Bethany Wakim - Dreaming in Rondo

My review:

A rondo (from the French Rondeau) is a dance that originated in France during the Middle Ages, which, as its name suggests, is danced in circles.

Formally, it has a structure in which the same musical theme is repeated, which we will call the refrain (and represent by the letter A), alternating with different themes which we will call verses (and represent by the following capital letters of the alphabet: B, C, D, etc.)

Thus, its scheme could be as follows: A - B - A - C - A; that is, refrain , verse 1, refrain , verse 2, refrain ...

There is no set rule regarding the number of refrains and verses it should have, although normally the refrain appears no less than three times, as in the scheme we just indicated, emphasizing that there is no maximum number of times. Another rule is that the rondo begins and ends with the refrain.

A very specific variant of the rondo is the so-called "rondo sonata", which, in the 18th century, usually appeared as the last movement of the Classical Sonata and has a scheme: A - B - A - C - B - A, that is, refrain, verse 1, refrain, verse 2, verse 1, refrain.

Composer Bethany Wakim presents her piece "Dreaming in Rondo", a small rondo sonata, with an "airily" tempo indication and a mixed texture, highlighting the counterpoint, with some syncopations and pedal notes.

The piece feels cohesive, fresh, and fast-paced, with a fluidity that runs through it from beginning to end. However, what stands out most are the constant changes in time signature.

Let us remember that, in music, we call time signature the way in which we organize the rhythmic elements that make up a piece of music when writing a score.

These sudden and constant changes that we have been pointing out in this rondo produce a very pleasant surprise effect on the ear.

Composer's social links:

Let's listen to Dreaming in Rondo, by Bethany Wakim, performed by Carlos Marín Trigo: