Blue Preludes
 

 

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I think of the Blue Preludes as night music.  Seven are performed here, others exist still in sketch form. Most of the ideas were worked out late at night when I couldn't sleep.  They take extended triads (jazz harmonies), and with a little distortion, they drift into a more detached atonal sound world.  This interplay of references hopefully can engage the listener in a number of unexpected twists as the music unfolds.  The even numbered preludes are faster and more aggressive than the slower paced, even numbered ones.  

  

i.  (duration1:23)
A B A
0:00 0:19 0:53

ii.  (duration 0:51)
A B A
1:24 1:41 1:58

iii  (duration1:34)
A B A B A
2:16 2:28 2:48 3:07 3:22

iv.  (duration 1:01)
A B A Codetta
3:50 4:14 4:32 4:46

v.   (duration 1:18)
A B C A
4:52 5:10 5:24 5:39

vi.   (duration 1:23)
A B A C A B A
6:11 6:22 6:36 6:47 7:02 7:12 7:27

vii.  (duration 2:05)                 Total Duration 8:55
A B C A B
7:34 7:55 8:15 8:46 9:09

Recorded: Lawrence University, Conservatory of Music, Appleton, Wisconsin, 2001. J. Halvor Benson, piano, Larry Darling, Recording Engineer.