8. Structure
On a general level, the overall structure of the composition could be described A, B, A, C, A. This structure is one of the many variations of rondo form, which consists of repeated sections that are interleaved by contrasting sections (Schoenberg, 1967). Coincidently, the general structure of shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) music is most commonly in rondo form (Malm, 1959). However, as described previously, the repeated sections in the Fantasia are not exact repeats; there are many differences in melody, length, harmony and orchestration. Therefore, rondo form does not fit perfectly with this piece, but it is a good approximation. This difficultly in classifying the form exactly is reflected in the composition’s title. ‘Fantasia’ refers to a composition with free form and of an improvisatory nature (often around an existing theme). This title seems appropriate as most of these aspects are inherent in the composition. Although a specific existing theme has not been used, there is improvisation and variation on the original Japanese inspired themes (such as those shown in figures 1 and 2).
The composition went through several structural revisions. In the majority of cases, this involved lengthening sections to allow the different themes to flow naturally in to each other. One structural problem was caused by the way that the start and end were written first, with the middle filled in afterwards. The original ending was very similar to the start, and after the richness of the material in the middle, the end seemed like an anticlimax. Improving the ending, and its structural flow, involved lengthening this section, with a particular emphasis on the cumulation of various themes. This produced a much more satisfying result, which was more suitable for the length and scale of this composition.
Appendix A gives a detailed structural outline of the Fantasia, showing how the sections of the generalised rondo form are broken up in to subsections. For each of these subsections, an overview of the prominent features is displayed.