Collective Baroque Fandango Project

For those of you who would like to join a fun Summer project other than the bi-monthly competition and the soliloquy marathon (non excluding them, in case you want super extra fun), I launch the YC Baroque Fandango Workshop.

 

OBJECTIVE: To create the ultimate fandango for string quartet by joining together bits composed by whoever wants to contribute.

 

GENERAL STRUCTURE OF A BAROQUE FANDANGO: It is quite straightforward. It is basically continous variations upon a I - V harmonic ostinato. The ostinato is broken now and again by episodes built around some other harmonic chord progression.

 

BASIC HARMONIC PATTERNS:

- Main fandango pattern: alternating i - V as you want. To fix ideas, if the key is D min, it would be Dmin - Amaj over and over and over.

- Secondary pattern: Alternating iV - V (Gmin - Amaj). This is not to be repeated over and over; it is used to break up the main pattern for say, some bars.

- Episodes: You can use different progressions. The episodes are not repeated over and over, just to break up fandango pattern for, say, up to 16 bars. Progressions you can use:

         - Romanesca: III - VII - i - V (Fmaj, Cmaj, Dmin, Amaj)

         - Folia: i - V - i - VII - III - VII - i - V (Dmin, Amaj, Dmin, Cmaj, Fmaj, Cmaj, Dmin, Amaj)

         - Descending fourth: i - VII - VI - V

         - Cycle of fifhts: Starting either on i or in V.

         - Pachelbel canon

         - Any other progression you fancy. Just don't stray away from standard baroque harmony, and don't make them modulating (the episodes can have an inner modulation, but they must finish in either D min, A maj or any other chord that would allow linking with the main ostinato).

 

RULES:

- INSTRUMENTS: String quartet. I have considered piano and violin (it would allow to write duet, or just for piano solo - or for violin solo if you are into soliloquys...) Let me know if you'd rather write for piano and violin.

 

- KEY: Dmin, no modulations (you might modulate in episodes, but remember to go back home)

 

- TIME SIGNATURE AND TEMPO: 3/4 allegro (quarter note at about 120 bpm). 3/4 6/8 alternation is possible and idiomatic for the dance.

 

- STYLE: Stick to plain baroque harmony to guarantee a modicum of unity. This is not about coming up with fancy progressions or modernist harmonic systems; it is about rhythmic, melodic and texture invention within standard tonal harmony. Of course, the core harmonies can be spiced up with chromaticism, chord substitutions of interpolations, extended triads, suspensions and the like, just do not go wild with those.

 

- CADENCES: There are none, the music flows continuously. Just end your bit in either D min or A maj (or any other chord that can link to those), but without pausing the rhythmic activity.

 

MINIMUM AMOUNT OF MUSIC TO SUBMIT:

There is no minimum, it is up to you to submit just four bars or four pages. Work only with the main i - V, on an episode, whatever takes your fancy. You can submit separate bits composed in different days, as many as you like.

 

DEADLINE AND EDITION: I will be doing the edition, joining the different contributions. I'm available until September the first, so let's schedule the deadline around mid-august. The 20th would be fine, it will give me plenty of time.

 

FORMAT: I use Sibelius 6. If you use Finale, attach the Finale file but convert it to Sibelius 6, if it is possible. Write your name (or screen name) on your entries.

 

INSPIRATION:

Antonio Soler:  Antonio Soler: Fandango for Harpsichord - YouTube

 

Domenico Scarlatti: Domenico Scarlatti, Fandango. - YouTube

 

Luigi Boccherini: 

 

Rameau: 

(This one strays away from the model, since it is a binary baroque dance and the episode/fandango role is kind of reversed)

 

Mozart: 

 

That is about everything I can think of.

 

Let's fandango!

Edited July 10, 2013 by Sarastro

I see a little silhouetto of a man...

I see a little silhouetto of a man...

Lol, stop being annoying for once, and join the party! 

 

I shall post a sample fandango I just churned out, to give people the feel of the thing. 

 

It is actually great fun!

I have put together a quick and dirty sample to get you started:

 

Fandango Project Sample 

 

Some further observations and guidelines:

 

1. Writing fandango material is very fun and, unexpectedly, quite addictive, so be warned!

 

2. The tempo can fluctuate according to the nature of each section, so instead of fix it at 120 bpm, each composer can set the tempo that suits best their fragment.

 

3. The sample I submitted is very sloppy, but it is a sample; I expect the contributions be crafted to the highest standards of quality and musicianship, adhering to the rules of baroque voice leading, which of course, can be broken for musical and artistic reasons. Also, the music should be plausible (i.e. idiomatic and realistically playable).

 

Looking forward to your contributions!

I'll gladly compose one, sounds like fun  :thumbsup:

I'll work on something too and post it here in the next few days!

I have decided (granted, with Yoda's famous words in mind) to 'try' a fandango, but I cannot promise that it will be very good. I'm not over familiar with common practice voice leading rules, so it will probably be riddled with errors. Nevertheless, I will give it a go and try to maintain proper baroque harmony.

@ sonataform & danishali: Excelente, caballeros, welcome on board! Looking forward to your fandango segments.

 

@KJ: ¡Olé! Welcome to the fandango fiesta. Don't worry; people around here will help you get the fundamentals right, and I'm sure you will do very handsomely. Let this be your initiation trial  :evil: .