Music 401: Little Red Riding Hood

Here is a piece of Dance Theatre – possibly for Christmas but not necessarily. It has 19 dances that tell the (fairly) traditional story of Little Red Riding Hood. In all probability it will never get done as these days the plot is regarded by some as sexist. However I present it in the hope that it might get performed in a less enlightened age.

The work has elements that rile many a purist. For example, there are bits of Ballet, bits of Contemporary Dance, bits of Ballroom Dance, bits of Folk Dance, and bits of Pantomime.

At present the music score is for piano only. I thought initially I would orchestrate it, but it is time consuming for something that may never be performed. So if anyone wants it orchestrated they can ask me or do it themselves! My music composing software is so old and the notation so small by the time I put all the instruments of an orchestra on a page that I can’t see it any more!

This posting is simply a link to a separate webpage that gives the plot, and audios and sheet music of the 19 dances. I’m not expecting people to listen to all 19! A performance would take about 3/4s of an hour.

Thanks! Here is the link: HERE!

Music 397-399: Three pieces to play while wearing a silly hat

Ok. Ok. I’ve put off posting these three short pieces for piano because every time I post music I lose another three quarters of this blog’s followers. And followers these days are getting perilously low. Thank you faithful ones!

Wearing a silly hat might thankfully distract from having to notice the music! Who knows? Anyway, here they are:

Silly Hat I – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Silly Hat II – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Silly Hat III– audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Music 383-395: A Baker’s Dozen

Hi Everyone

Here is a little suite of 13 piano pieces – called A Baker’s Dozen. The first piece I have posted before, but I’ve included it in this little collection.

Thanks. Here they are:

1.Liddle Diddy – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
2. A Jolly Dance – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
3. Rondo – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
4. Windmills – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
5. Nine Eight – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
6. Hiccups – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
7. Something’s Passing – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
8. Little Bird – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
9. Perpetual Motion – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
10. Fugue – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
11. Wonky – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
12. Sunday Train – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
13. Elegy – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Music 371-382: Twelve Preludes in Search of a Key

Hi – you don’t have to like these (you already know I have an inferiority complex when it comes to music) but I like them anyway – and you don’t have to. Probably my favourite thing I’ve created – at least for today.

It all began with Prelude 2, which came to me in a dream and I lay awake for the rest of the night scared I would forget how it went!

In my dream I played it on a piano in a pub, and everyone left! Have a listen to see why!

Prelude 1 (starting on the note C) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 2 (starting on the note Db) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 3 (starting on the note D) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 4 (starting on the note Eb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 5 (starting on the note E) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 6 (starting on the note F) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 7 (starting on the note Gb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 8 (starting on the note G) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 9 (starting on the note Ab) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 10 (starting on the note A) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 11 (starting on the note Bb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Prelude 12 (starting on the note B) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

Music 368-370: Three Short Serial Piano Pieces

There are three new piano pieces HERE at this link. It will take you to another page with links to my compositions of 2021 – including the new piano pieces. Go there if you dare!

Some people like to know how some things are made, so for them these three pieces are based on the same grid made out of the same 12-tone row. If you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, it doesn’t matter. One doesn’t have to have the recipe of my fabulous rhubarb cheesecake to enjoy eating it.

To be even more obtuse, below is the grid from which the pieces are created. It is a composition “devise” created by Arnold Schoenberg and other composers in the mid-20th century. All 12 notes of the keyboard are played in a particular order and all are to be played before any note is repeated. Of course, these three pieces here “cheat” – who among us doesn’t break the rules when it comes to writing 12-tone serial music?

Thanks. Back to stories tomorrow.

Music Compositions 2021

Here are Music Compositions of 2021

• 11 January – Whimsy 1 – for piano (1’24”) – audio HERE and the pdf HERE.
• 11 January – Whimsy 2 – for piano (1’24”) – audio HERE and the pdf HERE.
• 13 February – The annoying kingfisher outside my window – for piano – audio HERE and the pdf HERE.
• 2 March – Three piano pieces based on the same serial 12-tone row:
  • Piece 1 – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Piece 2 – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Piece 3 – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
• 26 March – Twelve Preludes in Search of a Key:
  • Prelude 1 (starting on the note C) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 2 (starting on the note Db) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 3 (starting on the note D) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 4 (starting on the note Eb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 5 (starting on the note E) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 6 (starting on the note F) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 7 (starting on the note Gb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 8 (starting on the note G) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 9 (starting on the note Ab) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 10 (starting on the note A) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 11 (starting on the note Bb) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.
  • Prelude 12 (starting on the note B) – audio HERE, sheet music HERE.

NOTE: I gave up adding links to new 2021 compositions to this page as it was a clumsy method! Further new composition links appear in the general daily index as usual.

Music 364: Piano Sonata 4

Here is a sonata (3 movements) for the piano.

If you wish to contact me about performing it at Carnegie, or the NY Met, or the Royal Albert, or anywhere important then I can be contacted at bbgoodman@hotmail.com because contact@stagebarn.com seems to be dastardly erratic.

The picture is of a weta – they are the largest insects in the world apparently and are a type of cricket. They have nothing to do with this sonata, except there was one waiting to greet me at my front door when I ventured out this morning.

Click on a Movement title to listen to each:

1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement

Click on a Movement title to download the written music of each:

1st Movement

2nd Movement

3rd Movement

Music 363: A Hitherto Missing Variation on a Haydn Minuet

Hi Everyone

I posted a piano sonata the other day and said it would probably be the last bit of music for the year. Not so! With this blog winding up in a couple of days (at least this stage of it) I’m having a tidy-up. So this little piano piece should be the last of the music. It really is me just being a bit silly.

The Haydn Minuet is from the second movement of a Haydn Piano Sonata in E minor (I’ve changed the key in this arrangement). And the variation uses a scale by the 20^th century German/American composer Arnold Schoenberg. Some enterprising teacher might use it to illustrate some of the differences between music of the Classical era, and music of the mid-20^th century.

It is quite short. Thanks.

Click HERE to listen to the music.

Click HERE to download the written music.

Music 362: Piano Sonata No. 3 in E minor

Hi Everyone

Here is a sonata (3 movements) for the piano. It will probably be the last bit of music for the year. The computer is playing them as my mic is broken – and besides, bits of the sonata are getting beyond my ability to play them.

I’m not expecting everyone to sit down for quarter of an hour to listen as they’re a bit arty-farty in places, but if you’re interested here it is! (Note: my autocorrect keeps changing “arty-farty” to “arty-party”.) It is called “Piano Sonata in E minor”; it starts in E minor but I quickly got distracted!

Thanks

Click on a title to listen to each of the three Movements:

1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement

Click on a title to download the written music of each of the three Movements:

1st Movement
2nd Movement
3rd Movement

Music 356-361: Six Dances from the Afterlife

Hi Everyone

Here are some dances for the piano called Six Dances from the Afterlife in honour of Halloween! (The computer is playing them as my mic is broken – so even though the electronic piano sounds a bit tinny it’s probably better than my piano playing these days!)

I had set out inspired by Bach’s various suites, but by the time there was a sort of Allemande, Courante, Sarabande and Minuet completed, the Air and Gig got thrown out the window in favour of a kind of Two-step for Two and one called Kick Off Your Shoes.

Click on a title in the first list to listen to the music, and click on a title in the second list to download the written music.

Thanks

Click on a title to listen:

• 1. Allemande
• 2. Courante
• 3. Sarabande
• 4. Two Step for Two
• 5. Minuet in Boots
• 6. Kick Off Your Shoes

Click on a title to download the written music:

• 1. Allemande
• 2. Courante
• 3. Sarabande
• 4. Two Step for Two
• 5. Minuet in Boots
• 6. Kick Off Your Shoes