Ala May
Ala May was composed May 15, 2010 in Mazama, WA. In this languid classically oriented work set in A minor the melody is found exclusively within the tenor and bass. The work is a theme and variation of the opening “Dies Kyrie” 7 note melody set as 4 repeating notes followed by 3 descending. To offset the drone-like tonal center in A minor we shift chromatically upward to A-flat major then back to A minor. This color swap repeats off and on until making a break for C sharp minor and then F minor in following sections before returning to A minor in the recapitulation. We then visit the coda section with a varied and closing treatment of the main theme. Finding ourselves landed in an E suspension tonal center the final chord has no choice but to resolve to E major without attempting to further resolve back to A minor for the close.
May to all be what may.
Here is a recording of Ala May performed by Bill Doerrfeld on May 20, 2011.