Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet - Part 4

As part of my Diabelli Project flash composition series, I wrote four sketches for a B-flat clarinet and bass clarinet duet. Even when I was sketching them out, I knew they were part of the same four movement work.

Although I didn't write the movements in order, I did save the fourth movement for last. I knew I wanted it to be a rondo, with the contrasting sections quoting the other movements. So they had to be completed first.

With all four movements complete, the estimated playing time for this work is about 7-8 minutes. It could run a little longer if tempos are taken slower -- and that would be fine. I'm more concerned with a clear contrast between slow and fast than a strict adherence to a metronome marking.

I'm not entirely happy with the coda. I might rewrite it as part of the editing process. But overall, I think the music came out pretty much as I heard it. 

And for reference, here's the original Diabelli Project sketch for this movement (No. 148). 

Part 1 - Third movement

Part 2 - Second movement

Part 3 - First movement

Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet - Part 3

As part of my Diabelli Project flash composition series, I wrote four sketches for a B-flat clarinet and bass clarinet duet. Even when I was sketching them out, I knew they were part of the same four movement work. 

In Part 1 I posted the third movement, which is where I started with this piece. I then moved on to the opening movement, which I posted in Part 2. 

I finished up the sketch for the second movement (below). In the original Diabelli Project sketch (bottom), I had thought this would be a slow movement. But I liked the one I came up with better. Two slow movements were too much. And when I really looked at the music, I could see that it would work at a faster tempo, too. 

So here's the result. The alternating seconds which serve as the rhythmic accompaniment get handed from one instrument to the other. But it's always there, always defining the pulse as 3+3+2. That's why I made the meter 8/8 instead of 4/4. 4/4 implies an eighth note grouping of 2+2+2+2. 

Now it's on the finale.

And here's the original Diabelli Project sketch (No. 147) this movement grew out of.

Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet - Part 2

As part of my Diabelli Project flash composition series, I wrote four sketches for a B-flat clarinet and bass clarinet duet. Even when I was sketching them out, I knew they were part of the same four movement work.

In Part 1 I posted the third movement, which is where I started with this piece. Here's the first movement.

Those seemingly random notes in the margins do have a purpose. I like to set a general metronome marking for the piece to begin with. I then calculate how many measures would encompass a minute at that tempo, how many for 30 seconds, and how many for 15 seconds. This helps me with the overall proportion of the movement.

In the upper right is the approximate playing time of each movement. Once again, this helps me keep the overall structure of the work in balance. (I'll be filling in the times for the second and fourth movements when they're completed.)

And just for comparison, here's the original Diabelli Project sketch this movement grew out of.

Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet - Part 1

As part of my Diabelli Project flash composition series, I wrote four sketches for a B-flat clarinet and bass clarinet duet. Even when I was sketching them out, I knew they were part of the same four movement work.

I usually don't start a multi-movement work from the beginning. In this case, I started with a slow middle movement. I didn't intend it at the time, but when I looked at the original Diabelli sketch, it occurred to me that could be a ground with variations. And so that's what happened.

I admit that the very end isn't quite finished. It was either publish this week or miss having anything for Monday. But it's mostly finished. You can see the note I wrote to myself to finish in thirds. I also need to add the articulation for the last half of the movement. But I'll have all that finished within the next few days. 

Diabelli Project 148 - Duet for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet 4

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 is another movement of a Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet. Like the other movements, it's relatively simple. And, I hope, fun to play. I envision all of these sketches to unfold into relatively short movements -- between one and two minutes, tops.

This might make a good finale. I've taken a single line melody and chopped it up between the two instruments. Well, it's mostly melody. As you can see, by the fifth measure the bass clarinet's line is providing a little accompaniment. What happens next? I'm not sure. If I were to continue with this single-line fragmentation, I don't think it would go on much longer. Perhaps a contrasting section with a thicker texture?

Hard to say. But now that I have my four movements, I'll start sketching out the full versions. And move on to something different for next week's Diabelli flash composition sketch.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Diabelli Project 147 - Duet for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet 3

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, another installment of a Duet for B-flat Clarinet and Bass Clarinet. Even before I put pen to paper I knew I would be sketching a middle movement. And so here it is: something, slow and simple, with a lot of parallel motion throughout.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Diabelli Project 146 - Duet for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet 2

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.

A few weeks ago I posted the flash composition sketch for a duet for clarinet and bass clarinet (see: Diabelli Project 145).  The next sketch after that also turned out to be for these two instruments. And this time, there's no mystery. It's definitely part of the same work.

I'm not sure how many movements this duet will have. I know they'll be pretty short, and I want them to be fun to play. Beyond that, who knows?

In the sketch below, I've started off with a ground. Traditionally, variations would play out over top of that recurring bass, but with only two instruments, it seems unfair. Why should the clarinet get all the good parts?

So to continue, I'll need to have both players keep the ground going while spinning out the variations, both individually and together. Three lines of music for two single-line instruments. Should be fun.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.

Diabelli Project 145 - Duet for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet

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 isn't the first duet I've sketched in this series. I was surprised, though, to discover it's the first one for clarinet and bass clarinet. One good thing about this -- I didn't have to worry about transposing since they both are B-flat clarinets. I started with the bass clarinet part and then filled in the clarinet line, which acts as both accompaniment and counterpoint.

As always, you can use any or all of the posted Diabelli Project sketches as you wish for free. Just be sure to share the results. I'm always curious to see what direction someone else can take this material.