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Sonata for Oboe and Violin - (2007)    

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for Monika Fiedler

 

i.    Caccia  -  [ 2 pages, circa 1' 15" ]

 

The opening movement is a simple chase, one instrument following the other. As with children's games and love affairs, the one who chases sometimes is the one being chased, and vice versa. With the oboe and violin being relatively equal, with the exception of the violin's greater range, the chase begins with the oboe as the violin follows behind by one half a measure, though only eight measures later, this is reversed.

 

ii.    Rondo cantabile -  [ 2 pages, circa 3' 15" ]

 

The rush of the first movement gives way to a simple cantabile in the second, though the voice exchange somewhat.  The violin for the most part accompanies the oboe's plaint.

 

iii.    Contrappunto e finale  -  [  4 pages, circa 2' 15" ]

 

The last movement recalls the triple meter of the caccia, this time in triple-triple time. After a breathless opening of runs and jumps, the counterpoint settles in. As with the caccia, the fugue subject seems to appear at the interval of one half a measure, but this is false. The fugue subject itself is stated in its greater length at measure seventeen and thereafter, with the tonal regions visited being the dominant and some less expected harmonic dalliances.

 

Monika Fiedler

 

While helping me print some of my scores at the offices of Theater Aachen, I learned that Monika Fiedler was a violinist and that a good friend was an oboist. I proposed there and then to scrawl a short piece for two instruments as a small token of my appreciation for her assistance. Over night, it became a three movement work as above, and is my tangible thanks for her graciousness and kindness.

 

The score for the Sonata for Oboe and Violin 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 chamber score and parts.

 

Sonata for Oboe and Violin