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Bi - Piano Sonata No. 1 (composed by B Sharp, featuring #theowlhouse themes)

Bi - Piano Sonata No. 1 (composed by B Sharp, featuring #theowlhouse themes)

For solo piano in four movements, composed by Barnabas Sharp. Featuring themes from The Owl House composed by TJ Hill. Movement 1: 0:04 Movement 2: 11:53 Movement 3: 18:38 Movement 4 (featuring themes from #theowlhouse): 23:54 The idea to compose a sonata based on experiences of bisexuality, both personal and universal, has remained with me for quite some time. However, when watching the episode of The Owl House called “Thanks to Them”, the moment where Luz comes out as bi to her mother, and the joy and acceptance that follows this, was the catalyst that drove me to complete the work. What follows are four movements with recurring motifs and ideas, but the story that flows throughout the work can interpreted in many different ways. The first movement takes the traditional sonata form but uses it to cage a feeling that is desperate to break from the structure’s confines. Trapped in its stern D minor, it does everything it can to experience joy by having its second subject in its unusual (but not necessarily completely alien) key of Bb major. What follows is a modulation battle before it finally settles in the brightness of D major. The second movement is an endearing romance; an exploration of bisexual ‘love’ in all its forms. The third movement exploits the 20th-century notion of bitonality (get it?) by having two contrasting themes in different keys juxtaposed on top of one another. Set in a scherzo-trio form, the trio slows things down and explores each theme individually and even gives us a glimpse of these themes actually sounding ‘traditionally nice’ when put together. The final movement is a fast finish, containing themes from The Owl House (composed by TJ Hill) to power it along to the finish. The Amity and Luz Dance theme from their “enchanting grom” is used to pay homage to some of the first hints from the show that our protagonist is part of the LGBTQ+ community; there are also comparisons of The Owl House theme to my own composed theme. This is a story of discovery, exploration, love, despair and acceptance, who many of us in the LGBTQ+ community experience everyday in this modern world. This work is not dedicated to anyone because it is for everyone. My only wish is that you find yourself in this music, and know that you are loved.
"anti-radiation gloves" - A tribute to William Hartnell for #doctorwho60thanniversary

"anti-radiation gloves" - A tribute to William Hartnell for #doctorwho60thanniversary

Composed by B Sharp (and featuring the voice of William Hartnell as The Doctor). Heavily inspired by Steve Reich's 'Different Trains', I decided to compose a tribute to William Hartnell's incarnation as the Doctor. After choosing several recordings of dialogue, the music (melodies and chords) in each phrase is built out of the musical tones from Hartnell's performance. When deciding upon which snippets of dialogue to use, I was drawn to Hartnell's many 'fluffs'. Back in the days of recording television, it wasn't an easy task to rerecord or edit out wrong dialogue (it was usually treated the same as live theatre), so any errors were just left in the final cut. This was made more difficult for Hartnell as he suffered from undiagnosed arteriosclerosis - making it difficult for him to remember his lines and caused lapses in concentration. What I admire is how the Doctor Who fandom have incorporated these fluffs as part of the characterisation of the Doctor. My favourite in particular is due to the first incarnation wearing out his body too much, caused more severely by the time destructor (see The Daleks' Master Plan). Hence, not only is this piece a tribute to my love of the show, but also to the actor William Hartnell, who, despite his failing health, became one of the most important components to the show. He helped establish the first principles, fluffs and all, to a character that is universally beloved. The quotes have come from the following episodes: "The Daleks", "The Edge of Destruction", "The Keys of Marinus", "The Sensorites", "The Web Planet", "The Chase", "The War Machines" and "The Three Doctors". This work is the property of Barnabas Sharp. Doctor Who is the property of the BBC. This work was composed at the time as non-profitable.
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