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Western Union - MLE 49
By Peter Dixon 2013
 
A T B greatB
 
 
I wrote Western Union as an ode to the telegram, a form of communication my family would still receive from time to time in the 1960s (usually from a relative in Europe with a sudden change in travel plans!). There is something appealing to me about the nervous rhythms of Morse code, and I tried to infuse the piece with that frenetic quality." The overall form is a Rondo, with the A section becoming increasingly complex in each restatement. The B section is a plaintive waltz and the C section a nod to spy music from the 60s (a blues scale melody in parallel major thirds, followed by an allusion to the tutti sections of James Bond films).
-- Peter Dixon
 
 
Winner, ARS is 75! Composition Competition, Quartet/Quintet Category

The idea for a composition competition came up in 2013 at an ARS board meeting during a lively discussion of the (then) upcoming 75th anniversary of the ARS. How should we celebrate this wonderful milestone? We wanted to take on a project that we could afford, that we could complete in time, and that would be meaningful to as many ARS members as possible. The ARS is 75! Composition Competition consisted of five categories: Quartet/Quintet at the chapter reading level; Duo/Trio for low intermediate players; Solo for the advanced player; Recorder Orchestra piece at the upper intermediate level; and a category for young composers. I am pleased to present the winner of the Quartet/Quintet category.

Judges’ comments: Wow. Love it. Great fun and interesting work. Challenging rhythms for a chapter session, but worth working on. Something fun for everyone, all the parts are interesting. Overall structure is good. Would be a fun concert piece.
-- Glen Shannon, Editor
 
 
No. of Recorder Parts:
4
Difficulty:
Challenging
Occasion:
Any
Libraries:
Members' Library Editions
Date Added:
03/01/2014
Style:
Concert, Fast/Up-tempo, Non-tonal/Modern