Diabelli Project 089 - Four-voice fugue

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.

In a way, this week's flash composition is a return to basics (at least the basics of the project). When I started this series, most of the sketches were fugues, or at least some form of counterpoint. When the motif popped into my head and the clock started, the rest just seemed to follow on its own.

So what happens to this little motif next? That's up to you. As with all the sketches in this series, it's available to anyone to use as they like. No strings attached -- I just ask that you share the results!

Diabelli Project 037 - Double Fugue

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 decidedly the most ambitious to date. It's a double fugue, which means there's some counterpoint that's both self-contained and playing in counterpoint against another self-contained group of counterpoint.

 

This is one I might try finishing myself -- but anyone else is welcome to also. Just let me know what you came up with1

Diabelli Project 026 - Fugue in C major

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 sketch is a little more straight-forward than the past few. It's clearly in the key of C major, for example. And the repeated three-note motif crops up in every measure. It's easy to remember, and it gives the composer lots to work with. The subject is somewhat long-winded, though, but it has possibilities.

Does this remain a two-voice fugue? As I recall, I thought it might work as a double fugue. At the next bar the second fugue would begin, probably with a more active motif. But that's just me. If you come up with your own solution, be sure to let me know.

Diabelli Project 022 - 3-voice Fugue in G

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 time I decided to be a little more ambitious and add more voices. The result is the beginning of a 3-voice fugue.

So what happens next? Will this stay in G major, and move to D major? Or will it go to the relative minor? Or will it move to a mode? That's up to you! Just let me know you're inspired to finish this.

Diabelli Project 019 - Fugue in B-flat major

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.

Cranking these sketches out week after week, I've noticed I tend to fall into patterns. Last week's sketch was a fugue in lydian mode. This week's is a fugue in.... B-flat major. Eventually. Actually, it starts off on E-flat, which would make this E-flat lydian if I had continued outlining the triad. But I didn't, and so it eventually returns to B-flat as its tonal center.

Is that; a permanent return, or will the counterpoint wander in to another mode? C dorian, perhaps? Or F mixolydian? The choice is yours! If you use part of this sketch, let me know! I'm curious to hear how this one ends myself.

Diabelli Project 018 - Fugue in Lydian mode

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.

I've said it before -- I like odd meters. And that's just one of the odd things about this week's entry. It's also in A lydian mode, which means it has two sharps instead of three. And that means that cadences will resolve VII-I, rather than V7-I (in other words, G major chord to A major, rather than E major seventh to A major). (click on image to enlarge)

So what happens next? If I were to continue it, I'd keep changing the opening motif. Note how the statement of the subject in the bass isn't exactly the same as the original. The rhythm's slightly different. As the piece progressed, these minor changes would further transform the motif, and perhaps the ending would be the arrival of a new motif, rather than the restatement of the original. But perhaps you'd envision a different direction. I invite you to have a go. And please share the results!

Diabelli Project 017 - Fugue for two or more voices

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.

My little bits of flash compositions are accomplishing their purpose -- I find musical ideas coming to me more easily. On a good day I feel I could produce them on demand. But the problem is that now some of the ideas I'm coming up with are a little two expansive for the Diabelli Project.

Like this fugue, for example (click on image to enlarge). I hadn't had a chance to add more voices before I ran out of time. If I continued it, I would make it a double fugue -- but that's just me.

What possibilities do you see in this? As always, you have an open invitation to make of this what you will. And I look forward to the results. 

Diabelli Project 012 - Fugue

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 is another longer -- and perhaps -- more ambitious snippet. I think I probably mislabeled this one. The entry of the second voice doesn't mirror the first one like it should, although the contour is similar. And really, there should be a third voice entering in the next to the last measure. (click to enlarge)

If I choose to develop this further, that's probably what I'll do. But what you do with it is up to you. That's the point of the this project -- to see if any of these ideas inspire others.

The Diabelli Project 007 - 2-Voice Fugue

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.

Yes, this was meant to be a fugue rather than a simple cannon. I wrote the opening motif in such a way that it could be broken down for fugal development. The repeated notes, for example, could be used as a sub-motif. Or perhaps the outline of the opening melody, G-D-C. The scale upwards in the second measure with the repeated note also could be used in some fashion. (click on image to enlarge).

There are many possibilities -- and what I might do with this material would be vastly different than what you might make of it. I'll post my results when I finish them. Perhaps we can (literally) compare notes!