The students repeatedly listened to the “Barcarolle” and “Waltz” in two versions for piano, the “Invention” for a trio of wind instruments, and the “Scherzo” for piano. One day, one of the young musicians, a pianist who attended the course of S. Filatov-Beckman and, according to the scientist, is a very gifted person (there is a corresponding record in the archive), decided to create mathematical music for the piano trio himself.
Mathematical music as a new means of developing compositional skills
The Tenth Essay
After some time, the student demonstrated the first version of the piece, which he had conceived as a dramatic dialogue between cello and violin with the active participation of the piano (the computer sound line No. 1 served as the basis). S. Filatov-Beckman and his students listened to then piece, and, according to their general consensus, the author was advised to significantly expand the composition and enhance its dramatic character.
The young musician, inspired by the opinion and assessment of the lecturer and other students, began to finalize the piece. After some time, it was remade and completed: the composer, who conducted master classes together with S. Filatov-Beckman, was also invited to listen to it.
The piano trio of the young composer met with keen interest and approval from S. Filatov-Bekman, Elena Sokolovski and the students who listened to the work. There was a general opinion: this student needs to study composition professionally and continue to compose music!
What is this piece? This is a dramatic dialogue between male and female voices, and the images of both participants in this dialogue, arguing, conflicting with each other, turned out to be quite vivid and interesting. The author of the piece himself called it “Dramatic Duet”.
The structure of the piece, chosen by the author, very well corresponded to the general situation in this “instrumental scene”. The piece is divided into several sections, the tension in which rises, leading to increasingly tense climaxes. All the sections begin almost in the same way, with ostinato recurring figures that become ever more complex with each section. The endings of each section are interestingly solved: these are climaxes that increase emotionally, leading to a solo violin recitative before the coda.
The piece consists of five sections that begin almost in the same way. The first two sections are built on different themes (cello theme, violin theme), which provide sufficient contrast. Further, both themes are developed, the dialogue between them turns into a fierce dispute, the themes sound simultaneously, which leads to a general climax. After that, a gloomy coda sounds.
How to determine the musical form of this work? It combines the features of double variations and at the same time sonata form, that is, there are signs of a mixed form. The sonata features are manifested in the fact that in the exposing section of the piece two different themes pass in turn, and then a developing section and a final one follow, where both themes are held together, that is, their interrelationship changes (as compared to the exposition). However, these features of the sonata could not be fully manifested, since the key of the “Duet” (B-flat minor) remains unchanged all the time due to the conditions of the computer sound line.
The creative decision of the author of the piece turned out to be quite interesting, and the performance of this piano trio was expected in the near future. S. Filatov-Beckman was quite satisfied with the result: the presentation of the piece by the student in the class was extremely successful, which once again proved the viability of the methodology of S. Filatov-Beckman. We offer you to listen to the “Dramatic Duet” for the piano trio.
