3 Strathspeys 1979

3 Strathspeys (1979)

3 Strathspeys were the first solo piano pieces I had composed since 2 Interruptions in 1976. I thought perhaps a set of dances, being short, would be a useful exercise. Something to work on while I came up with something to work on. I asked my friend Kathleen Ebneter if there were any kinds of folk dances that I could use that weren't already amply represented in the classical literature. She suggested strathspeys, and offered the information that they featured a "Scottish Snap," and that a typical rhythmic figure might be "short long | long short | long short | short long." Accurate or not, that was enough information to get me going. 

Note: if "short long" is one type (A), and  "long short" is another type (B), the formal type of the rhythm is ABBA (I had not heard of them). And if "short" is a type (A), and "long" is another type (B), then the whole consists of: ABBA BAAB. Interesting.

Banned Rehearsal with ABBA, Hollow Earth Radio, 2019

The first of them is the most old-fashioned of the lot. Set in A B A form, the 'A' music sticks closely to the rhythmic figure, developing it quite cleverly both melodically and rhythmically. I am especially fond of the interjectionary figure at the end of the fourth bar, which became the seed of the material in the 'B' music. That first 'A' section is in its own little A B A form, with its 'B' music being more gentle, lyrical and contrapuntal. The greater 'B' music grumbles along in the bass register, keeping itself tightly within the rhythmic scheme. The final 'A' music sneaks in over the top of the grumbling and gradually replaces it, has one bar all to itself, then winks out. some left over grumbling finishes it up. Even now, this piece feels composed.

Your blogger with hat 1978

The second, also in A B A form, starts with fortissimo doubled minor 9ths, like an impatient shouty drum. A tune full of skips follows, like a parody of the tune in the first, accompanied by a blatantly square staccato eighth-note pattern in the left hand. The tune forces its way into the upper register until the shouty drum puts a stop to it. It tries again, with some flashy ornaments, and the left hand figure skips a note every bar so that the whole offsets itself from the tune, but with identical response from the shouty drum. The 'B' music starts in the lower register and is another square eighth-note figure with strong accents on 2, 3 and 4. The right hand comes in, after 4 bars, in a canon offset by an eighth-note. Pianistically, this ends up feeling like rubbing one's head and patting one's tummy at the same time. Fun! The 'A' music returns, but is quickly (and more quietly) drummed out, the canonic figure of 'B' is alluded to, then BANG from the drum and done.

Your blogger with cat 1979

In the third Strathspey I start to tinker with it. The first measure is the first measure of the first Strathspey. Pause. Then a measure with only the first and third beats present. Pause. Then a measure with just the 'snaps' - beats one and four. Pause. Then just the snaps, but on beat four and one. I go "ta da!" during the pause. then just the snap on beat four. Then just beats two and four. I go again "ta da!" I sweep it all away bottom to top and hammer in the root rhythm,  but stretched over four measures way up on the highest D-natural. Then, quietly, just the snaps on beats | one four | one. A wisp of "ta . . ." and out.

Performances:

Studio Theater, Meany Hall, University of Washington: 

Student Composer Spotlight February 27, 1980

University Temple United Methodist Church, Seattle: 

October 25, 2002 (A Cat's Life Returns) 

June 10, 2006 (Preludes in Seattle)

Blog Post (from Playlist of January 12, 2019):

January 5, 2019

Three Strathspeys (1979) - Keith Eisenbrey - Keith Eisenbrey [recorded live on June 10, 2006]

Something about these, my second-ever set of piano pieces, brought Rameau, whose keyboard music I have been sight-reading recently, to mind. Uncluttered textures, clear phrases, and most of all, exuberantly enjoyed sonorities in all the registers. The finals of the first two are a tad clever I suppose, but the third one holds its focus out to the bitter.