This is an ongoing suite in which we stretch our tonal possibilities: quartal, octatonic, non-functional harmony and more …
Jay Wilson has written a piece for wind quintet based on the old Christmas Carol “Ding Dong Merrily on high” which uses a lot of quartal harmony ….
it can be heard here
and the score can be seen here
Sheila Firestone has written a piano solo called Octatonic Octopus.
It can be heard here
and a sample of the score can be seen here
This will be officially published shortly.
Patrick O’Keefe, who suggested this suite, has written a piano sonata which was performed by Karin McCullough.
Movement I is harmonically and melodically built around intervals of 2nds and 4ths. All melodic intervals are either a 2nd or a 4th. All accompanying chords are triads consisting of a 2nd and a 4th or 2 4ths.
Movement II uses sustained quintal chords against a melodic line of arpeggiated augmented triads.
Movement III uses a hodge podge of harmonic techniques: planing augmented triads, quartal and quintal chords, short octatonic and whole tone runs.
The first movement can be heard here
Score
The second movement can be heard here
Score
The third movement can be heard here
Score
David Warin Solomons has written a humorous and satirical Yuletide medley in Octatonic mode for string orchestra, called O come all ye FATful, based on the Christmas tunes O come all ye faithful, Ding Dong merrily on high and the Holly and the Ivy, but sounding very sinister as the effects of seasonal overindulgence and gluttony take their toll. The original idea relates to over-eating during the Christmas period, hence the title.
The video can be seen here
A sample of the score
Full score and parts
Warren Park has written “Groove Surfing”, a multi-section continuously-played oddball piece for quartet: violin, marimba (and some temple blocks), piano and bass. The performers went by the name Helios Quartet at the time.
The music sounds like someone spinning a radio dial as they surf the stations for more variety. It employs polytonality and other unusual harmonies, but turns quite tonal at some moments. The rhythmic grooves are what change the most throughout the course of the piece.
The last half (4 minutes) of Groove Surfing can be heard
here
