Alice's Humoresque - (2016)  

tenor trombone and piano

 for Christopher Moulds

 

British conductor Christopher Moulds was guest at our table mid-week for good food, strong drink and good, strong conversation. In the midst of talking of his family, I learned that his daughter, Alice, was studying the trombone. Humorously I said I would scrawl a wee piece, having had his reply to my query, "name three numbers between one and ten" The numbers:  3, 7 and 4. The next morning this and a cup of coffee were for breakfast.

 

 

 

On a C scale, E, B and F, make a fine start for a piece, and so the trombone states Chris' numbers over arpeggios of related triads with each thematic note as component.

 

 

 

 

A bass line of the thematic notes then is used as at measure 7, and thereafter the three "numbers" also define tonal domains as an up tempo, syncopated song is taken up by the players. One should have fun with this, of course.

 

 

 

4 pages, circa 3' 00" - an MP3 demo is here: 

 

The score is available as a free PDF download, though any major commercial performance or recording of the work is prohibited without prior arrangement with the composer. Click on the graphic below for this score.