Koehler, Wolfgang: Take Seven

Concert Piece

Take Seven is a tried and trusted showpiece with audience appeal. The title Take Seven is of course a play on Paul Desmond’s famous Take Five and its recording by the Dave Brubeck Quartet. As there, the rhythms in this piece are largely based on an asymmetric metre – in this case, 7/4 time. Unlike most jazz pieces with an uneven metre, however, Take Seven goes through various moods, sections and tempo changes, illuminating the main theme from different angles.