Four Short Variations for Woodwind Quintet
The arrangement (score and parts) is available here!
This composition for woodwind quintet was based upon a melody by Netherlands composer, Gijs Bikker. Gijs and I met via Marc Sabatello's "Mastering Musescore" school.
There are four short variations, each with a different take on the original theme.
I. Adagio - The first variation begins quitely, with the horn playing a long, sustained note. Then the flute and oboe introduce the theme and are gradually joined to build, and then recede from the climax. The movement ends with the sustained note from the horn.
II. Gigue - A gigue is a lively dance characterized by leaping movements. The melody has been transformed from the slow 3/4 of the first movement into a fast 6/8. The bassoon takes the lead and everything progresses from there!
III. Humoresque - This is my favorite movement! The mode changes to minor in an almost "circus"-like two-step. The melody is beginning to loose all semblance to the original, though if you listen carefully, the same pitche relationships have only been transmogrified.
IV. - March - This movement picks up on bits and pieces that were used in the previous movements. The opening syncopation is picked up from the Humoresque and followed a horn "call" from the Adagio. The melody in the flute is again based upon a rhythmically altered version of the original theme, but soon the horn takes over and the character becomes more of a "British" march! The movement ends with a single sustained horn note that ties back to the very beginning of the piece!
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