As I scrawled notes yesterday afternoon, my momentary title for the clarinet-&-strings piece was How Fond Her Heart Grew (in His Absence). While I do like it as a title, it does not suit the character of the music, as I began composing it last night. (What was the point?, you ask? But what is ever the point?) I am inverting the “introduction & Allegro” model, by writing an introduction which is poco agitato, with the main body of the work to be peaceful. The piece is now called Deep Breath. And, the first minute or so is composed. I expect the completed piece will be some 8 or 9 minutes....The other aspect of the insufficiency of the title How Fond Her Heart Grew (in His Absence) is, that I the piece was to be (and is) dedicated to Maria, and such a title sets the wrong tone to the act of dedication, meseems. Indeed, the musical character which rendered the initial title unsuitable, of course sprang from the dedicatory impulse.
In a gentle excess of expectation, Deep Breath runs 11-ish minutes. I find myself entirely pleased with the piece (and eager to play it, as soon as occasion may arise), and incidentally, additionally pleased at the act of generating the piece (from initial conception, to completion) in the space of eight days.
I shall remind myself of this, when I want to knock out a few numbers of White Nights this summer.
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