Hans Offerdal

Checkmate!

How do you experience the final thrilling minutes of a chess game when your opponent has taken the upper hand? And how does it actually feel being beaten checkmate? This piece gives you the answers! There are challenges in use of dynamics, articulation, intensity and gradually increasing tempo. Dissonances are present several places, but the voice leading is diatonic and often in repeating patterns. The whole piece is based on one single scale: Bb major scale with augmented fourth and minor seventh. It is notated as a concert Bb major scale with two accidentals. Feel free to use it during warm-up!