Two Dances, op. 71 - 2OB/BSN/PN

Two Dances, op. 71

for two oboes, bassoon and piano

be Deborah Anderson, American composer

I. The Law of Attraction

II. The Principle of Flight

From the composer:

IN June of 2012, I participated in an international competition allowing only two weeks in which to compose and submit a piece. On the start date, composers were notified  of the instrumentation and musical form. In this case, the work was to be for oboe, violin, cello, and piano, in two different dance rhythms of any choice. 

The resulting Two Dances for Two Weeks left me excited about the work, but not a winner in the competition. Eventually, I decided to arrange it for double reeds and piano, shortening the title to Two Dances. 

By preserving the interplay of the two higher instruments, giving the lower voice to the bassoon, and adjusting the piano as needed, this version captures my original intent: to portray the contrasting moods of the initial hours, days, and weeks of an attraction between two people. From this, the title of the first movement: The Law of Attraction.

the second movement, The Principle of Flight, continues the theme of human relationships, with the idea that one of the two sometimes battles the urge to run from the situation. Another dance ensues, as the couple works things out. Or not.