Diabelli Project - Woodwind Trio Project (194-199)

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 goal with these flash composition exercises is to continually push myself creatively. Over the past six weeks, I worked on one piece -- a woodwind trio. I wanted to write a three-movement work, each movement sketched in two successive flash composition sessions. I knew I wouldn't finish the piece. But devoting two sessions to each movement developed them enough that I can see where they're going. And that means I can complete them at my leisure.

As with the Duet for Clarinet and Bass Clarinet, I'll post the finished sketches.

Movement 1 - Allegro

Movement 2 - Adagio

Movement 3 - Presto

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 199 Woodwind Trio Mvt. 3B

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 woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week's sketch is the second part of the final movement and the end of this series.  Basically, this week's sketch just builds towards the cadence in the last system. At that point,  the clarinet takes a solo. When I continue this sketch, I'll develop that solo further. My conception for this movement is a rondo, with each of the three instruments getting a chance to shine.

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 198 Woodwind Trio Mvt. 3A

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 woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week's sketch begins the final movement. Everything grew out of the first two measures. There are two motifs - the three-note ascending figure in measure one, and the descending figure in measure two. As you can see, I sort of mixed and matched.

3/16 might be a little extreme for a meter, but I wanted lightness and speed. 3/8 might have served, but 16th notes just look faster.

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 197 - Woodwind Trio Mvt. 2B

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 woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week's sketch continues the middle movement.  The eighth-note accompanying figure that started in the bassoon is now shared between the flute and the bassoon. The clarinet solo takes the trio up to the first major cadence point, which occurs in the last measure.

What happens next? I'm not entirely sure, but probably a key change and perhaps some close-knit polyphony. Maybe.

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 196 - Woodwind Trio Mvt. 2A

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 woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week's sketch beings the second (middle) movement. A common way for me to start a slow movement is with a long, held unison that gradually pulls apart. It's a little different this time. The clarinet and the flute don't start in unison, but their long notes gradually move apart. The flute even breaks out into a little solo! Meanwhile, the bassoon provides a rippling pattern that serves as the foundation for the upper voices.

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 195 - Woodwind Trio, Mvt. 1B

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 woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week's sketch continues to develop the three-note motif I started out with. Also note the accompanying rhythmic pattern in the clarinet and bassoon. It's the opening rhythm reversed. I didn't plan it that way -- I noticed it after I finished the sketch and placed it next to the previous one.

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 194 - Woodwind Trio, Mvt. 1A

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 I started another extended series. This woodwind trio project will cover six weeks, in pairs. The first week will be the beginning of a movement (written in a 10-minute flash session), and the following week, I'll continue the sketch for another 10-minute session. Then I'll move on to the next movement and continue the pattern.

This week I started with one of my favorite meters (7/8), and a simple three-note turn. Everything just grew from there.

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.