# Duettino no.3 for viola & cello



## pkoi (Jun 10, 2017)

Here's a recording of a piece I composed this summer. It's a continuation of my series of small duets for varying instruments. I'm currently on planning stages of writing a string quartet and a string trio. I wrote this piece as a kind of preparatory composition for those projects, in order to get more familiar with string instruments before tackling a bigger project.

Pitch-wise, this piece follows a 12-tone row, which is combinatorial with another transformation of the row. For example in measures 1-3 the viola plays the prime row and the cello plays its retro inversion, 9th transposition but with the hexachords of the row inverted. As the piece progresses, I occasionally use the row in it's full form and other times only the hexachord and its combinatorial transformation. Sometimes, the pitch material is used more freely.

I hope you like it!


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

Works for me, I particularly like impetus of the dotted rhythms. Nice playing to.
Pekka, I seem to recall you are a guitarist, is that right? I mention it because if you are, have you considered getting hold of a very cheap violin, viola and cello to work out the practicality of multiple stops for your upcoming string projects? I started of on jazz guitar and realised early on that this gave me an advantage when it came to writing complex stops for strings as I could finger and pluck the chords and assess their playability (in isolation), enabling me to find very interesting shapes and possibilities.


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## pkoi (Jun 10, 2017)

Hi mike, thanks! Yes, I'm a guitarist, although I don't play much anymore. I actually have a mandolin, which I use occasionally to get a grasp on how some stuff would feel like to play on a string instrument but I've been planning on getting a cheap violin at some point and I would love to take some lessons in playing it as well, if I have the time. However, most of the time I work with a fingerboard chart of the string instruments.


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## mikeh375 (Sep 7, 2017)

pkoi said:


> Hi mike, thanks! Yes, I'm a guitarist, although I don't play much anymore. I actually have a mandolin, which I use occasionally to get a grasp on how some stuff would feel like to play on a string instrument but I've been planning on getting a cheap violin at some point and I would love to take some lessons in playing it as well, if I have the time. However, most of the time I work with a fingerboard chart of the string instruments.


I thought about lessons too at some point but it was just wishful thinking. It was hard enough keeping the piano playing going when deadlines where looming and eating up the hours. I wish I'd have had more time.


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## pkoi (Jun 10, 2017)

mikeh375 said:


> I thought about lessons too at some point but it was just wishful thinking. It was hard enough keeping the piano playing going when deadlines where looming and eating up the hours. I wish I'd have had more time.


When I studied at the university, I took guitar and piano lessons (they were mandatory - your own instrument + the piano if piano wasn't your main instrument). There was also a possibility for 2 semesters for a third instrument but I didn't take it as I felt I didn't have the time. I regret that now a bit.


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