Composition for Accordion, Saxophone and Euphonium. Help desperately needed!

Ok, so i have been set the task of writing a 4 minute plus piece for an Accordion, Saxophone and a Euphonium.

The accordion player is really talented, and can play very well.

The saxophone player is also good, though prefers only a few faster passages, and can't flutter tongue.

The Euphonium player has only just started playing, after stopping many years ago, and lacks confidence in her instrument. She only wants lower pitched notes, and slow/medium paces passages, with very few difficult leaps etc.

All i know is that this composition is to be performed in a concert in March, and i have to have it written by 18th January. I haven't been given a specific style, though i think a modern flair would be appropriate.

This is all i have to go on, and i am stuck! I have sat with Sibelius, my piano and pen and paper, and i just can't think of where to start. I have written for all the instruments before, i just can't think of something for them to play together!

Any help or suggestions of where to start would be greatly appreciated, especially as the deadline is looming!

OH My GOD!

yes, anyone who would write for accordion DESPERATELY needs help!!!

(just teasing... no, but really... accordion?.... do you HAVE to?)

:toothygrin:

OK, but seriously...

You might try starting with something that is really technically characteristic of teh most difficult instrument in your group for which to write: which I am going to assume is the accordion in this case.

Juggle around some ideas that are particularly "accordion-y" and tehn see where that goes, then look at how the same material could be adapted to the other two insturments.

Honestly, my heart bleeds for you (until my ears start to), because I REALLY hate accordion, and would never accept a commission to write for one. This is the only instrument I can honestly say "I hate". Strange. I wonder why the accordion brings out such a negative reaction from me.. I wonder if I was maybe molested by a rampaging accordion as a child or something..........

I play accordion (I'm not so great though...) and I totally disagree with QCcowboy!

Listen to Le fabuleux destin d'Am

Well done Christian! :thumbsup: Excellent explanation - the accordion is mechanically quite foreign to many of us.

Here's another excellent explanation/demo by accordion player Gary Versace. (it's the third one down in the list, labeled: Sky Blue Sessions Audio: Maria and Gary discuss the accordion.)

It's very interesting, the myriad of sounds available when combining reeds and such... I had no idea it worked like this until I heard this demo.

For your particular ensemble, it depends on what kid of music you want them to play... but if it's "regular" music (not serial, not modern, not baroque)... you might want to use the accordion left hand (accompanying). Oom-pah-Oom-pah (Bass C - Chord C - Bass G - Chord C)for 4/4 and Oom-pah-pah (Bass C - Chord C - Chord C) for 3/4 both work well. It will sound a bit "circus"... can't find a better word to describe sorry lol! Then sax and euphonium could duet. I personnally suggest a waltz, it tends to sound less "circus" than accompaniment in 4/4 (of course, you can use something else than oom-pah too!)

On the other hand, if you want to write something more baroque (fugue, canon, etc.) don't use the accordion left hand, instead use either the middle reed (leaving high voice to sax) or high / middle+high reed(s) (leaving middle voice to sax).

I play accordion (I'm not so great though...) and I totally disagree with QCcowboy!

Listen to Le fabuleux destin d'Am

OH My GOD!

yes, anyone who would write for accordion DESPERATELY needs help!!!

(just teasing... no, but really... accordion?.... do you HAVE to?)

:toothygrin:

This is similiar to "accordion sucks!"

Anyway!

I made you overreact I think... that was absolutely not the aim of my post. A lot of people hate accordions, I can't do anything against that.

Hey QCcowboy, you're from Quebec too right? Watch Le Parrain II tonight at TVA 22:30! Featuring accordion! Try to find one quality, one thing you like in the accordion ;)

oui Chris, from Montr

oui Chris, from Montr

Unique combination of instruments euphonium, saxophone and accordion.

Hey

Thanks for your technical advice with the accordion. I have written for the accordion before, so technicalities i'm not too bad with. It's just finding something to write for this combination of instruments. Yes, i HAVE to write for the accordion, haha! I didn't mean to spark off such a debate about the sound of the accordion! I personally like the sound, i just don't want to make my composition too cliche..... argh i just don't know where to start! If i had been given a style it would be a little easier, but all i know is the person i'm writing for has a like for a more modern style, so i'd need to utilize a few 'interesting' techniques! Modern isn't really my area either.

Ahh i suppose i'll sit at the computer again and see what i can come out with.

Any more suggestions would be so very helpful, and thanks again!