my intention to write a major-key tango in 7/4 for today’s effort. The only problem is that it didn’t work out too well. From the git-go, it sounds oompah-riffic (something a tango shouldn’t do, unless it’s being played by Germans), which is why I quickly jump from D major to B minor. Yeah, it still doesn’t sound like a tango. Oh well, so much for that! But I did want to exploit the “start-stop” aspect that tango uses so often. You know what that is, right? It’s where the solo voice makes a statement alone, then the ensemble comes in, adds to the action, cuts out, solo voice makes another statement and so on. It can only work for so long before the piece doesn’t seem like it’s going anywhere. I think that I might have taken it a little beyond that point, but it’s still pleasant enough. There are a lot of nice fourth and fifth intervals in the A theme that give it a nice diatonic feel. In this case, I wasn’t trying to flee from the key, so to speak. Since the tango-thing wasn’t working out, I took it down a different, very conventional road.
One Day Wonder #256
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and tuba.
I had not the least idea of what I should do today. I mean, I’ve been idea-deprived before, but not like this. I mean, I was drawing a complete blank. It just may indicate that the tank is empty. But, funny thing, whenever I feel like that, it generally means that great things are approaching. I felt like that many times when I was writing Mackris v. O’Reilly, but I got through it with some very nice results. Of course, it helped that I knew exactly how the ending would go months before I got to it. Today, it was a different story. There was this void in my thoughts when I tried to think of what to write. But there’s a difference between thinking and doing, so I just picked a time signature (alternating 6/8 and 5/8) and started writing. This piece is in two basic parts; the first is the unison exchange between the horn and tuba and the second is when the accompanying parts move around. Yeah, it’s just that simple. To mix things up a bit, I pass the tune around the ensemble. And that’s how you make a piece out of nothing. Considering how little I had to go on, I’m really satisfied with how this turned out.
I had not the least idea of what I should do today. I mean, I’ve been idea-deprived before, but not like this. I mean, I was drawing a complete blank. It just may indicate that the tank is empty. But, funny thing, whenever I feel like that, it generally means that great things are approaching. I felt like that many times when I was writing Mackris v. O’Reilly, but I got through it with some very nice results. Of course, it helped that I knew exactly how the ending would go months before I got to it. Today, it was a different story. There was this void in my thoughts when I tried to think of what to write. But there’s a difference between thinking and doing, so I just picked a time signature (alternating 6/8 and 5/8) and started writing. This piece is in two basic parts; the first is the unison exchange between the horn and tuba and the second is when the accompanying parts move around. Yeah, it’s just that simple. To mix things up a bit, I pass the tune around the ensemble. And that’s how you make a piece out of nothing. Considering how little I had to go on, I’m really satisfied with how this turned out.
One Day Wonder #255
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trumpet and tuba.
Here’s another 12-tone piece. If you’ll recall, I wrote a pair of them (#196 and #198) a ways back and it was a really great experience, so I decided to write another. This one uses the tone row D-Ab-Db-B-F#-C-E-Bb-G-Eb-A-F. After working with it for a while, I realized that although my row was good structurally, it wasn’t very strong in the melodic department. That was fine with me, because it forced me to deal with it in a different way. Instead of exploiting its lyrical aspects (which don’t really exist), I dressed the row up in different disguises and then threw it to the low brass (trombone and tuba) for the final part. OK, so there’s not a lot of warmth to this piece, but I’m very happy with what I’ve got. The reason why there is such a gap between the earlier two pieces and this one is that I didn’t believe that I had the vocabulary to make another attempt. Well, a little bit of time has gone by and it turns out that I do. Placing them side-by-side, I like #196 more, but this is a very close second.
Here’s another 12-tone piece. If you’ll recall, I wrote a pair of them (#196 and #198) a ways back and it was a really great experience, so I decided to write another. This one uses the tone row D-Ab-Db-B-F#-C-E-Bb-G-Eb-A-F. After working with it for a while, I realized that although my row was good structurally, it wasn’t very strong in the melodic department. That was fine with me, because it forced me to deal with it in a different way. Instead of exploiting its lyrical aspects (which don’t really exist), I dressed the row up in different disguises and then threw it to the low brass (trombone and tuba) for the final part. OK, so there’s not a lot of warmth to this piece, but I’m very happy with what I’ve got. The reason why there is such a gap between the earlier two pieces and this one is that I didn’t believe that I had the vocabulary to make another attempt. Well, a little bit of time has gone by and it turns out that I do. Placing them side-by-side, I like #196 more, but this is a very close second.
One Day Wonder #254
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
After yesterday’s glorious experiment, I found myself with a perfectly serviceable tune that had been completely untouched. All I did in #253 was run it and end it. It seemed like a waste to move on and write something else, so I decided to soup it up and make it a full length One Day Wonder. I banished the second tuba, sped up the tempo, monkeyed with the chord changes (each iteration of the A theme has different changes) and added new sections. The result is this semi-wild ride. As much as #253 was fun to write, this was even more fun to fiddle with. I may be burned out by this project, but pieces like this make the latter stages of my efforts completely worth it. Enjoy.
After yesterday’s glorious experiment, I found myself with a perfectly serviceable tune that had been completely untouched. All I did in #253 was run it and end it. It seemed like a waste to move on and write something else, so I decided to soup it up and make it a full length One Day Wonder. I banished the second tuba, sped up the tempo, monkeyed with the chord changes (each iteration of the A theme has different changes) and added new sections. The result is this semi-wild ride. As much as #253 was fun to write, this was even more fun to fiddle with. I may be burned out by this project, but pieces like this make the latter stages of my efforts completely worth it. Enjoy.
One Day Wonder #253
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and 2 tubas.
I had an interesting idea for this piece; I thought to write a simple diatonic tune in intro-AABA form for half the group and have the other half of the group play the same tune at a different speed and then have everybody meet up at the end. The result? Wonderful, wonderful chaos! In the intro, you can hear what’s in store, then the first group plays and the second lets loose a bit later. The melody loses almost all distinction as the melodic lines and accompaniment blend and clash. The closer they come to each other, the more dissonant things become. I really enjoyed writing this piece. I set it up in 6/8 and had the first group play their tune using all dotted rhythms, so really the thing is in an altered 2/4. When the second group enters, they’re playing the same thing without the dots. True, the tempo is a little slow, but I wanted it to be manageable for the second group that comes in at a seemingly quicker tempo. In case you want to hear what the whole original tune sounds like, it’s here. Yeah, it's pretty sedate, but when both groups are in the mix, it turns into a wild man! Although not as cutting-edge as Ives’ Civil War band experiment, this is almost as good. And by the way, this is the first piece of the entire project that features two tubas.
I had an interesting idea for this piece; I thought to write a simple diatonic tune in intro-AABA form for half the group and have the other half of the group play the same tune at a different speed and then have everybody meet up at the end. The result? Wonderful, wonderful chaos! In the intro, you can hear what’s in store, then the first group plays and the second lets loose a bit later. The melody loses almost all distinction as the melodic lines and accompaniment blend and clash. The closer they come to each other, the more dissonant things become. I really enjoyed writing this piece. I set it up in 6/8 and had the first group play their tune using all dotted rhythms, so really the thing is in an altered 2/4. When the second group enters, they’re playing the same thing without the dots. True, the tempo is a little slow, but I wanted it to be manageable for the second group that comes in at a seemingly quicker tempo. In case you want to hear what the whole original tune sounds like, it’s here. Yeah, it's pretty sedate, but when both groups are in the mix, it turns into a wild man! Although not as cutting-edge as Ives’ Civil War band experiment, this is almost as good. And by the way, this is the first piece of the entire project that features two tubas.
One Day Wonder #252
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
I was completely devoid of inspiration for this one, so I decided to write a demented waltz. It’s been ages since I’ve attempted something like it. Yeah, the mix isn’t too good here. The trombones are booming and the horns are a little too quiet. Buy besides that, I pull off some pretty tricky stuff in the middle. The intro and A theme play out normally, but the B and C themes get a little daffy. Instead of just lining them up one after the other, I start the C theme in the trombone while the B theme is still going on in the horn. This is exactly the sort of formal barrier that I’ve been trying to break down. It causes confusion and a little uncertainty, but it emerges into its own after just a few bars. The rest of the piece proceeds normally with the repeat of the A theme (with a horn countermelody, as usual) and ends without incident. If I hadn’t merged those two themes, this piece wouldn’t have any special significance to me. But I’m so glad I was able to do something to spice things up. Hooray for me…
I was completely devoid of inspiration for this one, so I decided to write a demented waltz. It’s been ages since I’ve attempted something like it. Yeah, the mix isn’t too good here. The trombones are booming and the horns are a little too quiet. Buy besides that, I pull off some pretty tricky stuff in the middle. The intro and A theme play out normally, but the B and C themes get a little daffy. Instead of just lining them up one after the other, I start the C theme in the trombone while the B theme is still going on in the horn. This is exactly the sort of formal barrier that I’ve been trying to break down. It causes confusion and a little uncertainty, but it emerges into its own after just a few bars. The rest of the piece proceeds normally with the repeat of the A theme (with a horn countermelody, as usual) and ends without incident. If I hadn’t merged those two themes, this piece wouldn’t have any special significance to me. But I’m so glad I was able to do something to spice things up. Hooray for me…
One Day Wonder #251
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets and 2 trombones.
I took Sunday off to watch the football playoffs (all the right teams won) and came back on Monday in fine form. It’s been a very long time since I channeled Gabrieli. Though it wasn’t my intention to mimic him today, I did want to borrow the “brass choir” concept and run with it. So I pit a horn, a trumpet and a trombone against their counterparts and made a piece. What you get is motifs combining and clashing until everything somewhat resolves in the end. I wasn’t thinking about a form for this, so it was something of a relief that I didn’t have to deal with my formal conundrum for at least one day. There’s something I really like about this tune that I can’t really put my finger on. I guess whatever I was striving for worked. The only trouble is that I can’t exactly remember what I was trying to get across. Isn’t that weird? I finished this piece a little more than a week ago and I can’t remember what I was trying to do! The important thing is that I like it. You don’t have to, but I really do.
I took Sunday off to watch the football playoffs (all the right teams won) and came back on Monday in fine form. It’s been a very long time since I channeled Gabrieli. Though it wasn’t my intention to mimic him today, I did want to borrow the “brass choir” concept and run with it. So I pit a horn, a trumpet and a trombone against their counterparts and made a piece. What you get is motifs combining and clashing until everything somewhat resolves in the end. I wasn’t thinking about a form for this, so it was something of a relief that I didn’t have to deal with my formal conundrum for at least one day. There’s something I really like about this tune that I can’t really put my finger on. I guess whatever I was striving for worked. The only trouble is that I can’t exactly remember what I was trying to get across. Isn’t that weird? I finished this piece a little more than a week ago and I can’t remember what I was trying to do! The important thing is that I like it. You don’t have to, but I really do.
One Day Wonder #250
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
After being ill for the better part of three days, I'm better. And so here we are – 5/6 the way through this blasted project! Whoopee! I wasn’t celebrating such an insignificant milestone, though. I had a piece to write. I don’t know why I haven’t attempted this before, but here it is: a nice stompin’ little polka in 5/4. When I’m writing dance music that is usually in standard meters (2/4. 4/4, 6/8, etc.) and putting it into an odd meter, the challenge is phrasing. I often find myself either writing phrases that sound too short and terse or phrases that sound a little too unhurried. In this piece, you get both of those things, plus something that is hopefully in between. The intro sets the mood, then the A theme is upon us in the horns. I try to give it some kind of groove by repeating the two slurred eighth notes in the fifth beat as often as I can. That seems to inject a little energy into things. But you’ll notice that the tune itself seems to be truncated. It was my bet that the impetus of the tune would negate that terse effect. I hope I succeeded there. The B theme in the trumpet is a bit more expansive. It’s a nice 16-bar chunk that begins with a tune that fits well into 5/4. In the next eight bars, the horns take up the first four bars of the trumpet’s tune at half speed, while the trumpet gets a little manic over then. After the repeat of A (this time with the trumpet prodding things along), we get the C theme in the trombones and tuba. I suspend the “oom-pah” feel while keeping the pulse going with commentary from the trumpet and horns, and , after some building, it all leads back to the last A theme, this time with the trumpet in the lead and the horn dealing out a countermelody. Honestly, I didn’t think that this piece would work out as well as it did. I really like a lot about it. It’s got drive, mood changes and a nice odd-meter groove. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon following the demolition of the Seahawks at the hands of the Packers. Yeah, it was rather alarming, but at least I won money – a whole two dollars from a couple of guys who have learned nothing about what happens to Seattle teams in the playoffs.
After being ill for the better part of three days, I'm better. And so here we are – 5/6 the way through this blasted project! Whoopee! I wasn’t celebrating such an insignificant milestone, though. I had a piece to write. I don’t know why I haven’t attempted this before, but here it is: a nice stompin’ little polka in 5/4. When I’m writing dance music that is usually in standard meters (2/4. 4/4, 6/8, etc.) and putting it into an odd meter, the challenge is phrasing. I often find myself either writing phrases that sound too short and terse or phrases that sound a little too unhurried. In this piece, you get both of those things, plus something that is hopefully in between. The intro sets the mood, then the A theme is upon us in the horns. I try to give it some kind of groove by repeating the two slurred eighth notes in the fifth beat as often as I can. That seems to inject a little energy into things. But you’ll notice that the tune itself seems to be truncated. It was my bet that the impetus of the tune would negate that terse effect. I hope I succeeded there. The B theme in the trumpet is a bit more expansive. It’s a nice 16-bar chunk that begins with a tune that fits well into 5/4. In the next eight bars, the horns take up the first four bars of the trumpet’s tune at half speed, while the trumpet gets a little manic over then. After the repeat of A (this time with the trumpet prodding things along), we get the C theme in the trombones and tuba. I suspend the “oom-pah” feel while keeping the pulse going with commentary from the trumpet and horns, and , after some building, it all leads back to the last A theme, this time with the trumpet in the lead and the horn dealing out a countermelody. Honestly, I didn’t think that this piece would work out as well as it did. I really like a lot about it. It’s got drive, mood changes and a nice odd-meter groove. It was a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon following the demolition of the Seahawks at the hands of the Packers. Yeah, it was rather alarming, but at least I won money – a whole two dollars from a couple of guys who have learned nothing about what happens to Seattle teams in the playoffs.
One Day Wonder #249
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
I’m still sick… Jeez, when will it end?? If anything, I feel even worse than the day before. But this project also lingers, so I gave myself an ultra-simple assignment for today’s piece: write a slow, diatonic tune for a large ensemble in AABA form. That’s exactly what you get, folks! It’s in the very somber key of D minor and, if you listen closely, you’ll notice that it stays that way for the tune’s rather short duration. I managed to finish it in between naps and bouts of stomach cramps. I guess that was my greatest accomplishment of the day. This piece simple in the extreme, but I’m not ashamed of it. If anything, it shows that I can write under even the worst conditions – and believe me, I feel just awful. So hooray for me, I finished something each of the three days that I’ve been under the weather. That’s something, isn’t it? I mean, if I ever get a film gig (that’s a big EVER), I’ll have to do the same thing, so it’s good that I’m getting my practice in now.
I’m still sick… Jeez, when will it end?? If anything, I feel even worse than the day before. But this project also lingers, so I gave myself an ultra-simple assignment for today’s piece: write a slow, diatonic tune for a large ensemble in AABA form. That’s exactly what you get, folks! It’s in the very somber key of D minor and, if you listen closely, you’ll notice that it stays that way for the tune’s rather short duration. I managed to finish it in between naps and bouts of stomach cramps. I guess that was my greatest accomplishment of the day. This piece simple in the extreme, but I’m not ashamed of it. If anything, it shows that I can write under even the worst conditions – and believe me, I feel just awful. So hooray for me, I finished something each of the three days that I’ve been under the weather. That’s something, isn’t it? I mean, if I ever get a film gig (that’s a big EVER), I’ll have to do the same thing, so it’s good that I’m getting my practice in now.
One Day Wonder #248
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
Just when I thought that the “join-in” was a thing of the past, along comes this piece. OK, it’s a bit of a letdown (I’m sick, so gimme a break!) from #247, but it does have its bright spots. For those of you who have tuned in a little late, the “join-in” is a piece whose parts join in to the fray until everyone’s in the mix. Only then can we have a coherent musical statement. In case you’re interested, prominent join-ins from the past include #19 and #46. At least those two come to mind. This doesn’t rank among those, but I like what happens here. There’s some familiarity, some strangeness and we finish a good distance from where we started. I guess it’s worth mentioning that I managed to get this tune written despite the fact that I woke up at 3 AM, couldn’t get back to sleep and then began to get deathly ill. Don’t worry, nothing too serious. All that tea has kicked my system into overdrive, and my system doesn’t like it much. Yeah, it’s kind of tough to sleep when you’re having severe stomach cramps. Because of that, I resolved to keep this piece simple. I’d chip away at it for a time, then I’d have a bout of cramps and have to lay down, write some more, then get so tired I couldn’t hold up my head, lay down, have a nap, then get up and write some more. I could have just taken the day off, hung out on the couch and watched The Steve Wilkos Show (it’s like ickier and more serious version of Jerry Springer), but I’m getting so close to the finish here, I feel the need to get things done. I’m going to give myself a day off after I finish #250, although that’s really not much of a milestone – 5/6 of the way through – but the occasional day off is good. But being sick and sitting around didn’t seem like enough of an excuse, so instead this piece was born. I still don’t feel any better. In fact, I feel much worse than yesterday, but I hope that this will pass soon.
Just when I thought that the “join-in” was a thing of the past, along comes this piece. OK, it’s a bit of a letdown (I’m sick, so gimme a break!) from #247, but it does have its bright spots. For those of you who have tuned in a little late, the “join-in” is a piece whose parts join in to the fray until everyone’s in the mix. Only then can we have a coherent musical statement. In case you’re interested, prominent join-ins from the past include #19 and #46. At least those two come to mind. This doesn’t rank among those, but I like what happens here. There’s some familiarity, some strangeness and we finish a good distance from where we started. I guess it’s worth mentioning that I managed to get this tune written despite the fact that I woke up at 3 AM, couldn’t get back to sleep and then began to get deathly ill. Don’t worry, nothing too serious. All that tea has kicked my system into overdrive, and my system doesn’t like it much. Yeah, it’s kind of tough to sleep when you’re having severe stomach cramps. Because of that, I resolved to keep this piece simple. I’d chip away at it for a time, then I’d have a bout of cramps and have to lay down, write some more, then get so tired I couldn’t hold up my head, lay down, have a nap, then get up and write some more. I could have just taken the day off, hung out on the couch and watched The Steve Wilkos Show (it’s like ickier and more serious version of Jerry Springer), but I’m getting so close to the finish here, I feel the need to get things done. I’m going to give myself a day off after I finish #250, although that’s really not much of a milestone – 5/6 of the way through – but the occasional day off is good. But being sick and sitting around didn’t seem like enough of an excuse, so instead this piece was born. I still don’t feel any better. In fact, I feel much worse than yesterday, but I hope that this will pass soon.
One Day Wonder #247
For 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone and tuba.
I recently watched The Magnificent Seven and was thinking about Leonard Bernstein’s soundtrack. I thought it would be nice to draw from that and write a piece. I was particularly keen to embrace the more “rootin-tootin” parts of it. Well, that was the plan. It starts off well enough, with a potential hoe-down forecasted in the horns. Funny thing, it kind of takes a different direction and I couldn’t be happier about it. After the short intro, the trombone comes in with some things to say. The form is officially AABA for this first part, but if you listen carefully, you’ll hear that the measures get jumbled up and are never really the same until the last go-through. I cut’n’paste all kinds of measures from all over and put them in front of each other, in back of each other and practically to the side and so forth. And it all pretty much makes sense. Sure, that A section (or AABA section) is nice, but the real money is in the next segment. The trumpets lead into what is a series of five-beat phrases. The accompaniment stays in 4 until the trombone again becomes the dominant voice. Following that we’re back to the semi-rootin-tootin. This is really an unexpected gem. I didn’t know what to think of it during the first section, but in the second section, it came into its own. I honestly don’t know how that second section came about. It’s sometimes a mystery as to how these things happen. I can’t chart its creation to any higher brain functions. It was just there and I went with it. I’m not exactly ready to declare this one of my greatest hits, but since my expectations were so low and it turned out so very, well, good, I might possibly consider it one of my best in a little bit.
It’s quite fortunate that it turned out as good as it did, since I was feeling extremely rough during the final stages of this piece’s creation. You know, I’ve never had a problem with caffeine in the past, but recently, it’s hit me very hard. See, I got this great teakettle from my sister for Christmas and so for the last week, I’ve been drinking an entire pot of delicious jasmine green tea for breakfast. It was such a great experience. Mornings were cold (so was my apartment); the tea was hot. It was heaven. Well, the cumulative effects of drinking so much tea have manifested themselves in a really alarming way. I’m always extremely tense, my head feels like it’s going to explode, I shiver almost convulsively, I wake up in the middle of the night and I feel just awful. I didn’t think that yummy jasmine green tea could put me in such a state, but here we are. The thing is that all this stuff gradually crept up on me until I was a near-wreck. I guess I should say that I am a near-wreck. I went downstairs to play poker this evening (there’s a game in the building every week) and felt so rotten that I lost my bankroll on purpose, so I could come back up to my apartment and lay down. So much for that 10 bucks! A few years ago, I used to drink five or six cups of coffee at work. It didn’t affect me at all. Now I’m suddenly laid low by tea. Tea! Well, I’m going to give up all caffeine for the short term. But for the moment, I have to wait for all that accumulated caffeine to leave my system. I have a feeling it’s going to be a rough ride.
I recently watched The Magnificent Seven and was thinking about Leonard Bernstein’s soundtrack. I thought it would be nice to draw from that and write a piece. I was particularly keen to embrace the more “rootin-tootin” parts of it. Well, that was the plan. It starts off well enough, with a potential hoe-down forecasted in the horns. Funny thing, it kind of takes a different direction and I couldn’t be happier about it. After the short intro, the trombone comes in with some things to say. The form is officially AABA for this first part, but if you listen carefully, you’ll hear that the measures get jumbled up and are never really the same until the last go-through. I cut’n’paste all kinds of measures from all over and put them in front of each other, in back of each other and practically to the side and so forth. And it all pretty much makes sense. Sure, that A section (or AABA section) is nice, but the real money is in the next segment. The trumpets lead into what is a series of five-beat phrases. The accompaniment stays in 4 until the trombone again becomes the dominant voice. Following that we’re back to the semi-rootin-tootin. This is really an unexpected gem. I didn’t know what to think of it during the first section, but in the second section, it came into its own. I honestly don’t know how that second section came about. It’s sometimes a mystery as to how these things happen. I can’t chart its creation to any higher brain functions. It was just there and I went with it. I’m not exactly ready to declare this one of my greatest hits, but since my expectations were so low and it turned out so very, well, good, I might possibly consider it one of my best in a little bit.
It’s quite fortunate that it turned out as good as it did, since I was feeling extremely rough during the final stages of this piece’s creation. You know, I’ve never had a problem with caffeine in the past, but recently, it’s hit me very hard. See, I got this great teakettle from my sister for Christmas and so for the last week, I’ve been drinking an entire pot of delicious jasmine green tea for breakfast. It was such a great experience. Mornings were cold (so was my apartment); the tea was hot. It was heaven. Well, the cumulative effects of drinking so much tea have manifested themselves in a really alarming way. I’m always extremely tense, my head feels like it’s going to explode, I shiver almost convulsively, I wake up in the middle of the night and I feel just awful. I didn’t think that yummy jasmine green tea could put me in such a state, but here we are. The thing is that all this stuff gradually crept up on me until I was a near-wreck. I guess I should say that I am a near-wreck. I went downstairs to play poker this evening (there’s a game in the building every week) and felt so rotten that I lost my bankroll on purpose, so I could come back up to my apartment and lay down. So much for that 10 bucks! A few years ago, I used to drink five or six cups of coffee at work. It didn’t affect me at all. Now I’m suddenly laid low by tea. Tea! Well, I’m going to give up all caffeine for the short term. But for the moment, I have to wait for all that accumulated caffeine to leave my system. I have a feeling it’s going to be a rough ride.
One Day Wonder #246
For 2 horns.
What was it I said back in #235? I think it was something like: “The oddball chorale is the last refuge for an idea-deprived scoundrel like myself” or something like that. Well, the polyrhythmic invention is the new oddball chorale. With that said, though, I really do like this piece. It’s just that I’ve been spending a lot of time in the polyrhythmic camp. The good news is that after a few not-very-sincere tries to get Finale to generate quintuplets (you know, five quarter/eighth/sixteenth/etc. notes in the space of four of their counterparts), I finally succeeded. So yes, I’m going to feature them prominently here. You’ll hear them a lot; they’re the ones that proudly proclaim: “I’m a quintuplet!” This piece tries to skate a lot of thin lines. It tries to obscure its own sense of tempo most of the time, but ends up in a rhythmic canon a 2 later on. It tries to highlight polyrhythms, but at the same time, it strives to be lyrical. It tries to be busy, yet at times ambient. In other words, it tries to be all things to all people. I think that many things in it work very well. Sure, it’s no #242, but I find it a strangely captivating tune.
What was it I said back in #235? I think it was something like: “The oddball chorale is the last refuge for an idea-deprived scoundrel like myself” or something like that. Well, the polyrhythmic invention is the new oddball chorale. With that said, though, I really do like this piece. It’s just that I’ve been spending a lot of time in the polyrhythmic camp. The good news is that after a few not-very-sincere tries to get Finale to generate quintuplets (you know, five quarter/eighth/sixteenth/etc. notes in the space of four of their counterparts), I finally succeeded. So yes, I’m going to feature them prominently here. You’ll hear them a lot; they’re the ones that proudly proclaim: “I’m a quintuplet!” This piece tries to skate a lot of thin lines. It tries to obscure its own sense of tempo most of the time, but ends up in a rhythmic canon a 2 later on. It tries to highlight polyrhythms, but at the same time, it strives to be lyrical. It tries to be busy, yet at times ambient. In other words, it tries to be all things to all people. I think that many things in it work very well. Sure, it’s no #242, but I find it a strangely captivating tune.
One Day Wonder #245
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
I had another grocery list of what should go into today’s soup. I wanted it to be a waltz so that I could stage the melody in the first A section to come off a beat early. And that’s why it sounds kind of odd – the accompaniment is in line with the action, but the tune isn’t. This all comes to an end when the trumpet comes in for the B section. It just becomes a regular waltz. There isn’t some great moment of epiphany where the listener says: “Gosh, it was kind of off-kilter there for a while; now it seems less so.” There’s none of that. And when the A section returns with the trumpet playing the melody, it barely sounds anything like the previous A section. For one thing, the trumpet is playing the tune, and for another, it’s playing it in time with the accompaniment. But it’s also playing it a little too high. Yeah, that’s what happens when you have the first iteration of a tune played in the horn. In retrospect, I should have changed keys, but it didn’t occur to me at the time. Now it’s too late. Anyhow, this piece does manage to function. It’s just that it doesn’t function on very interesting levels. I thought that straightening out the feel would make it sound like a new piece; it doesn’t, but I still like it more than #244.
I had another grocery list of what should go into today’s soup. I wanted it to be a waltz so that I could stage the melody in the first A section to come off a beat early. And that’s why it sounds kind of odd – the accompaniment is in line with the action, but the tune isn’t. This all comes to an end when the trumpet comes in for the B section. It just becomes a regular waltz. There isn’t some great moment of epiphany where the listener says: “Gosh, it was kind of off-kilter there for a while; now it seems less so.” There’s none of that. And when the A section returns with the trumpet playing the melody, it barely sounds anything like the previous A section. For one thing, the trumpet is playing the tune, and for another, it’s playing it in time with the accompaniment. But it’s also playing it a little too high. Yeah, that’s what happens when you have the first iteration of a tune played in the horn. In retrospect, I should have changed keys, but it didn’t occur to me at the time. Now it’s too late. Anyhow, this piece does manage to function. It’s just that it doesn’t function on very interesting levels. I thought that straightening out the feel would make it sound like a new piece; it doesn’t, but I still like it more than #244.
One Day Wonder #244
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
I was trying to incorporate lots of disparate elements into this piece. First of all, I wanted it to be a twelve bar blues. Secondly, I wanted it to exhibit some canon-like elements. And lastly, I wanted the accompaniment to be minimal in order for the previous two elements to play out in the foreground. Well, check, check and check. So how come I don’t like this piece very much? I mean, everything goes down as planned. What’s the deal? I guess it might be the possibility that these “disparate elements” just don’t go together. Or maybe my treatment of the material isn’t quite top-notch. That’s possible; the A theme is, to my ears, incredibly facile. I had to craft it that way because of the blues changes and all that canonic fun following close behind. However, I do like the B theme quite a bit with its fake-waltz feel and all. It’s a shame that it doesn’t stay around longer. But we were trying to figure out the trouble with the rest of the piece, weren’t we? Perhaps some of the fault lies in the robo-performance. This tune has stark textures (except in the B section) and one thing that Finale doesn’t do well, it’s that. It simply doesn’t give individual voices much of a chance. I know that there’s that Garritan Personal Orchestra-thing out there. I’ve tried it out and recoiled in horror. It’s a far worse option. Its patches don’t really sound like the instruments they claim they are until they’re used in a very large ensemble. When they’re used in smaller groups, they simply sound like cheesy video game music. Anyhow, enough of that. So yes, I still don’t like this piece all that much, but I’m still ready to spread the blame around for it. For the record, it’s mostly my fault, but some of it is Finale’s. And that’s how it is.
I was trying to incorporate lots of disparate elements into this piece. First of all, I wanted it to be a twelve bar blues. Secondly, I wanted it to exhibit some canon-like elements. And lastly, I wanted the accompaniment to be minimal in order for the previous two elements to play out in the foreground. Well, check, check and check. So how come I don’t like this piece very much? I mean, everything goes down as planned. What’s the deal? I guess it might be the possibility that these “disparate elements” just don’t go together. Or maybe my treatment of the material isn’t quite top-notch. That’s possible; the A theme is, to my ears, incredibly facile. I had to craft it that way because of the blues changes and all that canonic fun following close behind. However, I do like the B theme quite a bit with its fake-waltz feel and all. It’s a shame that it doesn’t stay around longer. But we were trying to figure out the trouble with the rest of the piece, weren’t we? Perhaps some of the fault lies in the robo-performance. This tune has stark textures (except in the B section) and one thing that Finale doesn’t do well, it’s that. It simply doesn’t give individual voices much of a chance. I know that there’s that Garritan Personal Orchestra-thing out there. I’ve tried it out and recoiled in horror. It’s a far worse option. Its patches don’t really sound like the instruments they claim they are until they’re used in a very large ensemble. When they’re used in smaller groups, they simply sound like cheesy video game music. Anyhow, enough of that. So yes, I still don’t like this piece all that much, but I’m still ready to spread the blame around for it. For the record, it’s mostly my fault, but some of it is Finale’s. And that’s how it is.
One Day Wonder #243
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and tuba.
Yes, after a major piece like #242, there’s always a letdown. I mean, I always get the feeling that I’ll never write two rockin’ pieces in a row, so why even try? My tendency is to wrap a small ensemble around a small task and plan for the next big thing. That’s what this is. It’s just a trio exploiting dotted and poly-rhythms. That’s all. The beginning has the tuba playing dotted-half-quarter rhythms, the horn with dotted-quarter-eighth rhythms and the trumpet with dotted-eighth-sixteenth rhythms. Each instrument then passes those figures around. That was how the whole tune was supposed to operate. The only problem is that it’s a pretty thin premise, so I brought in some poly-rhythmical contrasts and gave them to the horn (and later to the trumpet). The entire piece sounds like it’s wandering around in search of a purpose. And in a way it is. I listen to it now thinking: “God, #242 was so good and I follow it with this. Yeesh!” Well, by now I can take it all in stride. It’s not the end of the world. I have better pieces ahead of me and this one behind me. Look at it this way, at least I got this one out of my system. That means that I have one less substandard piece left in my arsenal…
Yes, after a major piece like #242, there’s always a letdown. I mean, I always get the feeling that I’ll never write two rockin’ pieces in a row, so why even try? My tendency is to wrap a small ensemble around a small task and plan for the next big thing. That’s what this is. It’s just a trio exploiting dotted and poly-rhythms. That’s all. The beginning has the tuba playing dotted-half-quarter rhythms, the horn with dotted-quarter-eighth rhythms and the trumpet with dotted-eighth-sixteenth rhythms. Each instrument then passes those figures around. That was how the whole tune was supposed to operate. The only problem is that it’s a pretty thin premise, so I brought in some poly-rhythmical contrasts and gave them to the horn (and later to the trumpet). The entire piece sounds like it’s wandering around in search of a purpose. And in a way it is. I listen to it now thinking: “God, #242 was so good and I follow it with this. Yeesh!” Well, by now I can take it all in stride. It’s not the end of the world. I have better pieces ahead of me and this one behind me. Look at it this way, at least I got this one out of my system. That means that I have one less substandard piece left in my arsenal…
One Day Wonder #242
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
OK, this piece kicks ass. Plain and simple. It’s the best thing I’ve written since #207. On the strength of the strangeness of #241, I decided to write a galop whose harmony dropped down a fifth every bar until I hit the dominant of the original key – F# minor. So after the brief intro, we start off in F# minor, then, in successive measures – we’re in 2/4; things happen quickly – we dropped to B minor, E minor, A minor, D minor, G minor, C minor, F minor, Bb minor, Eb minor, Ab minor and finally Db, which is the enharmonic dominant of F# minor. Ain’t that slick? It makes for an odd tune, but thanks to the driving pah-oom nature of the galop, both the melody and harmony plow through those changes like nobody’s business. I wanted to keep up the harmonic weirdness in the B section with the trumpet. I had this whole thing charted out where I would start on the major III of the tonic, go down to the minor I, then up to the dominant which would become the III of the III-i-V of the next pattern. Yeah, it was a cool plan, but it totally failed. So I just wrote whatever the hell I wanted. Following that episode, the A theme reprises with a horn countermelody, then suddenly we’re at the very curious C theme, which is really an AABA form (that stays mostly in F# minor) in disguise and serves as the piece’s high point, what with all that antiphonal (call and response) stuff going on and instruments doubling up and so on. That sets up the last return of the A theme, this time with a trumpet countermelody. The outro is brief and the tune ends. You know, I’ve written two other gallops, #15 and #82, but this is the best of the bunch. Sure, it resembles #82 the most because of the trombone lead, but there isn’t any system for its weird harmony; I just wrote an off-kilter melody and harmonized it. This time, melody and harmony work together in the same odd pursuit. I’m very proud of this piece. I couldn’t have written it 100, 50 or even 10 pieces ago. Its time is now. And for all of the talk about me being seriously burned out by this project, this is proof that there’s still a chance for quality. That’s what keeps me going. Have a listen and enjoy.
OK, this piece kicks ass. Plain and simple. It’s the best thing I’ve written since #207. On the strength of the strangeness of #241, I decided to write a galop whose harmony dropped down a fifth every bar until I hit the dominant of the original key – F# minor. So after the brief intro, we start off in F# minor, then, in successive measures – we’re in 2/4; things happen quickly – we dropped to B minor, E minor, A minor, D minor, G minor, C minor, F minor, Bb minor, Eb minor, Ab minor and finally Db, which is the enharmonic dominant of F# minor. Ain’t that slick? It makes for an odd tune, but thanks to the driving pah-oom nature of the galop, both the melody and harmony plow through those changes like nobody’s business. I wanted to keep up the harmonic weirdness in the B section with the trumpet. I had this whole thing charted out where I would start on the major III of the tonic, go down to the minor I, then up to the dominant which would become the III of the III-i-V of the next pattern. Yeah, it was a cool plan, but it totally failed. So I just wrote whatever the hell I wanted. Following that episode, the A theme reprises with a horn countermelody, then suddenly we’re at the very curious C theme, which is really an AABA form (that stays mostly in F# minor) in disguise and serves as the piece’s high point, what with all that antiphonal (call and response) stuff going on and instruments doubling up and so on. That sets up the last return of the A theme, this time with a trumpet countermelody. The outro is brief and the tune ends. You know, I’ve written two other gallops, #15 and #82, but this is the best of the bunch. Sure, it resembles #82 the most because of the trombone lead, but there isn’t any system for its weird harmony; I just wrote an off-kilter melody and harmonized it. This time, melody and harmony work together in the same odd pursuit. I’m very proud of this piece. I couldn’t have written it 100, 50 or even 10 pieces ago. Its time is now. And for all of the talk about me being seriously burned out by this project, this is proof that there’s still a chance for quality. That’s what keeps me going. Have a listen and enjoy.
One Day Wonder #241
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
This piece began with a simple diatonic tune and went in a weird direction. OK, so, I start with the most vanilla melody imaginable and just kick the harmony up a half step for eight bars, then kick it down a half step for the next eight. That’s the whole premise. Well, it changes a little in the B section with the horn. Instead of the harmony ascending, it descends a half step every measure for eight measures, then ascends over the last eight, so it’s the same principle working in the opposite direction. Sounds pretty odd, don’t it? Writing this was a blast. The only thing I had to be careful of was to keep the A and B themes within the normal ranges of the trumpet and horn. This meant that the tunes couldn’t have too many leaps in them. That’s all I needed in order to sustain the thing. Although very simple in form (intro-ABA-outro), it ranks as one of my better experiments. It totally works. And yes, I’m aware that other guys have done similar stuff, but this one’s mine, so therefore I like it best.
This piece began with a simple diatonic tune and went in a weird direction. OK, so, I start with the most vanilla melody imaginable and just kick the harmony up a half step for eight bars, then kick it down a half step for the next eight. That’s the whole premise. Well, it changes a little in the B section with the horn. Instead of the harmony ascending, it descends a half step every measure for eight measures, then ascends over the last eight, so it’s the same principle working in the opposite direction. Sounds pretty odd, don’t it? Writing this was a blast. The only thing I had to be careful of was to keep the A and B themes within the normal ranges of the trumpet and horn. This meant that the tunes couldn’t have too many leaps in them. That’s all I needed in order to sustain the thing. Although very simple in form (intro-ABA-outro), it ranks as one of my better experiments. It totally works. And yes, I’m aware that other guys have done similar stuff, but this one’s mine, so therefore I like it best.
One Day Wonder #240
For 1 horn, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
Well, I’m glad to be done with that whole #236-237-239 business. I decided to write something in lovely 9/8, but really didn’t have many ideas how to bring it into being. After a little tinkering, I thought that I should involve some dotted rhythms and some cool formal weirdness. And that’s just what happens. The main part, which is once again an AABA form, establishes a nice driving feel. The C theme is more of an interlude from the low brass. (There isn't much in the way of thematic material there.) The horn comes in with the D theme, which co-opts the intro and expands it with the trumpets coming in the second time through. This is the part that doesn’t have me completely sold. But the mixed-up AABA comes back with the second trumpet playing a semi-countermelody and that makes us all forget about that one weak part. So yes, I’m really happy with this piece and see no reason to redo it.
But honestly, this is a fine tune. The accompaniment really pops and it rocks quite a bit, but in the light of what's coming up, it doesn't compare. Stay tuned for that.
Well, I’m glad to be done with that whole #236-237-239 business. I decided to write something in lovely 9/8, but really didn’t have many ideas how to bring it into being. After a little tinkering, I thought that I should involve some dotted rhythms and some cool formal weirdness. And that’s just what happens. The main part, which is once again an AABA form, establishes a nice driving feel. The C theme is more of an interlude from the low brass. (There isn't much in the way of thematic material there.) The horn comes in with the D theme, which co-opts the intro and expands it with the trumpets coming in the second time through. This is the part that doesn’t have me completely sold. But the mixed-up AABA comes back with the second trumpet playing a semi-countermelody and that makes us all forget about that one weak part. So yes, I’m really happy with this piece and see no reason to redo it.
But honestly, this is a fine tune. The accompaniment really pops and it rocks quite a bit, but in the light of what's coming up, it doesn't compare. Stay tuned for that.
One Day Wonder #239
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
OK, I thought about how to improve #236 and #237 in a definitive way. This version is the best, honest it is. I revamp the intro once again, yank out the crappy D theme and swap the feel in the last B and A sections. That means that the B has a quarter-eighth feel (it originally had a triplet feel) and the last A gets shifted to triplets. I keep the outro as-is, since it works great. And there you have it! Much better, no? Sure, I’ve done second takes before, but this is the first time I’ve redone a piece twice since #50, #51 and #52. Gosh, that was a long time ago!
OK, I thought about how to improve #236 and #237 in a definitive way. This version is the best, honest it is. I revamp the intro once again, yank out the crappy D theme and swap the feel in the last B and A sections. That means that the B has a quarter-eighth feel (it originally had a triplet feel) and the last A gets shifted to triplets. I keep the outro as-is, since it works great. And there you have it! Much better, no? Sure, I’ve done second takes before, but this is the first time I’ve redone a piece twice since #50, #51 and #52. Gosh, that was a long time ago!
One Day Wonder #238
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets and tuba.
This piece was supposed to wash my hands of the last two efforts. It didn’t distract me from those failures – at least not for long. This tune was not meant to be minimalism. And, guess what, it’s not! Sure, there is a lot of rhythmic uniformity and not much structure, but its modal tonality is very restless. It keeps ascending to a certain point and them starts over. It turns out OK. It’s no classic, but after jockeying stuff around in #236 and #237, this is a refreshing change.
This piece was supposed to wash my hands of the last two efforts. It didn’t distract me from those failures – at least not for long. This tune was not meant to be minimalism. And, guess what, it’s not! Sure, there is a lot of rhythmic uniformity and not much structure, but its modal tonality is very restless. It keeps ascending to a certain point and them starts over. It turns out OK. It’s no classic, but after jockeying stuff around in #236 and #237, this is a refreshing change.
One Day Wonder #237
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
This is supposed to be an improvement over #236. In some ways it is; but it kind of fails. OK, so the improvements I like are the intro and the outro, and I fiddle with the tonality when the A theme interjects itself between the C theme phrases. I think those elements work better. I also introduced a D theme in the trombones. I don’t like that much. I was trying to convey a 3/4 feeling and it doesn’t work at all. If anything, it stalls the action and doesn’t add anything to the piece. Here I was thinking that there wasn’t enough thematic material and now it seems like I have too much. Overall, this version is no better than #236. When it was finished, I thought I’d walk away from it, but the more I listened to it, the more it bothered me.
This is supposed to be an improvement over #236. In some ways it is; but it kind of fails. OK, so the improvements I like are the intro and the outro, and I fiddle with the tonality when the A theme interjects itself between the C theme phrases. I think those elements work better. I also introduced a D theme in the trombones. I don’t like that much. I was trying to convey a 3/4 feeling and it doesn’t work at all. If anything, it stalls the action and doesn’t add anything to the piece. Here I was thinking that there wasn’t enough thematic material and now it seems like I have too much. Overall, this version is no better than #236. When it was finished, I thought I’d walk away from it, but the more I listened to it, the more it bothered me.
One Day Wonder #236
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
OK, this is the first in a series of three. I’m sorry to pull a thing like this so late in the game, but needed some major overhauls, because the concept was really good, but the execution was, well, not that great at the onset. What I intended here was for two different feels to happen at the same time and for both of them to come out in the mix. First off, there is the regular ol’ oom-pah feel from the tuba and first two trombones. The other feel comes in the form of quarter-note triplets (also dealing out the oom-pah) in the bass trombone and horns. The trumpet has the initial tune, which is in AABA form. During the B section, it assumes the triplet feel. The horn takes the C theme, which is interrupted by the A theme (which comes back in a different key) several times. This was my way of monkeying with the form. It doesn’t work that well, as it sounds like competing movie themes. This is probably because the two themes don’t blend that well. After that episode, the A theme returns and we’re done – kind of abruptly. It’s a pretty good start, though I don’t like the intro, the middle section doesn’t work and it’s over much too quickly. I figured that it was a good start, but that it could be better. That’s why there are two more versions. Enjoy them all!
OK, this is the first in a series of three. I’m sorry to pull a thing like this so late in the game, but needed some major overhauls, because the concept was really good, but the execution was, well, not that great at the onset. What I intended here was for two different feels to happen at the same time and for both of them to come out in the mix. First off, there is the regular ol’ oom-pah feel from the tuba and first two trombones. The other feel comes in the form of quarter-note triplets (also dealing out the oom-pah) in the bass trombone and horns. The trumpet has the initial tune, which is in AABA form. During the B section, it assumes the triplet feel. The horn takes the C theme, which is interrupted by the A theme (which comes back in a different key) several times. This was my way of monkeying with the form. It doesn’t work that well, as it sounds like competing movie themes. This is probably because the two themes don’t blend that well. After that episode, the A theme returns and we’re done – kind of abruptly. It’s a pretty good start, though I don’t like the intro, the middle section doesn’t work and it’s over much too quickly. I figured that it was a good start, but that it could be better. That’s why there are two more versions. Enjoy them all!
One Day Wonder #235
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
Ah, the oddball chorale – the last refuge for an idea-deprived scoundrel like myself! Yes, I admit it; I’m still trying to recapture the accidental magic of #102. Lord, I really created a monster there! It’s far worse than #12. That piece was dynamite, but I was completely unable to figure out what went right in it. Every so often, I’d take a stab at it until I hit #202 and #211. Those were the next steps in the minimalism process. I’m not sure that #102 has a next step. This might be it; it might not. But even after I’ve accused myself of self-plagiarism, I have to say that there is a lot of good stuff that happens here. It’s dark, dramatic and restless. Plus, it gets some real motion in it towards the end. It will sound great in the hands of live musicians. Yes, I know that I’ve said that probably about 50 times already, but this time, I really mean it.
Ah, the oddball chorale – the last refuge for an idea-deprived scoundrel like myself! Yes, I admit it; I’m still trying to recapture the accidental magic of #102. Lord, I really created a monster there! It’s far worse than #12. That piece was dynamite, but I was completely unable to figure out what went right in it. Every so often, I’d take a stab at it until I hit #202 and #211. Those were the next steps in the minimalism process. I’m not sure that #102 has a next step. This might be it; it might not. But even after I’ve accused myself of self-plagiarism, I have to say that there is a lot of good stuff that happens here. It’s dark, dramatic and restless. Plus, it gets some real motion in it towards the end. It will sound great in the hands of live musicians. Yes, I know that I’ve said that probably about 50 times already, but this time, I really mean it.
One Day Wonder #234
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
It’s been a while since I wrote a nice little block-chord thing, so I decided that today would be the day for it. Once I got started, I realized that all the zippy stuff I was writing might become pretty taxing for the trombone, so I decided to make it the lead voice. I’m still all about messing with form. But this tune doesn’t have anything resembling that, so I wanted to do my messing at a more organic level. Basically, I give the trombone a bit of the theme and then have an adventure with the ensemble, bring back the theme, featuring more of it, take off in another direction and continue that until we finally have the whole theme at the end. I really like this piece. It is, as I mentioned, zippy and fun – it’s exactly the opposite of how I feel now. I’m more freezing and lethargic. I feel that this project will never end and that I will never-ever be able to earn a living in music. Yes, it’s a very gloomy prognosis. But it’s nice that this piece roused me from my shivering stupor.
It’s been a while since I wrote a nice little block-chord thing, so I decided that today would be the day for it. Once I got started, I realized that all the zippy stuff I was writing might become pretty taxing for the trombone, so I decided to make it the lead voice. I’m still all about messing with form. But this tune doesn’t have anything resembling that, so I wanted to do my messing at a more organic level. Basically, I give the trombone a bit of the theme and then have an adventure with the ensemble, bring back the theme, featuring more of it, take off in another direction and continue that until we finally have the whole theme at the end. I really like this piece. It is, as I mentioned, zippy and fun – it’s exactly the opposite of how I feel now. I’m more freezing and lethargic. I feel that this project will never end and that I will never-ever be able to earn a living in music. Yes, it’s a very gloomy prognosis. But it’s nice that this piece roused me from my shivering stupor.
One Day Wonder #233
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
Well, Christmas is over and I still have a lot of music to write. Today’s premise features two things: alternating meters of 3/4 and 7/8 and non-diatonic chords pointing the way for the melody. That’s exactly what goes on. Plus, the horns get to do more rhythmic stuff in the B section. Funny thing once again, it’s strikingly similar in form to #223 and #225. Again, I didn’t do this intentionally; it just happened that way. But I like how this piece turned out. Yes, the melodic line is a little awkward, but I wanted to emphasize its weird metrical scheme. I hope that by the end, everybody’s used to the jerky movement. I know I was, but I was writing it. I get used to things like that because I listen to them about a hundred times before I finalize any given piece. This isn’t always the ideal way to do things, because it sometimes acclimates me to mistakes. I listen over and over again and only notice a blatant error when I look at the score. How’s that for eternal artistic vigilance? Well, I can safely say that this piece doesn’t have any major technical flaws, so enjoy.
Well, Christmas is over and I still have a lot of music to write. Today’s premise features two things: alternating meters of 3/4 and 7/8 and non-diatonic chords pointing the way for the melody. That’s exactly what goes on. Plus, the horns get to do more rhythmic stuff in the B section. Funny thing once again, it’s strikingly similar in form to #223 and #225. Again, I didn’t do this intentionally; it just happened that way. But I like how this piece turned out. Yes, the melodic line is a little awkward, but I wanted to emphasize its weird metrical scheme. I hope that by the end, everybody’s used to the jerky movement. I know I was, but I was writing it. I get used to things like that because I listen to them about a hundred times before I finalize any given piece. This isn’t always the ideal way to do things, because it sometimes acclimates me to mistakes. I listen over and over again and only notice a blatant error when I look at the score. How’s that for eternal artistic vigilance? Well, I can safely say that this piece doesn’t have any major technical flaws, so enjoy.
One Day Wonder #232
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
I decided to take off Christmas Eve day. We had all kinds of stuff to do and whatnot, including watching Miracle on 34th Street. I’ve never seen it before. It was a sweet little film. I was even planning on not writing anything on Christmas (that would give me two whole days off, if you're keeping score), but since we were going over to my sister’s house and she was planning on a late gathering, I decided to write something short’n’sweet. My girlfriend put on David Sedaris reading The Santaland Diaries and I wrote this tune. I was done by the end of it. It’s just a simple chorale in plain ol’ C major followed by a brief call-and-response from the rest of the ensemble. Sure, it doesn’t exactly cry out “Christmas” for all to hear, but I didn’t intend to write a Christmas tune in the first place. Shortly after that, we drove off to Issaquah and had a good time. I had a really good present haul. Merry Christmas to all.
I decided to take off Christmas Eve day. We had all kinds of stuff to do and whatnot, including watching Miracle on 34th Street. I’ve never seen it before. It was a sweet little film. I was even planning on not writing anything on Christmas (that would give me two whole days off, if you're keeping score), but since we were going over to my sister’s house and she was planning on a late gathering, I decided to write something short’n’sweet. My girlfriend put on David Sedaris reading The Santaland Diaries and I wrote this tune. I was done by the end of it. It’s just a simple chorale in plain ol’ C major followed by a brief call-and-response from the rest of the ensemble. Sure, it doesn’t exactly cry out “Christmas” for all to hear, but I didn’t intend to write a Christmas tune in the first place. Shortly after that, we drove off to Issaquah and had a good time. I had a really good present haul. Merry Christmas to all.
One Day Wonder #231
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone and tuba.
Now that all of my Christmas shopping is done I’m free to think about how I approach any given piece. Believe it or not, I was really worried about getting everyone the right present. In the past, I’ve had almost a sixth sense about what family and friends wanted, but this year, with the exception of my girlfriend, I just asked people point-blank what they wanted, reminding them that I’m poor this year, though, as usual, I’ll probably end up spending too much, which I did. While I was winding down my buying frenzy a few days ago, I came up with the simple and odd idea to write a tune in 4 and have the accompaniment in 5. That’s what happens here. There’s just a single bar of intro and then we’re at the A theme. I figured that the best way to express the 5 accompaniment was to have a repetitive eighth-note figure that descends from the first trumpet and eventually becomes a chord. This means that the trombone gets a very boring part for the A theme – just two eighth notes every so often. But still, it’s a nice effect, even though it doesn’t quite line up with my phrasing. After the A theme plays out in the first horn, the trumpets take over with the B theme, still in 5. The horns are in 4. That’s why they seem to hit the trumpet lines at odd times. The C theme goes to the trombone. It starts off as a bit of a meditation – and by “meditation” I mean that it’s not supported by anybody except the tuba. Help arrives soon enough and on the repeat there’s enough energy to bring us back to the A theme without it seeming like a jarring experience. I’m still in a more-or-less brooding pre-Christmas mood, but this tune really cheered me up.
Now that all of my Christmas shopping is done I’m free to think about how I approach any given piece. Believe it or not, I was really worried about getting everyone the right present. In the past, I’ve had almost a sixth sense about what family and friends wanted, but this year, with the exception of my girlfriend, I just asked people point-blank what they wanted, reminding them that I’m poor this year, though, as usual, I’ll probably end up spending too much, which I did. While I was winding down my buying frenzy a few days ago, I came up with the simple and odd idea to write a tune in 4 and have the accompaniment in 5. That’s what happens here. There’s just a single bar of intro and then we’re at the A theme. I figured that the best way to express the 5 accompaniment was to have a repetitive eighth-note figure that descends from the first trumpet and eventually becomes a chord. This means that the trombone gets a very boring part for the A theme – just two eighth notes every so often. But still, it’s a nice effect, even though it doesn’t quite line up with my phrasing. After the A theme plays out in the first horn, the trumpets take over with the B theme, still in 5. The horns are in 4. That’s why they seem to hit the trumpet lines at odd times. The C theme goes to the trombone. It starts off as a bit of a meditation – and by “meditation” I mean that it’s not supported by anybody except the tuba. Help arrives soon enough and on the repeat there’s enough energy to bring us back to the A theme without it seeming like a jarring experience. I’m still in a more-or-less brooding pre-Christmas mood, but this tune really cheered me up.
One Day Wonder #230
For 3 horns, 2 trumpet and tuba.
With all the fine contrapuntal stuff that went on in #227 and #228, I figured I give it another try, this time using swing. It’s not a full on fugue, but one thing’s for sure, it’s really dissonant. I think it contributes to the effect. We start with the subject, which is carried by two pairs of trumpets and horns. It comes up again and again and is treated differently each time. The tuba and third horn only provide commentary and harmonic support. After the first run-through the entry for the parts is reversed. That’s followed by a bridge section for a little variety. Next up is a merging of parts that culminates in the last time through where everybody plays their parts together. This is probably the most dissonant part of the piece and it works really well. As I was writing this, I didn’t worry about how the parts interacted with each other as I did in #228. I just wanted lines intersecting with other lines. If they went well together, fine; if they clashed, all the better. So yes, there is a lot of clashing in this tune and it makes me glad
With all the fine contrapuntal stuff that went on in #227 and #228, I figured I give it another try, this time using swing. It’s not a full on fugue, but one thing’s for sure, it’s really dissonant. I think it contributes to the effect. We start with the subject, which is carried by two pairs of trumpets and horns. It comes up again and again and is treated differently each time. The tuba and third horn only provide commentary and harmonic support. After the first run-through the entry for the parts is reversed. That’s followed by a bridge section for a little variety. Next up is a merging of parts that culminates in the last time through where everybody plays their parts together. This is probably the most dissonant part of the piece and it works really well. As I was writing this, I didn’t worry about how the parts interacted with each other as I did in #228. I just wanted lines intersecting with other lines. If they went well together, fine; if they clashed, all the better. So yes, there is a lot of clashing in this tune and it makes me glad
One Day Wonder #229
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
My main goal for today’s piece was to make 4 sound like an odd meter, so I subdivided the measure into 2+3+3. Just to contribute to the odd effect, I threw in a measure of 7/8 every so often. These usually occur at the ends of phrases. For the A theme, I spice up things by immediately by going for the non-diatonic third relation. That means that in the key of A major, I drop down to F major in the second measure. It’s used a lot in music, so it should sound pretty familiar. There are a few more harmonic hiccups along the way, but the A theme stays mainly diatonic. The B theme in the horn is harmonically more slippery, first starting out in D and then going off in other directions. The persistent two-octave unisons in the trumpet and tuba direct the ear away from what the horn is doing. We briefly come back to the A theme, then head to the C theme, which is more of an interlude for tuba. After that, it’s back to the A theme for a last time. The horn plays a countermelody and we’re done. This piece accomplishes two things: it make plain ol’ 4/4 sound funky and fiddles with form to my satisfaction. Most pieces I’m writing require some kind of form, since I’m writing melodies with accompaniment. Sure, you can argue that any given piece doesn’t have to involve structure or repetition, but I work hard to craft melodies and feel that they deserve reiteration. That’s just the kind of guy I am. Anyhow, what with all my dissatisfaction at my own laziness and lack of imagination, this piece stands in the face of that. I really like it. And I hope you do, too.
My main goal for today’s piece was to make 4 sound like an odd meter, so I subdivided the measure into 2+3+3. Just to contribute to the odd effect, I threw in a measure of 7/8 every so often. These usually occur at the ends of phrases. For the A theme, I spice up things by immediately by going for the non-diatonic third relation. That means that in the key of A major, I drop down to F major in the second measure. It’s used a lot in music, so it should sound pretty familiar. There are a few more harmonic hiccups along the way, but the A theme stays mainly diatonic. The B theme in the horn is harmonically more slippery, first starting out in D and then going off in other directions. The persistent two-octave unisons in the trumpet and tuba direct the ear away from what the horn is doing. We briefly come back to the A theme, then head to the C theme, which is more of an interlude for tuba. After that, it’s back to the A theme for a last time. The horn plays a countermelody and we’re done. This piece accomplishes two things: it make plain ol’ 4/4 sound funky and fiddles with form to my satisfaction. Most pieces I’m writing require some kind of form, since I’m writing melodies with accompaniment. Sure, you can argue that any given piece doesn’t have to involve structure or repetition, but I work hard to craft melodies and feel that they deserve reiteration. That’s just the kind of guy I am. Anyhow, what with all my dissatisfaction at my own laziness and lack of imagination, this piece stands in the face of that. I really like it. And I hope you do, too.
One Day Wonder #228
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
Presto! Here’s that canon I was thinking about writing. To make things a little less complicated, I kept things diatonic (in the same key) until the last iteration. Only then does it get a little nutty. The lead theme comes from the trumpet. That’s followed by the horns in third harmony and followed in turn by the trombone and tuba playing the theme at half speed. This makes for some interesting exchanges later on. It takes so long for the trombone and tuba to get through their follow that the trumpet and horns have a chance to play through a round (the most elementary form of canon) while they finish up. Once that’s done there’s another iteration of the theme, with the horns letting loose two bars later (as they did the first time around) and the trombone and tuba come in full speed two bars after the horns. But they play the theme a step below its original setting. I tried every possible permutation and this was the only one that was not too crunchy. The worst of all were the original pitches. So even though there are a few rough spots, it still gets the job done. For the last time through, everybody takes off a bar apart. The trombone and tuba again play a step below the original tune and I put in a few arbitrary flats and sharps for a little lift. Well, although it’s not a textbook canon, it demonstrates the principle well enough: you have your lead and follow voices that take a very uncomplex tune and turn it into counterpoint. As an extra special bonus, you also get a round that livens things up in the first part. I’m very happy with this piece. I never took a class in counterpoint back in my college days and I really regret it. As I’ve mentioned, textbooks and analysis are not the best way for me to learn. I learn by doing and this is a very good exercise for me.
Presto! Here’s that canon I was thinking about writing. To make things a little less complicated, I kept things diatonic (in the same key) until the last iteration. Only then does it get a little nutty. The lead theme comes from the trumpet. That’s followed by the horns in third harmony and followed in turn by the trombone and tuba playing the theme at half speed. This makes for some interesting exchanges later on. It takes so long for the trombone and tuba to get through their follow that the trumpet and horns have a chance to play through a round (the most elementary form of canon) while they finish up. Once that’s done there’s another iteration of the theme, with the horns letting loose two bars later (as they did the first time around) and the trombone and tuba come in full speed two bars after the horns. But they play the theme a step below its original setting. I tried every possible permutation and this was the only one that was not too crunchy. The worst of all were the original pitches. So even though there are a few rough spots, it still gets the job done. For the last time through, everybody takes off a bar apart. The trombone and tuba again play a step below the original tune and I put in a few arbitrary flats and sharps for a little lift. Well, although it’s not a textbook canon, it demonstrates the principle well enough: you have your lead and follow voices that take a very uncomplex tune and turn it into counterpoint. As an extra special bonus, you also get a round that livens things up in the first part. I’m very happy with this piece. I never took a class in counterpoint back in my college days and I really regret it. As I’ve mentioned, textbooks and analysis are not the best way for me to learn. I learn by doing and this is a very good exercise for me.
One Day Wonder #227
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and trombone.
This is a pleasant little invention that tries to inject a little counterpoint into the conversation. I didn’t especially want to write a fugue, but I wanted to make it sound like one, so what happens is that the subject (the A theme, which is pretty much the only theme here) gets put through a great many permutations in the trumpet and horn. At first you get the entire tune, but later it’s broken up into melodic chunks that get passed around. The trombone is there to support the harmony, not to advance the melodic development. For a non-fugue, it works well. It’s got some spirit to it and is very clear in its intent. It has me thinking about writing a canon. That's something I haven’t quite done yet.
This is a pleasant little invention that tries to inject a little counterpoint into the conversation. I didn’t especially want to write a fugue, but I wanted to make it sound like one, so what happens is that the subject (the A theme, which is pretty much the only theme here) gets put through a great many permutations in the trumpet and horn. At first you get the entire tune, but later it’s broken up into melodic chunks that get passed around. The trombone is there to support the harmony, not to advance the melodic development. For a non-fugue, it works well. It’s got some spirit to it and is very clear in its intent. It has me thinking about writing a canon. That's something I haven’t quite done yet.
One Day Wonder #226
For 4 horns.
Here’s a little close-harmony something-or-other for four horns. I didn’t have any kind of theoretical or formal ideas for it; I just wanted to capture the horns at their most horn-like. The French horn is a great instrument. It’s got that distinctive sound and it can be hellacious to play. Fortunately, this piece isn’t all that taxing. The thing about this track is that it’s not very well blended. All horns are playing at the exact same dynamic level, whereas with a live ensemble, the first and fourth horn would probably be playing slightly louder to frame the action. Still, you get the idea of what the piece is about. It’s about horns.
Here’s a little close-harmony something-or-other for four horns. I didn’t have any kind of theoretical or formal ideas for it; I just wanted to capture the horns at their most horn-like. The French horn is a great instrument. It’s got that distinctive sound and it can be hellacious to play. Fortunately, this piece isn’t all that taxing. The thing about this track is that it’s not very well blended. All horns are playing at the exact same dynamic level, whereas with a live ensemble, the first and fourth horn would probably be playing slightly louder to frame the action. Still, you get the idea of what the piece is about. It’s about horns.
One Day Wonder #225
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone and tuba.
I thought I’d write something else for the trombone today. I wanted to feature the familiar poky 6/8 rhythm that I’ve neglected up until this point. Funny thing, it wasn’t until I was done that I noticed that it’s the exact same form as #223; that is: intro-ABACDA (with countermelody). Besides that, they’re completely different in feel and temperament. I guess this is because I’m really trying to rework form here and I ended up reworking it in the same way. It just highlights the latest struggle. See, when I first began this project, the problems were technical; what to do with the instruments, how to voice chords, how to deal with certain combinations and timbres and all that. The next was conceptual: what to write and how to write it for a brass ensemble. That lasted for a long time and still exists now, as I don’t want to write the same piece over and over. But now I find myself messing with form more and more. These tunes need an array of themes, but how do I arrange them? This is the persistent question. I’m not happy with the simple AABA song form or the tried-and-true ABACA march/polka form. The answer for this piece and #223 is the same. Had I been aware of the similarities while I was writing it, I would have done something about it. But this is still not a bad effort. I really like its character. As George W. Bush would say: “It has a good heart.” Of course, he usually says that about the world’s worst people. Anyhow, I like this piece a lot and so should you.
I thought I’d write something else for the trombone today. I wanted to feature the familiar poky 6/8 rhythm that I’ve neglected up until this point. Funny thing, it wasn’t until I was done that I noticed that it’s the exact same form as #223; that is: intro-ABACDA (with countermelody). Besides that, they’re completely different in feel and temperament. I guess this is because I’m really trying to rework form here and I ended up reworking it in the same way. It just highlights the latest struggle. See, when I first began this project, the problems were technical; what to do with the instruments, how to voice chords, how to deal with certain combinations and timbres and all that. The next was conceptual: what to write and how to write it for a brass ensemble. That lasted for a long time and still exists now, as I don’t want to write the same piece over and over. But now I find myself messing with form more and more. These tunes need an array of themes, but how do I arrange them? This is the persistent question. I’m not happy with the simple AABA song form or the tried-and-true ABACA march/polka form. The answer for this piece and #223 is the same. Had I been aware of the similarities while I was writing it, I would have done something about it. But this is still not a bad effort. I really like its character. As George W. Bush would say: “It has a good heart.” Of course, he usually says that about the world’s worst people. Anyhow, I like this piece a lot and so should you.
One Day Wonder #224
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and 2 trombones.
This piece doesn’t come off too well in its robo form. What’s supposed to happen is that the trombones are using plunger mutes, and the only way I could express that was to use the Harmon mute patch for when the mute was in and the regular trombone patch for when it was out. The playback sounds a little silly, but it gives you an idea of how much plunging and de-plunging the trombones will have to do. You know, about 100 pieces ago, I had this silly notion that the newest version of Finale would take me away from all of this muting madness by providing many more patches for muted brass. It did not. And what’s more, it ended up being far worse than the version I’m using now – Finale 2005. It’s not that 2005 is the devil I know; I truly like this program, though it’s not without its bugs. Printing full scores is a nightmare and part generation is very dicey. There’s always a chance that whatever is up there on the computer screen won’t make it to the printed page, so you have to review everything many times. I’m told that these problems are taken care of in Finale 2008. Even though I owned it for a brief time (it has since been returned to the mothership), I didn’t explore that area because the playback and interface were so terrible. I converted a few of these brass pieces over to the 2008 version and was horrified at how it sounded. I tried to write something from square one on it and it took me forever to get notes down. And I’m not even going to talk about how bad the Garritan Personal Orchestra was. Anyhow, my point is that I have no good muting options, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still write with my limited selection. There are lots of mute types and I’m just using the most basic. The only problem is that they all come out as a Harmon-muted trumpet. I really wish it wasn’t so, but it is. Well, with that said, I have to say that this piece is a fine little invention with a processional quality to it. Sure, it’s kind of a workout for the trombones; they’ve got to play notes and manipulate the plunger mutes at the same time. But these kinds of things get trombone players excited, so my work here is done. I wrote a piece and I got trombone players excited. Over and out.
This piece doesn’t come off too well in its robo form. What’s supposed to happen is that the trombones are using plunger mutes, and the only way I could express that was to use the Harmon mute patch for when the mute was in and the regular trombone patch for when it was out. The playback sounds a little silly, but it gives you an idea of how much plunging and de-plunging the trombones will have to do. You know, about 100 pieces ago, I had this silly notion that the newest version of Finale would take me away from all of this muting madness by providing many more patches for muted brass. It did not. And what’s more, it ended up being far worse than the version I’m using now – Finale 2005. It’s not that 2005 is the devil I know; I truly like this program, though it’s not without its bugs. Printing full scores is a nightmare and part generation is very dicey. There’s always a chance that whatever is up there on the computer screen won’t make it to the printed page, so you have to review everything many times. I’m told that these problems are taken care of in Finale 2008. Even though I owned it for a brief time (it has since been returned to the mothership), I didn’t explore that area because the playback and interface were so terrible. I converted a few of these brass pieces over to the 2008 version and was horrified at how it sounded. I tried to write something from square one on it and it took me forever to get notes down. And I’m not even going to talk about how bad the Garritan Personal Orchestra was. Anyhow, my point is that I have no good muting options, but that doesn’t mean I can’t still write with my limited selection. There are lots of mute types and I’m just using the most basic. The only problem is that they all come out as a Harmon-muted trumpet. I really wish it wasn’t so, but it is. Well, with that said, I have to say that this piece is a fine little invention with a processional quality to it. Sure, it’s kind of a workout for the trombones; they’ve got to play notes and manipulate the plunger mutes at the same time. But these kinds of things get trombone players excited, so my work here is done. I wrote a piece and I got trombone players excited. Over and out.
One Day Wonder #223
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
I opted to write a nice little thingamajob in 7/8 for today’s effort. Never mind that my last foray into 7/8 was only #219. This is a different approach. If anything, it resembles #197, a piece that I wrote and forgot about. Although I had nothing against using a standard form in this, I didn’t want to be lazy about it. In recent pieces, I’ve written longish A sections, shortish B sections and reprised the A again with few alterations and that’s been the whole tune. That hasn’t pleased me much, but it does fulfill the project’s criteria. So for this one, I have an intro, an ABA as the main section, a C theme in the horn, then a little creeping transition between the trumpet and tuba (we'll call it a D section), then a reprise of the original ABA with a countermelody in the horn. This comes off nicely, though it’s nothing revolutionary. I was just happy to step outside the expedient forms that I usually use. I guess that my frustration with the limitations of writing two-some-minute pieces is beginning to have some productive results.
I opted to write a nice little thingamajob in 7/8 for today’s effort. Never mind that my last foray into 7/8 was only #219. This is a different approach. If anything, it resembles #197, a piece that I wrote and forgot about. Although I had nothing against using a standard form in this, I didn’t want to be lazy about it. In recent pieces, I’ve written longish A sections, shortish B sections and reprised the A again with few alterations and that’s been the whole tune. That hasn’t pleased me much, but it does fulfill the project’s criteria. So for this one, I have an intro, an ABA as the main section, a C theme in the horn, then a little creeping transition between the trumpet and tuba (we'll call it a D section), then a reprise of the original ABA with a countermelody in the horn. This comes off nicely, though it’s nothing revolutionary. I was just happy to step outside the expedient forms that I usually use. I guess that my frustration with the limitations of writing two-some-minute pieces is beginning to have some productive results.
One Day Wonder #222
For 4 horns and trombone.
I decided to write a lullaby today. It uses a tune in the trombone from #221 (it’s in the middle somewhere) as its basis. I’m up housesitting at my parents’ place in the wilds of Snohomish. They just got this mammoth 51-inch TV, so I have to tear myself away from it to write this piece. It’s not a problem. I have to generally tear myself away from one thing or another to write music, so this is nothing special. I managed to get a respectable A section down before it was time to head back home. I’ve been having a few problems with my gigantic car lately, but I thought I'd gotten over them. My car is old enough by now (it’s a 1968 Chrysler Newport) that it can pretty much fix itself, if it so desires. Today it didn’t. It died at the end of the driveway and wouldn’t come back to life. It was pouring, so I called my mom, told her about the trouble, went back in the house and gave the piece another whirl. My folks shortly returned home and I called AAA for a tow. I managed to get some more measures down before the tow truck showed up. The guy had absolutely no problem with hauling my car all the way to downtown Seattle, where my repair shop is. That’s around 40 miles. Thank God I have the additional tow coverage. My car always seems inclined to break down in the middle of nowhere, so it’s good to know that I can make it back to civilization with just a phone call. Anyhow, it was a long trip back in rush-hour traffic, but we got there at around 4:00. My original ETA had been 1:00. We dumped the car off at the shop. I thanked the driver from the bottom of my heart and went home to finish this piece. The shop called something like 15 minutes later telling me that the whole problem was because of a loose battery cable. They charged me a negligible amount and I drove my car back to its garage. Wow, all that trouble for a loose cable. I checked all the connections before calling AAA, so I can’t figure out how that came to happen. Once back from the garage, I finished this piece. It’s nothing complicated, but considering all the day’s shenanigans, it’s a wonder that I got anything done. It might even have a few moments of odd beauty to it. Enjoy.
I decided to write a lullaby today. It uses a tune in the trombone from #221 (it’s in the middle somewhere) as its basis. I’m up housesitting at my parents’ place in the wilds of Snohomish. They just got this mammoth 51-inch TV, so I have to tear myself away from it to write this piece. It’s not a problem. I have to generally tear myself away from one thing or another to write music, so this is nothing special. I managed to get a respectable A section down before it was time to head back home. I’ve been having a few problems with my gigantic car lately, but I thought I'd gotten over them. My car is old enough by now (it’s a 1968 Chrysler Newport) that it can pretty much fix itself, if it so desires. Today it didn’t. It died at the end of the driveway and wouldn’t come back to life. It was pouring, so I called my mom, told her about the trouble, went back in the house and gave the piece another whirl. My folks shortly returned home and I called AAA for a tow. I managed to get some more measures down before the tow truck showed up. The guy had absolutely no problem with hauling my car all the way to downtown Seattle, where my repair shop is. That’s around 40 miles. Thank God I have the additional tow coverage. My car always seems inclined to break down in the middle of nowhere, so it’s good to know that I can make it back to civilization with just a phone call. Anyhow, it was a long trip back in rush-hour traffic, but we got there at around 4:00. My original ETA had been 1:00. We dumped the car off at the shop. I thanked the driver from the bottom of my heart and went home to finish this piece. The shop called something like 15 minutes later telling me that the whole problem was because of a loose battery cable. They charged me a negligible amount and I drove my car back to its garage. Wow, all that trouble for a loose cable. I checked all the connections before calling AAA, so I can’t figure out how that came to happen. Once back from the garage, I finished this piece. It’s nothing complicated, but considering all the day’s shenanigans, it’s a wonder that I got anything done. It might even have a few moments of odd beauty to it. Enjoy.
One Day Wonder #221
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
This project is getting difficult. OK, it was never easy, but I find myself getting a little burnt out. I’ve felt this way previously, but it always went away once I figured out a new (for me) approach or a better way to do business with the brass ensemble. Unfortunately, the last piece I really had strongly positive feelings about was #207. That little gem just came from nowhere. I felt like I could keep adding to it until I dropped from exhaustion. It was an amazing experience. Since then, it’s been tough. The ideas aren’t there and the execution is a little lax. Instead of pursuing a more difficult and time-consuming notion, I find myself choosing the path of least resistance. In so many previous works, there are a lot of gosh-gee-whiz moments that define the piece. I never know when they’re going to hit, but I’m always glad when they do. They have been conspicuously absent for nearly the last two weeks. I don’t know what’s wrong. Maybe I need to write another march. That always seems to get me right with my musical Jesus. With that said, though, I’m happy with what happens here in #221. My original idea was a minor-key chorale with a horn lead and lots of ninths. It didn’t turn out quite as I expected, but it’s OK. There are no gosh-gee-whiz moments, but that’s fine. Better yet, it gives me an idea for tomorrow’s piece. If you’ll allow me, I’m going to borrow the trombone part from this tune to build that one. Hey, everybody steals. If you steal from yourself, all the better. So, to sum up: I’m burnt out, it’s Christmas time, the weather is terrible (I spend much of my day shivering) and this project is hard. I’m off to housesit for my parents. See you tomorrow.
This project is getting difficult. OK, it was never easy, but I find myself getting a little burnt out. I’ve felt this way previously, but it always went away once I figured out a new (for me) approach or a better way to do business with the brass ensemble. Unfortunately, the last piece I really had strongly positive feelings about was #207. That little gem just came from nowhere. I felt like I could keep adding to it until I dropped from exhaustion. It was an amazing experience. Since then, it’s been tough. The ideas aren’t there and the execution is a little lax. Instead of pursuing a more difficult and time-consuming notion, I find myself choosing the path of least resistance. In so many previous works, there are a lot of gosh-gee-whiz moments that define the piece. I never know when they’re going to hit, but I’m always glad when they do. They have been conspicuously absent for nearly the last two weeks. I don’t know what’s wrong. Maybe I need to write another march. That always seems to get me right with my musical Jesus. With that said, though, I’m happy with what happens here in #221. My original idea was a minor-key chorale with a horn lead and lots of ninths. It didn’t turn out quite as I expected, but it’s OK. There are no gosh-gee-whiz moments, but that’s fine. Better yet, it gives me an idea for tomorrow’s piece. If you’ll allow me, I’m going to borrow the trombone part from this tune to build that one. Hey, everybody steals. If you steal from yourself, all the better. So, to sum up: I’m burnt out, it’s Christmas time, the weather is terrible (I spend much of my day shivering) and this project is hard. I’m off to housesit for my parents. See you tomorrow.
One Day Wonder #220
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
I had a pretty good idea for today’s tune: I was going to make the trumpet the least important member of the ensemble. This is what it sounds like. Instead of blasting out the melody, the trumpet takes care of the oom in the A section (the horns cover the pah part of the equation) and it only contributes to rhythm and chording in the B section. There isn’t a C. That’s probably because I was so cold after a got the B together, I just opted for a reprise of the A and called it a day. That’s right, I didn’t press it any further because I was cold. I put on a sweater, but it didn’t help. Anyhow, I’m happy with this piece nevertheless. It conforms to my original criteria (should be at least two minutes long and express a coherent musical thought) and doesn’t sound terrible. But it’s a little more expedient than I’d like it to be. It unwinds its themes, recaps and ends. There was room for a lot more here, but, hey, I was shivering, so I brought things to a close and retreated to a pile of blankets until it was time to turn on the heat. I’ll try a lot harder when it’s not so friggin cold out, I promise.
I had a pretty good idea for today’s tune: I was going to make the trumpet the least important member of the ensemble. This is what it sounds like. Instead of blasting out the melody, the trumpet takes care of the oom in the A section (the horns cover the pah part of the equation) and it only contributes to rhythm and chording in the B section. There isn’t a C. That’s probably because I was so cold after a got the B together, I just opted for a reprise of the A and called it a day. That’s right, I didn’t press it any further because I was cold. I put on a sweater, but it didn’t help. Anyhow, I’m happy with this piece nevertheless. It conforms to my original criteria (should be at least two minutes long and express a coherent musical thought) and doesn’t sound terrible. But it’s a little more expedient than I’d like it to be. It unwinds its themes, recaps and ends. There was room for a lot more here, but, hey, I was shivering, so I brought things to a close and retreated to a pile of blankets until it was time to turn on the heat. I’ll try a lot harder when it’s not so friggin cold out, I promise.
One Day Wonder #219
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
For this piece, I wanted to 1) have it in 7/8, and; 2) give it a strong eighth-note pulse. That’s about all I was aiming for. Sometimes I start a piece with far less in mind and it turns out great. This one is merely OK. No, I wasn’t trying to channel Gabrieli as in #116, #117 and #139. This turned out as it did, because I was unable to steer it in any other direction. Still, it’s not bad, but I realize that I may be entering a slump. My last really good piece was #214 and it seems like I wrote that decades ago. On top of that, I’m still suffering from some kind of malaise. I think I might be burning out on the project. I don’t feel like I’m hitting new territory as I did 100 pieces ago. Plus, it’s been really gloomy for the last month, which, as much as I hate to admit it, drags on my mood. On top of that, I’m too poor to heat my crummy apartment during the day and my computer is next to a drafty window, so I usually end a piece as quickly as I can because I’m shivering like a Chihuahua. That’s not exactly a recipe for skilled crafting of music. But if this project has taught me anything, it’s the value of patience and grim perseverance, so I’m ready to be patient and grimly persevere until something good happens. I mean, I’m already into this wacky scheme for 219 pieces, what’s another 81?
For this piece, I wanted to 1) have it in 7/8, and; 2) give it a strong eighth-note pulse. That’s about all I was aiming for. Sometimes I start a piece with far less in mind and it turns out great. This one is merely OK. No, I wasn’t trying to channel Gabrieli as in #116, #117 and #139. This turned out as it did, because I was unable to steer it in any other direction. Still, it’s not bad, but I realize that I may be entering a slump. My last really good piece was #214 and it seems like I wrote that decades ago. On top of that, I’m still suffering from some kind of malaise. I think I might be burning out on the project. I don’t feel like I’m hitting new territory as I did 100 pieces ago. Plus, it’s been really gloomy for the last month, which, as much as I hate to admit it, drags on my mood. On top of that, I’m too poor to heat my crummy apartment during the day and my computer is next to a drafty window, so I usually end a piece as quickly as I can because I’m shivering like a Chihuahua. That’s not exactly a recipe for skilled crafting of music. But if this project has taught me anything, it’s the value of patience and grim perseverance, so I’m ready to be patient and grimly persevere until something good happens. I mean, I’m already into this wacky scheme for 219 pieces, what’s another 81?
One Day Wonder #218
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
OK, #217 was meant to be an inversion/part swap of #216, but things went terribly awry. This is that promised inversion – with a few modifications. For one thing, I swapped the horn and trombone parts and the trumpet and tuba parts. Since the tuba’s walking part sounded retarded in the trumpet, I just doubled them up. And I slowed everything down to give the trombones a chance at the soli in the middle. How did it turn out? Well, I should have just stuck with #216 and moved on. This isn’t at all better. I didn’t think it would be. It sounds like there’s a lot more wrong stuff going on than in the original. But I knew there would come a day when I’d offer an almost full-on inversion of a tune. Here it is and it ain’t that great. I’m just glad my association with #216 is over. Sure, it’s ultimately turned out to be an OK piece, but was it really worth two more iterations? Maybe not.
OK, #217 was meant to be an inversion/part swap of #216, but things went terribly awry. This is that promised inversion – with a few modifications. For one thing, I swapped the horn and trombone parts and the trumpet and tuba parts. Since the tuba’s walking part sounded retarded in the trumpet, I just doubled them up. And I slowed everything down to give the trombones a chance at the soli in the middle. How did it turn out? Well, I should have just stuck with #216 and moved on. This isn’t at all better. I didn’t think it would be. It sounds like there’s a lot more wrong stuff going on than in the original. But I knew there would come a day when I’d offer an almost full-on inversion of a tune. Here it is and it ain’t that great. I’m just glad my association with #216 is over. Sure, it’s ultimately turned out to be an OK piece, but was it really worth two more iterations? Maybe not.
One Day Wonder #217
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
OK, I apologize for this. I’ve written 217 pieces so far, and all except this one are playable by humans. This is absolutely impossible to play. See, I was feeling a little disappointed with #216 and my friend Kris suggested that I invert it to see if the results were any better. Well, Finale’s inversion tool is pretty stupid. It’ll just invert things without regard to their register, so the lower the instrument, say tuba, the higher it turns out in inversion. For this iteration, I wanted to give the tuba the melody. That’s the really squeaky thing you hear above everyone else. It’s a tuba. Everybody else is playing super-high as well. You can just about distinguish the horns from the trombones, but just barely, because they’re both up in the stratosphere. So this is what Finale gave me for an inversion. It sounded so crazy that I thought I’d speed it up and keep it. So yes, I’m aware that it’s impossible to play, but I’ve got to have some fun occasionally, and this is the time. My apologies once again.
OK, I apologize for this. I’ve written 217 pieces so far, and all except this one are playable by humans. This is absolutely impossible to play. See, I was feeling a little disappointed with #216 and my friend Kris suggested that I invert it to see if the results were any better. Well, Finale’s inversion tool is pretty stupid. It’ll just invert things without regard to their register, so the lower the instrument, say tuba, the higher it turns out in inversion. For this iteration, I wanted to give the tuba the melody. That’s the really squeaky thing you hear above everyone else. It’s a tuba. Everybody else is playing super-high as well. You can just about distinguish the horns from the trombones, but just barely, because they’re both up in the stratosphere. So this is what Finale gave me for an inversion. It sounded so crazy that I thought I’d speed it up and keep it. So yes, I’m aware that it’s impossible to play, but I’ve got to have some fun occasionally, and this is the time. My apologies once again.
One Day Wonder #216
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
When I finished this piece, I thought it was the biggest stinker I’d written in a long time. Nothing about it seemed to work out. It didn’t have much of a tune (and its phrases ended poorly) to it and the accompaniment didn’t exactly snap, crackle and pop, either. But in the intervening time, it’s really grown on me. Maybe this is because I’ve gotten accustomed to its badness or maybe it’s because it’s pretty decent after all. I have no idea. Sometimes I write a piece and think it’s really nice, forget about it, return to it to find that there absolutely nothing special about it. Other times, like this, I really dislike the results, but I change my mind for unknown reasons after a little time passes. But there are pieces (#100 comes to mind) that are just so awful that nothing can be done about them. And conversely, my greatest hits (like #12 and #74, among many others) still rock. So I didn’t like this one when it was finished. It wasn’t the raw hatred I experienced with #212; it was more akin to disappointment and frustration that things hadn’t gone the way I’d planned them. Since I forget what I’d had planned, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
When I finished this piece, I thought it was the biggest stinker I’d written in a long time. Nothing about it seemed to work out. It didn’t have much of a tune (and its phrases ended poorly) to it and the accompaniment didn’t exactly snap, crackle and pop, either. But in the intervening time, it’s really grown on me. Maybe this is because I’ve gotten accustomed to its badness or maybe it’s because it’s pretty decent after all. I have no idea. Sometimes I write a piece and think it’s really nice, forget about it, return to it to find that there absolutely nothing special about it. Other times, like this, I really dislike the results, but I change my mind for unknown reasons after a little time passes. But there are pieces (#100 comes to mind) that are just so awful that nothing can be done about them. And conversely, my greatest hits (like #12 and #74, among many others) still rock. So I didn’t like this one when it was finished. It wasn’t the raw hatred I experienced with #212; it was more akin to disappointment and frustration that things hadn’t gone the way I’d planned them. Since I forget what I’d had planned, it doesn’t seem like such a big deal.
One Day Wonder #215
For 2 horns and 2 trumpets.
This is a little invention that was originally intended to bring out a lot of counterpoint between twin pairs of trumpets and horns. I strayed from that plan early on. Instead, I ended up pitting three instruments against one and have them eventually cross over until they’re all playing with the single instrument. And so it continues until the piece ends. I know that that’s a pretty inadequate description, but I find myself liking this tune a lot more now than when I wrote it. I didn’t really notice that the whole thing sounds so fanfare-like. And that’s good. It’s nice to get back to my roots.
This is a little invention that was originally intended to bring out a lot of counterpoint between twin pairs of trumpets and horns. I strayed from that plan early on. Instead, I ended up pitting three instruments against one and have them eventually cross over until they’re all playing with the single instrument. And so it continues until the piece ends. I know that that’s a pretty inadequate description, but I find myself liking this tune a lot more now than when I wrote it. I didn’t really notice that the whole thing sounds so fanfare-like. And that’s good. It’s nice to get back to my roots.
One Day Wonder #214
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
Having exploited just one element in #213 (the glissando in the trombone), I decided to give it another turn for today’s piece. I was curious to determine whether including it really held sway over the final product. The answer is a very clear yes. What element did I use? The simple grace note. I really haven’t used them much in the past. It’s just never occurred to me. But today, I decided to over-use them. They’re in the tune, the harmony, the accompaniment, everywhere except in the C theme. I went in a little different direction for that. The key is A minor, the meter is 3/4, the form is intro-ABACA, and the feel is driving. I didn’t really intend for it to drive so hard, though, but I tell you, those grace notes really spice things up. The toughest thing to get right in this piece was the accompaniment in the first A section. I changed things up a half dozen times and it still didn’t sound right. I wanted for there to be some exchange between the horns and the trombones, but everything I tried sounded either too cluttered, too jerky or it didn’t support the melody enough. I finally settled for something that I didn’t want, but it worked well enough. The B theme is a good contrasting statement to the surrounding As, though I’m noticing now that a lot of my stuff for the horn is following a basic diatonic-non-diatonic pattern. Although this is a little disturbing to realize, it really serves this piece well, so I preserve the practice. Once we arrive at the C theme, things get weird. I was in no mood to write anything nice for the trombone, so I just wrote some stuff and accompanied it with some moving horn lines. For fun, I had the two trumpets, second trombone and tuba interject almost random notes into the midst of the section. They slowly make their way toward the V chord to bring us back to the last A section. By now, the accompaniment situation has taken care of itself and everybody’s happy. I’m very satisfied with this piece. With a little more time, it may become one of my favorites. I’m just astounded by how much using all those grace notes shaped the outcome. Honestly, I would write something and think, “Meh, that ain’t so hot.” But then I’d add a few grace notes and it would be like, “Yeah, that’s what I wanted!” In conclusion, grace notes are cool.
Having exploited just one element in #213 (the glissando in the trombone), I decided to give it another turn for today’s piece. I was curious to determine whether including it really held sway over the final product. The answer is a very clear yes. What element did I use? The simple grace note. I really haven’t used them much in the past. It’s just never occurred to me. But today, I decided to over-use them. They’re in the tune, the harmony, the accompaniment, everywhere except in the C theme. I went in a little different direction for that. The key is A minor, the meter is 3/4, the form is intro-ABACA, and the feel is driving. I didn’t really intend for it to drive so hard, though, but I tell you, those grace notes really spice things up. The toughest thing to get right in this piece was the accompaniment in the first A section. I changed things up a half dozen times and it still didn’t sound right. I wanted for there to be some exchange between the horns and the trombones, but everything I tried sounded either too cluttered, too jerky or it didn’t support the melody enough. I finally settled for something that I didn’t want, but it worked well enough. The B theme is a good contrasting statement to the surrounding As, though I’m noticing now that a lot of my stuff for the horn is following a basic diatonic-non-diatonic pattern. Although this is a little disturbing to realize, it really serves this piece well, so I preserve the practice. Once we arrive at the C theme, things get weird. I was in no mood to write anything nice for the trombone, so I just wrote some stuff and accompanied it with some moving horn lines. For fun, I had the two trumpets, second trombone and tuba interject almost random notes into the midst of the section. They slowly make their way toward the V chord to bring us back to the last A section. By now, the accompaniment situation has taken care of itself and everybody’s happy. I’m very satisfied with this piece. With a little more time, it may become one of my favorites. I’m just astounded by how much using all those grace notes shaped the outcome. Honestly, I would write something and think, “Meh, that ain’t so hot.” But then I’d add a few grace notes and it would be like, “Yeah, that’s what I wanted!” In conclusion, grace notes are cool.
One Day Wonder #213
For 1 horn, 1 trombone and tuba.
Once more, I’m lacking inspiration, so I just choose some instruments and get going. It’s been a while since I featured trombone glissandi in a piece, so I decided to include a lot of those and involve all three instruments in a lot of interplay. I wasn’t going to base this around some kind of memorable tune, but instead use melodic fragments to keep things lively. For a little contrast, I wrote up a little quasi-fugal section and worked back to the original fragmentary melody. The whole thing works well enough. For the millionth time, this should sound much better and (and a lot quirkier) with real musicians playing it, as the glissandi in the trombone are a poor facsimile. But it adds up nicely even as a robo-track. And finally, let it be known that I really liked writing this piece. I seldom experience what I did with #212. That was a fluke to the extreme.
Once more, I’m lacking inspiration, so I just choose some instruments and get going. It’s been a while since I featured trombone glissandi in a piece, so I decided to include a lot of those and involve all three instruments in a lot of interplay. I wasn’t going to base this around some kind of memorable tune, but instead use melodic fragments to keep things lively. For a little contrast, I wrote up a little quasi-fugal section and worked back to the original fragmentary melody. The whole thing works well enough. For the millionth time, this should sound much better and (and a lot quirkier) with real musicians playing it, as the glissandi in the trombone are a poor facsimile. But it adds up nicely even as a robo-track. And finally, let it be known that I really liked writing this piece. I seldom experience what I did with #212. That was a fluke to the extreme.
One Day Wonder #212
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba
Writing this piece was an odd experience. From the second I started it until I’d almost finished it, I just hated the bejeezus out of it. For three hours and twenty minutes of the three and a half hours that it took me to complete it, I loathed it all the way till next Sunday. My initial intention was to write a bouree, which is (according to Wikipedia) a quick double-time baroque-era dance that employs an eighth note pickup. OK, it’s not a very specific map to success. Minutes after I began it, the plan went out the window and I was just trying like hell not to write something crappy. As I mentioned, that was severely in doubt for a long time. But I tweaked a few things and threw in a few odd moments and this is how it turned out. It’s pretty basic, form-wise – it’s just (not a very good) intro ABA and that’s all she wrote. The reason why it’s so short is that I didn’t want to write any more than was absolutely necessary. OK, so I’m still not crazy about it. In fact, I don’t like it much, but compared to how I was feeling about it as I was writing it, I’m happy that a hopeless situation turned into an adequate one.
Writing this piece was an odd experience. From the second I started it until I’d almost finished it, I just hated the bejeezus out of it. For three hours and twenty minutes of the three and a half hours that it took me to complete it, I loathed it all the way till next Sunday. My initial intention was to write a bouree, which is (according to Wikipedia) a quick double-time baroque-era dance that employs an eighth note pickup. OK, it’s not a very specific map to success. Minutes after I began it, the plan went out the window and I was just trying like hell not to write something crappy. As I mentioned, that was severely in doubt for a long time. But I tweaked a few things and threw in a few odd moments and this is how it turned out. It’s pretty basic, form-wise – it’s just (not a very good) intro ABA and that’s all she wrote. The reason why it’s so short is that I didn’t want to write any more than was absolutely necessary. OK, so I’m still not crazy about it. In fact, I don’t like it much, but compared to how I was feeling about it as I was writing it, I’m happy that a hopeless situation turned into an adequate one.
One Day Wonder #211
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
Well, #202 was something of a revelation for me. It showed me that a brass ensemble is a dynamite vehicle for minimalism. OK, my stuff doesn’t fit too well into the category, as it’s not very minimal, but we’ll use the term for the sake of convenience. Anyhow, by using short motifs, longer, non-lyrical melodic elements and metrical change-ups, I was able to fashion something that was surprisingly entertaining. At least I thought it was. This piece is another attempt to emulate the practice. This time around, the background lines are longer (and emphasize the ascending fourths) and the meter changes are different. For this, we have four bars of 11/8 followed by two bars of 3/4. That’s the scheme for most of the piece, although there is an extended chunk of 11/8 toward the end and the last eight bars are in 3. But besides that, the approach is nearly the same. When I first finished this tune, I thought that it was a pale imitation of #202 and that, once again, I didn’t possess the vocabulary or the chops to produce a foray into the same arena without lifting some major elements from the original model. Well, a few weeks have passed (I’ve still got a major backlog of posts) and I’m listening to this piece with new ears. I really like it. It manages to build itself into a really compelling work. Yeah, it does get muddy toward the end, but that’s the intent. It starts out quite starkly and ends up swirling around all the notes going every which-way, followed by the coda and the ending. The great thing about both of these pieces is that they’re almost infinitely expandable. Granted, I wouldn’t ask for brass players to blow for hours on end, but I can see either this or #202 going on for 15-20 minutes. And they probably wouldn’t be boring. Well, that’s the hope. I mean, nobody wants to write boring music. I’m sure that Jean-Baptiste Lully and Carl Nielsen didn’t want to, but, well… it just kind of turned out that way.
Well, #202 was something of a revelation for me. It showed me that a brass ensemble is a dynamite vehicle for minimalism. OK, my stuff doesn’t fit too well into the category, as it’s not very minimal, but we’ll use the term for the sake of convenience. Anyhow, by using short motifs, longer, non-lyrical melodic elements and metrical change-ups, I was able to fashion something that was surprisingly entertaining. At least I thought it was. This piece is another attempt to emulate the practice. This time around, the background lines are longer (and emphasize the ascending fourths) and the meter changes are different. For this, we have four bars of 11/8 followed by two bars of 3/4. That’s the scheme for most of the piece, although there is an extended chunk of 11/8 toward the end and the last eight bars are in 3. But besides that, the approach is nearly the same. When I first finished this tune, I thought that it was a pale imitation of #202 and that, once again, I didn’t possess the vocabulary or the chops to produce a foray into the same arena without lifting some major elements from the original model. Well, a few weeks have passed (I’ve still got a major backlog of posts) and I’m listening to this piece with new ears. I really like it. It manages to build itself into a really compelling work. Yeah, it does get muddy toward the end, but that’s the intent. It starts out quite starkly and ends up swirling around all the notes going every which-way, followed by the coda and the ending. The great thing about both of these pieces is that they’re almost infinitely expandable. Granted, I wouldn’t ask for brass players to blow for hours on end, but I can see either this or #202 going on for 15-20 minutes. And they probably wouldn’t be boring. Well, that’s the hope. I mean, nobody wants to write boring music. I’m sure that Jean-Baptiste Lully and Carl Nielsen didn’t want to, but, well… it just kind of turned out that way.
One Day Wonder #210
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and 1 trombone.
This tune is all about the trumpet. And lots of long chords. Never mind that I didn’t have a clue about what I needed to write today. I omitted the tuba so that it wouldn’t be a chorale. I also put it in Db major, which is a little unusual for me. I generally use that as my go-to deviant key, especially when I’m in F major, as I often am. But once it’s the main field of operation, I don’t do a lot with it, do I? There’s not much else that I can say about this piece. It speaks for itself. It says, “I am a minor work. Please treasure #207, #208 and #209 more than me. I have no idea what Igor was thinking when he wrote me. Thanks a bunch! See you around!”
This tune is all about the trumpet. And lots of long chords. Never mind that I didn’t have a clue about what I needed to write today. I omitted the tuba so that it wouldn’t be a chorale. I also put it in Db major, which is a little unusual for me. I generally use that as my go-to deviant key, especially when I’m in F major, as I often am. But once it’s the main field of operation, I don’t do a lot with it, do I? There’s not much else that I can say about this piece. It speaks for itself. It says, “I am a minor work. Please treasure #207, #208 and #209 more than me. I have no idea what Igor was thinking when he wrote me. Thanks a bunch! See you around!”
One Day Wonder #209
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet and 2 trombones.
To assuage my guilt about my lazy approach, I decided to give myself a challenge for today’s work: throw in constantly changing meters and see whether I could write something that sounds relatively normal. The metrical scheme for this is 3/8, 2/4, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8 and 4/4, which repeats in that order over the course of the entire piece and constitutes an entire phrase. It became pretty clear early on that I’d have to divide the phrase in half to give the whole concept viability, since writing a continuous melody with no resting point is not a good way to go. That midway point occurs naturally (more or less) at the 3/4 bar. Anyhow, following the success of the ritornello in #207, I use it here again, though it’s slightly different. The reprise in #207 had melodic alterations (both higher and lower); this time around, the tune is passed to other instruments. It’s first taken by the trombone, then the horn and finally the trumpet. In between the return of the theme, there are some adventures that get weirder as the piece progresses. The theme repeats three times and we’re done. Just to outline the metrical scheme, I dashed off a little outro. Every time the trumpet comes in is the beginning of the measure, with the last note being the first beat of the 4 measure as the last note. And then it’s done. You know, I was really thinking that this piece was really going to bust my chops and it didn’t. What’s going on here?? Well, either I’m getting a lot better at this or I’m getting a lot less discerning. I can’t tell which one it is…
To assuage my guilt about my lazy approach, I decided to give myself a challenge for today’s work: throw in constantly changing meters and see whether I could write something that sounds relatively normal. The metrical scheme for this is 3/8, 2/4, 5/8, 3/4, 7/8 and 4/4, which repeats in that order over the course of the entire piece and constitutes an entire phrase. It became pretty clear early on that I’d have to divide the phrase in half to give the whole concept viability, since writing a continuous melody with no resting point is not a good way to go. That midway point occurs naturally (more or less) at the 3/4 bar. Anyhow, following the success of the ritornello in #207, I use it here again, though it’s slightly different. The reprise in #207 had melodic alterations (both higher and lower); this time around, the tune is passed to other instruments. It’s first taken by the trombone, then the horn and finally the trumpet. In between the return of the theme, there are some adventures that get weirder as the piece progresses. The theme repeats three times and we’re done. Just to outline the metrical scheme, I dashed off a little outro. Every time the trumpet comes in is the beginning of the measure, with the last note being the first beat of the 4 measure as the last note. And then it’s done. You know, I was really thinking that this piece was really going to bust my chops and it didn’t. What’s going on here?? Well, either I’m getting a lot better at this or I’m getting a lot less discerning. I can’t tell which one it is…
One Day Wonder #208
For 3 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
After the small miracle of #207, I wanted to go for something a little more ominous. And this piece could serve well as a soundtrack to when the captives are brought to the dreaded Temple of Disembowelment. That’s not what I had in mind when I was writing it, but it serves as a good description for it now that I’ve heard it a few times. There’s nothing complicated about it. The horns provide the accompaniment throughout the A section. The tuba and trombone chime in a half beat and an octave apart. The time signature employs two bars of 4 and two bars of 3 for the entire piece. The melody enters, played by the trumpet, the horn (an octave down) and the bass trombone (another octave down). So the tune plods forward in massive fashion. The form is intro-ABACA-outro. Since the A theme is the most important part, I have to offer contrasts in the B and C sections. The B is just serves to build back to the A, because it doesn’t have anything resembling a tune, but the C does offer some thinner textures and even creates some space for the return with a brief interlude featuring the trumpet and tuba. I mean, it can’t be all massive all the time. Overall, I’m very satisfied with this piece, but I’m feeling a little guilty because it all seemed just a little too easy. That’s at the heart of my post-#200 malaise. It seems like I know how to write short pieces now, but I want to spend as little time as possible on them. But the things is that I could have spend twice as much time on this tune and it could have been half as good. There’s just no way to predict what’s going to happen on any given day. Sure, #207 was a joy to write, but more and more, I find myself taking the most expedient route. Like I said, though, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
After the small miracle of #207, I wanted to go for something a little more ominous. And this piece could serve well as a soundtrack to when the captives are brought to the dreaded Temple of Disembowelment. That’s not what I had in mind when I was writing it, but it serves as a good description for it now that I’ve heard it a few times. There’s nothing complicated about it. The horns provide the accompaniment throughout the A section. The tuba and trombone chime in a half beat and an octave apart. The time signature employs two bars of 4 and two bars of 3 for the entire piece. The melody enters, played by the trumpet, the horn (an octave down) and the bass trombone (another octave down). So the tune plods forward in massive fashion. The form is intro-ABACA-outro. Since the A theme is the most important part, I have to offer contrasts in the B and C sections. The B is just serves to build back to the A, because it doesn’t have anything resembling a tune, but the C does offer some thinner textures and even creates some space for the return with a brief interlude featuring the trumpet and tuba. I mean, it can’t be all massive all the time. Overall, I’m very satisfied with this piece, but I’m feeling a little guilty because it all seemed just a little too easy. That’s at the heart of my post-#200 malaise. It seems like I know how to write short pieces now, but I want to spend as little time as possible on them. But the things is that I could have spend twice as much time on this tune and it could have been half as good. There’s just no way to predict what’s going to happen on any given day. Sure, #207 was a joy to write, but more and more, I find myself taking the most expedient route. Like I said, though, that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
One Day Wonder #207
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba
Well, with all of the loudness of #206, I thought I’d go for something much lighter. I inventoried past pieces and discovered that I haven’t yet written a jig-like invention in ritornello form. When I started it, I had no sounds floating around my head just begging to be put down on the page. That’s not a big deal. It happens a lot. I chose the key (a nice, peppy Eb), the time signature (3/8, also peppy) and got to work. The only thing I knew for sure is that it would be a ritornello. All that means is that it returns to the main theme again and again. It’s also known as a rondo – to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to. For the purposes of the piece, it meant that the theme should probably be a short A1-A2 form and that it would be better if it wasn’t completely annoying, because it comes back again and again. OK, so this is all I had when I started out. After that, the tune seemed to write itself. Three hours later, I had a three-minute-long piece. And it’s a gem. It just keeps chugging along until it gets to the quasi-march section – I needed to write something to contrast all the lightness. This really is one of my favorites of the project. It’s conventional to the extreme, but there’s enough weird stuff about it to defy expectation and appeal to the ear. Here it is, late November. It’s cold and gloomy outside (which makes Belltown look particularly ugly), Christmas is fast approaching and I’m feeling in a bit of a post-#200 malaise. But this piece comes out of nowhere and really cheers me up. Thank you, nice little piece!
Well, with all of the loudness of #206, I thought I’d go for something much lighter. I inventoried past pieces and discovered that I haven’t yet written a jig-like invention in ritornello form. When I started it, I had no sounds floating around my head just begging to be put down on the page. That’s not a big deal. It happens a lot. I chose the key (a nice, peppy Eb), the time signature (3/8, also peppy) and got to work. The only thing I knew for sure is that it would be a ritornello. All that means is that it returns to the main theme again and again. It’s also known as a rondo – to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to. For the purposes of the piece, it meant that the theme should probably be a short A1-A2 form and that it would be better if it wasn’t completely annoying, because it comes back again and again. OK, so this is all I had when I started out. After that, the tune seemed to write itself. Three hours later, I had a three-minute-long piece. And it’s a gem. It just keeps chugging along until it gets to the quasi-march section – I needed to write something to contrast all the lightness. This really is one of my favorites of the project. It’s conventional to the extreme, but there’s enough weird stuff about it to defy expectation and appeal to the ear. Here it is, late November. It’s cold and gloomy outside (which makes Belltown look particularly ugly), Christmas is fast approaching and I’m feeling in a bit of a post-#200 malaise. But this piece comes out of nowhere and really cheers me up. Thank you, nice little piece!
One Day Wonder #206
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
It’s been a while since I’ve written something big’n’nasty. Today’s the day for that. There’s no system in play here. I just wanted to bring out the power of the ensemble. And things get very dissonant. Plus, I’ve been using a lot of repeating forms lately (AABA, ABACA, etc.) and I wanted none of that here. What you get is a free-flowing statement that doesn’t tie itself to the concept of tempo. The first part is forceful without being declamatory. That’s contrasted by a quasi-chorale, followed by a variant of the intro which is gradually taken over by the horn. I really like what happens here. I’m running contrary to my usual tendencies: I tend toward tonality (that ain’t no sin), formality (it’s a to use repeating forms in a two-minute piece) and a sense of tempo (that’s the jazz musician in me). I’d like to write more pieces like this, but I’m a bit afraid that my vocabulary is a little too limited. I can only attempt something similar after I’ve made an evolutionary step. If you check back to #17, which is the same approach, you’ll see that a lot has changed. Like I said, I’m really happy with what goes on here.
It’s been a while since I’ve written something big’n’nasty. Today’s the day for that. There’s no system in play here. I just wanted to bring out the power of the ensemble. And things get very dissonant. Plus, I’ve been using a lot of repeating forms lately (AABA, ABACA, etc.) and I wanted none of that here. What you get is a free-flowing statement that doesn’t tie itself to the concept of tempo. The first part is forceful without being declamatory. That’s contrasted by a quasi-chorale, followed by a variant of the intro which is gradually taken over by the horn. I really like what happens here. I’m running contrary to my usual tendencies: I tend toward tonality (that ain’t no sin), formality (it’s a to use repeating forms in a two-minute piece) and a sense of tempo (that’s the jazz musician in me). I’d like to write more pieces like this, but I’m a bit afraid that my vocabulary is a little too limited. I can only attempt something similar after I’ve made an evolutionary step. If you check back to #17, which is the same approach, you’ll see that a lot has changed. Like I said, I’m really happy with what goes on here.
One Day Wonder #205
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 3 trombones and tuba.
I had only a rhythmic idea for today’s piece. Here it is with a few modifications. What originally happened was that the rhythm was uniform, but when I played it back, it sounded far too bouncy. Now, I have nothing against things that bounce, but it didn’t have a place in this piece. I wanted to have this extended spacey melody floating above a sustained rhythm. The over-bounciness didn’t serve that intent very well, so all I did was make the first measure’s figure come in a half-beat earlier. That’s all. To contrast that, the B theme has a little more flow. I felt that it was long enough so that I could reprise the A theme right after it without having it sound like pure laziness on my part. I’m kind of glad that it all works out. My hopes were not high for this piece when I started it. After all, I only had a rhythmic motif in mind and not even one that was viable in its original form. But honestly, this turns out fine. It’s not one of my best, but it joins a large group of mid-grade pieces that have become the dividing point between good and bad.
I had only a rhythmic idea for today’s piece. Here it is with a few modifications. What originally happened was that the rhythm was uniform, but when I played it back, it sounded far too bouncy. Now, I have nothing against things that bounce, but it didn’t have a place in this piece. I wanted to have this extended spacey melody floating above a sustained rhythm. The over-bounciness didn’t serve that intent very well, so all I did was make the first measure’s figure come in a half-beat earlier. That’s all. To contrast that, the B theme has a little more flow. I felt that it was long enough so that I could reprise the A theme right after it without having it sound like pure laziness on my part. I’m kind of glad that it all works out. My hopes were not high for this piece when I started it. After all, I only had a rhythmic motif in mind and not even one that was viable in its original form. But honestly, this turns out fine. It’s not one of my best, but it joins a large group of mid-grade pieces that have become the dividing point between good and bad.
One Day Wonder #204
For 3 horns, 1 trumpet and trombone.
At this point, writing a simple four-part chorale for brass isn’t a viable option. I’ve done that before. And I’ve done it many times. But today’s piece is a variant of the chorale format. I wanted to get a full, ominous sound out of the horns and contrast it with some stark octaves in the trumpet and trombone. That’s the first part. There follows a bit of dialogue between the horns and trumpet/trombone combo and then some full-on ensemble playing. But even during that time, the trumpet and trombone never really buy into what the horns are playing. You know, I tried to get some horn-like warmth from the trumpet and trombone, but it just didn’t work out in this piece, so I preserved the contrast between the two groups. I’m a little neutral with how this turned out. Every time I listen to it, I keep expecting something else to happen. It doesn’t. Perhaps I would have noticed that when I first wrote it.
At this point, writing a simple four-part chorale for brass isn’t a viable option. I’ve done that before. And I’ve done it many times. But today’s piece is a variant of the chorale format. I wanted to get a full, ominous sound out of the horns and contrast it with some stark octaves in the trumpet and trombone. That’s the first part. There follows a bit of dialogue between the horns and trumpet/trombone combo and then some full-on ensemble playing. But even during that time, the trumpet and trombone never really buy into what the horns are playing. You know, I tried to get some horn-like warmth from the trumpet and trombone, but it just didn’t work out in this piece, so I preserved the contrast between the two groups. I’m a little neutral with how this turned out. Every time I listen to it, I keep expecting something else to happen. It doesn’t. Perhaps I would have noticed that when I first wrote it.
One Day Wonder #203
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
Every so often when I’m thinking of a subject for the day’s piece, I try to combine a few terms that will yield something good. For today’s work, I chose to mix ninths with a latin feel. So there you go, “ninths” and “latin.” That’s all I started with. I sat down and got to work. I’m pleased with the result. The basic workings of the accompaniment has the tonal chord at the beginning of the two-bar pattern contrasted with a rather clunky ninth chord in the middle of that and ended with a harmonic transition to the next two-bar statement. You’ll also notice that a lot of sevenths sneak their way into things along the way. Since the basic ABA form didn‘t offer enough variety, I added a C theme with a horn and more terse rhythm that still churns out those sour-sounding ninths. Instead, it’s all about being in a minor key and that’s it. Once it’s over, the B theme takes over, leading to the last A theme and the ending. Again, this tune would sound great with live players, but the robo-track ain’t so bad. It’s just that the accompaniment is a little out of balance. Yeah, there’s not a good blend here, but still, you get a good idea of what this is all about.
Every so often when I’m thinking of a subject for the day’s piece, I try to combine a few terms that will yield something good. For today’s work, I chose to mix ninths with a latin feel. So there you go, “ninths” and “latin.” That’s all I started with. I sat down and got to work. I’m pleased with the result. The basic workings of the accompaniment has the tonal chord at the beginning of the two-bar pattern contrasted with a rather clunky ninth chord in the middle of that and ended with a harmonic transition to the next two-bar statement. You’ll also notice that a lot of sevenths sneak their way into things along the way. Since the basic ABA form didn‘t offer enough variety, I added a C theme with a horn and more terse rhythm that still churns out those sour-sounding ninths. Instead, it’s all about being in a minor key and that’s it. Once it’s over, the B theme takes over, leading to the last A theme and the ending. Again, this tune would sound great with live players, but the robo-track ain’t so bad. It’s just that the accompaniment is a little out of balance. Yeah, there’s not a good blend here, but still, you get a good idea of what this is all about.
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.
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.
One Day Wonder #201
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet and tuba.
It had been a while since I’d tried something with a lot of counterpoint. I intended to write a minor-key fugue, but this is what came out. The main theme comes and goes, only returning after all those unison passages and sequences. Yes, there’s a good deal of counterpoint going on, but those unison passages provide a nice contrast. Overall, it’s pretty bland, but it chugs along nicely and really lets you know what its themes are, because they get repeated a lot. But everybody gets their say in this piece. Well, except maybe for the second horn. When I listen to this tune against earlier contrapuntal efforts, I see that I’ve come a long way, but the formality of the fugue usually trips me up. This is no exception. When I was in college, there was never much emphasis on counterpoint and I regret that they didn’t force that stuff down our throats. Oh well, I’m learning it now. One thing that I noticed once I'd finished is that the principle theme sounds a little like "Sorftly as in a Morning Sunrise." At least to me it does. Well, it's a little late to do anything about it now, but just know that I'm aware of it.
It had been a while since I’d tried something with a lot of counterpoint. I intended to write a minor-key fugue, but this is what came out. The main theme comes and goes, only returning after all those unison passages and sequences. Yes, there’s a good deal of counterpoint going on, but those unison passages provide a nice contrast. Overall, it’s pretty bland, but it chugs along nicely and really lets you know what its themes are, because they get repeated a lot. But everybody gets their say in this piece. Well, except maybe for the second horn. When I listen to this tune against earlier contrapuntal efforts, I see that I’ve come a long way, but the formality of the fugue usually trips me up. This is no exception. When I was in college, there was never much emphasis on counterpoint and I regret that they didn’t force that stuff down our throats. Oh well, I’m learning it now. One thing that I noticed once I'd finished is that the principle theme sounds a little like "Sorftly as in a Morning Sunrise." At least to me it does. Well, it's a little late to do anything about it now, but just know that I'm aware of it.
One Day Wonder #200
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
Here we are at #200. I had absolutely no idea how to commemorate the occasion until I turned on the radio. The local classical station was playing a scad of choral pieces. One of them was a Shaker hymn called "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten." To say that this tune is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard is something of an understatement. I can't describe just how gorgeous the performance and the arrangement were. I believe the group was the Dale Warland Singers. After that powerful experience, I figured I'd write a fake Shaker, or Faker (Shake'n'fake also works) tune. I listened to lots of examples of true sources (mostly very, very old ladies singing in their kitchens for roving archivists) and arrangments (including the big finale from Appalachian Spring) and came away with this much: all these tunes are ruled by their words (which accounts for their sometimes oddball phrasing), their melodies are simple in the extreme and they come in two main varieties: lyrical and chant-like. I decided to employ these very basic observations in this piece. And yes, I realize that a brass quintet is not the ideal ensemble to convey the aesthetic, but that's what I'm working with here. I'm also aware that my articulations in the group are a little weird. I'm still working on that. What this tune gives you is a simple AABA chant-like modal melody played by the trumpet, then backed by the ensemble. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's not "Simple Gifts" (probably the best-known Shaker tune) or "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten," but it has its moments.
All of this got me to thinking. Maybe the Shakers have it right. I'm not a religious person in the least, but isn't it a comforting thought that there's a God who keeps track of even the littlest of things? To think that there's some being out there who is all love and kindness - who sees righteousness in all of his creations - it's a lovely idea. This isn't the flashy, belligerent fraud of televangelists or the Catholics' formal and distant uber-pope or any of our dogmatic conceptions of the supreme power. The Shaker deity is all gentleness and compassion. Having lived in Belltown for 17 years, I can tell you that a sea of human misery, selfishness, stupidity and cruelty flows by under my window each day. It's very soothing to know that there might be a place where none of that exists. And it's a place for you, me, all the people rolling by on 2nd Avenue, the crazy folks who live next door and everyone else. And, if the hymn is to be believed, there will also be sparrows.
No, I'm not ready to become a Shaker, but their unorthodox beliefs fill me with hope. I've been a little short on that for the last year.
Here we are at #200. I had absolutely no idea how to commemorate the occasion until I turned on the radio. The local classical station was playing a scad of choral pieces. One of them was a Shaker hymn called "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten." To say that this tune is one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard is something of an understatement. I can't describe just how gorgeous the performance and the arrangement were. I believe the group was the Dale Warland Singers. After that powerful experience, I figured I'd write a fake Shaker, or Faker (Shake'n'fake also works) tune. I listened to lots of examples of true sources (mostly very, very old ladies singing in their kitchens for roving archivists) and arrangments (including the big finale from Appalachian Spring) and came away with this much: all these tunes are ruled by their words (which accounts for their sometimes oddball phrasing), their melodies are simple in the extreme and they come in two main varieties: lyrical and chant-like. I decided to employ these very basic observations in this piece. And yes, I realize that a brass quintet is not the ideal ensemble to convey the aesthetic, but that's what I'm working with here. I'm also aware that my articulations in the group are a little weird. I'm still working on that. What this tune gives you is a simple AABA chant-like modal melody played by the trumpet, then backed by the ensemble. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. It's not "Simple Gifts" (probably the best-known Shaker tune) or "Not One Sparrow Is Forgotten," but it has its moments.
All of this got me to thinking. Maybe the Shakers have it right. I'm not a religious person in the least, but isn't it a comforting thought that there's a God who keeps track of even the littlest of things? To think that there's some being out there who is all love and kindness - who sees righteousness in all of his creations - it's a lovely idea. This isn't the flashy, belligerent fraud of televangelists or the Catholics' formal and distant uber-pope or any of our dogmatic conceptions of the supreme power. The Shaker deity is all gentleness and compassion. Having lived in Belltown for 17 years, I can tell you that a sea of human misery, selfishness, stupidity and cruelty flows by under my window each day. It's very soothing to know that there might be a place where none of that exists. And it's a place for you, me, all the people rolling by on 2nd Avenue, the crazy folks who live next door and everyone else. And, if the hymn is to be believed, there will also be sparrows.
No, I'm not ready to become a Shaker, but their unorthodox beliefs fill me with hope. I've been a little short on that for the last year.
One Day Wonder #199
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
A long time ago – gosh, it must have been 100 tunes – I resolved that each #99, whether it be #99, #199 or #299 (which doesn’t exist yet) was going to be a wild ride. The problem is that #195 is that particular ride, so I decided to write something funk-tastic. Lacking any better ideas, I opted for block-harmony funk and I couldn’t be happier. When I’m really on the ropes, as I was today, it’s my go-to format. And so here it is. I’m quite satisfied with it although it may not distinguish itself from other my pieces of the genre. That’s OK, as this upcoming milestone isn’t much of a cause for joy. All I can think is: “What the hell are the next 100 pieces gonna be about?” Even so, I’m grimly determined to finish this project and make it as good as I can possibly manage.
A long time ago – gosh, it must have been 100 tunes – I resolved that each #99, whether it be #99, #199 or #299 (which doesn’t exist yet) was going to be a wild ride. The problem is that #195 is that particular ride, so I decided to write something funk-tastic. Lacking any better ideas, I opted for block-harmony funk and I couldn’t be happier. When I’m really on the ropes, as I was today, it’s my go-to format. And so here it is. I’m quite satisfied with it although it may not distinguish itself from other my pieces of the genre. That’s OK, as this upcoming milestone isn’t much of a cause for joy. All I can think is: “What the hell are the next 100 pieces gonna be about?” Even so, I’m grimly determined to finish this project and make it as good as I can possibly manage.
One Day Wonder #198
For 2 horns, 1 Flugelhorn, 3 trombones and tuba.
After the overwhelmingly positive experience I had writing #196, I decided to give serialism another whirl. This time, our tone row is F#=B-A-E-C-D-D#-E#-G#-A#-G-C#. This piece is far more chorale-like than its predecessor. I’m watching this explanation of Schoenberg’s Verklaerte Nacht (which is totally not a serial piece) with this very enthusiastic guy describing it almost measure-by-measure. It’s never been a favorite of mine, as it does, just like with Mahler, try to paint literal pictures with music. This has always seemed very silly to me in that delegating music to mere verbal descriptions does a disservice to both music and writing. But with the coming of the tone poem and such, I do have several least disliked practitioners. They're Richard Strauss and Berlioz. I have my reasons, which are a little too expansive to go into a blog that nobody reads. Be that as it may, you’re welcome to make up any back story you’d like with this piece: Man limps down path, has an epiphany, limps away and so forth. I intended nothing like that. What you have to keep in mind is that the piece will sound a lot different, as the lead voice is for Flugelhorn. What you’re hearing is plain, garden-variety trumpet. Thank you, Finale! You have a patch for banjo and windchimes, but nothing for Flugelhorn, an instrument infinitely more pleasant that either of those. Anyhow, when listening to this tune, think of the lead voice as a cross between a trumpet and a French horn. I know you can! Just do that for me. Thanks a bunch and enjoy the piece.
After the overwhelmingly positive experience I had writing #196, I decided to give serialism another whirl. This time, our tone row is F#=B-A-E-C-D-D#-E#-G#-A#-G-C#. This piece is far more chorale-like than its predecessor. I’m watching this explanation of Schoenberg’s Verklaerte Nacht (which is totally not a serial piece) with this very enthusiastic guy describing it almost measure-by-measure. It’s never been a favorite of mine, as it does, just like with Mahler, try to paint literal pictures with music. This has always seemed very silly to me in that delegating music to mere verbal descriptions does a disservice to both music and writing. But with the coming of the tone poem and such, I do have several least disliked practitioners. They're Richard Strauss and Berlioz. I have my reasons, which are a little too expansive to go into a blog that nobody reads. Be that as it may, you’re welcome to make up any back story you’d like with this piece: Man limps down path, has an epiphany, limps away and so forth. I intended nothing like that. What you have to keep in mind is that the piece will sound a lot different, as the lead voice is for Flugelhorn. What you’re hearing is plain, garden-variety trumpet. Thank you, Finale! You have a patch for banjo and windchimes, but nothing for Flugelhorn, an instrument infinitely more pleasant that either of those. Anyhow, when listening to this tune, think of the lead voice as a cross between a trumpet and a French horn. I know you can! Just do that for me. Thanks a bunch and enjoy the piece.
One Day Wonder #197
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
Lacking any better ideas, I decided to write a pleasant little number in 7/8. And here it is! The form on this one is a little curious. The A section is actually a mini-AABA song form, then the real B section follows, then the C and finally back to the A at its midpoint. Does that make any sense? Writing about music is difficult. Even laying out a piece’s basic form can result in a muddle. I apologize for any confusion. Anyhow, this tune is pretty inoffensive. It’s a nice diatonic Ab for quite a while. You can tell the exact instant when I got tired of staying in the same key, because that’s where the harmonic adventures start. But soon we’re back to safe’n’secure Ab. And that’s all I can really tell you. This piece is yet another example of me writing something and completely forgetting about it. I mean, what with #190 and #195 recently behind me and the landmark of #200 up ahead, it’s an easy thing to do. But I do like this tune. It just doesn’t distinguish itself. The big question is: could I have written this kind of piece a month ago? I’m not sure. Probably not. The melody and the harmony, maybe, but the phrasing and the form, definitely not. And there you have it.
Lacking any better ideas, I decided to write a pleasant little number in 7/8. And here it is! The form on this one is a little curious. The A section is actually a mini-AABA song form, then the real B section follows, then the C and finally back to the A at its midpoint. Does that make any sense? Writing about music is difficult. Even laying out a piece’s basic form can result in a muddle. I apologize for any confusion. Anyhow, this tune is pretty inoffensive. It’s a nice diatonic Ab for quite a while. You can tell the exact instant when I got tired of staying in the same key, because that’s where the harmonic adventures start. But soon we’re back to safe’n’secure Ab. And that’s all I can really tell you. This piece is yet another example of me writing something and completely forgetting about it. I mean, what with #190 and #195 recently behind me and the landmark of #200 up ahead, it’s an easy thing to do. But I do like this tune. It just doesn’t distinguish itself. The big question is: could I have written this kind of piece a month ago? I’m not sure. Probably not. The melody and the harmony, maybe, but the phrasing and the form, definitely not. And there you have it.
One Day Wonder #196
For 1 horn, 1 trumpet, 1 trombone and tuba.
After yesterday’s wild ride, what kind of piece do I write? Well, I thought I’d give serialism a try. For those unfamiliar, serialism (also known as 12-tone music) is a system that employs all 12 tones in the octave for its purposes. It was developed by Arnold Schoenberg and elaborated by his students, Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Serialism is the cornerstone of 20th century music. It’s also why very few people listen to contemporary music, as it tends to reject conventional melody, harmony and rhythm in favor of the so-called “atonal” approach. Since the time of Schoenberg, serialism was cultivated even further by the likes of Elliott Carter and Milton Babbitt. I liken their stuff to a Rubik’s cube in its complexity; rotate a side one way and the tone row, harmony and dynamics shift accordingly. The works of Carter and Babbitt are not exactly filled with a bounty of human warmth. Since their heyday in the seventies and eighties, serialism has been on the decline. After the fall of the Berlin wall, it really went into a tailspin. And that pretty much brings us to the present. It’s the 21st century and everybody’s writing everything. And I’m writing 12-tone music. Look at me, ma!
This is a very elementary stab at serialism. It’s very clear and methodical. The trombone only has one note – a B-flat – and plays an ostinato rhythm for the entire piece over three bars of 4 and one of 5/8. Our tone row is Bb-G-Db-Gb-E-D-B-Ab-C-Eb-F-A. Since the trombone has the Bb covered, the rest of the ensemble never plays it. So the row unfolds. You hear it in various incarnations: as a melody, in harmony and systematically tossed around the ensemble before it gets restated and further reworked. I really enjoyed writing this. There can be an odd beauty and intensity to this kind of music. I’m not saying that this tune possesses it, but I’m pleased that I can write music that makes sense on a basic theoretical level and doesn’t grate on the ears.
NOTE: I stand corrected! A comment pointed out that Elliott Carter is not a serialist in the strict sense that he employ the 12-tone system in his works. And yes, that's true, but I guess what I was trying to get at is that his writing is extremely systematized and that practice stems from original 12-tone theory. As for the assertion that his music lacks warmth, that's still my belief, but anyone is free to enjoy it as they see fit. See, the composer's job is still to write music that somehow forges a connection with their listeners. Whenever I hear something by Carter (and it's not often) I only hear a system in play, and it doesn't matter whether he's basing his piece on four- six- or twelve-voice chords, it sounds extremely dry and academic to my ears. In short, there's no bond between the piece and me, as it's merely a showcase for whatever system he's employing and not a series of arbitrary aesthetic decisions that have governed all process in the past. His stuff just doesn't move me, because it's missing a very crucial human element in it. That's all!
After yesterday’s wild ride, what kind of piece do I write? Well, I thought I’d give serialism a try. For those unfamiliar, serialism (also known as 12-tone music) is a system that employs all 12 tones in the octave for its purposes. It was developed by Arnold Schoenberg and elaborated by his students, Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Serialism is the cornerstone of 20th century music. It’s also why very few people listen to contemporary music, as it tends to reject conventional melody, harmony and rhythm in favor of the so-called “atonal” approach. Since the time of Schoenberg, serialism was cultivated even further by the likes of Elliott Carter and Milton Babbitt. I liken their stuff to a Rubik’s cube in its complexity; rotate a side one way and the tone row, harmony and dynamics shift accordingly. The works of Carter and Babbitt are not exactly filled with a bounty of human warmth. Since their heyday in the seventies and eighties, serialism has been on the decline. After the fall of the Berlin wall, it really went into a tailspin. And that pretty much brings us to the present. It’s the 21st century and everybody’s writing everything. And I’m writing 12-tone music. Look at me, ma!
This is a very elementary stab at serialism. It’s very clear and methodical. The trombone only has one note – a B-flat – and plays an ostinato rhythm for the entire piece over three bars of 4 and one of 5/8. Our tone row is Bb-G-Db-Gb-E-D-B-Ab-C-Eb-F-A. Since the trombone has the Bb covered, the rest of the ensemble never plays it. So the row unfolds. You hear it in various incarnations: as a melody, in harmony and systematically tossed around the ensemble before it gets restated and further reworked. I really enjoyed writing this. There can be an odd beauty and intensity to this kind of music. I’m not saying that this tune possesses it, but I’m pleased that I can write music that makes sense on a basic theoretical level and doesn’t grate on the ears.
NOTE: I stand corrected! A comment pointed out that Elliott Carter is not a serialist in the strict sense that he employ the 12-tone system in his works. And yes, that's true, but I guess what I was trying to get at is that his writing is extremely systematized and that practice stems from original 12-tone theory. As for the assertion that his music lacks warmth, that's still my belief, but anyone is free to enjoy it as they see fit. See, the composer's job is still to write music that somehow forges a connection with their listeners. Whenever I hear something by Carter (and it's not often) I only hear a system in play, and it doesn't matter whether he's basing his piece on four- six- or twelve-voice chords, it sounds extremely dry and academic to my ears. In short, there's no bond between the piece and me, as it's merely a showcase for whatever system he's employing and not a series of arbitrary aesthetic decisions that have governed all process in the past. His stuff just doesn't move me, because it's missing a very crucial human element in it. That's all!
One Day Wonder #195
For 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
This is the real deal, right here, right now. Not quite a march, not quite a polka, this tune rocks. Although it’s a little hairy around the edges, it’s still the finest thing I’ve done in many a moon. I wanted to write something zippy (I’ve been writing sub-120bpm stuff for what seems like forever) and I wanted it in Dorian B minor. And then I wrote it. Like many worthwhile pieces, it took quite a while to frame. By the time I got around to finishing, I finally noticed that it was pitch dark outside and that my apartment was freezing. I guess I kind of lost track of things. In the past, I’ve tried for some semblance of unity in these little tunes. I’ve even rewritten pieces (#50 comes to mind) because of violent mood swings – B, C or D themes that sounded like they belonged to other pieces. For this tune, I wanted mood swings. The A theme is a manic, driving affair that thrives on its own weirdness. The horn picks up the B theme with a more lyrical line and saner accompaniment that briefly makes its mark, before the A theme repeats. This time, the second trumpet has some very kinetic stuff going on beneath the main tune. The C theme is, well, the C theme. I have no idea where it came from. All I can remember is that I was staring at the blank spot where it was supposed to go and then it was there. If I was to call it anything, I’d say it was a quasi-chorale. No matter what it’s labeled, it doesn’t belong in something that’s not quite a march, not quite a polka. That’s the great thing about this piece. Nothing really belongs. That’s why everything goes together so well. This was really a thrill to write, because it wasn’t so much about one logical idea connecting to the next logical idea, but rather about chasing down all the crazy stuff that needed to go on the page. And yes, there’s a lot of dissonance going on both in the melody and harmony. That’s how I wanted it. Is it the best piece so far? No, but as I said, it’s the best piece in a long time.
This is the real deal, right here, right now. Not quite a march, not quite a polka, this tune rocks. Although it’s a little hairy around the edges, it’s still the finest thing I’ve done in many a moon. I wanted to write something zippy (I’ve been writing sub-120bpm stuff for what seems like forever) and I wanted it in Dorian B minor. And then I wrote it. Like many worthwhile pieces, it took quite a while to frame. By the time I got around to finishing, I finally noticed that it was pitch dark outside and that my apartment was freezing. I guess I kind of lost track of things. In the past, I’ve tried for some semblance of unity in these little tunes. I’ve even rewritten pieces (#50 comes to mind) because of violent mood swings – B, C or D themes that sounded like they belonged to other pieces. For this tune, I wanted mood swings. The A theme is a manic, driving affair that thrives on its own weirdness. The horn picks up the B theme with a more lyrical line and saner accompaniment that briefly makes its mark, before the A theme repeats. This time, the second trumpet has some very kinetic stuff going on beneath the main tune. The C theme is, well, the C theme. I have no idea where it came from. All I can remember is that I was staring at the blank spot where it was supposed to go and then it was there. If I was to call it anything, I’d say it was a quasi-chorale. No matter what it’s labeled, it doesn’t belong in something that’s not quite a march, not quite a polka. That’s the great thing about this piece. Nothing really belongs. That’s why everything goes together so well. This was really a thrill to write, because it wasn’t so much about one logical idea connecting to the next logical idea, but rather about chasing down all the crazy stuff that needed to go on the page. And yes, there’s a lot of dissonance going on both in the melody and harmony. That’s how I wanted it. Is it the best piece so far? No, but as I said, it’s the best piece in a long time.
One Day Wonder #194
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
My success with the alternating time signatures got me to thinking: what would #193 sound like if the whole thing was in 9/8? Well, here it is! Funny thing, to my ear, it sounds very similar. Sure the 3/4 bars did sound a little hurried, but this version still has an oddball flavor to it. Since I don’t want to make it appear that I’m just coasting along by making minor revisions to existing tunes, I decided to introduce a C theme in the horn and revise the ending a little. Well, I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t add that much to anything, but it does manage to confound the form a little more by making it: intro-A1BA2CA3. So my curiosity was satisfied. My question to you is whether there’s much of a difference between the two. And which is the better version? My vote is with #193, though this one is not without its charms.
My success with the alternating time signatures got me to thinking: what would #193 sound like if the whole thing was in 9/8? Well, here it is! Funny thing, to my ear, it sounds very similar. Sure the 3/4 bars did sound a little hurried, but this version still has an oddball flavor to it. Since I don’t want to make it appear that I’m just coasting along by making minor revisions to existing tunes, I decided to introduce a C theme in the horn and revise the ending a little. Well, I’m sorry to say that it doesn’t add that much to anything, but it does manage to confound the form a little more by making it: intro-A1BA2CA3. So my curiosity was satisfied. My question to you is whether there’s much of a difference between the two. And which is the better version? My vote is with #193, though this one is not without its charms.
One Day Wonder #193
For 2 horns, 1 trumpet, 2 trombones and tuba.
OK, this effort is much better than that of the previous day. It’s no secret that I like triple meters, whether it’s 3/4, 6/8 or 9/8. Since I’ve already given 6/8 its due many times, I decided to combine 3/4 with 9/8. Both have served me well in the past individually, but this was a chance for them to operate in tandem. I really didn’t want a waltz feel to this piece, so I put in some dotted rhythms for the intro. This alarmed me a little bit, as it tends to sound like a sports highlight soundtrack, but luckily, it only lasts until the trumpet enters. So here we have alternating measures of 3/4 and 9/8 throughout in the midst of a large intro-A1BA2 form. I’m really happy with how things went. I got to write something peppy, I give a fun section to the trombone and I get to screw with the form a little by reprising the end of the B section in the A2. You’ll notice that things sound a little crunchy when both A sections end. That’s intentional. I thought this piece needed some rough edges and there they are!
OK, this effort is much better than that of the previous day. It’s no secret that I like triple meters, whether it’s 3/4, 6/8 or 9/8. Since I’ve already given 6/8 its due many times, I decided to combine 3/4 with 9/8. Both have served me well in the past individually, but this was a chance for them to operate in tandem. I really didn’t want a waltz feel to this piece, so I put in some dotted rhythms for the intro. This alarmed me a little bit, as it tends to sound like a sports highlight soundtrack, but luckily, it only lasts until the trumpet enters. So here we have alternating measures of 3/4 and 9/8 throughout in the midst of a large intro-A1BA2 form. I’m really happy with how things went. I got to write something peppy, I give a fun section to the trombone and I get to screw with the form a little by reprising the end of the B section in the A2. You’ll notice that things sound a little crunchy when both A sections end. That’s intentional. I thought this piece needed some rough edges and there they are!
One Day Wonder #192
For 1 horn, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones and tuba.
As far as I recall, this is a latinesque piece in AABA form that features diminished chords in the bridge. It’s no surprise that I don’t remember it, as it is rather bland. I remember that I couldn’t think of much of a premise for it, but since I’m supposed to write a piece a day, this is the best I could come up with. It isn’t terrible by any stretch, but it might just be the most forgettable tune of the entire project. Nowadays, I’m finding myself writing pieces and immediately forgetting about them. It might be that the process is so ingrained that I turn my brain on and off for the day’s labors. Or it could be that I’m writing a lot of dumb stuff. Maybe it’s a little from column A, and a little from column B. I know that whenever I’m hesitant about a particular piece, I tend to reprise my greatest hits. They remind me that I actually can write quality music in the allotted time. Well, at least it passes muster by my own standards. When I turn out something like this, I can only tell myself that I’m just one piece closer to the next bit of musical loveliness. So that’s all I can tell you about this tune. Somewhere in the world, somebody might adopt it as their own personal theme song. It’s possible. I mean, there are people whose favorite Beatles tune is “I Dig a Pony.” But let it be known that this day’s work is nothing special.
As far as I recall, this is a latinesque piece in AABA form that features diminished chords in the bridge. It’s no surprise that I don’t remember it, as it is rather bland. I remember that I couldn’t think of much of a premise for it, but since I’m supposed to write a piece a day, this is the best I could come up with. It isn’t terrible by any stretch, but it might just be the most forgettable tune of the entire project. Nowadays, I’m finding myself writing pieces and immediately forgetting about them. It might be that the process is so ingrained that I turn my brain on and off for the day’s labors. Or it could be that I’m writing a lot of dumb stuff. Maybe it’s a little from column A, and a little from column B. I know that whenever I’m hesitant about a particular piece, I tend to reprise my greatest hits. They remind me that I actually can write quality music in the allotted time. Well, at least it passes muster by my own standards. When I turn out something like this, I can only tell myself that I’m just one piece closer to the next bit of musical loveliness. So that’s all I can tell you about this tune. Somewhere in the world, somebody might adopt it as their own personal theme song. It’s possible. I mean, there are people whose favorite Beatles tune is “I Dig a Pony.” But let it be known that this day’s work is nothing special.
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