Diabelli Project 204- 214 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba Complete Score

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.

Below is the score for my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. It was written in 10-minute sessions, spaced about a week apart. Since I was continuing the same music from week to week, I allowed myself 2-3 minutes to study the previous week's sketch before diving in.

Although this was an almost entirely spontaneous creation, I'm pretty happy with the results. There's a simple three-part structure to it. The duet begins in one key center, moves to a second, then back to the first. Motiving elements are repeated and reworked, helping it all to hang together.

I do see some copyist errors I need to fix, but I'll address those later.

At the given tempo marking, the piece runs about 2 minutes. Should there be some additional movements? I'm not sure. If I were to continue it, I'd probably use some of the same patterns as building blocks.

For now, though, I think I'll call it done. What do you think?

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 214 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 11

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 the eleventh installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. The goal of these flash composition sessions is to get the editor/critic part of my brain out of the way of my creative part. And often that means I surprise myself.

In this case, when I started my 10-minute flash session, I suddenly felt like the piece had almost arrived at the final section. I already knew the final section would be a recap of the first. And in this case, a somewhat condensed version of it.

My internal editor/critic thought there might be another week or so of work to do on this, but my subconscious gets the last word. So the piece is finished. Next week I'll publish the full score with final comments. 

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 213 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 10

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 the tenth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. This week's flash composition sketch begins on the last system of the first page. The clarinet continues its descending line. Both instruments settle into a temporary cadence on F-sharp before continuing onward.

Onward to where? I know that I'll be returning to the opening material. But just how I get there from here depends on what my subconscious comes up with next week.

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 212 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 9

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 the ninth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. The piece moves back from G-flat to its original tonal center of F. It looks like the opening material will be returning soon.

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 211 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 8

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 the eighth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. The key center has shifted from F to G-flat, The piece is still moving through a transition. Those note clusters in the marimba's left hand indicate there are more changes to come!

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 209 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 6

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 the sixth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. The score below has the last two installments as well as this week's entry. As you can see, the sextuplet pattern is handed off from the marimba to the clarinet.

The sextets are meant to be accompanying figures, so the marimba's about to get the spotlight.

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 208 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 5

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 the fifth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. In part four, the marimba transitioned to a sextuplet accompanying figure. Here the transition continues as the pattern condenses into triplet chords.

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 207 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 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 is the fourth installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. In this section, the marimba transitions to a simple triplet rhythmic pattern. Once it lands on that pattern, the clarinet comes back in with a new melody.

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 206 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 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 is the third installment of my Clarinet and Marimba Duet. Writing in 10-minute sessions is both liberating and limiting. The time limit can be frustrating, as sometimes I want to continue.

However, by waiting a week between sessions, I often have a fresh take on the music. Both last week and this week's sketch went in directions I hadn't thought of when I started. In this case (beginning the second system), the marimba steps into the spotlight for a while.

How long is that while? Perhaps I'll have a better idea next week..

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 205 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 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.

Below are the results of my second 10-minute composition session. I expanded the cadence I started last time in the marimba (beginning in the fourth system). Then it seemed appropriate to start working that five-note motif.

Where to next? I'm not sure. We'll find out together next week.

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 204 - Duet for Clarinet and Marimba, Part 1

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.

 Trying to continue a composition in ten-minute sessions has really challenged me -- especially as these sessions are usually a week apart. So I decided to do another one. Below is the first part of a duet for Bb clarinet and marimba. Both instruments have a rich, dark sound in their lower registers. And they have very different sounds in their upper registers.

To me, this suggests a way for the instruments to combine and pull apart. I started with a very simple five-note motif, and just let it take me wherever it wanted to go.

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.