dance notes
Produced by: Madmusik
46 Devonshire Road
Bath, BA2 6UD. +44 (0)1225 313082
2:08; slow-medium 4/4; serene, majestic, expansive; strings, winds, percussion
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Composer's Blog
As per usual, I wrote this on the piano, before bringing in the other sounds. Initially, I played around with
using bassoon against the piano but pretty soon decided that it would actually suit strings. The piano part
was replaced by harp, which sits mostly in the background. Then I brought in oboe for the repeat of the A
part, joining this with a flute harmony in the B section. The strings mostly play legato throughout, though
there’s a nice tremolo on the violas that come in right from the start. A low sustained cello comes in with
the Oboe and this is joined a further octave down on the final repeat. There’s a clarinet adding some colour
during the B section, as well as harp glissandi, which definitely need some attention but are the right idea I
think.
When the theme returns after the B part, I wanted lots of unison and originally had both flute and clarinet
doubling the strings. This reminded me of my days playing flute in youth orchestras and how the flute part
tended to double the strings and/or oboe but rarely clarinet. Is it just me or is clarinet and flute doubled at
the octave not a pleasant sound? I decided in the end to have the clarinet play a lower harmony, which I
think fleshes out the harmony usefully as well.