Diabelli Project 102 - Marimba Solo

The Diabelli Project is about offering my weekly flash-composition sketches freely to all. Like Antonio Diabelli's theme these sketches aren't great music. But perhaps (as in Diabelli's case) there's a Beethoven out there who can do great things with them.

This week's flash composition had a purpose. I didn't want to be constricted by regular meter. Long-time readers of this series may be puzzled by that, as I often use odd-meters and shifting meters in this sketches. But still, there's a regularity to those pieces, and since I write linearly, once I designate a measure as being in 4/4, or 5/8 or whatever, then what follows is shaped by that rhythmic structure.

In this sketch, I tried to just let it flow. (click on image to enlarge).

This is for solo marimba, and I split the hands. The right hand plays the natural keys, and the left hand primarily sharps. As the piece evolved (during the ten minute time period), I found myself at a cadence point (on the second staff). What next? I let the left hand take the lead, with the right providing chordal accompaniment. At the end of the fourth staff, there's another cadence, and the roles were reversed. Given enough time, I would have returned to the opening material to finish the piece (and I still might). 

But don't let that hinder you. As with all the Diabelli Project sketches, this is made freely available to any and all. If you do use part of this sketch, all I ask is that you share the results.