Bloom Dance (2008)

Hi, everyone,

This piece was composed at Indiana University as part of the Hammer & Nail Project, a collaboration effort between IU's composition and modern dance departments. It will receive its premier on April 19th.

Instrumentation:
2 cl, bs cl, bn, cbn, pno

Duration:
c. 5'

Recording:
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This is a beautiful piece--the rhythm is wonderfully engaging, and it seems the interaction of the two main themes/motifs/elements(?) would be great material/cues for choreography. I think there is a forward momentum throughout that pulls the listener powerfully towards the music's conclusion; and yet it seems the music would not be overwhelming to the dance, either. Lovely composition--and congratulations on the premier!

I like you IU people, you write great music. Do you know Joni Greene, she was just at my school (Florida State) for a mini-New Music Festival we had. It was mainly student run, our main New Music Festival is next year. Anyway, she's a grad student, I forget if she's MM or DMA, but she's very nice and the piece she submitted was quite good. Maybe you know her, maybe you don't. Anyway, great piece. I'm not sure if you meant to fix this or not, and I'm sure your pianist will mention it, but you notated a chord in the right had at some point that spans at least 2 octaves. I didn't actually check, but it definitely stuck out to me as I was reading the score and listening along. It's near the end. Other than that, some good fresh things going on in this piece. I'm interested to know about your influences stylistically in writing this.

Hi GMS:

First off, I think the name Joni Greene rings a bell, but I don't know her from here. I think she may have left before I arrived here. But that's cool that we Hoosiers are getting out in the world

Second, those big chords in mm. 169-177 are meant to be played split between both hands, then held out with the sostenuto pedal while the more articulated lines in the bass clef are played. Guess I should put that in the score

Thanks for all your comments, everyone!

Originally Posted by mgrafe@indiana.edu

Hi, everyone,

This piece was composed at Indiana University as part of the Hammer & Nail Project, a collaboration effort between IU's composition and modern dance departments. It will receive its premier on April 19th.

Instrumentation:
2 cl, bs cl, bn, cbn, pno

Duration:
c. 5'

Recording:
Box.net - Free Online File Storage, Internet File Sharing, Online Storage, Access Documents & Files Anywhere, Backup Data, Send Files

Originally Posted by mgrafe@indiana.edu

Hi GMS:

First off, I think the name Joni Greene rings a bell, but I don't know her from here. I think she may have left before I arrived here. But that's cool that we Hoosiers are getting out in the world

Second, those big chords in mm. 169-177 are meant to be played split between both hands, then held out with the sostenuto pedal while the more articulated lines in the bass clef are played. Guess I should put that in the score

Thanks for all your comments, everyone!

Oh no, she's definitely still there. Check out her website www.jonigreene.com I believe it is. If not, just google Joni Greene, it'll come up.

And yeah, I figured you meant for it to be split in both hands, I just wanted to bring it to your attention.

You have great rhythmic energy here! Some good usage of thematic elements, especially when dealing with rhythms (the 9/16 motif especially). Overall I thought the piece was lacking in it's own harmonic identity though. There are points of tonality, there are points of dissonance, but I never felt it had its home anywhere. Perhaps it's just the aesthetic?

But great work! And enjoy the premiere!

It's been said, but the one thing that really gripped me was the rhythm. What a fantastic exploration!
On top that, the fact that there was a piano in there is what really made me want to listen (im a pianist lol, so im biased to pieces like yours).

I wish that you had a live recording of it...computer synthesizers dont do music justice...however, at least we got a good feel for it...and im just soooo happy after listening to it. I can imagine people sitting in an audience, sitting there 'awestruck' at this collaboration of sound (compliment). Its such an inviting piece.

I have to be honest though...when it first started...i was kinda iffy as to whether i wanted to listen on...and my mouse was hovering over the [X] button at the top of the screen...but it was as if your piece was reaching out of the screen and speakers and grabbing on to my mouse...moving the cursor to the save button. Haha. Just a little analogy there for you. So yes...VERY impressive and certainly a piece that would go very well on a stage.

Haha, if I had the time and recourses (instrumentalists)...i would be asking for your permission to perform it!!! thanks for posting and keep it up!


[EDIT] I should really read your post before I say things like 'its a shame it wasnt a live recording'...i just realised thats its going to be premiered hahaha. Awesome. Next step: Selling it to Hal Leonard

Originally Posted by oingo86

You have great rhythmic energy here! Some good usage of thematic elements, especially when dealing with rhythms (the 9/16 motif especially). Overall I thought the piece was lacking in it's own harmonic identity though. There are points of tonality, there are points of dissonance, but I never felt it had its home anywhere. Perhaps it's just the aesthetic?

But great work! And enjoy the premiere!

Tonality can have dissonance, the harmonic language was pretty consistent and fine....

I really loved the piece. Like everyone else has said, great rhythmic intensity. Your piano notation is a little screwy though. It's playable, but you could be more clear about what hand plays what. Also, it's perfectly acceptable in piano writing to do 8va markings and cleff changes (which I see you did later) to avoid ledger lines.

Yeah, my teacher has said as much. I split some things up between staves in a later edition of the score than the one I posted. I'm a bad composer.