After last 29th September I started to think about the beginning of the piece. I was struggling because I could not think about any possible beginning gesture that could connect with what I had already written. For 10 days I turned around the painting, hiding what I jus had composed.
When I turned it back I started to look to it, suddenly I understood that mine beginning does not needed to be with the semiquavers material, although it needed to be something that could connect with it. So, I realised that maybe I needed to do something similar as I did with the end of the piece. I needed to explore, instead of the transpositions of 2nd chord, the transpositions of my chord 1 in its original and opposite inversions, using a calm but very organic ideas.
I started to write long notes for the string quartet, playing with “crescendos" and "subitos pianos” changing and repeating chords. For example, the first two chords - B and A from chord 1, original pole - were written this way (image 1)
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Image 1 - starting idea - Strings without guitar B and A from chord 1, original pole
Second system, I thought in maybe connecting the guitar to this idea of having the transpositions of my chord 1 expanded. So, I wrote a sort of melody for the guitar in harmonics, using the notes of the chords I was using for the strings (image 2).
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Image 2 - Strings expanded chord material plus guitar melody in harmonics
I repeated this idea o a couple of times. Every time I repeated, I wrote more activity for the strings, making the changing of each chords, and even when sustaining them more organic. For example glissandos, harmonics and also the semiquavers material that will appear on bar 21 (image 3)
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Image 3 - introducing more activity on the strings and introducing the semiquavers-material
Before, bar 21 (bar 13 before the re-making) was written with the semiquavers material (image 4). However, I thought that maybe I was spoiling that material. I decided to create a more interlaced beginning with this semiquaver material (image 5) using glissandos, long notes and playing with “crescendos" and dynamics.
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Image 4 - before bar 13, now bar 21 - before remaking this section
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Image 5 - remaking bar 21 (before bar 13) - trying not to spoil the semiquaver material
I am not sure if this remaking will be enough. I am hopping to check this soon - after thinking about something else and having my mind fresh. In a way I need to turn the painting again, so when I turn it back I will have the solutions I need.
After making all these changes, I thought that I should have some material from the beginning at the end. Because it was missing a witty material on it. I thought that maybe I should change the guitar material for one of the gestures I used at the beginning of the piece (image 6)
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Image 6 - material I used at the beginning on the coda.
With this new material at the beginning I may change a couple of sections during the piece. Bar 49-50 for example: I thought it was missing a sort of long notes “subito piano” “crescendo” to “mf” and then taking back the semiquavers motif (image 7).
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Image 7 - changing repeated notes for long notes in “subito piano” “crescendo” to “mf”
I think this needs to happen more times during the piece, specially to give to whom is listening and playing a sort of rest of the repeated notes. They are there, if I take them off for a small section, one will be able to listen them any way. I cannot take them for long, but I can take them for a bit and that will make the work less anxious ion a way.
I think that the work I need to do now will be making the material I already have more connected during all the piece. I do not need to write more notes, or rhythms I just need to trim some sections, make it a bit clearer and less anxious, more breath on it. These will help not only the ones are playing it but also the ones are listening.
I realised that thinking about who is listening and who is playing is important when composing, because although that cannot be a condition, music is made to be enjoyed by people not by a computer.