| The
second movement is more animated, making use of syncopated
ostinati figures, superimposed with floating melodies To
unify the work, the second movement finishes with a varied
repeat of the E Dorian section from the first movement.
This
piece was premiered in Australia in 1990 by the Ars Nova
Orchestra in the Blue Mountains and more recently has received
international performances by the Da Chiesa orchestra in
Switzerland.
The
secretary of the orchestra commented: "We are a Chamber
Orchestra in Switzerland, called Da Chiesa. We are very
proud to play your 'Undulations' in five concerts near Lausanne
in December 1996 and January 1997. We enjoy your music and
just wanted to congratulate you". Natalia Hasler
Track
2 WHEN SPIRITS SOAR - For Alto Sax and Piano
Published
by Furore Music- Germany
Performed by Andre Shrimski - Alto Saxophone and Margaret
Brandman - piano.
This
work, is one of Margaret's recent compositions. It received
its premier performance, at the Third Australian Conference
and Festival or Women in Music, held at Sydney University
in September 1998. The work was written following the completion
of a course in Rei-ki, the art of energy transmission through
the hands. The music demonstrates some of Margaret Brandman's
new found interests in Music as a healing force. The work
is a one movement through-composed work which moves through
four main sections. The work opens with a wash of sound
from the sustained piano chords, over which the Saxophone
plays a theme in the Dorian mode on D .
The
second section, (at letter C) is a little more rhythmic,
with the piano setting up an ostinato using cluster chords,
to underpin the melody. Next both instruments explore the
theme until the high point of this section, which is where
the sax sustains the high E (sounding as G) for four bars.
The effect of this is that the listener takes a long breath
while hearing the sounds, and consequently achieves a better
state of relaxation.
The
third section (at letter D) is loosely based on the material
from the second section. The section becomes more lively
with the addition of 16th note material and soaring figures.
The final section marked Coda (at letter E) has a cadenza-like
passages which draw on material from the opening section.
The work finishes with a long improvised cadenza played
by the Saxophone and piano.
Track
3 Images
performed
by Andre Shrimski -Soprano Sax & Margaret Brandman - Piano
This
is a lively jazz influenced work in ternary form. The Saxophone
and Piano share the syncopated opening theme, which is contrasted
with a more lyrical central section of the work. It finishes
with a return to the opening theme.
Track
4 Winter Piece - piano solo for left hand alone, performed
by Margaret Brandman
From 'Three Concert Pieces for piano"
This
meditative piece was written for solo piano to be played
with Left Hand alone. The minor key effectively conveys
the cool and dark feeling of a winter's day while interesting
effects are achieved by cluster chords and modern harmonies.
The
premier performance was in September 1995 at the of Australian
Piano Music Concert held at Sydney Town Hall. It is performed
here by the composer Margaret Brandman
Dreamweaving*
(piano solos) Each of these pieces explores the sound of
a four-note chord. and the modes which suit them.
Track
5 * 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.
Track
6 * 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.
Track
7 * Dreaming
This track 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.
Track
8 * 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.
Track
9 * 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.
Track
10 Reflections - piano solo.
Track
11 Arioso by J.S.Bach. jazz arr. Margaret Brandman (piano
solo)
Included
in 'Three Concert Pieces for Piano'
This longer concert work, is a rather rhapsodic work. The
opening three note motif consisting of a rising step followed
by a 5th, appears throughout the work in different guises.
Contemporary harmonies, canonic writing and ostinato patterns
all feature in this work.
Track
12 First Star at Twilight
(Jazz piano solo from Contemporary Piano Method
Book 4)
This
piece includes the extension chords, 9ths, 11ths, and 13ths,
with alterations to create rich harmonic effects. The form
of the piece is ABACA . The opening chordal section is in
4/4 and is contrasted by the B section in 6/8 time, which
uses arpeggiated left hand chords. The C section makes use
of a sequence, the melody of which is voiced first in the
soprano part, and next in the inner voice (alto) . This
section continues with an eight bar section in straight
timing. The final A section uses an embellished melody over
the original chord structure, and builds to a climax, finishing
with a final D major 13, sharp 11 chord, arpeggiated in
fourths.
Track
13 Jucaro Rhumba (Latin-american piano solo from
Contemporary Piano Method Book 2B)
This
piece is in the key of B Flat Minor. The tune is in Modified
Binary form, beginning with a four bar introduction which
sets up the Rhumba rhythm. The melody is stated first in
the middle register of the instrument, and then repeated
an octave higher. The second section modulations to the
relative major key, and finishes with a reference to the
original melody.
Track
14 Sonorities
This
rhapsodic contemporary piano solo, was written in memory
of Jazz legend 'Bill Evans. It explores the rich harmonies
that can be created on a keyboard and makes use of interesting
chord clusters, which were a feature of Evan's playing,
rippling figures and extensive flourishes. The final section
builds to a climax with a syncopated chordal section, followed
by a reuse of early figures which establish a quiet and
haunting mood. Lastly, there are three arpeggiated chord
flourishes and the whole work ends on an open E major chord,
overlaid by a C major triad, which encourages some interested
harmonics to come forth from the instrument.
Track
15 Evanescence
(Jazz piano solo from Contemporary Piano Method Book
3)
This
is another work in the Jazz idiom, and is played with a
swing feel. The tune explores the movement of chords around
the cycle of 5ths, as well as several chromatic chords movements.
It also makes use of 9th chords and altered chords, to add
a rich flavour to the harmonic scheme. The form of the movement
is AAB which is repeated and finishes with the final chords
repeated three times, a device often used in popular music.
Track
16 Tango Tranquille
(piano solo from Six Contemporary Pieces)
Following
a rhapsodic opening section, the B section of this piece
settles into the Tango rhythm which is then followed by
a hypnotic ostinato figure using fourths and fifths in the
right hand, underpinned by a syncopated sixteenth note melody
played by the left hand. The pieces finishes with a restatement
of the tango theme, in a higher key.
Track
17 Sunshowers on the River
(piano solo from Six Contemporary Pieces)
This piece is a set of variations on a Pentatonic or five-note
Scale, in the less usual time signature of 7/4 time. Each
section is treated differently, with the styles ranging
from chordal to contrapuntal, with a variety of interesting
rhythmic sections and a free improvisatory section before
the final unison statement of the theme |
