Tres versiones sinfónicas: I. Pavana (Luis de Milán)
Julián OrbónPiece Duration: 09:16
About this Piece
(Movement I. is 0:10-9:26)
During this first movement of Orbón's three-part suite, the composer draws inspiration from a 16th century Pavana composed by Luis de Milan for vihuela (a Spanish plucked instrument that is a cross between a guitar and a lute). In Orbón's music, the listener can also hear the influence of Aaron Copland, with whom he studied for one year at the Berkshire Music Center in Massachusetts.
Melody / Motif: A solo french horn opens with a melody, which is then repeated in different instrument groups. The composer also creates a motif uses the melody's opening four notes (G-F-A-G). This motif reappears throughout the movement with varied rhythms, harmonies, and transpositions, but the melodic contour always stays the same!
Contrast / Texture: The composer utilizes a variety of textures as accompaniment figures in the music. These textures creates contrast, shifting the rhythmic motion and character of the piece!
Rhythmic Pattern: Four sixteenth notes and alternating rests are heard in the opening accompaniment, and later throughout the movement!
Notable Passages
Description:
Listen to the french horn's opening melody! The first four notes will be used as a motif throughout the movement.
- Listen to the Notable Passage
- Play the notes G-F-A-G on classroom instruments
- Scroll down to other Notable Passages, and hear the motif transform!
Keywords: Melody - Misc. , Motif
Description:
- Listen to the rhythmic pattern of four sixteenth notes in the brass.
- Listen to the trumpet play the four note motif (G-F-A-G)
- Listen a second time, and notice the contrast between the long legato notes of the trumpet, and the shorter, staccato notes in the trombones.
- Then, we hear more contrast between the trombones, and the long melodic phrase in the strings, flute and oboe!
Compose and perform a rhythmic pattern with these guidelines:
- Use a group of four sixteenth notes
- Create space after the sixteenth notes with a rest. Try different types of rests, like half rests, quarter rests, and eighth rests.
- Perform your pattern, and change it as you like!
- Try performing your pattern with another student
Keywords: Contrast , Motif , Phrase - Melody , Rhythmic Duration , Rhythmic Pattern , Rhythmic Pattern - Composition Technique
Description:
Here the four-note motif has moved down one step, to the pitches F#-E-G-F#! This transforms the music's character, with a shift to a minor harmony!
- Play F#-E-G-F# on classroom instruments
- Listen to the basses play the motif
- Listen to the high strings play the motif
Keywords: Imitation - Composition Technique , Motif
Description:
The accompaniment mimics the sound of a vihuela!
- Watch the vihuela player in this video
- Listen to this Notable Passage, and compare!
Meter: The conductor is using a three-beat pattern, and the tempo is around 140 beats per minute. UH-OH! This section is FULL of tricky rhythmic patterns and syncopations!
- Put on a metronome, and conduct in 3/4 at 140 BPM.
- Try conducting along with the Notable Passage, with help from your teacher!
Keywords: Meter - Misc.
Description:
Remember the sixteenth-note pattern from the opening?
Here it is again, played twice as slow in the horns and trombones! This is called augmentation!
While these instruments use eighth notes instead of sixteenth notes, the first and second violins play some zippy, running sixteenth note melodic lines!
Keywords: Rhythmic Duration , Rhythmic Pattern , Rhythmic Pattern - Composition Technique , Texture - Misc.
Description:
Wow, the opening melody first performed by solo horn is now played by the entire horn section! And the sixteenth note rhythmic pattern returns, repeating as the piece draws to a quiet and peaceful ending!
Keywords: Melody - Misc. , Rhythmic Pattern