...Like Water - First Movement

Bun-Ching Lam
Piece Duration: 3:17

About this Piece

"Bun-Ching Lam kept three Chinese sayings in mind while composing this piece: 'Years flow by like water,' 'Relations between gentlemen are plain like water,' and 'Love tender like water.'" - Joslyn Layne

Notable Passages

Time Stamp: 0:00 — 0:57
Description: The first minute of this movement is based on a Db Whole Tone Scale: [Db Eb F G A B Db]
Keywords: Whole Tone Scale

Time Stamp: 1:53 — 3:23
Description:

The music begins to use an Ab Melodic Minor Scale!

  • Play these notes on an instrument: Ab, Bb, Cb, Db, Eb, F, G, Ab

This scale is similar to the whole tone scale we heard before, with two notes altered (A -> Ab, and B - > Bb).

This scale could also be compared to the Db Lydian Scale: [Db Eb F G Ab Bb C Db]. Lydian scales are similar to major scales, with the fourth tone raised by a half step. Lam's piece uses a Cb instead of a C, though so...not quite!


Keywords: Minor Tonality , Modal

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