Composing Insights

Regal Variations Finished

2008-07-18T16:22:00.010-04:00

I had finished Regal Variations about two weeks ago but have not had time to write because we have been busy with doing some house remodeling. I hope to get back to posting more regularly once things calm down.

Variation V is unique in that in begins by varying the melody of variation 4, which is in itself, a variation of the main theme. It is also unique in that the introduction idea plays a prominent role throughout. The flute plays this introduction idea in measures 1 & 2 which becomes expanded in measures 3 & 4 and the expanded even more in measures 5-8. The clarinet inserts fragments of the variation 4 melody in the silences between the flute phrases. The clarinet expands these fragments leading to its longest statement in measures 10-12. At measure 13, the flute uses a phrase of the introductory to link to a rhythmic accompaniment that is built off of the introduction ideas from measures 14 - 21. Going against this accompaniment, the clarinet plays a rhythmic variation of the variation 4 melody. After a return to the introductory section in a new tonality at measure 22, the flute and clarinet interchange what they played at 13-21 in measures 34-41. Measure 42 ushers in the transformation in the clarinet of the original theme now in a more "regal" setting while they flute continues the accompaniment ideas. At measure 52, the two parts change roles and there is a shift in tonality. A hemiola section during the last 4 measures feels like a written out ritard that brings the variation at the piece to its climatic end.

This was a fun and challenging piece to compose. For those of you who have played duets, you probably know that duets are more fun for you to play than for your audience who listens to it. It is very challenging to write interesting a varied music for only two instruments. It is hoped that my blog on the composing of Regal Variations will give my readers some new ideas on how to write for two instruments.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/regalvariationsblog.html
The score is in concert pitch.

Dr. B

Regal Variation 2nd-4th Variation

2008-07-04T10:43:00.011-04:00

Hello again to my readers. I am now back home from vacation and even though I haven't posted in a while because of my travels, I have been working on Regal Variation fairly regularly. I have now completed four variations and have one to go. Instead to talking in detail about each variation, I thought I'd address some thoughts that I had while working on this piece. I will refer to each variation as illustrations of my thoughts.

I'd like to begin with a general observation regarding variation form. One of the interesting things about a set of variations is that the further one goes into the piece, the farther removed the variations are from the theme. This is what is happening in my Regal Variations. The first variation uses motives that are very clearly derived from the theme. The second variation begins with a 7/8 accompanying idea that is not theme related before using a transformation of m. 13-17 of the theme. Interestingly, the accompanying idea takes on a life of its own and almost seems like a theme itself. The third variation only uses the descending perfect fourth of the beginning of the theme and then it is off to develop as my ear sees fit. There are no other deliberate uses of the theme in this variation. Variation four uses the melodic intervals of the theme, but the rhythm and tempo are so dramatic changed from the theme that this relationship is difficult to perceive.

This discussion leads me into something I have discussed before; the importance of composers relying on their ear rather than emphasizing construction. Craftmanship is important in any composition, but the ear must always guide that craftmanship. I found myself getting into that trap a few times while composing some of these variations. For example, when I began variation three, I was trying consciously to use motives and intervals from the theme. But this was not working, so I switched to just letting my ear tell me where the music wanted to go. There may be some relationships to the theme that have subconsciously slipped in, as this usually happens when one is living and breathing the material, but I hope the music sounds freely composed rather than contrived.

I also like to discuss my use of key signatures and time signatures. I usually find an opening time signature that works for my initial idea. I change time signatures as needed to help with the placement of accents and cadences, but a lot of times that is misleading as my music is very contrapuntal and one part may line up while the other one does not. A good example is in variation 2. The 7/8 accompaniment idea from the beginning carries through in measures 6 & 7, but these measures are written in 9/8 to accommodate the flute melody while the clarinet part is a hemiola 7/8. It looks awkward in the 9/8, but it should have the same uneven beat feel as the beginning. This type of thing happens a lot in this variation and less often in the other variations. With key signatures, I usually start out with no key signature. After I have composed for awhile, I try to find a key signature that works best for ease of reading by eliminating a lot of accidentals. Sometimes, this lines up with the tonality and sometimes it does not. My music changes tonal center and modality often therefore making key signature something that is used for ease of reading more than an indication of tonality.

The other thing that I was giving much thought to while driving and while composing is the importance of "subtlety" in art and in life. I believe that all good art uses "subtlety". Subtlety is something that is implied rather than overtly stated. For example, in Regal Variations, variation 3, I recapitulate the opening measures at measure 21. The tonality is now G instead of F and the flute is now the lead voice and the clarinet the follower. Later on the theme contains some dotted eighths and sixteenths for variety. What may appear on first hearing as a repetition of the opening, is really a subtle variation within that repetition that adds interest while at the same time serves as a unifying factor. This is one of the beauties of art, because it enables the appreciator to always find something new to appreciate. Popular music emphasizes immediate appeal over subtlety. It is less complex and therefore more repetitive. Pop music serves its purpose, but I argue that the arts are an essential part of our humanity and an essential part of education. Without the arts and arts education, it is difficult to people to learn to perceive and appreciate subtlety and subtlety is an essential part of communication. Can you imagine how many less fights a couple would have if the partner was able to understand what is not said by observing differences in the tone of voice and facial expressions? Expand this to other forms of communication and you can understand why the arts are essential in our lives.

I once again invite my readers to comment on or question anything I say. I will not publish your response without first obtaining your permission. All replies are monitored by myself before the appear in this blog.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/regalvariationsblog.html
The score is in concert pitch.

Dr. B

Regal Variation First Variation

2008-06-10T19:18:00.004-04:00

I am now in southern Oregon and had a chance to work on the first variation and complete it today. The first variation is in a Presto tempo which creates a dramatic contrast to the lilting theme. The motives from the theme that play a dominant role in this variation are the flute idea from M. 9 of the theme and the 16th note descending pattern first seen in M. 6 of the flute in the theme. The rhythm of these ideas is translated into a 2/4 pattern.

After a two measure flourish in the flute, variation 1 begins with the descending idea in the clarinet in measure 3 followed by the two 16th and eighth motive in the flute in measure 4. At M. 7-9, the clarinet has a syncopated version of the two 16th and eighth idea that later turns into a hemiola (3/8 against the 2/4) ostinato accompanying the melody lines. The lines develop and subtly change as the movement progresses. About 2/3 through the variation, I felt things were getting tonally static. This suggested the idea of sequencing down a step that led to the material at 68-70 and 81-end. The variation ends quietly after being loud and energetic throughout.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/regalvariationsblog.html
The score is in concert pitch.

Dr. B

Regal Variations

2008-06-04T17:21:00.004-04:00

I'm writing this blog from a lovely city RV Park in Eastern Oregon. Our vacation has been enjoyable and I have found a few times to compose my next commission, which is a piece for Flute and Clarinet for the Ballif Duo. I was listening to my satellite radio and heard Elgar's Enigma Variations which is one of my favorite pieces and thought I'd like to write a set of variations in the manner of Elgar. The "Enigma Variations" is truly a symphonic development of the musical material rather than a set of variations where the theme structure remains the same and the variations are built on that structure. My "Regal Variations" (Regal being and anagram of Elgar) will attempt to symphonic develop the theme as well.

I have composed my thematic material. It is about 45 seconds in length and is in a lilting 6/8 rhythm. The theme is in a rounded binary form ABA'. The A section goes from the beginning to measure 13 and the B section from 13 to the end. It is rounded because a small piece of A returns in the last two measures. In addition to the use of canon between the two parts, much of the melodic material is motivically derived, therefore giving the theme a symphonic quality even before the variations begin.

As I was composing this, I kept questioning whether this is my theme or will it turn out to be a variation. It was only when I began the first variation that I became convinced that this is my theme. I have just begun the first variation so I will discuss that after it is complete.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/regalvariationsblog.html
The score is in concert pitch.

Dr. B

Hep Cats Movement 3

2008-05-16T07:10:00.003-04:00

The third movement is called "Tom" and it captures the aggressive, macho characteristics of a tom cat. It is in a fast rock tempo. The way this movement is constructed is by using short motifs that constantly interchange with each other and are varied by tonality, modality, interval, or by extension. I will identify the motifs for you below and leave finding where, when and how they are used up to you.

motive 1 - M. 1 beats 1 & 2
motive 2 - M. 1 beats 3 & 4
motive 3 - M. 2 beats 1 & 2
motive 4 - M. 4 entire measure
motive 5 - M. 7 beats 3 & 4
motive 6 - M. 8 beats 1 & 2
motive 7 - M, 12 beats 3 & 4
motive 8 - M. 14 beats 3 & 4

The overall form is an arch form with a short coda. For the center section M. 31-43, I felt I needed contrast to the outer sections that use the constant juxtaposition of the motives. I briefly toyed with the idea of using a more sustained melody but it didn't feel right. While doing my morning stretching, I was watching the weather channel and for the "Local on the 8's" they had rock music playing in the background that was using a repetitive riff. It was then that it dawned on me that a riff section is what I need to create the contrast. This middle section consists of 3 four measure phrases that are built off of a riff idea.

There are several climaxes throughout this movement. They occur at loud spots and/or high spots and they give the movement direction. Dynamic contrast is very important in making a composition for a solo single line instrument interesting.

I will be taking a real vacation between May 19 and June 27. I will be bringing my keyboard and computer with me as composing for me is very relaxing. I will be posting to my blog sporadically however as the next piece I work on develops. This may be a good time for those fairly new to my blog to read some of the previous posts and share your comments.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/hepcatsblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Hep Cats Movement 2

2008-05-12T15:09:00.004-04:00

Today I am posting the completed 2nd movement. Whereas the first movement "Siamese" has a lively and playful, yet sophisticated quality, the second movement "Angora" is mysterious, aloof, and vain.

The movement begins with an angular, yet expressive 7/8 melody suggesting the Angora's superiority complex. This idea is then followed by a staccato, rhythmic ostinato idea in mainly 3/4 suggesting the cat's sneakiness. I commented in my last post about the difficulty in creating counterpoint with a single melodic line. I have played a wonderful piece by Fred L. Clinard called Sonata for Unaccompanied Euphonium that effectively uses counterpoint. He has a low rhythmic figure that is interrupted by a lyrical melodic phrase. The two alternate for an extended time giving the illusion of two separate lines. Even though the don't literally occur simultaneously, it creates the illusion that the bass line is continuing while the lyrical line is being played. I tried to do the same type of thing in this movement except mine is in a slow tempo and Clinard's is at a fast tempo. From M. 16-26, the rhythmic ostinato alternates with phrases of the 7/8 angular melody therefore creating a sense of counterpoint. M. 27-32 uses a variant of the rhythmic ostinato idea. The tempo picks up again for even more variety.

The movement is in an arch form. the apex of the arch is the lyrical line that represents Angora's beauty from M. 33-50. After the climax, we return to yet another variant of the ostinato idea from M. 51 - 64 and then finally back to the 7/8 angular idea to end the arch form AB(A + B) C B' A'.

This movement has a modern jazz ballad flavor, sort of a 3rd stream. The intervals are bluesy, but the inflections are more classical.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/hepcatsblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

New Piece for Solo Eb Clarinet

2008-05-07T10:32:00.006-04:00

I have been traveling again, this time to the University of Iowa for a premiere of my "Guatemaya" for marimba by Meggie Aube on her masters recital. We had a nice dress rehearsal together. The challenge was to make adjustments as Meggie had the piece memorized. She had to get the new changes (mainly dynamics and phrasing) into her mind, which is not as easy as marking the music with a pencil. She made the adjustments very quickly however. During the performance, Meggie had one memory slip at the very beginning of the piece, but after that, the performance went smoothly and was well received. While at the U of I, I meet with three graduate students with whom I have written pieces for recording projects.

I began to work on my next commission while in Iowa and finished the 1st movement today. This piece is for William Kelly, who is doing a CD of unaccompanied clarinet music. He wanted a piece for Eb clarinet, although this piece can be done on any clarinet. He also wanted a jazz influenced piece, therefore the title "Hep Cats". The title has double meaning, cats meaning jazz musicians, and also the feline species. I am a cat lover, so several of my pieces have cat titles and descriptions. I am sad to say that the latest member of our cat family "Siegfried" went to cat heaven on Monday. He was 18 years old and we had him for 16 years. He was a black cat with part Siamese in him. Therefore the first movement "Siamese" is written in his memory. It is an upbeat, swing movement and captures the joy "Siegfried" brought us. The other movements will be "Angora" which will be slow, moody and bluesy followed by "Tom" which will be in a rock style and be aggressive.

"Siamese" has a number of motives that are used in a flexible form. The challenge in writing a piece for a single monophonic instrument is that the elements such as harmony, counterpoint, and timbre variation are not readily available. One can hint at these, but the composer has to find most of the variety in the other elements. The movement begins with diatonic swing eighth notes which is the first motivic idea. In the second measure, the triplet motive is introduced, which adds rhythmic variety. These ideas interplay and change tonality slightly. In order break up the constant sound, I wanted a figure that used some rests. M. 7 introduces this motive and is used again, like in M. 10 & 11 for variety. The next motivic idea (M. 15 & 16) is a more chromatic version of the swing 8th notes, therefore adding a modality variation. The last new idea also takes advantage of silence (M 22). These ideas interchange freely as the movement moves towards the climax towards the middle at M. 39 and then again towards a climax at the end.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/hepcatsblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Goulash 3rd movement finished

2008-04-21T13:26:00.003-04:00

Last week I finished Goulash, but decided to wait a bit before posting as I wanted to be sure I was finished. Because of my hectic schedule, my composing has been sporadic and it was hard to feel a sense of continuity in the piece. After reviewing the piece, I feel that I did create the continuity I was looking for.

M. 122-136 creates a transition back the more rhythmic portion of the slow section. It begins with a restatement of the main fast idea and then begins to develop it a bit before fragmenting some of the ideas. M. 165 winds down the slow section material and M. 171 suddenly brings the listener back to the fast section. M. 192 is a slight variation of this material that appeared earlier. M. 210 to the end is a fiery coda that extends the marimba idea at M. 198 for some technical fireworks.

During this movement, I found myself using the ends of phrases to start my new phrase. This is a way of unifying ideas and also creating variety. An example would be how the saxophone line that ends at M. 9 begins the phrase at M. 16 and then develops into its own melody. T.S. Eliot said "in my end is my beginning". That certainly applies in many places throughout this movement.

I am now working on preparing the parts for this piece and getting them off to the performers for their comments.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Goulash 3rd movement

2008-04-14T12:01:00.004-04:00

In my last post, I discussed my getting started with the third movement of Goulash. This movement has been challenging to compose, partly because of all the interruptions I have been experiencing with my composing schedule and partly because I do not have a clear vision of the movement. I do have general idea of what I want to do. The opening slow section is now complete. At M. 25, I introduced a contrasting section that is imitative. At M. 32-42, I return to the material I used at M. 14-24 but the saxophone line is now more elaborate. A transition in the marimba at 43-64 brings the listener back to the opening material that gradually accelerates into the fast section at M. 61. The return to this opening section rounds out the slow opening nicely as it is free and exotic sounding before the stricter tempo of the fast section.

M. 61 begins the fast section with an angular, yet harmonically suggestive marimba pattern of eighth notes. The saxophone introduces the first melodic idea at M. 63. It has a dotted rhythm figure, some syncopation and some scale-wise flourishes. The last part of the idea uses imitation between the saxophone and marimba. At. M 71-83, the roles of the two instruments reverse and the last part of the idea is extended. M. 84 ushers in a variant of the idea with descending then ascending arpeggios in the marimba and scalar passages in the saxophone. Imitation once again completes the phrase. At M. 92-104, the roles reverse once again and the end of the idea receives an extension. M. 104 is another variant of the initial idea that incorporates both the eighth note arpeggios and the scalar 16th notes. The texture is all marimba at this point. At 113, the texture is now saxophone primarily with a few punctuations with the marimba.

Once again, the ideas seem to be working but I don't know where it will take me next. The challenge I am finding in writing for 2 instruments is to create variety of texture. I accomplish that by alternating lead in the two instruments, changing from harmophony to polyphony, and using one instrument only for phrases. Since I can't vary the texture like I could in an orchestral piece, I need to strive for variety in other ways, yet still maintain unity in the piece. This might suggest a return to the slow section briefly before the final virtuostic fast section. We will see if this happens as the movement progresses.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Marketing, Guatemaya and Goulash

2008-04-07T13:40:00.007-04:00

The title of this post sounds like goulash, but it highlights the three things I'll be reflecting on.

Yesterday, I had a table to sell my music and CDs at a Tuba/Euphonium conference being held at Millersville University. Normally, I market through internet news groups but I thought I would try something different. My publishing company is a print-on-demand establishment, so my first task was to decide what music to print and bring with me. I settled on some of my euphonium and tuba duets. I also had some copies already left over from other seminars I have done, so I brought that music along even though it was not tuba or euphonium oriented. I also made catalogs of my tuba and euphonium music for distribution. All in all, I'd say the day was a positive experience. I would have attended this event anyway as I am a tuba player, and it was nice to share my music with some of the people in attendance. I actually sold some of my there music as well as some of my tuba and euphonium music. My setup consisted of a display board with my publishing company and Cd label name, plus some graphics of things we offer. I had nice display racks for my music and CDs. I had a credit card swiper from CDBaby for credit card sales and had my laptop computer and headphones with me so that people could hear recordings or MIDI versions of my music. I will consider doing this type of marketing in the future, but it does take time and can be expensive.

This morning, I made what I hope will be the final revisions to Guatemaya. I have had excellent correspondence with Meggie Aube, for whom this piece is written. She has sent me rehearsal recordings and with the help of her teacher, made some suggestions for changing some of the octaves in the piece. I also made some adjustments to a few measures to facilitate the technique. The biggest change is in the 3rd movement where I adjusted the tempo slower as its sounds more majestic and mysterious that way.This is a good example of how collaboration can work between composer and performer.

To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/guatemayablog.html

I have also been working on the third movement of Goulash. I have settled on alto saxophone and marimba for this movement. It will be in the style of a Csárdás beginning with a slow section with some freedom of tempo and followed by a fast, fiery section. I started in 6/8 time because I haven't used that meter in the other movements and I'm consciously trying to stay away from imitating the famous Csárdás by Monti. Even though I like what I have written thus far, I am not sure where this is going and whether it will sound like a Csárdás. As you can see and hear, the opening is quite free in tempo. In measure 6 & 7, I develop the triplet motive first stated at the beginning of m. 6 in the saxophone to lead to a climax at the end of measure 7. Measure 9 begins a transition to a section of steadier rhythm. The marimba part of harmonic eighth notes becomes a steadier rhythm at m. 14. The saxophone dotted rhythm motif that ends the section at m. 9 becomes another unifying factor in the new section.

To see and hear what I have composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html

Kansas State Premiere

2008-03-28T09:06:00.002-04:00

I'm in Missouri on my way back from a very nice experience at Kansas State University. It was a luxury in the world of composers to have 3 rehearsals with the tuba/euphonium ensemble that premiered my "Suit Suite". There was a lot of growth with the interpretation of the music. The one drawback was that we did not have all 13 musicians together until the run-through prior to the performance due to schedule conflicts. But Steve Maxwell and the students really came through with a very musical and exciting premiere.

While I was there, I did a Low Brass Masterclass on "Getting Into the Composer's Mind" which is based on ideas from my book, "A Composer's Guide to Understanding Music". I also gave a masterclass to the advanced theory class and a few composition majors. We covered such things as the need for versatility, how to develop your own voice, and concerns I have about the dominance of craftmanship at the expense of expression. I also played several recordings of my music. With both these classes, it would have been great to try to reach more students and to have those in attendance ask more questions.

Thank you Steve Maxwell for arranging all this and to the other faculty who were gracious in hosting me.

Dr. B

Conundrum in Cincinnati

2008-03-24T07:51:00.003-04:00

I am now in Kansas City on my way to Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. I spent most of last week in Cincinnati working with the chamber ensemble Conundrum. They commissioned me to write a piece for soprano, flute, clarinet, and piano. They also arranged a residency and premiere for the students at Cincinnati's High School for the Creative and Performing Arts. The musicians of Conundrum are wonderful. We did a recording session while I was there of the Four Songs that I just wrote for them and my Scenes from Tom Sawyer. Both of these will be released along with three other chamber works of mine on a CD soon. The recording session went well and I thought we had enough takes of everything that I could edit a fine recording. Most of what was recorded was great but there are a few spots that need to be done again. It is amazing what one hears when one listens to tracks over and over. The microphone and recorder are the best critics. I am hoping that we can arrange another hour to record on my way home from Kansas to get better takes of these few spots.

The residency at CCPA was a little disappointing. Due to schedules and make-up city-wide testing because of snow days, the audiences were small and some kids were in and out. Parts of my presentations generated interest with some of the students, but I had hoped to connect with more of them.

I am hoping to find a little time to compose while in Kansas. I have ideas for the last movement of Goulash that I'd like to get notated. I am also starting to receive rehearsal recordings of works I've written for other musicians whose performances and recording sessions are approaching. It is a busy time for me, but I like it that way.

I'll try to report on my stay at KSU after Wednesday, but I'll be putting on the miles driving home and my wireless internet connection varies with where I camp. Please feel free to comment on my posts or share your experiences related to the topic. It seems like there are a lot of readers of my blog and I'd love to hear from you.

Dr. B

Working With Performers

2008-03-15T10:54:00.005-04:00

I am getting ready to leave for performances in Cincinnati and Manhattan, KS and thought I'd write a bit about working with performers. For me, working with performers is what it is all about. It is so nice to hear what you have notated on paper come to life. But it also can be frustrating. A friend of mine just had a piece premiered at the Kennedy Center and the musicians rehearsed it for the first time for one hour on the day of the concert. While the musicians got the gist of the piece, he was not pleased with the performance.

To avoid this type of rush performance, when I write a piece for someone, they are requested to send me a rehearsal recording at least two weeks prior to the performance. That way, I know they are rehearsing it and there is time for me to have feedback that can be incorporated into the performance. It doesn't always happen as the group in Cincinnati had scheduling problems so they are working to put the piece together this week. I have heard a recording of one of the movements. It was fine, but under tempo. I have confidence in this group so it should be a fine performance.

I'd like to share the correspondence I've had with two other performer as it illustrates the kind of collaboration that often goes on between composer and performer.

The first is with Dr. Steven Maxwell, director of the Kansas State University Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. Steve sent me a rehearsal recording and these were my comments:

Hi Steve,

The package arrived yesterday. Thanks for sending the music and recording. In general, your group is doing a good job with Suit Suite, but I have several suggestions.

First of all, the style of all the movements are fine. The only exception is in Hearts where unless there is an accent or staccato, the articulation is legato or slurred. M. 77 & 79 are examples (no accents). The accents are fine in 78 & 80. Also Diamonds sounds dance-like but it would sound even more like rich people dancing in oblivion of the poverty around them if it could go faster.

The other general comment is about balance. I don't know if mic placement caused the tuba 3 to predominate, but he/she needs to blend with the ensemble better. Only when that part has an obvious melodic line like in Hearts at 62-66 should that part stand out.

I wrote the piece so that everyone has an opportunity to rest. What this causes is various sub ensembles within the 6 parts. Those sub ensembles need to be in perfect balance. Sometimes the lead voices are too soft other times the middle voices. Maybe making your students aware of the sub ensembles and balancing a few of them will help them hear this concept.

The ritards could be more in all places that they occur.

The flutter tongue effect could be more menacing.

Can the 1st euph trill at the end?

The 1st euph had rhythm problems in 81-82. Also 221 through the end, whenever there is a F-Gb the 1st euph is trying to play an Ab.

At 156 euph 2 & 3 should sound like one long line even though each has rest the overlap should help, but it needs to be balanced.

It sounds like there is one on a part for this piece and not the 13 piece ensemble. Is that correct?

I am looking forward to hearing the piece in person and working with your students.

Sy

As you can see, there is a lot to be done. I would hate to make these changes at the dress rehearsal.

The second is with Meggie Aube, marimbist at the University of Iowa. First her email then my comments.

Hi Sy,
I'm sorry for taking so long to write back to you again. I recorded the 1st and 2nd movements on a small recorder in a practice room, so they aren't very good, but I wanted you to hear the changes me and my teachers wanted to make. The only thing I changed about the 1st movement is I am playing everything down an octave. I think it sounds much better to be in that range of the marimba and it sounds more soloistic. Not much is changed in the 2nd movement. I doubled the octave in measures 30-31 and measures 34-37. My teacher accidently converted the take that wasn't so good on this movement so unfortunately there are several mistakes. Please give me any comments you have about these recordings even thought they aren't as good as I would like. I will try to have recordings of the other two movements to you by the end of next week. Thanks for being to patient with me, I just wish I wasn't so busy!

Meggie

Hi Meggie,

Thanks for sending the recordings. I have a few comments about both movements:

Puerto Barrios - This is a bustling city on the Caribbean and I tried to capture the energy and syncopation of Caribbean music. I had in mind a strict tempo (almost dance-like) rather than the rubato that you are doing. What you are doing sounds very musical if it was another piece. The same comment goes regarding down the octave. You will have a chance for that part of the marimba in the 3rd movement. Because this movement is Caribbean influenced, it needs to sound bright, so I like it in the register it was written in. As a result of the need to keep a strict tempo, it sounds like the repeated sixteenth notes in m. 2 are not possible. Can we change the 1st 2 sixteenth notes to an eighth rest and the second 2 sixteenth notes to an eighth note? In M. 14, the leap in the right hand creates a break. Can you play the first beat up an octave so that it can be smoother? The same is true in M. 42. The gliss at the end didn't seem to work. Are you doing the gliss with the left mallet and striking the last chord with the right? The gliss should go 2 octaves from G to G and crescendo if possible.

Tikai - This movement really worked well and you captured most of what I wanted. Are you taking M 4 and M 65 down an octave? If so, I prefer then up with the other parts of the bird call. Make sure you wait out the full rest in M. 19 & 20. The silence is part of the music. M. 30-31, the notes are Bb to D. I didn't hear the change of pitch. In these measures and 34 - 36 where you are doubling at the octave, the sound is fine, but we need to hear the foot stomp clearly. It may be because you are in a practice room, but I hardly heard it. This may be a spot that gets adjusted according to the venue. If the foot stomp gets covered up, you may want to go back to not doubling at the octave. The 5/8 section needs to drive forward. It seems to hesitate rhythmically. If it is hard to do technically, try leaving off the left hand on the first beat of the measure.

I'm looking forward to your teacher and your reaction to my suggestions. I am not a marimba player so I rely on your judgment. As a composer, I can only explain what I have in mind. I'm looking forward to the April performance and to hearing a recording of the other movements.

Sy

I hope all this illustrates what goes into getting that ideal performance. I am fortunate to be writing for such fine musicians and cherish the collaborative efforts.

Performers and composers, please share your experiences and I'll post them on this blog. We can all learn from each other.

Dr. B

Goulash 2nd Movement finished

2008-03-11T10:54:00.005-04:00

While writing the Flamenco, I have struggled more than normal. I think it is because of the free nature of the form that really taxed my brain. I could only compose in short spurts as I didn't have a clear picture of where I was going with the music and just let it suggest what should come next. After I completed the middle section, I then had a clearer idea of how I wanted to end the piece as I found the haunting section from m. 22-32 worth repeating.

The middle section begins at m. 35 and is more strict in rhythm. However, after I finished the piece and reviewed it this morning, I felt the section was too strict. Some of the changes I made to remedy this concern are:

m. 40 - changed rhythm of last beat of pans to include 32nd note and rest instead of a 16th note.
M. 42 - did the same thing to the sax line
m. 43 - changed the rhythm in the last beat of the sax part to 16th rest and note instead of 8th note.
M. 45 - in the pans I changed beat 2 to dotted 8th and 16th from two 8th notes and inserted an 8th rest on beat 4 instead of and 8th note.

Because of these changes, the evenness of m. 46 stands out as building to the climax in m. 47.

Another problem I had was with the transition from 58 to 59. I ended up changing 58 to a 5/4 measure and having a rest on beat 4. Previously it was a 4/4 measure that went directly into 59. Never underestimate the power of a rest. Another place I changed a 4/4 to a 5/4 was in 48. This extended the ritard another beat and made the transition to 49 better.

Another concern in the middle section was the lack of chromatic notes. For a while, this was a nice contrast from the first section, but by the time I got to m. 44, I knew I had to get more chromatic. Once I did this, the rest of this section flowed easier and took on a direction.

This movement is a very stylized Flamenco, which means it has characteristics of a Flamenco, but I doubt if anyone could dance a Flamenco to it. The stricter rhythm section in the middle is not characteristic of a Flamenco, but I felt it needed that contrast. The ranges are not as narrow as a sung Flamenco, but this is a Flamenco for instruments. Flamencos often begin with a ornamented singing of "ay". I use this (not sung) at the end. My hope is that I have captured the intense emotional quality of a Flamenco and have created a movement both interesting to hear and play. The sax part does use some altissimo register (higher notes than the normal range produced by altering the embouchure and using fingerings that allow the saxophonist to use overtones present the notes they are fingering instead of getting the normal note.)

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Goulash 2nd Movement Started

2008-03-04T11:23:00.007-05:00

It is very refreshing to me as a composer to create pieces that are influenced by various ethnic styles. It keeps my music fresh and every time I work in this manner, I discover new sounds that I may not have previously considered. I have written pieces influenced by Spanish music, Greek music, Indian Raga, and Mayan music to name a few.

The second movement of Goulash is a Flamenco. While the Flamenco is a Spanish song, it does have Gypsy influences. The song is usually accompanied by guitar, but for this piece for saxophone and percussion, I've chosen alto saxophone for the "voice" part and at the suggestion of Andrea, the percussionist, tenor pans or steel drums. Interestingly, the tenor pans have a plucked quality to them that is reminiscent of a guitar. However, rolls are uncharacteristic of the guitar but fall under the concept of artistic license.

The Flamenco uses a scale where the 2nd and 3rd degrees vacillate by half steps. It also has free meter, ornamentation, narrow range (which I ignore to some extent since this is written for instruments and not voices) and repetition of phrases which I turn into repetition of motivic ideas instead. There is also a melancholy mood. The Gypsy influence is felt in a progression of A, Gb, F in F minor (the key I am using) and the style of cante flamenco which is even more expressive and florid.

This is a very challenging piece to write because of its freedom. I'm trying to create free florid ideas yet have them sound connected in some way. The movement begins with the descending progression in the steel pans. I break the triad into a single note followed by two mallets playing a third. I'm limiting myself to two mallets because of technical considerations. This gave me a chance to vary the rhythm and make the opening sound non-metrical. All the rubato of the lines also create a non-metrical feel. The varied rhythms of eighths, sixteenths, sixteenth note triplets and eighth note triplets, along with a quintuplet figure give the music an ornamented and non-metric quality. The quintuplet that first occurs at m. 15 becomes an important unifying factor as the movement progresses. Also at 15, the music becomes more homophonic and less contrapuntal than the beginning. This section is calmer too and is leading into section with a little bit more strict rhythm. I am not sure where this new section will take me. But that is part of the fun of composing. Each piece is a new journey.

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

Goulash 1st Movement finished

2008-02-29T10:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I completed the first movement. M. 87 to 103 continues the tossing back and forth of motives followed by a canonic section. The end of this section diminuendos, leading up to a grand pause before returning to the opening material. In typical gypsy form, I ornamented the melodic ideas and I filled in some harmony in the marimba part. The ending climaxes with a trill in the saxophone and technical triplet passages leading to the final cadence. The use of the gypsy scale, the 5/8 meter and unexpected rests creating syncopation, all add to the exotic flavor of this movement.

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

1st Movement of Goulash Continued

2008-02-27T15:07:00.004-05:00

I've been working on this movement in short spurts since my last post as I took time away from it to do another transcription for brass quintet of another one of my organ preludes. The middle section is coming along. As I said in my previous post, I wanted a thinner texture to contrast the first section. I also chose to change the meter to 2/4 and the initial tonality to f minor. The tonality doesn't stay there because this section almost serves as a development. There are new ideas, but also new treatments of earlier ideas.

It begins at 39 with an accompaniment figure of widely spaced eighth notes. At 39 & 40, it is split between the marimba and saxophone, but that is the last time this occurs. The saxophone plays two phrases of a new idea while the marimba inserts the accompaniment figure. This accompaniment figure expands and contracts its intervals and occasionally reverses direction. The third and fourth saxophone phrases use material from the opening section.

At 62, the marimba is the solo voice and the sax the accompaniment. Again both 1st and 2nd section material is used for the marimba phrases. At 75-80 a canon is used between marimba and saxophone. At 81, motifs are tossed back and forth between saxophone and marimba before becoming canonic again.

This section is getting ready to transition back to the opening material in a somewhat different order.

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is transposed.

Dr. B

1st movement of Goulash

2008-02-21T13:58:00.003-05:00

I now have about a minute of the 1st movement (Chalga). The movement is starting to take shape as I envision a quieter middle section followed by a return to the opening section. Writing for two instruments is a challenge as it is difficult to vary the texture. It is almost necessary for both instruments to be playing most of the time. I am getting a variety of textures by having the marimba accompany the saxophone, the saxophone accompany the marimba, using both in imitation, and having each play by themselves. I am also trying to create variety by varying the dynamics and articulation, and in the case of the marimba, the number of mallets used simultaneously. As I move to the middle section, a change of tonal center will also create variety.

The first section is basically through-composed. After the opening 4 measure melody in the saxophone accompanied by rhythmic chords in the marimba, the melodic ideas seem to grow by themselves. For example, m. 5 & 6 in the saxophone uses the same motif as m. 1 but instead of sustaining, the idea is extended. Much of what I am doing with the ideas in this section remind me of a party game where one person starts a story and the hands it off to the next person. The next person can build on the ideas of the first person, or take the story in an entirely different direction. M. 8 in the saxophone does some of both. The first 3 beats is an elaborate version of first 3 beats of the movement. The last two beats introduce a new twist, the two sixteenth notes followed by the eighth. This new twist gets used frequently as the movement progresses. In M 9-14, the marimba has the opening idea. In m. 10, the m. 8 saxophone part which was the main melody, is now an accompaniment figure to the marimba. Imitation is used in m. 11-15 with the sax following the marimba.

M. 17 in the sax uses the m. 6 idea but now as the beginning of the phrase, instead of the end of a phrase. Triplet patterns are introduced to extend this idea. M. 20 has the marimba playing what the sax did in m. 17-19. The sax now accompanies the marimba with short notes. Originally I had a note on each beat, but after composing the marimba part at m. 28 which uses rests, I changed the sax part at m. 20 to include rests. It is now easier to realize that the marimba has the melody.

M. 24 to the end of this section uses that 2 sixteenth note eighth pattern first introduced in m. 8 and it becomes a prominent feature of this section. All this is a good example of how music can take on a life of its own. It does just repeat, but seems to morph into a reorganization of ideas or generate new ideas much in the manner of that story telling party game.

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html
The score is in concert pitch.

Dr. B

New Piece for Saxophone and Percussion

2008-02-19T11:30:00.003-05:00

It feels good to be composing again! After a break of a few months for vacation, arrangements and performances, I am now working on a piece for Jason Laczkoski, saxophone and Andrea Verdoorn, percussion. Both are at the University of Iowa with Jason working on his doctorate and Andrea completing her Bachelors in percussion performance. They wanted a piece based on Gypsy music, so after some internet searching. I decided on a three movement piece called "Goulash". The movements are called "Chalga", "Flamenco", and "Czardas".

The title is a Hungarian stew but the word is often used to indicate a varied mixture. I discovered that Gypsy music is indeed a varied mixture. There is a wonderful article about Gypsy music at http://people.unt.edu/jw0109/misc/gypsy.htm for anyone interested in finding out about its origins and development. The Chalga is a form of Bulgarian music a mixture of Balkan folk, incorporating a blend of Arabic, Turkish, Greek, and Roma (Gypsy) influences, as well as motifs from Balkan traditional music, even flamenco and klezmer music. It is known for repeating musical themes and dance rhythms and its style of dancing called kyuchek in Bulgarian. Many chalga hits were Greek or Turkish, covered by Bulgarian singers, often in more complex musical arrangements. The word chalga originates in the Turkish word çalgı (pronounced "chal-guh"), which means "playing" or "music". Indeed, the movement is derived from the art of the chalgadzhia (derived from the Turkish çalgıcı meaning "musician"), a type of musician who could play virtually any type of music, but added his own distinctive beat or rhythm to the song. (source - Wikipedia)

I decided to write my Chalga in 5/8. I am using a scale associated with Gypsy music which is in G minor G,A,Bb,C#,D,Eb,F#,G. There also a lot of ornamentation in Gypsy music. I have written about 16 measures using the instrumentation of Soprano Saxophone and Marimba. It will be fun to see where this takes me.

To see and hear what I've composed thus far, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/goulashblog.html

Dr. B

Premiere of "Legacy" 2/16/08

2008-02-17T10:58:00.003-05:00

Last night was the premiere of my composition "Legacy" by the Washington Sinfonietta, Rufus Jones, Musical Director and Conductor. The premiere was both exhilarating and disappointing. The Washington Sinfonietta is a very fine non-paid orchestra in the DC area. I was very impressed with the quality of the musicianship and the overall sound of the orchestra. It was thrill to have them do "Legacy" and most of came off very well and was well received (standing ovation). My disappointed stems from the fact that all the intricate parts were not always in the right place. Every note of my music has a purpose and when some things are not where they should be, I feel like there are gaps in the overall presentation. I realize that it is very difficult to pull a brand new piece together on 4 or 5 rehearsals. I am pleased with what the orchestra accomplished. But I couldn't help feeling that it could have been even better if they had more time with the piece and knew it better. Some things that worked during the dress rehearsal didn't work in the performance. I imagine nerves of having the composer present contributed.

So this is an example of what I think all composers face. Having high artistic standards is a given for performers and composers. The reality of rehearsal time restrictions and performance pressures create a sense of disappointment when those high artistic goals are not quite achieved. The months of creating the piece and the year of anticipation for that performance are now in the past. Now the task lays before me of finding future performances for what I consider is my best composition to date. Both the rehearsal and concert where recorded and once I get the recordings, I hope to be able put together a decent demo recording in order to entice other orchestras to do the piece.

My sincere thanks goes to the members and conductor of the Washington Sinfonietta for their premiere of my composition. I enjoyed working with them and I hope the opportunity to work together will occur again soon.

Dr. B.

I'm back after a bout with the flu

2008-02-10T08:03:00.000-05:00

My composing has taken a back seat again as I have been battling 102 fever for over a week. Before then, however, I did take one of my recent organ compositions "Chorale Prelude on Christ, The Lord, Is Risen Today" and transcribe it for brass quintet. Organ works transcribe fairly easily for brass and this was no exception. All I did was lower the key a whole step to help it fit into a more comfortable brass range. It was fairly clear which parts to give which instruments. I think I had in mind a possible transcription when I wrote the organ prelude.

This particular piece could also be used as a postlude. It goes far beyond an arrangement of a hymn tune. It uses phrases and motives from the hymn in unique ways. I won't say much about how this was composed, but offer it as an example of how a composer can be inventive with traditional material.

To see and hear this composition, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/Christthelordhome.html

On Saturday Feb. 2, I was the narrator for a performance of my "Gettysburg Portrait" by the Lancaster/Lebanon County Orchestra, Duane Botterbusch, Conductor. Duane and the 120 students did a wonderful job! It was one of these festivals where they rehearse all day and perform at night. It took them a little while to become confident with all the independent entrances and the evenings performance was even better than the rehearsals. The piece was also well received by the audience. I really enjoy these opportunities to interact with students and expose both them and the audience to contemporary art music.

I’d like to invite anyone in the D.C. area to the premiere of my composition, “Legacy” by the Washington Sinfonietta, Rufus Jones, Conductor. The concert is Saturday Feb. 16th at 3:00 PM at the National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle NW and also includes works by Copland, Still and Barber.

“Legacy” is a three-movement composition that makes social commentary on the issue of global warming. The three movements are titled:

I. Conflicts
II. Consequences
III. Sacrifice and Compromise

I'll be talking at Georgetown University and at one of the DC Public Schools as part of this project, so it should be and exciting week.

I'm hoping to get back to composing after this premiere.

Dr. B

I'm back from vacation

2008-01-27T08:02:00.000-05:00

I have return from our southwest vacation, and now it is time to get back into my composing routine. As you have seen from my last post, I was still active revising Guatemaya according to Meggie Aube's suggestions. I'm pleased to report that she has said the revisions work.

I also spent some time while sitting outside in the sunny 60 degree desert weather working on a project I do every year for the York Symphony. The York Symphony has an annual song writing competition. There are three levels, elementary, middle school, and high school. The winners get to have their compositions scored for orchestra and performed on the April Young Person's Concert. That is where I come in. I get the privilege of orchestrating their pieces. Some of the pieces are for piano and others have some basic orchestration. This April's concert is Classical Kid's Vivaldi program, so the orchestra is limited to strings, 2 flutes, and 2 trumpets. But even with that limited orchestration, it is fun to give the kid's music a new setting. Besides hearing there piece performed, the winners receive cash prizes and a score and recording of their piece. It is a wonderful inspiration for young composers and the program has won recognition by the American Symphony Orchestra League. My challenge is to preserve what they wrote yet enhance it so that it sounds more professional. I did 5 of the six arrangements while in AZ and I am finishing the last one probably later today or tomorrow.

I have two composition projects for the spring, one for unaccompanied Eb clarinet in a jazz style, and the other a piece for saxophone and percussion. Both these works are a result of the Co-op Press Recording Grants and will be part of CDs featuring the artists who were awarded the grant.

I am also busy working out my schedule for two performances during February. One next Saturday, where the Lancaster-Lebanon H.S. Honors Orchestra is doing my "Gettysburg Portrait" with me narrating and the other for a Feb. 16th premiere by the Washington Sinfonietta of my "Legacy", which deals with the climate change issue. More about these later.

Last night, my wife and I played a concert with the York Symphony as we backed up Manhattan Transfer. What a thrill to work with these fine musicians! But putting a show together in one rehearsal is always stressful, so today is a day of rest!

Look for more regular posts now that I'm back from vacation and I'd love to hear from you as to whether you find any of this interesting.

Dr. B

Revision of Guatemaya Movement 3

2008-01-07T16:05:00.001-05:00

I have received more feedback from Meggie Aube, this time about the second and third movements of Guatemaya. I am sitting at a picnic table at Bottomless Lakes state Park in Roswell, NM in 75 degree sunshine doing revisions to this piece. I have my M-Audio Oxygen 8 MIDI Controller, which fits conveniently into an attaché case, and my laptop, so my composing studio is portable. Meggie’s latest email that appears below:

Hi Sy,
I hope you had a very nice Christmas and New Years. I'm so sorry for taking so long to give you more comments. First it was finishing the semester, and then the holidays. I have had some time to look over your piece now though. From what I can see right now, the second movement is fine and everything seems possible. I do have a couple of comments for the 3rd movement, and then I need to spend a little bit of time looking at the 4th movement. Just as an overall comment, I noticed that everything is written in a fairly high range and nothing goes below the range of a 4 1/3 octave marimba. Most people and schools have 5 octave marimbas, I own one and the University of Iowa actually owns 3. So, if you would like to write anything lower, it would be possible to play. I must say that I am slightly partial to the lower end of the marimba. I thought a good section in the 3rd movement to transpose down the octave would be the 16th notes starting in measure 9. This would help the melody in the right hand come out louder. One handed rolls and difficult to play loudly anyways so having the hands close together will make it harder to hear the hands separately. If it is possible to change, the one handed roll of a B flat and D is very awkward to play, it happens in measure 5, 10, 12, 14, 34 and 36. The end of measure 27 going into 28 and the end of measure 29 going into 30 are both very awkward because of the angles the hand has to change between notes, and the fact that they are rolled, when I tried playing them without rolling it was more comfortable. The pitches in measure 38 in the right hand are going to be very hard to hear because they so high, and again, single handed rolls are hard to hear, especially in a high range. It will be especially hard to bring them out because the left hand notes are in a very loud range on the marimba. In beats 2 and 3 of measure 38, the movement from C and E flat to B flat and D is also very awkward.
I think that is all for now. I will try to have comments on the 4th movement within the next couple of days. I also wanted to tell you that I am really enjoying working on your piece right now!

Meggie Aube

I started by trying to solve the problem of the awkward Bb-D intervals. In measure 5, I put the Bb in the left hand instead of the D and moved the Bb’s in the right hand to G’s. In measures 10, 12, 34, & 36, I changed the Bb’s in the right hand to A’s. In measure 14, I changed the Bb to a G. All of this works because the harmony is slightly more open sounding with the use of 4ths instead of thirds and that fits with the majestic picture I am trying to paint. The end of 27-28 and again at 29-30, I removed the rolls on the 4 eighth notes. This seemed to be the best solution as the intensity is lessening at this point.

The suggestion of writing for a 5 octave marimba was a welcomed one. A lot of what I was writing, I was hearing in a lower range and Sibelius kept telling me I was going out of range. So to be on the safe side, I kept things in Sibelius’ parameters for the most part. In addition, the marimba playback on Sibelius produces overtones that I don’t think would be present on a real marimba, so all the things in the lower register sound almost two octaves higher. I did plunge ahead and made some changes that I think will work. I began by taking the left hand in measure 32 down an octave, then both hands in 33-47 down an octave. I also fixed the awkwardness of m. 38 by changing the Bb to G. I then worked on the beginning section. I took the left hand of measures 9-21 down an octave. In 22, I took the 1st three beats down an octave but changed the last note from a Bb to an F so it leads the line back to the original register where the end of 21 moves smoothly into the section beginning at 22. I hope that these changes make the movement more interesting and solve the balance of line problems. I’ll send it off to Meggie within the next few days.

To see and hear the revision, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/guatemayablog.html

Dr. B

End of Year Musings

2007-12-30T06:51:00.000-05:00

Even though I have not been composing during the holidays, I have been busy preparing scores for posting at my website and at sibeliusmusic.com. For the 7 1/2 years that I have been retired from teaching, I have been gradually working on getting examples of all my music posted in both places. For each piece, I create a file that can be seen and heard simultaneously using the free Scorch player from Sibelius. I also create mp3 excerpts and a graphic of the first page of the score. I have been a Sibelius user for about 8 years, ever since they came out with a version for MAC. Prior to that, I used Finale since around the mid 1980's. Therefore, out of my over 250 compositions arrangements, over half need to be converted to Sibelius files. The ones in Finale come over fairly easily, but need a lot of formatting to look correct. The works that were in manuscript need to be entered into Sibelius. This takes a lot of time. Then I need to create all the files and post them in the two places.

At the end of the year, I usually update my composition records. It had been two years since my last update, and it was interesting to see what I accomplished. During the two year period, I wrote around 15 new compositions, transcribed 3 works that were in manuscript, converted around 35 works that were in Finale, and posted around 40 works to my website and sibeliusmusic.com. If you would like to see how my website functions, go to http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net
I think there is no better way to find new music than to see and hear the music in the convenience of your own home. I remember the hours I used to spend in the music store looking for new music and often guessing whether it would sound right for my needs. The internet certainly has changed the way we can select music.

While you are at my website, you may wish to check out my publishing company's grant programs and recording competition. Via a generous donation from a supporter and contributions from earnings from my music, we have established the Co-op Press Fund. The fund offers grants to encourage musicians to become involved in promoting the excitement of new music. The idea behind the "co-op" in Co-op Press is to find innovative ways for performers and composers to work together to create an excitement for contemporary art music and to spread the word to both audiences and other performers about the wealth of good literature that has recently or is presently being written. We really believe that both these talented musicians and composers need to be heard. As funds and time permit, our goal is to expand this program to continually create projects to achieve this goal. Our affiliate CD label, Emeritus Recordings, has two series of CDs. Our Artist Series features talented musicians playing a variety of repertoire, some older and some recent. Our Repertoire Series, focuses on recent repertoire in specific genres. A lot of my music has been recorded as a result of these projects and we are proud to be able to share the talent of these artists and composers with audiences throughout the world.

I hope that 2008 brings all my readers all the musical and personal blessings that are on your wish list. I look forward to productive year and to traveling to premieres and performances of my music. During the early part of 2008, I'll be in Lancaster, PA, Washington, DC, Cincinnati, OH, Manhattan, KA, and Iowa City, IA for performances. If you are a reader of my blog in those areas, please ask for details of my trip and stop by and say "hello".

Dr. B

Odds and ends

2007-12-14T07:34:00.000-05:00

As you can see it has been a while since my last post. I'm still waiting for some more feedback from Meggie Aube regarding Guatemaya. It is exam time for her so I understand that she has other priorities. I have also been busy preparing some of my orchestral scores for posting on sibeliusmusic.com. If you haven't discovered this site yet, you will be amazed with what is available. There are over 75,000 scores that can be seen and heard with a lot of them available for free printing. Most of my scores that are posted cost, but I charge less at sibeliusmusic than I do at my website because the customer prints the music instead of my printing it and mailing it to you. There is also the fact that there is no waiting to receive your music. My goal is to have all music available through sibeliusmusic so I as I get a little extra time, I work on getting scores and parts ready for download. This is usually a fairly easy process except when my scores have been written using Finale first as I need to import them into Sibelius and edit them. I also still have several compositions in manuscript that I need to enter into Sibelius. My website at sibeliusmusic is http://www.sibeliusmusic.com/cgi-bin/user_page.pl?url=sbrandon

I have been working on my orchestral music because my publishing company is sponsoring a recording competition for my large ensemble compositions with a deadline of November 1, 2008. There are two prizes; $1000 and $500. So all band, orchestra, choir, brass ensemble, and percussion ensemble folks may wish to check out http://www.cooppress.hostrack.net/recordingcompetition.htm

The performance of my "Peace Is Not A Season" for chorus and strings by the York Symphony Chorus and Orchestra went very well. I am anxious to hear the recording which should be available in January. The few weeks are busy with brass quintet performances and then in January, I get to take a vacation from retirement! My wife and I plan to enjoy a camping trip to the sunny Southwest.

My posts will be less frequent, but I still intent to write as things crop up. I hope everyone enjoys their holiday and may there truly be peace on earth and goodwill, not just during the season, but forever.

Dr. B