Concerto first edit

[pierso20]

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[Richard Armandi]

Bravo! Hats off to you!!
A fine work (IMHO) and a wonderful addition to the repertoire.
Thank you for sharing your gifts.
Best,
Richard Armandi

[Ben]

I really like it! Very cool, thank you for sharing, and composing!

[Steve Marcus]

Brooke,

Your concerto sounds very audience accessible. That gives it opportunity to be heard more times in more places, and not just in the halls of academia.

It sounds as though one of the primary challenges for the soloist are the wide and quick register leaps. But it's not out of line with similar challenges in other compositions out there.

Congratulations on fine results on your labor.

[pierso20]

Brooke,

Your concerto sounds very audience accessible. That gives it opportunity to be heard more times in more places, and not just in the halls of academia.

It sounds as though one of the primary challenges for the soloist are the wide and quick register leaps. But it's not out of line with similar challenges in other compositions out there.

Congratulations on fine results on your labor.

Thanks Steve.

After looking at the tuba part by itself it is accessible but will require a ton of endurance and mastery of range. Particular, the leaps in the final movement (which will likely be optional as they are more for spice than essential) will pose a challenge. It's definitely not impossible, though. Hopefully I'll be able to get this work out there a little bit - we'll see.

Like I said, I'll have a sample tuba part and the score completed in a week or so.

Thanks for the king words everyone.

[TubadudeCA]

This is Fantastic!! Great job! As stated above, this would be well received by an Audience. I would personally love to brave this piece myself!

[pierso20]

Original post edited with tuba part posted.

It is printable but is not the "final" performance copy.
Forgive any editing errors. There are a lot of pages and this is a long process!

[Ben]

Thank you for posting this, I am going to have some fun reading through it this weekend.

[Chuck Jackson]

Magnificent!!! Thank you for writing a piece that is: 1. Audience friendly, 2. Musically satisfying, and 3. Isn't written so BLOODY HIGH that only a few would be able to "get it". You have given the "community" a substancial piece of music that the vast majority can have hopes of actually performing!!!!

Chuck"I wish I could still play"Jackson

[ginnboonmiller]

Why did you put three flats in the key signature in the first movement?

[pierso20]

Why did you put three flats in the key signature in the first movement?

In the score, with 3 flats, you will see a lot of Fb and some Gb so one would think to put it in with 6 flats.

Logistical Answer: No matter what key I choose there are going to be a lot of awkward accidentals and written intervals.

Real Answer: It's simply in a Mode that shuffled between being based off of Eb and Ab. Functionally it works much better written this way. Good question though - you made me rehash why I decided to go that route in the first place. Here is an example - Yes, there are a lot of Fb to Ab jumps but it functions as a third not a 4th. So rewriting it would simply not be in the right function of the piece.

[ginnboonmiller]

Thing is, it sounds to me like it's in C# minor. Did you play around with four sharps?

[pierso20]

Thing is, it sounds to me like it's in C# minor. Did you play around with four sharps?

I had thought of that before but then you're looking at a lot of natural markings, double sharps, and again awkward intervals. And seriously...who wants to play a piece in C#m !!!! Plus, it's really not in C#m (really!). It's not a minor key at all, in fact. It's in a mode that floats between a mode of Ab and Eb (major/minor). Just when it appears to fit into a key things change.

The permutation I've found here, I think fits best. Once the score is completed it will be easier to see. When you're just looking at the tuba part I can understand your thoughts.

[MartyNeilan]

The part starts out on a (nearly) pedal Db? Bummer for 4 valved CC tubas. Both my CC's have that note as a solid false tone, but I would hate to start a piece on a false tone after standing around backstage cold for 10 minutes or longer, or waiting in a lobby to play an audition.

[pierso20]

The part starts out on a (nearly) pedal Db? Bummer for 4 valved CC tubas. Both my CC's have that note as a solid false tone, but I would hate to start a piece on a false tone after standing around backstage cold for 10 minutes or longer, or waiting in a lobby to play an audition.

Pedal Db, yes. Though the instructions will allow it to be played up an octave. It's not a deal breaker for the work - though much more fun!

[pierso20]

The full wind score is now finished for your perusal.

http://www.brookepierson.com/Concerto%2 ... able-1.pdf

[Alex C]

You know, you do all that hard work composing the piece and trying to get it just like you want it. You know what happens next? Parts! Parts are more work and less return than composing. I just hate making parts.

[pierso20]

You know, you do all that hard work composing the piece and trying to get it just like you want it. You know what happens next? Parts! Parts are more work and less return than composing. I just hate making parts.

I am DREADING starting to work on those parts. The score was enough of a battle, but I generally enjoying doing the score.

Parts!

Yep....especially 472 measures....I'm going to need a beer run.

[JohnSzkutko]

Great work, still listening to it as I write this.

Leave the solo part as is, let us tuba performers perform it.
To those few performers, take a spoonful of concrete and don't sweat the "could have been written better" parts, just play them.

I'd love to perform this, just need to find a decent wind band here in Australia to join in with the fun.

As for the "parts" comments, I've written a concert suite for tuba and orchestra. 20+ parts to extract. I'll just go UGHH like every other composer out there who has to do the final editing.

Keep up the great work Brooke. Write some more tuba stuff please, shorter and with piano. This way we can perform your music more easily and more often.

[BVD Press]

Nicely done! Sounds like both a fun to play and listen to!

If it makes anyone feel any better about parts, I do about 400 pages a week. For the DC Army Show I have done 60 new pieces and have about 10 inches of printed scores and parts to proof. Anyone want to help?