Variations on the theme
Now that I have composed the theme, and recorded it by notating it and using audio recordings, it's time to compose more variations on the theme. To make up the 2-3 minutes required for this composition, I plan to have 4-6 variations and as demonstrated in my model pieces (analysed in other blog posts).
As outlined in my baby steps, techniques which can be used to add a variation to a theme include:
-Tonality Swap: Move from the major to parallel minor (or vice versa) i.e. change the accidentals to facilitate change in tonality.
-Rhythmic Diminution: Make the note values shorter e.g. crotchet becomes a quaver or two squares become one square (non- traditional notation).
-Rhythmic Augmentation: Make the note values longer e.g. quaver becomes a crotchet or one square becomes two squares).
-Inversion: Intervals which have been turned upside down. To invert an interval just take the bottom note, and put it on the top.
-Retrograde: Melody/theme which has been reversed, e.g. C G E becomes E G C.
-Change timbre/tone colour: This can be achieved by adding articulation and/or the expressive techniques - e.g. pizzicato instead of arco on the violin.Â
Here are some verbally annotated recordings of my improvisations for the variations on the theme:
#1) Articulations: Affect the tone colour (slurs create a legato affect) - VARIATION 2
#2) Rhythmic Augmentation: Block chords held for longer than the semiquaver tremolo original theme - VARIATION 1
--> Adding slides to the end of the phrase to create further variation/interest.
My second variation, which is idiomatic to the classical guitar as it utilises slurs predominantly on the first string (allowing it to be executed more comfortably), strongly relies on the melodic notes (both chromatic in the top voice - E D# D C# and middle voice - E and G#) from both the theme and the first variation.
Hear the above draft version here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/lwjuon0w89v4akk/Draft%20variation%202.mp3?dl=0
To relate to my model piece Pulo do gato composed in the Choro style, I changed the last few bars of quavers to be semiquavers which creates a virtuosic passage.
Drawing inspiration from another model piece, Variations on a Theme by Sor Op. 15 - Miguel Llobet, I decided to repeat the theme and add a subtle variation to the theme by replacing open notes with harmonics.
I later realised however, that I wouldn't be able to repeat the theme and each variation due to time constraints (2-3 minute composition).