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Welcome
to the Attic!
A repository of
all my original compositions
|
José Oscar de Almeida
Marques
|
Dusty chests and
cobwebs, heaps of notebooks and scattered sheets of music paper. The occasional
rodent. All my music, old and new, will eventually end up in the attic,
an adequate place for my amateurish efforts at composing to lie forgotten,
except that, with MIDI and the Internet, the attic is now open to public
visitation! So, be my guest and browse it at will, but remember: the less
you expect the happier you will be.
A selection (marked
with *) of the pieces in this page is included in the CD Album
1997-1999.
see the
most recent addition:Mesto for Strings
|
New
Stuff
|
I like to think that I am
getting a bit better in all this, that's why I present my late music first.
You may judge for yourself. |
|
Old
Stuff
|
You may find some enjoyable
music here, especially those pieces that have been revised and are marked
with an asterisk after the date. Some other compositions, on the other
hand, have little more than just sentimental value and are here only because
they have nowhere else to go... |
|
Fractal
Stuff
|
My fractal music, curiously,
has fared much better than my more conventional efforts, and had from the
beginning its own page at MIDIWorld, where it gets much more hits than
all my other pages put together. So, I guess it doesn't belong to the attic,
after all. |
(All sequences optimally
balanced for the SB/AWE 32/64 with the E-mu 8MB GM soundfont)
Mesto per archi,
sopra il accordo del Tristano (sep/1999)
*
Xote
(jun/1999) *
This is another attempt
at writing something in the style of Brazilian folk music.(see the two
Baiões
below).
A very short piece, but quite lively and with a gripping rhythm, although
it doesn't employ percussion. The form is a simple A-B-C-A-B, but with
strong tonal contrasts between sections: B flat major - A major - F minor
- B flat major - A major).
Variations
on an Original Theme (apr/1999) *
It's been a long, long time
since my first attempt at a Theme and Variations form (see below)
and now I come back to the genre with a more elaborate piece, scored for
wind trio and strings, This time I worked on an original theme, but am
not sure if it was wholly adequate, melodically, to the role. Nevertheless,
I tried to make the variations interesting through rhythmic and instrumental
changes.
Passacaglia
in B flat Major (dec/1998) *
Don't let the somewhat solemn
title mislead you: this is just a charming little piece of music, scored
for wind quartet, organ and plucked bass. It is, nonetheless, a genuine
passacaglia, which opens, as usual, with an exposition of the recurrent
bass ground, stated in this case by the bassoon. Over this basis, the three
upper voices (French horn, oboe and flute) introduce successively their
tunes. There follows a short middle section in the minor key, constructed
over a variation of the bass ground. In the last section we go back to
the major key and the three tunes are combined in several ways, until they
appear all together (see here) in the last
statement.
Street-corner
Waltz (nov/1998) *
The idea was to write something
that could be interesting and easy to play. Well, I didn't try to play
it myself, but I am sure it is well within the abilities of a beginner.
It's just a melody with accompaniment, and all musical interest it may
have comes from the harmonic texture, and the wandering tonality between
C major and D major (in fact the piece begins in C and ends in D).
Check also this version
for tenor saxophone and guitar. *
See the score
in PDF format.
Intermezzo
for strings and harp (apr/1998) *
I must say I am very proud
of this piece, and I think that for the first time I was able to fully
explore modulation in my harmonic writing.
This piece is also available
in Real Audio 3.0 format :
Sound quality is low,
but in some sense listening to it makes for an interesting experience because
the artificial sound of the MIDI samples is disguised and the whole thing
sounds as an "authentic" old recording from the forties...
For those interested in technical
aspects, the harmonic structure of the piece is described here.
Canzona
for Brass and Organ (apr/1998) *
This lively piece for brass
and organ was written as an homage to the Venetian composer Giovanni Gabrieli
(1555-1612), although I missed the opportunity to explore the antiphonal
effects that were so characteristic of the music composed for the St Mark's
Cathedral at his time. Notice that a real canzona would have more sections
than the simple A-B-A presented here. Also, I employed modern harmony,
instead of the the old ecclesiastic modes.
Andante
in C minor (feb/1998) *
"An die Melodie"(feb/1998)
*
I count these two pieces
among my best efforts at the time. In both cases the composition started
from previously defined sequences of chords, and it was a surprise to me
that such organic and consistent melodies could be constructed on this
basis. The pieces are structurally quite simple, all the interest being
the presentation of a beautiful melody against a rich harmonic background.
The Andante
is a sad and meditative piece, with a long melody for
the flute, and I think I can say it has genuine
pathos."An die
Melodie" gives place of honour to the oboe and couldn't be more contrasting,
being quite exuberant and perhaps even bombastic at its ending.
Minuet
in G minor (set/1997)
*
Well, It doesn't sound in
fact as a minuet, but at least it is in 3/4... It is based on the simple
harmonic progression:
i V iv6 i III+ i6 i V64 III+
i VI6 bII6 ii-6 i64 V7 i
(where + = aug, - =
dim, 6 = 1st inversion and 64 = 2nd inversion)
Except for the closing dominant
seventh all chords are just triads, and there isn't any modulation.The
harmonic spice comes from the occasional augmented chords and the Neapolitan
sixth in the second part.
See also this version
for piano 4-hands, transposed to C minor. (Score
in PDF format).
Exercises in the Mode
M2 (1981-1982)
Messiaen's second "mode
de transpositions limitées" consists in an eight-degree scale that
goes tone, semitone, tone, semitone, etc. It's also known as the "octatonic
scale". In these exercises I explore the harmonization of melodies in this
mode employing common major and minor chords with a rather unusual effect.
Exercise no. 1 consists in
a simple succession of three-part chords, divided into four short phrases
(a), (b), (c) and (d).
No. 1
:
The harmonic schemes of
the phrases from Exercise 1 become the basis for the elaboration of a group
of four exercises in which a lively dance is fitted - in the manner of
a trope - to the phrases (a), (b), (c) and (d) of Exercise no. 1
No. 2a
(Am - Cm - F# - Am - Ebm)
No. 2b
(C - Eb - F#m - C - F#)
No. 2c
(F# - A - Cm - Cm - Eb)
No. 2d
(Eb - C - F#m - Ebm - Am)
A five-bar phrase constructed
over a bass line derived from Exercise 1 is presented in its original,
retrograde, retrograde-inverted and inverted forms. 3a and 3b are two different
musical realizations of the result:
No. 3a
No. 3b
Exercise 4 is just a rhythmic
elaboration of Exercise no.1:
No. 4
In September 1998 I came
back to these old sketches and reworked the material of Studies 2a - 2d,
including inversions thereof, patching them together into a new composition:
In M2 (1998)
*
This piece is also available
in Real Audio 3.0 format
Air
and Motet (1978, 1980, rev. 1997) *
The piece starts with an
Air for an ensemble of flutes and harpsichord. After this the motet proper
begins, with tenor and double in counterpoint. In the third part the Air
joins in and reveals itself as the triplum of the motet.
Baião
no. 1 (1977,
1978, rev. 1998) *
Baião no.
2 (1980, rev. 1998) *
I have a soft spot for the
folk music of the Brazilian Northeast, and these are my attempts to compose
something in that style, employing its characteristic rhythms and modal
scales. But I am not very knowledgeable in matters of musical folklore,
and don't know for sure whether the name "baião" is entirely appropriate
to these two pieces - so I present them just as stylized creations that
reflect my (limited) contact with this kind of material (clichés
abound, but no actual quotation is made: the main melodies are original).
The first baião has
a simple A1-B-A2 form, but it contains many niceties not usually found
in popular music, like the canonic treatment of the themes in part A1 and
B, and, especially, the contrapuntal combination of the two themes in part
A2.
The second baião is
simpler and shorter than the first, and is constructed entirely over an
unceasing ostinato bass figure. It also features a combination of the two
main themes towards the end.
Four studies on dances
of Claude Gervaise (XVIth Century)
16-bar
Waltz (1978)
*
A tiny little Waltz for
piano, so easy that even I can play it!
Two Counterpoints (1977)
No.1
in two voices
No.2
in three voices
Very simple and short pieces
that just move from G minor to D major. Melody and bass are the same in
both, just the middle voices change.
Minuet
in E minor (1977)
A classical Minuet and Trio
- no more than an exercise, but I like it.
Canon
in C minor (1977)
A lively piece for two flutes
in strict canon.
Little
March (1977)
This could do with some
drums and a few additional bars, but I'm afraid it will remain as it is.
Intrata(1976)
A simple 3-voice piece for
wind ensemble. I was thinking of adding trumpets and timpani but, oh well....
"Jesu,
meine Freude" (1974, rev. 1983)
My harmonization of the
famous hymn by Joh. Franck, 1655
Tiptoeing(1974)
A strictly serial piece,
based on the (non-dodecaphonic) row A D C F G Bb D E F# A D F G A
Passa,
passa, gavião (1974, reworked 1999) *
My original treatment of
this well-known Brazilian folksong was just the addition of an accompanying
voice that goes up and down an octave in chromatic steps and merges interestingly
with the melody. Recently I wrote a syncopated bass line and set up the
present arrangement.
Overture-Aequal
for 3 trombones (1974)
Very simple, middle voice
plays a C throughout. Originally for recorders, makes much more sense with
trombones.
Moment,
for flutes and harp (1973)
My first attempt at some
sort of "atmosphere" music; not much successful ...
Choral
and Fugato in four voices (1973)
The choral is a study on
the chorales from Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat.The fugue has
a very syncopated subject; it was separately conceived but I think it fits
the choral well.
Trois danses modales (et
ses inversions) (1973)
I: Lent II: Vif et animé
III: Gaillarde
Little
Prelude and Fugue (1972)
Quite simple and easy; originally
for three recorders.
Trio
for recorder, flute and continuo (1972)
In three movements: quick,
slow, quick.
Twelve-Tone
Two-Part Invention (1972)
My first (and only) dodecaphonic
composition. But I like it!
The series is {D D# B G#
A Bb E C C# F# G F}. Only its original form is employed.
Six Easy Duets for Recorders
(1971)
Trio
for Recorders in G major (1971)
Just another easy piece
for beginners.
Two-Part
Fugue in A minor (1971)
My first fugue, solemn and
academic, with some chromatic touches.
Variations
on a Tune of Nino Rota (1970, rev. 1997)
The theme comes from the
soundtrack of Zefirelli's film "Romeo and Juliet". This little piece consists
of the tune followed by four simple variations, scored for two wind instruments.
The late revision much improved the bass part, and in this form it was
submitted to the La Musique Petite challenge for December 1997,
on the subject "Theme and Variation".
Sonata
a due in A minor (1970)
Allegro - Adagio - Menuetto
Two-Part
Invention no. 1 (1969)
This is little more than
a copy of Bach's first two-part Invention.
Two-Part Invention no.
2 (1970)
Less derivative, but certainly
too repetitive...
Six Two-voice Imitations
(1968)
Thanks for your visit!
Come back occasionally to see if there's anything new.
This page has been visited 
times since May/13/1998.
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