canon in retrograde

Today's entry is a canon on retrograde. The bassoon part is the same as the oboe part but backwards. As you may have gathered by now, I have a great interest in symmetries, mirrors, retrogrades, inversions, palindromes etc.

(click on image to enlarge)

The technique for writing these is surprisingly simple:

Write the first half in invertible counterpoint. I'll explain how to do this another time but it simply means that either part can function as the bass line. Then copy the upper part backwards onto the end of the lower part and vice versa.

The trick is to make it sound musical. I'll talk about this another day. I have an important meeting to prepare for today.