26 June 2009

Forestalling the Gong

There is artistic value for the composer in considering the question of excisions/revisions; either one finds them actually called for, or (ideally) there emerges a clearer understanding why the composition as it stands, should be left in situ.

As I often find, where one day I perceive a musical problem, I ‘sleep on it’, and in the morning I find an elegant solution ready to hand.

In my post yesterday, I entertained the idea of abbreviating stars & guitars; on reflection, though, I realized that the proposed abbreviation (starting the piece at a later point) in effect cuts out the piece’s roots . . . one of the formative inspirations for the opening two sections, was a Morton Feldman piece I had been listening to a great deal. In the event (as generally, and happily, happens) I write my own piece, rather than (in this case) faux-Feldman . . . the long and the short of it is, I withdraw the suggestion on better consideration.

That point considered moot, then; what to do?

The simplest path to a half-hour program for the 28th is, drop The Angel. We can substitute an arrangement of a 2-minute extract from my ballet-in-progress, which I have already performed separately as a cl/vn/pf trio; this will adapt readily as a fl/cl/hp bon-bon (it is simplicity itself) which will close the program nicely. The new program would thus be:

Irreplaceable Doodles (cl solo) — 6 minutes
stars & guitars (fl/hp) — 20 minutes
Tropes on Parasha’s Aria (trio) — 2 minutes

For a repeat performance of The Angel Who Bears a Flaming Sword, I have a scheme in view. Watch This Space.

No comments: