# A game for having fun while composing



## aleazk

First, we will pick some well known theme from a well known classical music composer. Then, all the participants must compose a short (1 to 2 minutes max.) variation of the theme. Finally, we will paste all the variations in one single (and surely very interesting :lol piece.
For the first round, and as a test of the game, let's make the things simpler. A very simple theme and let's make the variation for one single (and the same for all) instrument.

I propose piano for the instrument and the theme from Ravel's Bolero (you can use only a fragment of the theme if you want).


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## Rasa

You just had to go ahead and pick this abject earworm, didn't you?
Also, simple theme? I think not!


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## aleazk

Rasa said:


> You just had to go ahead and pick this abject earworm, didn't you?
> Also, simple theme? I think not!


yes, i hate it too, which only adds more fun!!, and yeah, the whole theme may be large, but the idea is to use only a fragment of it.


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## Kopachris

I would love to participate. I'll see what I can do while I'm at work today. For coherence, should we make a rule that each variation should end in the same key it began in?


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## An Die Freude

That's weird, because I have just started composing variations on Bolero :O

Here's Theme and Variation 1.

View attachment Variations On A Theme Of Ravel In C Major.mid


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## chee_zee

I made a spiral cannon utilizing the full theme and the two bar habanera rhythm for two free counterpoint obbligatos. It goes up by M3s til it hits the first bar of the octave C (or the last bar of the Ab major key pass-through depending on how you look at it). I included the series numbers for each canonic unit if anyone knows how to make canon and wishes to continue the process or a slightly different type of cannon. I took the quarter note as the CU, Proposta coming in 3 CU before Risposta.

In the risposta only I adjusted a handful of notes here and there a la fugue technique (moving entire phrases up or down a 2nd, changing pedal tone embellishments from 121 to 171 etc) to produce proper harmony and counterpoint. the Proposta's original Bolero theme remains unaltered in any way.

WAV file exported right from sibelius in senza espressivo, using eastwest boesendorfer 290 and no reverb or effects for ease of merging with the others' audio. I'll rar it up with the pdf score to filefactory:

http://www.filefactory.com/file/c0a77de/n/bolero_canon.rar


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## Dodecaplex

Fuuuuuugue.

It's mine.


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## Polednice

I wouldn't mind joining in, but the idea of fragments annoys me so I'll wait until someone suggests a shorter, fulle theme


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## chee_zee

Fragments would be fine though, take a couple motives and construct a 'pseudo stretto build up' from the bass up to the soprano a la the final episode linking the last middle entry to the final entry of a fugue. think of it like taking the alpha and omega head/tail sections of a fugal subject and exploring their contrapuntal, harmonic, and rhythmic possibilities. then viola, write up something imitative. or put new light on it by adding a good new counterpoint to it, or a rhythmically catchy accompaniment. fragment development is nothing at all annoying, if it was good enough for bach, mendelssohn, wagner, etc it's good enough for us mere mortals.


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## rattzzable

Lightbulb How about...

We start a thread and jam it, arrange it and compose it through and through. We could have an compulsory theme, or some new composers piece exerpt, and write a piece together, someone needs to start by putting the rules, hopefully a senior member or a serious artist, then we use them.Then we compose on the composition, or jam outlay and compose another line on to it(like video in video), or if it's compulsory write a variation on it, or canon it. I like the thought that we make something all together, would be a first on similar forums i think. Though would have to be a minimum standard of some sort...

Thats acttually a thread i started at community forum, dude


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## Kopachris

Dodecaplex said:


> Fuuuuuugue.
> 
> It's mine.


Go for it.



Polednice said:


> I wouldn't mind joining in, but the idea of fragments annoys me so I'll wait until someone suggests a shorter, fulle theme


I'm not really fragmenting it (I'll try to incorporate all of it somehow), but I'm definitely changing up the structure. Think I'll go with a small ternary starting with a sentence.


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## rattzzable

Let's take the theme from Have your self a merry little Christmas for the holiday season


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