Composing Using the 8 Note (Octatonic) Scale

You can read more about why I became fascinated with the 8 note scale composing in the section Thoughts. It was a great time for me to compose without being afraid to create something that could be called a poor copy of some prior period or provide “evidence” that I had indeed not mastered music theory in the least.

Traumerei

A Traum in German is a dream.  A Traumerei is being in a dream state, sort of a day dream.  Somehow the German word sounded to me a little more interesting.

This piece is based on a 5 note scale.  My tutor had selected a couple of 5 note sets for me to play with and when I came up with this one he was rather surprised and told me that it was very interesting I had been able to come up with something worthwhile listening to.  Mind you, I believe that when 5 notes could belong to a minor mode key you can always come up with something interesting.  I used the same idea in the third movement of my third trio, having first converted it to the third octatonic scale.

Musings

The first and the last of them were written using all of the 3 possible 8 note scales.  I found it interesting to create harmonies that could move from one of these scales to another.

The second piece uses only one of the 8 note scales.  I had written it before I did the other 2, but thought this one would provide a nice contrast to the other ones.  I did “cheat” with the very last note by bringing the peace to an end on the note of “g” even though in the scale I used there is no such note as a g.  I thought it was fun to try to fool my tutor.

Seek & Ye Shall Find

Seek & Ye Shall Find.

Trio III

This trio is also for piano, flute and cello.  I wrote it using an 8 note scale.  It is a bit unusual since it starts in the first movement with 3 solos, first for the flute, then the cello and at the end the piano.  The cello picks up the theme from the flute and the piano carries on where the cello left off. 

In the second movement the instruments carry on with the themes they started out with but this time together.

The third movement is a peaceful meditation to bring the trio to an end.

Trio III is still today one of my favourite pieces.