What to do now. Waiting is very frustrating. I just don’t have the patience for this kind of thing. I could be home writing music. But at least I can do this.
There is hokey pop music in the background ....
Waiting by again. Can you guess where I am? Here are a few hints:
I’m in a parking lot.
To my left is a a fairly long building in a strip mall.
The building has red letters above the entrance.
It forms two words: The first word has 6 letters and the second word has four.
Give up?...
Anyway... here I am.
This morning I intend to work on my cello/ piano piece.
Evan though it’s just two instruments, I find it a challenge.
The cello seems to be an instrument with unlimited possibilities.
The challenge is to choose those possibilities that are both idiomatic and compelling.
The piano has remained for me more of a challenge to write for.
So many pianists with a piano background have a distinct advantage over those of us who started out learning non keyboard instruments like the saxophone and flute.
Anyway, here I am in the parking lot and here are a couple of more hints: Since I arrived several older folk walked in and out of the building.
I hear the sound
of shopping carts...
So, I am about seven minutes into this a cello and piano piece. I think I’m finally making headway. Lines seem to be melding; to be integrating. Total. Top down.
(the next day)Waiting again- closer to home. The sun is rising, but along with that, a lot of noise. It’s cooler this morning after an evening rain. Other than that- too much noise...
Today, along with the cello/ piano piece, I’ll be working on a solo flute piece. This will be the second in my Solitudes series. I targeting the piece to lonely flutists during the pandemic. Not having the advantage of a mouthpiece and other chambers to trap the aerosol, the lonely flute has to spray its sound over a head joint into thin air in order to produce a sound. So I figure the flutists will keeping their distance in order to keep people in the vicinity safe.
I’m thinking of writing a series of contemplative studies for the instrument.
Now that I’m in the editing stage of the chamber opera, I decided to begin a new chamber opera. This one is based on a short story called Mrs. Manstey’s view by Edith Wharton. It’s a quaint, straight forward story with a dose of pathos. It only has a few characters and should be short in length. From what I can tell, it should not call for any close contact from any of the performers. It calls for a soprano, 2 altos and a baritone voice along with a chamber ensemble comprised of a clarinet, violin, cello and piano...
(next day)Waiting, waiting.... The hum of the refrigerator, the hiss of food simmering on the pot. It’s six in the morning and I’m waiting to go for a walk. I don’t whine or pace around the house like a dog. I try to keep busy by fixing breakfast, cleaning the kitchen, sweeping the floors, cleaning the kitty liter and writing this blog..
The solo flute piece seems to be on track. A spinning, arpeggiated tune that slowly evolves into something whacky perhaps?
The cello/ piano piece seems to be well into its development section.
The new opera is oh so slowly beginning . And Melba the cat rubs against my leg. Time to go for a walk!
