Work in direction

[Thorolf]

One of eight movements from a suite for one of my old bands Bassgang.

2 bass clarinets
Fretless bass guitar
Drums

And that’s me on the bass guitar!

Regards

[crimson]

Quite interesting and original. I liked the slightly humorous, lazy mood. I could easily follow the piece through, although I failed to memorize any particular parts.

A creative and experimental piece. It wasn't too weird as to alienate me. Minimal soundscape, but still colourful and highly enjoyable. I can't really think of much to complain about, and I think it works rather well as a whole. This makes for refreshingly different listening

[Ron Ofir]

I really like the idea (both using only bass and percussion, and the musical theme)! However, it felt a bit too light for me, but maybe you meant it to be that way? That said, I don't have any problem with concentrated on bass (I love Jaco Pastorius and Victor Wooten), but I just couldn't seem to find anything that was built on top the bass melody. Was that in any way understandable?

Oh, and you play real nice! Which one of you wrote that? Or was it all of you together?

[Thorolf]

Thanks for your comments!

Interresting that you perceive the piece as having one melody with nothing on top, Ron Ofir!

In fact, the piece has three main sections

A section (16 bars)
B section (8 bars)
C section (8 bars)
and this goes twice plus a coda of 6 bars.

The A section is two part full polyphonic the first time, and three part the second time!
The B sections is merely a fretless bass solo with added thirds on bass clarinets
The C sections follows up the parallelism from B but extends it, and adds a completely new melody on top the second time, hence constituting two part polyphony.

That you perceive it as very homophonic, I take as a sign that both the sound and the parts really melts together, even if they’re highly independent if you break it down.



And yes, I wrote it.



Regards

[MaestroX]

Cool laid back piece Thorolf, quite interesting and original.

I like your unusual instrumentation, 2 bass clarinets a fretless bass guitar and
drums. Why did you decide to use them?

[Thorolf]

Well, I wanted to play myself, hence the fretless bass. I also like to play with drums, hence the drums. I thought the übercoolest instrument in the universe next to fretless bass was bass clarinet, where you got both bass and alto sax possibilities, and the sonority that lifts any symphony orchestra into the sinister nooks, but as a fretless bass is rather thick, I needed two bass clarinets to balance it…

Just my taste.



Nowadays, I think that Contra Alto Clarinet in Eb is the ultimate bass clarinet for pure bass purposes. Still the original Bass in Bb has some agility that the Contra Alto lacks, so it’s all a matter of what you would use it for.

Regards

[Whataguy!]

I like the idea of a band of bass instruments as well. Once, I played in a soul band with both bass and bari saxes. Man, those things were shellshockingly LOUD! Even us brass guys were afraid.

The harmonies in this piece were very modern, and with three voices without a piano, that's pretty hard to do. I also thought the melody was very suited to a bass instrument's register. And the bass clarinet in the upper register was very creative. I never would have thought of writing for that instrument in that range. Of course, the bass clarinet player I use these days would shoot me if I did, but that's besides the point.

I would have liked to have heard more percussion in this piece, though, more of the drum set. However, a lot can be said for a minimalist/modernist approach like this. I wonder what the other seven parts are like . . .

Good job, man. Gotta hear more from you.

[Thorolf]

Originally Posted by Whataguy!

[T]he bass clarinet in the upper register was very creative. I never would have thought of writing for that instrument in that range. Of course, the bass clarinet player I use these days would shoot me if I did, but that's besides the point.

Why? There is nothing even remotely uncomfortable about playing the bass clarinet up to at least c''' notated! And really no problem to put on a couple of extra notes above that as well. If you need an especially “woody” and powerful alto sax kind of sound, look no further than bass clarinet!

Originally Posted by Whataguy!

I would have liked to have heard more percussion in this piece, though, more of the drum set.

It should be noted that there is no written percussion part on this one, so another take in another setting could have very different outcomes in this respect! Still, I like this take… for now, I’d rather avoid regular drum kit on this one, maybe brushes, but at least avoiding cymbals and hi-hat, as I need those frequencies to bring out the subtle interplay between the melodic lines.

As for the other movements, well they span from an arrangement of “Freedom Jazz Dance” by Eddie Harris, interwoven with a norwegian childrens song and free jazz, to the opening of Shostakovich’ 3. symphony, arranged for this setting…

Thanks for your kind comments!



Regards

[reith]

Very pleasing to listen to. Easy-going.

There's enlightenment listening to your work.

Great.

[Majesty]

A very nice relaxing piece. The instrumental texture does create a sense of lightness or sparseness. It was very interesting listening to it.