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Work title - Duet for Two Bassoons, Op.26
Composer - James H. Householder IV (MusicManJ4)
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Background:
This duet was one I began several months ago but never finished. I based it highly on classical style, (it even reminds me of a particular composer, I just can't place him, anybody have any ideas?). I had the first two movements, but writer's block settled in and for the life of me I couldn't figure what to do about the third. When I joined Young Composers, I found the games and competitions and decided to participate in order to help me getting back into the groove of writing since I hadn't written much at all in the past year. When I saw the Duet Competition, I was particularly delighted since it would give me an incentive to finish my old duet in due time. So here it is! Movements III and IV were composed since the beginning of July to conform to the competition requirements, but I originally intended only three movements.
I. Vivace soave - D major
This first movement is in a perpetual state of development, themes come by and by morphing into the next section as they go. It is very playful throughout, and even ends quite suddenly as if it has decided to jump out a window in a light cartoon.
II. Andante scherzando - E major
The second is a very light and playful movement which never strays too far from its opening theme. Even between its B and C sections comes briefly the A theme in inversion before returning to B.
III. Largo melancolico - furioso e irato - pesante - A minor
This movement is based on a recurring rise and fall pattern, everything that goes up, must come down. This movement is the oddball of the bunch, the A section being particularly mesto, a deep and resolute sadness. Out of this sadness comes a sudden fury (illustrated by the B section), but this fury is short lived, and quickly dies back into hopelessness again. In the C section comes contemplation, what can be done to end the sadness? Many mischievious ideas are tossed about, but once a fair one has arisn, what is to be done with it? A confusion ensues, which but leads to nowhere but sadness once more. Again, soon enough comes the same fury, this time in reflection of the recent failure, but it is again short lived, yielding once more a hopelessness that may never cease.
IV. Presto giocoso - D major
The final movement is intended to sound like an organised mess of sorts. The A theme can be split into three further sections, the first of which is based on arpeggiated in hemiola, the second is slightly more melodic, and third is a return of the first but with variation which leads into the next section. The B section is a short Fughetta-like entity in G minor. After its brief episode, it begins again in A minor and finally leads back to the A section, which is increasingly more varied until the end.
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▌Mp3's and .mus (Finale 2002) can be found here -> http://www.j4.byethost9.com/Op.26.html
▌~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ The page features a reliable, built-in mp3 player for your convenience ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
▌Mp3's created by recording SoftSynth playback in Finale 2005 and 2008 demos using Sound Recorder.
▌Wave converted to .Mp3 using Musicmatch Jukebox
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Jul 3 2007, 9:57 PM
"Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." Albert Einstein
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