The thing is…this Trombone Sonata…isn’t much of a sonata. I guess I feel the opening return in the end…but is it really a sonata? Does it deserve the title Sonata? That’s a big word. It has a lot of weight. And an almost more important question, should it have that much weight? And does it matter? I’d like to think that it does. There’s an obvious A section, split then into two parts. The B section speeds things up and we move into different versions of themes. Here we develop. It’s true, develop. But this piece overall is four minutes and about fifty seconds. Does that deserve Sonata or Sonatina? The end comes back with a return of the slow themes, but not exact. So this isn’t ternary. I guess you could say this is a Sonata that isn’t in true “Sonata” form. Sigh…this is too much thought work. At the end of the piece, I feel the original theme, and I feel that it has returned. I will go with the title Sonata for Bass Trombone. These are my reasoning’s. I think it’s valid. I asked the right questions, right? I think so. So there you go, the process of  naming.

The other recent argument is the fight of Opus #’s Vs. No Opus #’s. Again, is this important? I don’t actually know. I feel that it is a respectful nod to past composers and the way they did things…but then again, we nod to them all too often. Isn’t that the big issue? People haven’t gotten over Beethoven which is why music today is such a mess. People couldn’t move on. So classical music is thought of this rut of impersonal material that is no longer relevant. I mean, I listen to the greats all the time. But back in the day, “before the greats”, (before Naxos) they stood on each other’s shoulders not looking back. Well of course over time composers became paranoid. Plenty of the greats felt that the heroes of the past were looking over their shoulders. That’s probably the wrong “there” isn’t it? Anyways, we’ve all felt that, so…do we do things the same or drop those traditions.

Do we really need opus #’s? We have the internet. But…if I want people to recognize that I have a lot of material, then they need to know this is the 24th piece I’ve written and respect. Correct? It’s useful. I’m trying to make a name for myself, don’t I need to use everything I can? Or…is this narcissistic? Am I claiming that my music is as good as the greats and it deserves a cataloging system? Heavy questions to ask right? I know…I’m only 24, a lot will change in my music over time but…should I get a jump start on things?

In the end…I decided to add Opus #’s. I cannot live my life comparing myself to the greats that were, and the greats that are. I must do things my way. If I want opus numbers…you know, to look cool. Isn’t it the same as the “cool artwork on an album cover”? It’s how I do things. It’s how I’m branding myself. And for now, it’s how I will do things.

Ladies and gentlemen…Sonata for Bass Trombone, Opus 24.