%title Daybook - 1: 4/14 - 4/21
%date 2008-04-21 18:05:23
:diary:livejournal:fossils:

It was suggested that I keep track of music stuff in a daybook, sort of like a diary, but more generalized, like a list of ideas.  Well, since I do more than just music by necessity, my music stuff is kinda slim, so I'm just going to compile entries into weekly summaries.  Hopefully I can keep this up, I guess it's constructive.

With Andrew's visit, the beginning of the week was kinda slim pickings for music.  I didn't really feel like writing or listening to much.  As a result, this week was a continuation of the compositional dry-spell I've been in for most of April so far.  The stress of school, my UDQE in particular, doesn't exactly help matters along, though.  

Later on, however, I did manage to throw together a little piece, 'Mirrors', which came about in much the same way as 'Tempest'.  The piece is very reflective, as in each phrase is symmetrical, an additional level of mirroring being one line is overlapped over itself in retrograde in some phrases, along with the whole piece being mostly symmetrical.  Part of the symmetry being incomplete overall was for ease of composing (which I'll get to in a second), but also for the rather pretentious idea that, when you see someone else's reflection in a mirror, you see just them, but when you look at yourself, there's tons more meaning attached.

As for the compositional aspect of my one piece, I'm a little worried because it goes against most of what I'm being taught in lessons, as well as what I guess I'd call good practice.  Like writing a paper, such things should have some element of planning done before-hand, but as with Tempest, I just started at the beginning and wrote until the end, utilizing copypasta techniques that I really should be avoiding.  I'm not sure how I feel about this, though, it almost feels as if it's not really work, or at least not authentic work.  I do go back and edit the resulting piece into something more coherent, at least.

I noticed that I've been slacking on going to concerts, which I kinda need  to graduate, so I've gone to a couple and reaffirmed my hatred of classical-era music.  Two songs of note, however, were the brothers Jean-jean's <em>Quattour pour Saxophones</em> and Brahms' <em>Sextet #2 in G, I. Allegro non troppo</em>.  Both of these little chamber pieces pretty much rocked my socks off, and I found recordings of both to study a little more in depth.

It was with the Jean-jean piece that I discovered the reason people generally like to listen to music while high.  It was as if someone kicked the synaesthesia up a notch - the bari sax felt so wonderfully brown and velvety while the soprano added sky blue, satiny accents.  It was all quite wonderful.

Plans for the upcoming week: study study study for the UDQE.  I also may look into arranging 'Mirrors' for a mixed ensemble for an upcoming contest (Ithaca's 2008 Hecksher Composition Prize) - I'm thinking soprano sax, alto sax, violin, cello, marimba, and percussion (bass drum and snare drum).

In other news... at what point should I become worried about a shoulder injury?