10 August 2014

Crocodiles and the Gardener

You would not know it from my light blogging activity, but I have been busy.  The task of creating a Sibelius file for Night of the Weeping Crocodiles was slow-ish (but, better than the first go).  Got it done yesterday!  Then, in short order, I adapted that file for the Op.16a version, clarinet, mallet percussion (roughly 45% marimba, 45% vibes, 10% Glockenspiel) & piano, which I think will be delightfully colorful (here's hoping Olivia likes it).

That done, I returned yesterday evening to the vc/pf piece I had started for Kirstin back in April, ... illa existimans quia hortulanus esset ... (...thinking him to be the gardener...)

Last night, I managed to write the ending, but the piece had not quite made its way there, so I needed to insert a paragraph. The rapid progress was a result, first, of (essentially) improvising a 16-measure [that figure makes it sound symmetrical and regular, but it is not] contrasting period; second, of at last bringing into this piece sketches I had made for the (abandoned) unaccompanied clarinet memorial for Bill Goodwin (I think I may make note of that somehow in the score — in all events, the material works better with sparse piano commentary as light accompaniment); third, a varied recapitulation of sorts, which I drew up while (ahem) finding myself unwilling to devote my full attention to a Harry Partch piece. At the end of the day, I felt I could probably wrap it up this morning.

. . . and I think I may have.  I shall let the piece cure overnight, and see tomorrow if there really is any serious alteration required.

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