So I now have sketches for the following parts of the song cycle I have been writing:
Prelude (partial sketch)
I. "in just" (about 2/3 completed)
II. "hist whist" (complete)
IV. "why did you go (little kittens)" (complete)
V. "tumbling-hair" (complete)
Postlude
So to complete the cycle, I have to finish composing the prelude and first song ("in just") and write the entirety of the third song of the cycle ("little tree"). This is not a bad level of productivity for just one month of composing, almost every day for short periods of time. In fact, I surprised myself in being able to write as much as I did. Cool!
Other lessons I have learned through this challenge:
- Writing something is better than writing nothing. GREATER THAN ZERO!
- Sitting at the piano and writing nothing is better than not trying at all.
- I had very few days that felt entirely uninspired, and even on those days I managed to scribble down a couple of half-hearted measures. I never wrote NOTHING (how's that for a nice double negative?).
- I do best when I write in the morning before I go to work.
- I really do enjoy writing music.
- I shouldn't let fear of criticism prevent me from writing music.
So what is next now that this challenge (and month) is done? Well, for starters, I still need to finish writing this song cycle. I have set a reasonable goal for December to finish my rough sketch of the remaining movements, put the entire cycle into music notation software, and revise it a bit. Then I will send it to the soprano for whom I wrote the piece and see what she thinks. Hopefully, she'll like it, and we will be able to make some plans for a future performance. I'll post again before the end of the year to make good on my goal and STAY ACCOUNTABLE. And who knows what challenges the new year will hold!?
Yay! As always, so proud of you. That damn stubbornness can work in our favor...
ReplyDeleteThanks for your support (and walking the dog in the mornings), Kate!
DeleteYes, set up goals for December. I plan on doing the same thing TODAY! Life is hectic in this month, so anything that we do is better than NOTHING, as you say. I think just being in the flow of it, like you said, sitting at the piano scribbling a few notes is better than not sitting at all. There's something about the energy that it carries when we do just a little every day. Great, good job. Can't wait to hear the final song.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Aunt Lynn. I got off to a good start this month and wrote for a half hour this morning, too. Hopefully I can keep it up!
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