SONATA for Tuba & Piano

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The work is designed as a recital piece and is as concise in structure as the composer deemed possible. Cast in a single movement there are three independent 'mood' sections each of a contrasting nature. Mood 1 (Agitato) opens the work with a 'fanfare' style motif followed by a 'tango' subject. These alternate until Mood 2 (Delicato) is reached and a much more expressive quality emerges. Mood 1 returns briefly to be followed by a return of the Mood 2 material. This then leads into a new, and once only played, Mood 3 (Tranquillo – misterioso) in which the solo instrument is muted. The work closes with Mood 1 plus an additional coda/cadenza finale section which exhausts the 'tango' properties. The work has a tonal centre of F (it certainly begins and ends on that pitch) though moves around on a pair of related note rows, one aggressive, the other mild to provide contrasts based on classical sonata principles. As a closing comment, the tango property was included not just because I wanted a more familiar aspect to be present and something which audiences could relate to but, mischievously, because the work's dedicatee is married to a dancer, albeit a Brazilian and not an Argentinian!

 

© 2012 MEM Publications

Tuba & Piano

Solo Parts included:

Concert Pitch - Bass Clef

E Flat - Treble Clef

C. 8 minutes