Posts Tagged: Composition

I finally wrote a fugue. I have loved the style and wanted to be able to for a long time, but finally learned enough about counterpoint to achieve it. The fugue is in three voices and is arranged for organ although no particular instrumentation is suggested. The middle voice switches between bass and treble clef… Read more »

Another piece for composition class. This time I tried to make the most of very little melodic and harmonic material, minimalism if you will. Anyway, I found it to be very evocative of a cloudburst. Cloudburst – MP3 from Finale Cloudburst – PDF Score

Another piece I wrote for composition class. This time I had to write a piece using a specific interval. I chose a fourth and thought that the result was very evocative of an Ancient Roman army marching past. The piece is basically tonal, but not really harmonic in any way. It is scored for piano…. Read more »

My first composition for the 2010 UWRF Beginning Composition class. The assignment is writing a solo for a monophonic instrument. I chose the French Horn. The form is ABA`. In retrospect, the beginning theme sounds like a mix between the Horn solo in the final movement of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 and the Eintritt… Read more »

This is the piece I arranged for the 2010 MYS Summer Composition Workshop. It is the result of two different attempts to harmonize the Dies Irae using standard voice leading rules. The Dies Irae is a hymn/plainchant written by Thomas of Celano, an early Franciscan monk, in the mid 1250s. It is a beautiful modal… Read more »

A four part harmonization of Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted for organ. The gaps between the bass and tenor are frequently too large to play on piano, although you can transpose some notes up an octave to compensate. Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted – Finale recording of organ Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted.mus – Finale 2010 Source Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted – PDF of… Read more »

I wrote this for the Salem Lutheran Church 2010 Women’s Enrichment Weekend where it was used as the theme hymn. It is arranged for piano and congregation. It has an introduction in C major, but modulates to G major for the vocal section. Here I am, Lord – full – Finale’s playback on a virtual Steinway Here… Read more »

This is an arrangement of Carol of the Bells for piano. It is relatively simple although it does have some tricky jumps and rhythms. This piece was arranged mostly to play with Finale 2010 which I had just purchased. Carol of the Bells – Finale recording using virtual Steinway Carol of the Bells.mus – Finale 2010 Source Carol of… Read more »

I wrote this piece as part of the 2009 MYS Summer Composition workshop. It is an arrangement of Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel for a chamber orchestra. The actual orchestration was determined by what instruments the other participants played. It is scored for Violin I and II, Viola, Cello I and II, Guitar (which should… Read more »

This is a four-part harmonization for Thaxted. It is one of my first voice-leading works, so there are some issues with parts being difficult to sing. I think it would be quite beautiful sung, although difficult. I intended it for use as an alternate harmonization for Jerusalem the Golden. Thaxted is the chorale melody from… Read more »