Product Description
These three
pieces form a small suite, linked by the idea of pastoral or rustic
situations and places.
The first
piece to be written now forms the middle movement, though at first it was the
starting point.
This is not easy
music. It travels through several keys with large numbers of sharps and flats
and in places the time signature shifts constantly. The first movement is
modal, being based on the mixolydian and dorian modes. I took for this movement
the idea of ancient Celts celebrating a victory and dancing and getting drunk
around a smoky fire. Their chieftain strikes up a song, accompanied by a double
drone.
This melody
is initially stated on the horn, with just two other instruments providing the
accompaniment. At 4 before
B, the remaining instruments join in, providing a rhythmic pulse and the melody
moves to the Euphonium/Baritone/Trombone. Subtle variations shape the melody
anew, leading to letter C. Here the complex overlapping rhythms provide a more
dance-like feel to the music. Also, countermelodies start to appear which build
the excitement.
At letter E,
the music becomes louder and the rhythmic pulse more insistent (perhaps they
are dancing on the tables?) The mode changes to the more major sounding mixolydian.
But from here on in, the revellers are starting to wend their way home, still
singing and dancing and they gradually fade into the distance. At letter G, were
back to three players, but with the trumpet 1 playing a rhythmic melody over
the top of the original tune.
The second
movement is called "The Aesthetes".
The
aesthetic movement was formed in the 19th century, but had been
around before that in less formal garb. Their ideal was to emulate the Ancient
Greeks and Romans or at least their perception of what the ancients were like
as found in statues, paintings and friezes. They adopted studied poses and were
very effete in their mannerisms. Gilbert and Sullivan parodied the aesthetic
movement in their operettas particularly Princess Ida (but also in the Mikado
and various others).
So, here is
a movement with classical lines in the style of a minuet, but in 6/8 rather
than ¾ so that it can be more languid. All the melodies are studied and formal
with long, languid notes and rhythms which dont quite fit to the beat as the
aesthetes pose and ponder and languidly look, studied and pale and wan.
Because of
the long notes in the melody, theres an almost dream-like quality to the music
as if they are seeing through a haze of Wormwood or Absinthe (a favourite drink
of the aesthetes when they werent high on themselves or opiates).
The third
and final movement is called The Bohemians. This was also a movement at the end
of the 19th Century. Where the aesthetes were ruled by rules, the
Bohemians lived by none. They were considered wild and unconventional to say
the least.
The
Bohemians movement owed much to the supposed free life and style of the gypsies
and wanderers of Europe. Our piece starts with a gypsy violin style opening,
including a cadenza, and then moves into the rapidly time shifting and gyrating
gypsy dance.
This section is in alternating bars of 5/8 and 6/8 with
occasional 11/8 thrown in to keep you off balance. The frantic and frenetic
movement continues up to letter F where things calm down a little but not for
long as the intensity increases again from Letter H to the quite sudden ending.
This is tuneful yet challenging music which will take a lot
of effort, but which will give a lot back in return.
This product was created by a member of ArrangeMe, Hal Leonard's global self-publishing community of independent composers, arrangers, and songwriters. ArrangeMe allows for the publication of unique arrangements of both popular titles and original compositions from a wide variety of voices and backgrounds.