Quote from Fiesta Figero on collaberative composition main thread: "Each person will choose a poem from Frost's "Mountain Inteval". Choice of poem is on a first come, first serve basis and one claims a poem by starting their thread."

I am planning to use "A Patch of Old Snow" for the collaberative composition.

I've got the thematic material worked out in my head and have just begun writing out a little. It will start out in a minor key. - May or may not stay in that key the whole piece, I'll have to see. It also seems like it's going to be in 6/8 time. Will be a short piece. The tempo will probably be Adante or maybe a little slower in places at least. Probably somewhat dissonant unless I change my mind on that. I'll get back when I'm somewhat further along.

good choice sarabande, I'll go ahead and do the same thing I did in signas thread which is to just give you my own personal evaluation as to how I would initially at least consider approaching this particular poem so that perhaps it inspires you in your own ruminations.

for those that haven't read it:

THERE’S a patch of old snow in a corner
That I should have guessed
Was a blow-away paper the rain
Had brought to rest.

It is speckled with grime as if 5
Small print overspread it,
The news of a day I’ve forgotten—
If I ever read it.


it's a simple, short, charming little work and evokes in me a feeling of longing and reverie or inner reflection because I think the snow is in a sense becomes a metaphor for anything long gone and forgotten but whose traces remnants still are perceivable in places like the old corner.

It personally gives me this feeling and mood of time suspension, like causes me to almost look around my room and look for old discarded things that represent something from the past, memories long gone but I think most importantly if you analyze it is when he says "if I ever read it.." which to me implies not simply a metaphor for those patches of old snow in our own lives but compels one to think of memories you've never had (i.e. 'newspapers you never read'). What I mean is, it's like imagining an old abandoned building and inspecting all of the furniture and heirlooms and other artifacts that might be laying around and imaginging what those things could have been, could have represented to someone a long time ago, that's the type of mood of remniscience and inner contemplation that this sort of inspires in me so I would somehow attempt to express that feeling of longing for the past mixed with uncertainty of memories or things long forgotten, and erased by time "like tears in rain" to quote my favorite movie blade runner lol. But yea, there's 2 approaches with that, you can do it tinged in major to represent a happy longing for yesterday's memories or a sorrowful one in the minor or a little of both I guess.

Requiem A.,

Thanks for taking the time to post your ideas on the poem. I was thinking along very similar lines on the idea of the meaning. After I'm done writing the music I will post an explanation of what I was thinking the poem means. Actually quite a few of the other poems I couldn't quite grasp the meaning and strangely enough this one made more sense. I think this whole project is going to give me a little education on Frost's poetry as well through what other's do with their pieces. It is going to be predominantly minor with some dissonance as I said, so if I do put anything major in, it will only hint at major in places if at all. Also, although I said Adante, it will start out that way but the tempo is going to vary quite a bit at least rhythmically.

Just an update. I've had the whole piece worked out for quite some time. It's just a matter of writing it out in notation form. I'm planning to get some notation software soon so may wait and test it on this piece. I've kind of been sitting on it pouring my energy into other areas. I haven't heard from anyone else but a couple members who already have recordings posted on their pieces. I may work on it little by little but not rush to get to it unless I start seeing others are still working on theirs then I might get on it sooner.