| This
piece was premiered in Australia in 1990 by the Ars Nova
Orchestra in the Blue Mountains NSW and has since had performances
and airplay both in Australia and in Europe.
"We
are a Chamber Orchestra in Switzerland, called Da Chiesa.
We are very proud to play your 'Undulations' in five concerts
near Lausanne in December 1996 and January 1997. We enjoy
your music and just wanted to congratulate you".
Natalia Hasler (Secretary of the orchestra)
The work was also performed in Sydney several times in 2005
and 2006 by the Sydney Sinfonietta under the direction of
Anthony Clarke including at a concert in the Utzon room
in the Sydney Opera House on the 24 and 25th of June 2006.
It
was also performed again in Heidelberg, Germany in 2006
by the orchestra of Gedok. (The Society of the Association
of Women Artists and Art Friends)
Two Movements. Running Times: I 5:08 II 4:09 - Total 9:17
Undulations - First Movement. Track 1 [5:08]
The title of this work comes from the wave like motion of
the themes. It reflects the composer's love of the water
and particularly the Australian beaches. The first movement
is a Theme and Variations on an Adagio theme beginning in
D minor tonality and ending in E Dorian tonality.
Undulations
- First Movement. Track 2 [4:09]
The second movement is more animated, making use of syncopated
ostinati figures, superimposed with floating melodies. To
unify the work, the second movement finishes with a varied
repeat of the E Dorian section from the first movement.
When
Spirits Soar. Track 3 [5:33]
For
Alto Saxophone and Piano. Published by Furore Music- Germany
Performed by Andre Shrimski - Alto Saxophone and Margaret
Brandman - piano.
This
work received its premier performance at the Third Australian
Conference and Festival or Women in Music, held at Sydney
University in September 1998. The work was written following
the completion of a course in Rei-ki, the art of energy
transmission through the hands. The music demonstrates some
of Margaret Brandman's interests in Music as a healing force.
The
work is a one movement through-composed work which moves
through four main sections. The piece opens with a wash
of sound from the sustained piano chords, over which the
Saxophone plays a theme in the Dorian mode on D.
The
second section, (at letter C) is a little more rhythmic,
with the piano setting up an ostinato using cluster chords,
to underpin the melody. Next, both instruments explore the
theme until the high point of this section, which is where
the sax sustains the high E (sounding as G) for four bars.
The effect of this is that the listener takes a long breath
while hearing the sounds, and consequently achieves a better
state of relaxation.
The
third section (at letter D) is loosely based on the material
from the second section. The section becomes more lively
with the addition of 16th-note material and soaring figures.
The final section marked Coda (at letter E) has a cadenza-like
passages which draw on material from the opening section.
The work finishes with a long improvised cadenza played
by the Saxophone and piano.
Images. Track 4 [2:02]
Performed by Andre Shrimski -Soprano Sax & Margaret
Brandman - Piano
This is a lively jazz influenced work in ternary form. The
Saxophone and Piano share the syncopated opening theme,
which is contrasted with a more lyrical central section
of the work. It finishes with a return to the opening theme.
Winter
Piece. Track 5 [6:32]
Piano solo for left hand alone, performed by Margaret
Brandman
From 'Three Concert Pieces for piano'
This
meditative piece was written for solo piano to be played
with left hand alone. The minor key effectively conveys
the cool and dark feeling of a winter's day while interesting
effects are achieved by cluster chords and modern harmonies.
The
premier performance was in September 1995 at the Australian
Piano Music Concert held at Sydney Town Hall.
Dreamweaving*
Five solo piano pieces each one exploring the sound
of a four-note chord and the mode which suits it.
*
Weaving. Track 6 [1:28]
This piece uses the dominant 7th chord, in progressions
moving around the cycle of fifths, and the occasional chromatic
movement. The feature mode is the Mixolydian Mode.
*
Beaming. Track 7 [2:01]
The aural flavour of this piece is achieved by the use of
the Major 7th chords, on the 1st, and 4th degrees of the
scale. The modal or scalic section demonstrates how the
Major Scale ( Ionian Mode) and the Lydian Mode can be used
of these chords.
*
Dreaming. Track 8 [1:46]
This track demonstrates how one diminished 7th chord shape
can be used as a link between four seemingly unrelated keys.
The chord used is C diminished 7th. When inverted the chord
can also be seen as, E Flat diminished 7th, F sharp diminished
7th and A diminished 7th chords. The keys used in the piece
are B Flat, D Flat, E Major, G Minor and back to the original
B flat key. The tune uses a broken left hand figure, and
makes use of the other chords covered in the earlier tunes.
*
Gliding. Track 9 [1:49]
This tune uses both Major 6th and Minor 7th chords, which
are in fact inversions of one another. The title comes form
the gliding movement of the Right Hand Melody line, which
use triplets to glide through the D Sixth chord. The rhythmic
features of the tune include eighth note triplets followed
by either straight eighths. The scalic section uses Ionian,
Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Aeolian modes.
*
Gleaming. Track 10 [1:29]
The featured chords in this piece are the Minor 6th and
the Half-diminished seventh chords. The piece has a modern
feel to it, and could be accompanied by a light eighth note-rock
rhythm. Features of the tune include syncopation. It is
a through-composed piece, in four main sections. Which begin
at Bar 1, Bar 11, 22, and 30.
Reflections.
Track 11 [6:12]
Piano solo performed by Margaret Brandman
This work is a quite rhapsodic. The opening three note motif
consisting of a rising step followed by a 5th, appears throughout
the work in different guises. Features of this work include
Contemporary harmonies, canonic writing and ostinato patterns.
Arioso.
Track 12 - piano solo [5:45]
By J.S.Bach. jazz arrangement by Margaret Brandman
Included in 'Three Concert Pieces for Piano'
This longer concert work, is a rather rhapsodic work. The
opening three note motif consisting of a rising step followed
by a 5th, appears throughout the work in different guises.
Contemporary harmonies, canonic writing and ostinato patterns
all feature in this work.
First Star at Twilight. Track 13 [2:35]
(Jazz piano solo)
This piece includes the extension chords, 9ths, 11ths, and
13ths, with alterations to create rich harmonic effects.
The form of the piece is ABACA. The opening chordal section
is in 4/4 and is contrasted by the B section in 6/8 time,
which uses arpeggiated left hand chords. The C section makes
use of a sequence, the melody of which is voiced first in
the soprano part, and next in the inner voice (alto). This
section continues with an eight bar section in straight
timing. The final A section uses an embellished melody over
the original chord structure, and builds to a climax, finishing
with a final D major 13, sharp 11 chord, arpeggiated in
fourths.
Jucaro
Rhumba . Track 14 [1:13]
(Latin-american piano solo)
This piece is in the key of B Flat Minor. The tune is in
Modified Binary form, beginning with a four bar introduction
which sets up the Rhumba rhythm. The melody is stated first
in the middle register of the instrument, and then repeated
an octave higher. The second section modulations to the
relative major key, and finishes with a reference to the
original melody.
Sonorities.
Track 15 [4:27]
This rhapsodic contemporary piano solo, was written in memory
of Jazz legend 'Bill Evans. It explores the rich harmonies
that can be created on a keyboard and makes use of interesting
chord clusters, which were a feature of Evan's playing,
rippling figures and extensive flourishes. The final section
builds to a climax with a syncopated chordal section, followed
by a reuse of early figures which establish a quiet and
haunting mood. Lastly, there are three arpeggiated chord
flourishes and the whole work ends on an open E major chord,
overlaid by a C major triad, which encourages some interested
harmonics to come forth from the instrument.
Evanescence. Track 16 [1:33]
(Jazz piano solo from Contemporary Piano Method Book
3)
This is another work in the Jazz idiom, and is played with
a swing feel. The tune explores the movement of chords around
the cycle of 5ths, as well as several chromatic chords movements.
It also makes use of 9th chords and altered chords, to add
a rich flavour to the harmonic scheme. The form of the movement
is AAB which is repeated and finishes with the final chords
repeated three times, a device often used in popular music.
Tango
Tranquille. Track 17 [3:08]
(Piano solo from Six Contemporary Pieces)
Following a rhapsodic opening section, the B section of
this piece settles into the Tango rhythm which is then followed
by a hypnotic ostinato figure using fourths and fifths in
the right hand, underpinned by a syncopated sixteenth note
melody played by the left hand. The pieces finishes with
a restatement of the tango theme, in a higher key.
Sunshowers
on the River. Track 18 [5:02]
(Piano solo from Six Contemporary Pieces)
This piece is a set of variations on a Pentatonic or five-note
Scale, in the less usual time signature of 7/4 time. Each
section is treated differently, with the styles ranging
from chordal to contrapuntal, with a variety of interesting
rhythmic sections and a free improvisatory section before
the final unison statement of the theme
Tender
Secrets. Track 19 [2:44]
This tender ballad is one of Margaret's solo songs in the
jazz standards genre. Tender Secrets is a modal work performed
by soprano Cherie Valaray, accompanied by the composer on
piano. Music and Lyrics are both by the composer.
More and More. Track 20 [3:34]
More and More is a medium tempo eight-feel song with a baion
rhythm in the bass. It in the jazz standards genre for mezzo
soprano voice and piano. Lyrics by Cheryl Adlard. The work
is performed by soprano Cherie Valaray accompanied by the
composer on piano.
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