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It jumped out at me immediately.

In the last few minutes I already have a sketch of a theme and an idea of form. It will be in C minor. I'll share more later.

BTW, here's the poem.

Let me first give a little overview of my thinking on this:

I'm not really following the poem line by line but the idea is of two concepts (love and thought) contrasted. While one is restricted by its very nature, the other is totally unfettered. Love is a bond which necessarily limits one's actions whereas thought can venture into territory that scares even the thinker; it's free.

Against that interpretation, my form will consist of two contrasting ideas. I developed the first theme since choosing the poem. It's one which I think embodies love from the perspective of a solemn 'bond'.

The short 26s midi file posted below represents my initial work and consists of the first part of the opening theme. I stopped composing in the middle of a transitional phrase.

Sorry, I don't have a way to make the notes available in a convenient format such as .gif or .pdf. When I'm finished I might enter it into finale notepad but that's not the software I compose in.

Comments welcome, as long as they are good. :-p
Just kidding, it's OK not to like it too, just tell me why.

<a href="http://www.savefile.com/files.php?fid=7452783">Sketch 1 of Moderato in C minor after Robert Frost's Bond and Free</a>

So, according to the rules, I'm off the hook till next week Saturday.

hey allazart just stoppin in but I have to run right now so don't have time to listen to your piece, just lettin you know I'll comment on your work later tonight but I'm impressed you got to work so early, good job you set a fine example

Thanks Requiem, I look forward to your comments.

I modified the file. Nothing major. It's just that when I set the dynamic to mezzo-forte, the bass gets too soft in the midi file so I took that out.

By next week, I'll try to have more new stuff.

hi, Allazart, i listened to your intro and like it, especially when it's in minor key.

i just got noteworthy and wonder if it can import my playing from my digital to it. i have a USB cable and don't know if i have to record my playing on digital first and then transfer the file, or i can actually do it directly? i know i should read through the manual, but since you use it maybe you could make it easier for me. thanks!

I just listened to it allazart, very nice I must say, I was surprised at your skill level and realize that I'm gonna have my hands full here if others in this project are as skilled as you.

I'm especially excited at the rhythmically fast section that starts up towards the end so we'll see how that goes.

The poem is a little complicated to me although the idea is simple, of contrasting love and thought, I just personally would find it difficult attempting to set that to music but your approach is probably similar to what I would take, like you said rather than attempt to follow it line by line which is impossible you merely contrast the two opposing ideals of love and thought which the poem illustrates as one being restrained to earthly bonds whilst the other is carefree and delights in its unfettered interstellar voyages.

That fast part at the end is that the beginning of the free 'thought' theme or is that a transition into that theme?

Thanks for the kind words Requiem.

Yes, the first theme represents love's bondage or 'thrall' as presented in the poem. It's rhythmic regularity, small range and downward straining are meant to convey the idea of restriction, limits and affinity for what is low or earthly.

You are also right that a second theme is going to emerge, and the transition at which I broke off will hint at it but fail to present it in its final form. This is meant to convey the idea of Thought eventually 'shaking its ankles free'.

That is the plan anyway. However, I haven't composed or conceived of the second theme yet, though ideas of what I want it to be like are bouncing about in my head. But since I already have a start I'm now taking the time to sit back and think about the overall form in more detail.

Once again, thanks for the comments.

Thanks signa, I'm glad you liked what I have so far.

About noteworthy, sorry, I don't use it with a digital keyboard so I really don't know the answer to that particular question. I enter all my notes using the QWERTY keypad. I know it has a 'record' option so that if you have a midi controller attached it may be used. However, not having done it myself, I don't know the details of how to set it up.

that is very good, I was actually going to mention how the first theme through the use of appogiaturas and other devices feels very 'heavy' to me, I can't explain it better but it has a very burdensome and heavy feeling, like it is restraining and then it appears towards the end it begins to get cleared away.

Sweet, then it had the effect I wanted.

Your feedback has been valuable.