|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
These are my own compositions. Those of a nervous disposition are warned that some of them use strict serial techniques.
Most of them can also be found in the Originals section of Laura's MIDI Heaven. Look under Contemporary.
Pete the Yeti is not exactly a pseudonym. Most of my friends call me Pete, because it's my first name. Behind my back, there are people who call me The Yeti. They think I don't know. Hence Pete the Yeti.
Postmodern Episodes, 13 KB, 11'56".
Once upon a time, I was a member of a 20th Century Music discussion group.
One of the members,
Francois Juteau,
posted the opinion that strict serial music is inherently ugly. Now while I
would certainly agree that the majority of strict serial music is indeed ugly,
I think that is the fault of the composers, not the system. I composed these
strictly serial episodes to test the theory. I am not claiming that they are
great music, but I do think that they are not ugly as such.
Two more strictly serial compositions:
Episode 3, 3 KB, 0'49".
Dance Episodes, 3 KB, 1'03".
The tone row which is the basis of these compositions also appears in all my subsequent compositions.
Valentine for Nerwen, 28 KB, 9'16".
Nerwen is another contributor to Laura's MIDI Heaven. I was impressed by the first two compositions she posted there, Nerwentango and Milongrrl, and composed Valentine for Nerwen as a thank-you present.
Some of my subsequent compositions result from discussions with Nerwen.
Obsession, 14 KB, 7'18".
This is the result of a competition between myself and Nerwen as to who could compose the more insane piece based on a baroque ground bass. Obviously, Obsession is based on the theme from Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor. Nerwen's essay, Insanity, is based on La Folia.
Hymn, 4 KB, 2'39".
This is the result of a second competition between myself and Nerwen, this time to see who could compose the better hymn for the Quinquatria. In case you don't know, the Quinquatria is the Festival of Minerva which takes place from 19th to 23rd March, and traditional Roman ceremonies were accompanied by flute music.
My essay, Hymn, is obviously related to the strict serial episodes listed at the top of this page. In a break with tradition, it is for contrasted wind instruments. Nerwen's essay, also called Hymn, is for three identical wind instruments. In religious matters, Nerwen is a reconstructionist and I am not.
Omiyage, 42 KB, 7'34".
Omiyage is Japanese for Souvenir. I felt I ought to have something musical to show for my two year stay in Japan, and here it is.
In Laura's MIDI Heaven the name is spelt Omiyagi. This is because I posted it without checking the spelling in a dictionary.
Yetisong, 50 KB, 19'09".
Once you start composing, it is difficult to stop.
Pentacle, 82 KB, 31'44".
When you have something which sounds as if it ought just to be repeated over and over again, what do you do with it? This is the answer I came up with.
Halflife, 43 KB, 6'16".
This is a commentary on the lines in Matthew Arnold's The Scholar Gipsy:
Of whom each strives, nor knows for what he strives,
And each half lives a hundred different lives;
I agree that it is true, but that doesn't mean I have to like it.
It is also a 35th birthday present for Nerwen.
Hymn 2, 20 KB, 5'18".
This is my second attempt at a Quinquatria hymn. The central section adds a percussion instrument, which is another break with tradition.
Hymn 3, 7 KB, 4'36".
This is my third attempt at a Quinquatria hymn.
Andantino, 8 KB, 5'05".
This turned up unexpectedly. It composed itself so quickly that I didn't have time to include a serial tone row anywhere.