In this piece I wanted to show the military aspect of the side drum, but also have a variety of unexpected dynamic changes to show the instrument's versatility. Placing rests to force the drum to play on the offbeat also adds to the surprise element of the piece.
Funeral March
I chose duple time for this piece as that is what is commonly used for funeral marches, and I thought that this pulse would suitably convey the walking motion of one foot in front of the other. The scene I imagined was a lone bass drummer to the side of the road providing the march for black coated figures holding similarly coloured umbrellas, heads bent in the pouring rain, walking the otherwise silent street in procession. The Grave speed indication I felt appropriate to the slow and solemn occasion.
A Day In The Country
In this piece I attempted to convey people and animals having fun in the countryside. I find the cowbell has a light and airy nature that was suitable for the nature of the music. In the first eight bars I state the theme, then in the second half of the piece aim to provide a variation on this theme, and complete it with a jubilant ending.
Village Dance
For this piece I imagined rural folk dancing in the outdoors or the village hall. I used an accent at the start of every bar to create a strong sense of pulse which could be danced to. I wanted to keep the rhythm suitably straight-forward for dancing, but at the same time having enough variety to be of interest to the listener.
Reflection
These were my first ever set of compositions, and although at first I found the task a daunting one, I am pleased with how they turned out. I found that my music theory and software knowledge were sufficient in that I could concentrate on the creative aspect of the task without being hindered with technical problems. Completing the exercise has given me a new confidence, and I'm very much looking at beginning the next exercise which deals with a percussion duet.
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