This
set of five tuneful chord studies has been written to demonstrate
the sounds of the seven standard four-note chords . They also
demonstrate how modal scales can be used together with these
chords. Each piece also explores skills in piano technique.
'Ms
Brandman further excels in delightful solo collections such
as DREAMWEAVING.'
-John
Peace, lecturer and performer, UK EUROPEAN PIANO TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION
Piano Journal October 1994
Weaving
This piece uses the dominant 7th chord, in progressions moving
around the cycle of fifths, and the occasional chromatic movement.
The feature mode is the Mixolydian Mode.
Beaming
The aural flavour of this piece is achieved by the use of the
Major 7th chords, on the 1st, and 4th degrees of the scale.
The modal or scalic section demonstrates how the Major Scale
( Ionian Mode) and the Lydian Mode can be used of these chords.
Dreaming
This piece demonstrates how one diminished 7th chord shape can
be used as a link between four seemingly unrelated keys. The
chord used is C diminished 7th. When inverted the chord can
also be seen as, E Flat diminished 7th, F sharp diminished 7th
and A diminished 7th chords. The keys used in the piece are
B Flat, D Flat, E Major, G Minor and back to the original B
flat key. The tune uses a broken left hand figure, and makes
use of the other chords covered in the earlier tunes.
Gliding
This tune uses both Major 6th and Minor 7th chords, which are
in fact inversions of one another. The title comes form the
gliding movement of the Right Hand Melody line, which use triplets
to glide through the D Sixth chord. The rhythmic features of
the tune include eighth note triplets followed by either straight
eighths. The scalic section uses Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian,
Mixolydian and Aeolian modes.
Gleaming
The featured chords in this piece are the Minor 6th and the
Half-diminished seventh chords. The piece has a modern feel
to it, and could be accompanied by a light eighth note-rock
rhythm. Features of the tune include syncopation. It is a through-composed
piece, in four main sections. Which begin at Bar 1, Bar 11,
22, and 30.
These
pieces have been recorded and are available on the Sonorities
CD.