Soliloquy for Violin No. 34

This is my Soliloquy for Violin No. 34.

I was just doing a listing of my compositions in the various genres. I have so far composed 177 soliloquies. Here are the instruments (and in some cases the ensembles) that I have composed them for: 34 for violin, 21 for clarinet (in Bb), 17 for oboe, 17 for piano, 13 for violoncello, 9 for flute, 7 for guitar, 7 for viola, 6 for tuba, 6 for organ, 5 for harp, 4 for piccolo, 3 for bass clarinet (in Bb), 3 for celesta, 3 for trumpet, 3 for string quartet, 2 for accordion, 1 for duduk, 1 for oboe d'amore, 1 for alto recorder, 1 for bass trombone, 1 for theremin, 1 for vibraphone, 1 for English horn, 1 for percussion, 1 for two violins, 1 for zither, 1 for trombone, 1 for alto saxophone, 1 for viola and piano, 1 for violin and piano, 1 for harpsichord, and 1 for nai.

Here is how I defined the “soliloquy” for a concert’s program some years ago: “I call many of my pieces by the name of "Soliloquy" which to me signifies a short (aphoristic), reflective, often calm, and sometimes sad, piece written for one instrument (or sometimes a set of instruments behaving as one). These pieces often serve as a kind of character sketch of the particular instrument for which they are written, and/or to present a single musical statement/argument in a brief yet parsimoniously meaningful manner.” I think that that definition is still true ten years later.

Here is the link to my previous soliloquy for violin:

https://www.youngcomposers.com/t41732/soliloquy-for-violin-no-33/

Hi @luderart,

Actually this soliloquy for me is quite interesting with a series of sequence of that triplet figure. I also like that you have started to add more details to your pieces like dynamic markings and slurs. I like that pizz. ending too.

3 hours ago, luderart said:

I was just doing a listing of my compositions in the various genres. I have so far composed 177 soliloquies.

3 hours ago, luderart said:

Here is how I defined the “soliloquy” for a concert’s program some years ago: “I call many of my pieces by the name of "Soliloquy" which to me signifies a short (aphoristic), reflective, often calm, and sometimes sad, piece written for one instrument (or sometimes a set of instruments behaving as one). These pieces often serve as a kind of character sketch of the particular instrument for which they are written, and/or to present a single musical statement/argument in a brief yet parsimoniously meaningful manner.” I think that that definition is still true ten years later.

I think rather that identifying each soliloquy as a single piece, you may group them to form a meaningful whole when 1+1>2 with different kinds of mood, style and characters in them, just like how Tolstoy, Goethe or Nietsche gathered their aphorisms into one book to form a meaningful whole. If the length of the piece is short, it will be harder for audiences to grasp your meaning in your pieces. You have 177 soliloquies now, maybe you can make 178 more to make a collection called "One Soliloquy a Day" and signifying different moods in them lie a calendar! 

Thanks for sharing

Henry

Thanks Henry Ng Tsz Kiu for your review, your positive feedback as well as your interesting suggestion regarding my soliloquies! I think indeed if I ever publish my soliloquies, I should probably group them together as you say.