Charles Gayle - 7. Invention No. 5 - Inventions
7. 'Invention No. 5' may need some explanation. This invention is written in the style of Carlo Gesualdo (1561-1613), an Italian Renaissance composer. Gesualdo primarily wrote madrigals. His music was highly chromatic and dissonant. I study the Renaissance because it is a rich source of contrapuntal techniques. Renaissance music was based on counterpoint and was written before the codification of the tonal system. The voices in 'Invention No. 5' are at the interval of a perfect 4th, an interval allowed by the Church during this period. I have tried to capture the modal eccentricities and odd phrasing that characterized Gesualdo's music. The harpsichord is used as the accompaniment and the tuba is a contemporary version of a figured bass. Essentially, 'Invention No. 5' is a 20th Century observation of the compositional choices of a very unique 16th Century composer. 'Inventions' is a collection of compositions created post-transplant and recorded in 2004. Charles Irving Gayle (1949-2011) was an American musician and composer. One of six brothers, he grew up between Sandston and Bottoms Bridge, eastern suburbs of Richmond Virginia. At 16, he joined the Richmond Symphony playing French Horn. He graduated from Randolph-Macon College, then served in the US Air Force. In the 1980s, after his service, he earned a Master's degree in Music Theory and Composition from Virginia Commonwealth University while managing the VCU Performing Arts Center. This was an important and productive time for him as a composer. After his separation from VCU in the mid-1990s, he worked for Tower Records, and then Colonial Downs as A/V manager. In 2000 Gayle was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. On 1 May 2001 he received a lung transplant that gave him nearly ten more years of life. Despite his compromised health, changed lifestyle, and the constant medical issues, he composed prolifically during his post-transplant years. He dedicated the work "Overture to Unframe" to the organ donor whose lung let him continue to create: "Dedicated to the organ donor who gave me the gift of life and the chance to live another day. Today, years after my transplant, I offer my music as an expression of gratitude. This is music that, without your kindness and generosity, would never have been written." Please visit www.AntonomasiaProductions.org for a list of the composer's works, more music, scores, and composer commentary. This is a long-running project, still fragmented and incomplete, and more will be added as I continue to sort through the thousands of pages of manuscripts and hundreds of audio recordings. Please consider purchasing a CD or book to help support this project. Copyright Statement: I, Benjamin Gayle, am the owner of rights to all material posted to this channel, including sound recordings, scores, and videos. Thanks for listening! - Benjamin Gayle
7. 'Invention No. 5' may need some explanation. This invention is written in the style of Carlo Gesualdo (1561-1613), an Italian Renaissance composer. Gesualdo primarily wrote madrigals. His music was highly chromatic and dissonant. I study the Renaissance because it is a rich source of contrapuntal techniques. Renaissance music was based on counterpoint and was written before the codification of the tonal system. The voices in 'Invention No. 5' are at the interval of a perfect 4th, an interval allowed by the Church during this period. I have tried to capture the modal eccentricities and odd phrasing that characterized Gesualdo's music. The harpsichord is used as the accompaniment and the tuba is a contemporary version of a figured bass. Essentially, 'Invention No. 5' is a 20th Century observation of the compositional choices of a very unique 16th Century composer. 'Inventions' is a collection of compositions created post-transplant and recorded in 2004. Charles Irving Gayle (1949-2011) was an American musician and composer. One of six brothers, he grew up between Sandston and Bottoms Bridge, eastern suburbs of Richmond Virginia. At 16, he joined the Richmond Symphony playing French Horn. He graduated from Randolph-Macon College, then served in the US Air Force. In the 1980s, after his service, he earned a Master's degree in Music Theory and Composition from Virginia Commonwealth University while managing the VCU Performing Arts Center. This was an important and productive time for him as a composer. After his separation from VCU in the mid-1990s, he worked for Tower Records, and then Colonial Downs as A/V manager. In 2000 Gayle was diagnosed with Pulmonary Fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. On 1 May 2001 he received a lung transplant that gave him nearly ten more years of life. Despite his compromised health, changed lifestyle, and the constant medical issues, he composed prolifically during his post-transplant years. He dedicated the work "Overture to Unframe" to the organ donor whose lung let him continue to create: "Dedicated to the organ donor who gave me the gift of life and the chance to live another day. Today, years after my transplant, I offer my music as an expression of gratitude. This is music that, without your kindness and generosity, would never have been written." Please visit www.AntonomasiaProductions.org for a list of the composer's works, more music, scores, and composer commentary. This is a long-running project, still fragmented and incomplete, and more will be added as I continue to sort through the thousands of pages of manuscripts and hundreds of audio recordings. Please consider purchasing a CD or book to help support this project. Copyright Statement: I, Benjamin Gayle, am the owner of rights to all material posted to this channel, including sound recordings, scores, and videos. Thanks for listening! - Benjamin Gayle