Original Piano Composition | The Spider

Описание: Tableau n.12 - "THE SPIDER"

Absolutely love this piece. I've noticed recently my compositions have seemed to be narrative driven and this one has quite a fun story to tell!

A Theme (0:05-0:25) - the opening theme represents the spider in its rest state. Building its web, swaying in the wind. Though we will encounter a brutal scene, we must imagine that most of the spider's life is spent in this gentle state. I especially like how cyclical the melodic phrase is - the spindling work is never done.

B Theme (0:26-1:29) - Written back in Sherbrooke circa 2021, this was the original motif that inspired this entire piece. Something has been caught in the web and the spider investigates. You can hear the spider's eight legs articulating over the web strands, approaching the disturbance cautiously. The syncopated rhythm of the left hand adding to the tension and caution. At (1:04), the harmony finds Fmaj as the spider rejoices to find a juicy prey ensnared by its web. The Spider creeps closer...

C Theme (1:29-2:08) - A Satie-esque melody mounting the tension. The spider has caught its prey and now looms as the doom of death. We descend harmonically from Fmin, to Bflat min, and finally, as the spider is poised to strike, towards my favorite minor key Eflat min.

D Theme (2:09-2:44) - the inevitable approaches, I picture here the absolute dread of the captured prey, nothing will save it. At (2:24) the spider bites! We delve into Dflat maj but somehow it sounds like collapse. The next few measures are some of my favorite at a technical, musical level. The harmonics jump wildly from Dflat maj to F#min then Aflat maj to C#min and finally to Eflat maj. Though strangely all the major harmonies sound sad and dreary, while all the minor harmonies sound scintillating and sweet. Like the world upside down, the last breathes escaping the body, life turning to death...

E Theme (2:44-3:26) - this is my absolute favorite melody of the piece. A joy to play, and such a cool motif. The prey is dead, the venom injected, and now the busywork of wrapping the corpse must begin. The motif is methodical, industrial in process, devoid of all the dread and death. It repeats twice to drive this home, we must believe it to go on longer - as long as necessary.

C2 Theme (3:26-4:54) - the work is done and now the Spider can eat. C theme returns but the anticipation is defused. Like the joy felt prior to opening a gift. The savoring of the moment is better than the experience from the moment. I love how bittersweet this development is - mounting and rising into the softest resolution. At (4:08) the most beautiful part of the piece comes in. Just like in the first entry of C theme, the harmonics fall this time from Gmin to Cmin to Fmin, but the Fmin part turns into Eflat maj. I write in a text that says "Perhaps there is tenderness in death...". It is so melancholic and yet so beautiful all at once. I imagine that the Spider has somehow expressed intimacy in killing, how the hunt has at last, been a gesture of gratitude.

A Theme (4:55-End) - the Spider returns to its rest state. Fixing the web, and swaying in the wind. Waiting for its next visitor to become victim.

I really enjoyed making the narrative of this piece - fitting for a 'Tableau' - like a whole scene sprawled out in notes. I really appreciate how everything is in service to the plot. The harmony, melody, and rhythm are bent towards the story I wished to convey.

Thanks for watching! Hope you enjoy :)