: Stravinsky in a Hat
Professor Cummings gave my composition class an assignment he called “Piece in a Hat”. Each student would pick a slip of paper out of a hat – and on that slip of paper would be 8 bars or so of some fairly obscure piano work by an otherwise fairly well known composer. The assignment was to use that little snippet of music as a starting point and then compose a short piano piece in one week. One of my fellow students went first – and when I heard the little piece of music she had selected I was jealous – because I really liked it and knew I could do something good with it. The composing gods were smiling on me that evening, because my fellow student already knew the piece – and so had to pick again. Professor Cummings asked if anyone else wanted to use the music. My hand reflexively shot up – “I’ll take it!”
I had no idea who the actual composer of my little assignment – my best guess was Bartok. Long story short – I composed a little piece and was very happy with the way it turned out. It was then revealed that that actual composer of my assignment was Stravinsky. I went out to Youtube to hear what Stravinsky had done with that little snippet of music. But when I heard what Stravinsky had composed it was a big letdown, because old Igor had composed this piece for his children as a piano exercise and had limited the melody (right hand) to only 5 notes to make it easier for his children to play. In other words he put on a musical straight jacket while composing this piece.
Meanwhile, it turns out that Stravinsky had actually written 8 of these little pieces – titled Les Cinq Doigts (which means The Five Fingers in French). I had just finished composing a huge 3 movement string quartet and this presented the perfect opportunity to take on something smaller in scope – so I decided to “collect the whole set” as it were. It was like 8 tasty little musical after dinner mints. I took the same approach as with my classwork assignment. Using the opening 8 bars or so each piece and then – respecting Stravinsky’s feel as much as possible – I composed new music that employed the full range of notes. The only exception was the last piece, where I also used Stravinsky’s ending as well as the beginning.
So sorry Stravinsky fans out there, but I much prefer my versions to Igor’s. If you wish to take exception to this, you can listen to the original versions (among many other places) here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mobTf5LO2lE
You can then hear my versions in concert next Thursday – along with piano works by some of my fellow composers in the New York Composer’s Circle. Let me know what you decide.
Here are full details:
Thursday, December 12, 2019 – 7:30 PM –New Music For Piano
The National Opera Center – Marc Scorca Hall
330 7th Ave, 7th floor (near West 29th St)
New York, NY 10001
Admission is $20 – Students (with ID) are free
For more details – – –
http://newyorkcomposerscircle.org/
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And a bonus Where is Eric?
It’s that time of year, and once again I will have to humiliate myself and wear an elf’s cap and play in (not one but) two world famous Better Off Dead Christmas shows. Now over the years I have noticed that after our first set, our fearless leader, VD King, gets mysteriously kidnapped, but somehow Santa Claus always manages to come to the rescue and fill in for him. You’d think VD would wise up to this fiendish plot after all these years. . . . But anyway, what this means is that if you’re looking to hear some Better Off Dead music, come early. If you prefer to hear some rocking & rolling Christmas songs – but *not* Jingle Bell Rock – you can come later in the evening. Note that neither of these options prohibits you from staying the whole evening.
December 14th, Saturday, 7:00PM-9:00 – Better Off Dead at Ruthie’s BBQ, 64 1/2 Chestnut Ave, Montclair (973) 509-1134
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
http://www.ruthiesbbq.com/
December 20, Friday, 9:00PM-1:00AM – Better Off Dead at The Great Notch Inn, Route 46, Little Falls (973) 256-7742
http://www.betteroffdead.com/home.htm/
http://www.agreatertown.com/little_falls_nj/great_notch_inn_new_jerseys_rockin_roadhouse_00089580