Shade

Tom Atwood

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Description

This piece is part of a larger work, an exploration of Psalms that will include vocals when finished. This first movement, "Shade," is an orchestral version in 9/8 featuring horns that will be replaced eventually with 3 voices (2 high and one low). The lyrics are taken from Psalm 121. (Levavi oculos)

The choral version will be posted under a collaborative group name in the next few months.

Artwork: David and Bathsheba
by Ernst Fuchs

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Lyrics

Verse 1:
The Lord is your shade
at your right hand,
The sun shall not strike you
by day,
Nor the moon by night.

Verse II:
The Lord shall preserve you
from evil;
It is he who shall
keep you safe.
The Lord shall watch over
your going out
and your coming in.
My help comes
from the Lord.
The maker of heaven
and earth.

Verse III:
I lift up my eyes
to the hills!

Verse IV: (repeat verse I)

Song Stats

Hits: 1455
Comments: 21
Fans: 6
Plays: 241
Downloads: 94
Votes: 10
Uploaded: Dec 30, 2005 - 06:30:28 PM
Last Updated: Dec 30, 2005 - 08:15:22 PM Last Played: Nov 20, 2009 - 12:56:13 AM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Song Actions

Hardware:

Casio Privia PX-300
G5

Software:

GB2
Jampack 4: Symphony Orchestra

Comments

Roxylee	Roxylee said 1425 days ago (December 30th, 2005)
	I love this! I love Psalm 121. We sing Brian Doerksen's version in church sometimes. I like the musical arrangement you made and will be waiting to hear the kyrics. Very pretty and creative! :-) Check out my latest song called Sweet Grace

Tom Atwood

Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 30th, 2005)

I love this!
Thanks Roxylee. I am not familiar with the version you mentioned, but I know
there are many incredibly beautiful adaptations of this powerful Psalm. But,
what harm can one more do? I am looking forward to getting the voices in
this one. Thanks again for listening, and for your comments.

---
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Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

kristyjo

kristyjo said 1425 days ago (December 30th, 2005)

I have done many different musical versions of the Psalms
So this is pretty interesting to me. Right now I'm taking some of the
unmetricized melodies from the Genevan Psalter and recording them with
English words by David Koyzis. Anyway, this is a really neat melody, and I
can't wait to hear it with voices. The only thing that didn't 'sit well' with
me was the xylophone. It was just too percussive in there. It gave me a
momentary vision of the Circus World Museum in Baraboo, WI. Everything
else fit in there just nice, so that stood out.
Good luck with this project! The psalms are eternal songs that just need
to be brought to people in different ways, and this sounds like a good
start.

Check out my latest song called What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Tom Atwood

Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)

I have been to Baraboo
And I have been to Circus World. I realize the marimba in this piece is not popular with everyone. Ok, with no one so far. And once the vocals are added, I guess it's possible the percussion may have to come down or out.

Thanks for listening KJ, and for reminding me of the Wisconsin Dells. My kids are teenagers now, and they still drag us back there every summer.

---
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a>
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</

Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

White Hawks	White Hawks said 1425 days ago (December 30th, 2005)
	wow psalms! I love psalms so much. I study one psalm a week with my family. I'm looking foward to hear it with voices. very nice work Tom. thanks for sharing. - Jem Check out my latest song called Shepherds Out in the Field

Tom Atwood	Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	wow psalms! Glad to hear you study the psalms, Jem. Why am I not surprised? Psalm 121 is one of my favorites. Thanks for listening, and Happy New Year! --- <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a> <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</ Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

Stun Nutz	Stun Nutz said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	Hey there! Fascinating listening experience, Tom... can't write too much now (gotta get some sleep!), but I will come back to DL later. Check out my latest song called Gossamer dissected

Tom Atwood	Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	Hey there! Thanks Eric. Rest up, download and prepare for NY's Eve. --- <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a> <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</ Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

mandolinquent	mandolinquent said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	Cor... Tom... 12 months of unparalleled creativity. This is another interesting one - and a beauty. Check out my latest song called Had We But World Enough

Tom Atwood	Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	Cor... Thanks, Wm, for listening and for your support in the past year. And congratulations on your correct spelling of unparalleled. p.s. Is "cor" a swear word? --- <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a> <a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</ Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

RickW

RickW said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)

Love the Psalms
Hi Tom. I liked this piece and look forward to the other movements. It felt
like the horns were meant for Cat's lovely voice. :-)

I loved the organ and the violins, and the transition between the two was
superbly done. However, I did not like the xylophone--it was very
distracting.

God bless and success to you on this project.

Rick

Check out my latest song called Picture of Perfection (MJRF)

Tom Atwood

Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)

Love the Psalms
Thanks, Rick. Another "no" vote on the marimba, I see.

You are probably right about Cat singing at least one of the vocal lines. Not
sure yet who will sing the rest.

Thanks again for listening and for your comments.

---
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a>
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</

Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

Cameron

Cameron said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)

nice textures
The horn line at the beginning was immediately captivating.

The string accompaniment then supported this very nicely with the gently shifting rhythms, in a sustained way. I liked this texture very much, and had hoped that the piece had stayed in this mode a little while longer.

This then was very quickly replaced by a quick rising/falling punctuated string line. The texture at this point was pleasing to the ear, and I also wish that it had been developed further before the quick xylophone figures came in.

In other words, a lot of textural material is introduced very quickly in the first few measures of this piece, without a chance for each soundscape to "breathe" and develop before the next one is introduced.

I did not care for the xylophone line much; it seemed to clutter up the overall mix and was not quite in synch. It's not a bad sound, per se, but was unnecessary, especially with the pleasantly rich and full horn and string texture already in place.

Perhaps if there were less notes in the xylophone, using it to punctuate the main beats, it would sound less "busy", and still provide color and vitality.

The next few measures didn't really go anywhere, the music sort of "hung out" for awhile.

I *DID* like the use of silence at the end of this section, very much. It provided a nice break for the ears.

The piano then came in with a "Take Five" kind of jazzy feel, which was rather a strange transition from the earlier material; not related to it except for the continuing horn lines.

There is then a nice variation of texture with the solo brass for a little while, then the quick string notes re-emerge. There wasn't much movement in the brass line, it sort of meandered and repeated the earlier patterns.

The xylophone comes back in and is not quite in synch with the piano.

Throughout this piece, the horn line has potential, but I wish that it had been less "minimalist" in nature; less repetitive. It kept going back up to the same upper notes. I can imagine that you might have intended a sort of hypnotic/chant style, rather like Steven Reich's music.

But this could also be achieved by keeping a similar rhythm, but expanding the melodic material more.

The string accompaniment was excellent.

This piece had a variety of pleasing textures but didn't provide a sense of a "journey" from Point A to Point B, from beginning to end.

However, I liked the overall atmosphere that you created on this piece.

Check out my latest song called EPONYM

Tom Atwood

Tom Atwood said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)

nice textures
Thanks, Cameron, for the critique. You know how I always look forward to
your comments, with some fear. It is interesting for me to hear the so far
almost universal (well, OK, universal) denunciation of the marimbas. You are
absolutely right when you suggest Steve Reich. I am a fan of his "Nagoya
Marimba," and the influence of his work is clearly heard in almost anything I
do. However, I am willing to concede that in this piece, the marimba, at its
current level and 'busyness,' may not be working. And I knew when I recorded
this that once the horns are eventually replaced with vocals, the marimba
would probably have to be dealt with.

As for the repetitive nature of the piece, I think once the vocals are added,
and this becomes a true "chant," the minimalist nature of it may work better
for you, Cameron. Maybe? (I guess we'll find out.) Also, this piece will fit into
a larger work on psalms that is, as yet, unwritten. Maybe I'll leave mallets out
of the next section altogether!

Anyway, thanks again for stopping by, and for all your comments on my
music during 2005. Have a happy new year in the desert - and post some
music soon!

---
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/atwood-artist.html">american plain cd</a>
<a href="http://thelostrecords.com/noel-project-artist.html">splendor bright cd</

Check out my latest song called Keep Looking for Jesus (MJRF)

bronco	bronco said 1425 days ago (December 31st, 2005)
	Pretty Arrangement Very soothing music to the mind and body.Another great job Mr. Tom. Check out my latest song called Strange Feeling

Epic_Cosmos	Epic_Cosmos said 1424 days ago (January 1st, 2006)
	... i like this, something to read to, or just relax Check out my latest song called BREAK IT!!!!

Valleyman said 1421 days ago (January 3rd, 2006)

Really good
I really like this piece, the harmony, the melody, all of it really good. I especially liked the interplay between the horns. I have two complaints. The first is the piano in the middle section. It seemed to out of place compared to the somber horns and the somber tone of the piece in general up to that point, clashing with the overall feel. My second complaint is the xylophone. It was a bit distracting, as RickW mentioned, especially as it were a bit off beat at times, definitely not meshed with the melody.

Check out my latest song called String Quartet in D Major

Tadashi Togawa	Tadashi Togawa said 1420 days ago (January 5th, 2006)
	The shadow is true %u201CThe Lord is your shade" Is this teaching of the West? It is a very familiar, good teaching. Because%u201CSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs"'s queen had kept seeing the mirror, did a bad spirit stay? Music is very beautiful, and modest. Check out my latest song called Mexican taste

Tadashi Togawa	Tadashi Togawa said 1419 days ago (January 6th, 2006)
	The shadow is true I apologize respectfully for the change of the character. I records accurately here. "The Lord is your shade" Is this teaching of the West? It is a very familiar, good teaching. Because"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs"'s queen had kept seeing the mirror, did a bad spirit stay? Music is very beautiful, and modest. Check out my latest song called Mexican taste

composerclark

composerclark said 886 days ago (June 23rd, 2007)

Keep it!
... This will be considerably less detailed than some of the above comments (esp. Cameron's), because every time I begin to write something one of my boys jumps on my lap, or points out that a long-lost hippopotamus has been found, etc. So...

I like it a lot. You seemingly have a natural feel for orchestration (colour, texture), and I've yet to hear anything of yours that didn't impress me a lot. You mention Reich as an influence, and as influences go, that's a fine one to choose! Given this influence, it would seem natural to extend your sections more, to allow enough time for the listener to drift into the trance-like state that minimalism often induces.

Regarding the marimba, my vote is to keep it... I think it could be given a slightly different treatment, but I would definitely not loose it.

Not sure if you read these comments any more, but if you do, hope you're well!

Check out my latest song called Scarlet Nightfall

Bubowski

Bubowski said 672 days ago (January 22nd, 2008)

Lyric Minimalism
Hows that for a new genre. A very beautiful composition using both lyrical melodic lines and elements of minimalism. Orchestration is very nice...I would love to here this with better samples than JP4, the horns especially could have more power and expression. Listening to the new player on the new Beta.MJ and discovering all sorts of gems. I like the music you write and just never really listened to this one through.

Check out my latest song called Galaxy Band 8

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Artist Info

Name: Tom Atwood

I guess I could be a 'poster child' for MacJams. I joined the site on New Year's Eve 2004, after several years of not making much music at all. A long dry spell. Since then, I have posted more than 50 songs here, collaborated with some wonderful arti... [see more]

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