Lichtenbergian Goal #3: compose one complete work

I’ll take anything. Really.

By “complete work,” I am talking about something serious, not just an SATB piece, but something that you could apply an opus number to: the symphony; the trio for piano, trombone, and saxophone; the bassoon/string quintet; or something new that I don’t even have any inspiration for yet.

This is one of my stretch goals, although it shouldn’t be. This is how far removed I’ve become from my own compositional process: I have to stretch just to get something written.

As usual, I will be writing without any hope of performance, although the requestor of the trio I think would play it. The symphony? Who? The quintet? The Waltz movement was supposed to be under consideration for this fall, but that didn’t go anywhere, and there’s no evidence that two or three more movements would increase its chances.

However, it doesn’t matter, of course. I shall be happy to get back into the struggle, eventually.

And of course I will have the opportunity this summer to explore the hypothesis that my major stumbling block is the lack of time (as opposed to the lack of talent). Yes, I have some major landscaping to do in the back yard, but on the whole my plan is to make time to compose in a serious way.

It will be an interesting summer. Discipline or death!