I’m working, I’m working.
I’ve decided to go with #1, and I’ve renamed it “Threnody,” because that’s what it sounds like. More later.
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10:16 pm: Here’s what I have going on. I have four motifs I’m working with:
- the quasi-“Alberti bass” figure that the bassoon opens with
- the quarter/half/quarter figure first heard echoing down the first and second violins
- the dotted quarter followed by descending eighths, first heard in the viola
- the dotted quarter followed by eighth notes grinding to a halt
There’s also the grace note attacks that keep popping up.
Anyway, I’m playing with combining those motifs in various mixes, often ending up with two instruments dwindling to nothing, only to have the wheel (of life?) given another spin. Eventually, however, the whole thing will just sag to a complete stop.
In the sound file, the last thing you hear is the first violin rousing itself to a bit of bravura. It doesn’t work yet, so don’t bother to comment. I’ll have to keep playing with the line until it makes sense.
More tomorrow.