Instrumental Solo Composition of the Day, Installment 24:
"Theme, Variation and Reprise"
for Flute or Bass Flute Solo
(2013)
Composing two minutes of music may not seem like it takes much of an effort, but "Theme, Variation and Reprise" did. Its history is one of love and patience: love of the theme, and patience while composing what follows it.
Like some of my compositions, "Theme, Variation and Reprise" had a protracted gestation period. It is based on sketches I had in my "to do pile" since 1981 for a much longer piece called "Introduction and Variations" for flute and piano.
After numerous failed attempts at completing that version of this music, including during composition lessons with the late Harold Shapero at Brandeis University later on in the 1980s, frustrated, I finally discarded that version of this music in 2013. I then set about whittling the musical materials down to their present form: ""Theme, Variation and Reprise" for flute solo in which the theme I love is presented, followed by my favorite one from among the former variations, and then a reprise of the theme.
Follow the next URL to view a scrolling score music video of "Theme, Variation and Reprise"on YouTube.
"Theme, Variation and Reprise" is available for licensing from me, and for sale from Sheet Music Plus. Follow the next URL to visit the distributor's product page for this title. https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/en/product/theme-variation-and-reprise-20967764.html
Click here to view a watermarked PDF score on my website.
Follow the next URL to listen to a synthesized rendition on my website
Thank you for your time and attention.
Stanley M. Hoffman, PhD
Biography Published in Grove Music Online (The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Oxford University Press)
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