Six Interval Inventions for piano
by
Dan Locklair
Six Interval Inventions for piano is dedicated to my late friend and valued colleague, Christopher Giles. The piece, completed in January 1988, celebrated Christopher’s lifelong work as a musician and teacher of piano. As an Associate Professor of Music at Wake Forest University, Christopher diligently guided and shaped many lives. Even in his retirement from Wake Forest (1988) his influence continued to be felt and his advice and counsel sought by all who knew and respected him.
Six Interval Inventions is designed to be played as a six-movement suite, but the individual Inventions may also be performed individually. For its construction, each Invention uses limited pitch material, exploring only a single interval and its inversion. (#4 does this as well, but also adds the tritone.)
#1 – Overture (Perfect Unison/Perfect Octave): Inspired in form by the French Overture
(i.e. “A” section – slow, dotted rhythms; “B” section – fast, contrapuntal; “A” section returns), this Invention uses only the pitch, “C.”
#2 – Waltz (minor 2nd/ Major 7th); Only pitches used = C© (Db) / D§ / C§
#3 – Nocturne (Major 2nd/minor 7th); Only pitches used = F/ Eb/ Db
#4 – Toccata (minor 3rd/Major 6th); Only pitches used = F©/ D©/ A
#5 – Rag (Major 3rd/minor 6th); Only pitches used = A©/ F©/ D
#6 – Rondeau (Perfect 4th/Perfect 5th); Only pitches used = F/ C/ Bb
Duration
#1 = ca. 2’; #2 = ca. 1’; #3 = ca. 4’; #4 = ca. 2’; #5 = ca. 1’45”; #6 = ca. 2’30”
Total duration = ca. 13’ 00”
Dan Locklair
Winston-Salem, North Carolina