Please refer to Draft 4 found here!
I wanted to add a hint of something a little different ie. away from the repeating harmonic line. I wanted to show small swells (which you will soon find out, relate quite well to the explanation of my title). In one of my previous posts, I described how I enjoy the different tone colour and quality that harmonics on the harp provide and really desperately wanted to incorporate them. I was also inspired by many harp pieces that I have previously played which just use harmonics as the bass line (which can be painful and tiring to play for a whole piece, but certainly different and unique).
Thus, I composed this small section that follows on quite nicely from the 'aleatoric' inspired part before the ending.
I don't want the swells to be too big, too dramatic. I just want them to be present. My idea for playing this section is to play it calmly, somewhat emotionless? (ie. no rubato). The swells come from the subtle contours of the melodic line. Each time, they build somehow, whether it be texture or length of note values.
Bars 42 - 43: First swell
Bars 44 - 45: Repeated
Bars 47 - 49: Increase in texture (all chords are three notes) and the register is higher
Bars 50 - 53: The note value decreases each time, so more notes are added but in the slowest form possible. A note at a time.
Although this idea may have come out at the very last minute and somewhat out of the blue, I think it is very nicely linked and adds a new calmness.
The recording for this piece is tomorrow!!! I have practiced a few times and very relieved to know that it is playable (as it should be! as I have been composing this whilst experimenting physically on the harp). I hope the recording tomorrow goes smoothly and I won't have to do it too many times!
Title:
I wanted to title this piece in a way that expressed what I wanted to portray in this piece. My first thought was 'Wind Chimes' but after some deliberating, it just didn't fit. Sea Chimes. I wanted to represent the colours which were part of one the steps in my "Baby Steps" model which were blue and orange. The blue sea which flows; there is no disconnect and at some point in time, will always provide more movement, more drama. At times it is calm, a little more still but still moving. The melody, when present in the higher register, reminded me of church bells but in a much higher register, and therefore, I thought of chimes. Some resonate longer than others but are always clear and distinct when pronounced. I truly think that the title reflects upon this piece and I did think about it whilst composing but it didn't come to me until now. Strange how that works!
TO DO: ADD IN DYNAMICS, PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES, TEMPOS!!!