Hi,
I've decided to park where I'm at with this latest composition and I'd appreciate any feedback if you have the time!
This is a learning exercise for me and a development of an Irish reel composed by Eddie Kelly arranged for chamber strings and woodwinds - flute/oboe/clarinet/bassoon).
The original 4/4 binary form dance piece presented here in the first 1min 30 seconds is usually played much faster and by solo instrument (reference the second tune played in this video - from 1:07 until 2:56).
The section from 1:30 to 2:12 is intended to be a struggle to move to the new melody in 6/8 timing and I’ve tried to represent this by the offset and overlapping conversation between the winds and strings before presenting a hopefully coherent new melody in B part variation at 2:11. The original A and B part melodies are subsequently re-interpreted as my own personal exercise in musical development of a "traditional" irish dance piece into something different.
Starting from 3:46 I have taken the first few bars of the first variation of the A part and departed harmonically from the original melody with two further variations leading into what I imagined to be a bridge section to reset the listener in preparation for the variations on the B part (from 5:26) which again deviate harmonically (probably only slightly) until the original variation is brought back into focus at 6:41 before modulating back to the tonic key of the piece and closing with a re-presentation of the original A and B part variations.
The dialogue between the strings and winds is continued throughout the piece as they each present their variations on the melodic material supported by the other until the last presentation of the original variation where both strings and winds play mostly in unison which I hope doesn't distract too much and isn't too simplistic an approach.
I hope by adding my intent and understanding of what I was aiming for it may be easier to listen/critique. If it helps to see the score of the music I can also send this on via email if anyone is interested.
https://soundcloud.com/mcelvogue/eddiekellys-work-in-progress
Regards,
Tom