Sonatina for Wagner Tuba and Piano - (2016)    

for Erika Binsley

 

 

Having corresponded about some of my music with Erika Binsley , a horn player and doctoral student at the University of Maryland, I thought to create this sonatina for her.

 

The sonatina is of sections in a through-composed whole. The opening is of scalar gestures with the tuba as middle voice of parallel triads, with a contrasting lyrical section to unify the first large section of the work.

 

 

 

Thereafter a song form begins with an extended section for piano, allowing contrast and a moment of rest for the tuba.

 

 

 

Following the extended lyricism is a contrapuntal play between instruments, with some quotes from the opening section now taking a part as counterpoint against what begins as a fugue-like dance.

 

 

 

Pausing from the fugue, a moment marked "freely," with cadenza-like gestures over sustained chords in the accompaniment. After this moment, the fugue again takes hold for a romp to the conclusion of the work.

 

 

 

12 pages, circa 9' 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.