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When In Disgrace: Sonnet 29 (vox and git by TheTiler) by Postludes Trio [Email]

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 1850
Comments: 11
Votes: 8
Plays: 372
Last Played: Oct 11, 2008 - 05:11:09 AM
Downloads: 70
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Uploaded: May 24, 2006 - 07:10:53 AM
Last Updated: May 24, 2006 - 01:39:12 PM
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Description:
In our continuing series of musical adaptations of sonnets by William Shakespeare, this one is special. It features a guest appearance by Bill Furner (TheTiler) as lead vocalist, guitar master and MIDI violinist.

Rich did a couple exploratory demos of Sonnet 29 and was about to throw up his hands in despair when Tiler caught a flier, spending nearly a whole night doing his own rendition based on the chord progression I had prescribed: G-D-Em-C-Em-C-Am-D (A section) and C-D-G-Em-C-D-Em (B section).

Rich liked what Bill had done. Bill sent Rich his GarageBand project via iChat and imported it into Logic Express 7, doing some cleanup of the MIDI violin, adding in some harmonies (a la The Jordanaires), fixing timing of all voices and instruments, and reducing Tiler's excessive reverb.

Here is the result. I wrote this to Bill and Jack yesterday: "Bill made short work of a sonnet that I was stuck on. Captivated by the words but unable to find the proper way to convey in music format. Bill, your voice is dripping with richness and battle weariness. Has a Johnny Cash realism to it. And your guitar work is sublime. I hope my folk mentor, Ed Hannifin, likes it. To me, it has an authentic folk sound. There is a very interesting contrast between the elegance of the instrumentation and the honesty and hardness of the lead voice. I love it."

Credits - Lyrics: Sonnet 29 by William Shakespeare. Lead vocal, guitar, MIDI violin: Bill Furner. Music layout, vocal harmonies, editing and mixing: Richard Schletty. Great Shakes concept: Jack Miller and Richard Schletty. ©2006

Lyrics:
When, in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state
And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries
And look upon myself and curse my fate,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,
Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,
Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,
With what I most enjoy contented least;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

Hardware:
Tiler's stuff and rschletty's stuff.

Software:
GarageBand 2 and Logic Express 7
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The riches of kings &mdash 05/24/06 - 08:09:53 AM
Tiler sings!

Okay, so he may not have the voice of a Placido Domingo or a Van
Morrison, but that's not the point. It matters not if this is the greatest
sung rendition of Shakespeare's sonnet, but rather, is it valid
performance. And I think Rich's liner notes express it perfectly: Tiler's
gritty realism are perfectly suitable for this story.

Indeed, for me, this kind of piece represents one of the riches of
macjams. It has a purity to it, not tainted by commercialism, which
helps it transcend any limitations.

Interesting how you broke the line "lark at the break of day." ; )

Delivering on these sonnets is not necessary an easy task. There's a
built in lyricism, but finding the right music, tempo, mood and voice
can be frustrating (as was noted). But that just makes the payoff
sweeter. As Shakespeare argues in this poem, the joy of a good-time
memory is equal to the riches of kings.

[ Reply to This ]
The riches of kings &mdash 05/24/06 - 09:41:27 AM
Warren: Thanks for your kind and astute comments. That break before "Like
to the lark at break of day arising" was indeed not correct, grammatically, and
I told Tiler so. But since Tiler had laid down his guitar and singing in one
pass, it would have been difficult to move the break by skillful editing in Logic
Express. I could have done it, but I thought no -- let it flow the way Tiler felt
it. This is his baby.

Jack and I are usually quite adherent to sonnet construction when building a
musical adaptation. In this case, ignoring the structure actually works.

The English (or Shakespearean) Sonnet (16th century) contains three
quatrains, each with an independent pair of alternating rhymes. Both a shift
and a turn occur respectively before and after the third quatrain. The sonnet
ends with a couplet.

- End words of first quatrain in alternating rhyme: a b a b
- End words of second quatrain in alternating rhyme: c d c d
- Shift (a jump in direction of the emotions or thought)
- End words of third quatrain in alternating rhyme: e f e f
- Turn (a change from building of images or case statement)
- Heroic couplet (the meaning, purpose or conclusion): g g

---
http://www.schletty.com/song

[ Reply to This ]
Tilerman Bill... &mdash 05/24/06 - 08:26:24 AM
You are one amazing, versatile musician/singer. Mucho kudos to you for jumping in, picking up on Rich's beginnings, and creating such an original piece... so enjoyable.

Jack

[ Reply to This ]
Impeccable &mdash 05/24/06 - 08:28:09 AM
I've always told you you should sing more T.

Music is incredible as always but where did you guys get those dorky
words?

:)

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks guys! &mdash 05/24/06 - 08:40:26 AM
Richard and Jack

I love listing to Richard and Jacks contributions on this alot. Really.

I wanted to put the tune into my nano, but couldn't get it to work.
Thanks Rich for helping me out on that.

My wife got a kick listening to it. I was showing her other stuff, but she
wanted to go back to listeing to that.

Way to go Jack and Rich, thanks so much for including me in on this!


[ Reply to This ]
Thanks guys! &mdash 05/24/06 - 08:42:13 AM
Jack didn't do anything on this song, except cheerlead.
: )
D

---
Dadai / latest song: <a href="http://www.macjams.com/song/19625">Like As The Waves Remix</a>
...making melody with your heart

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks guys! &mdash 05/24/06 - 09:32:45 AM
opps I thought you did the keyboard.

I guess I blew it, sorry jack

Gad Richard, you could go into the circus and become a juggler :)

---
You can use my name" Bill Furner", for the search in Itunes Store to find my album.

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks guys! &mdash 05/24/06 - 09:47:36 AM
Bill, you laid down the introductory MIDI violin. I only edited some of the note
timing and put in the fast run at the end. I also changed your Jam Pack
voicing to the free Boldt violin. I don't have any Jam Packs.

I guess the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing. I could have
kept this all a secret and simply claimed that the song mysteriously
assembled itself in the night.

---
http://www.schletty.com/song

[ Reply to This ]
Thanks guys! &mdash 05/24/06 - 09:20:33 AM
Jack, take a bow. You set the stage for this Great Shakes endeavor. Besides, it
was you telling me, on Monday, that you had picked another sonnet to work
on that set this one in motion. I went to my hardcover "The Complete Works
of William Shakespeare" Vol. 2 (I am missing vol. 1) and scanned about 8
sonnets before deciding on number XXIX.

---
http://www.schletty.com/song

[ Reply to This ]
Brilliant! &mdash 05/24/06 - 12:36:03 PM
---as per usual. Bill's vox sounded great to my ears. I would like to hear
him lend his vox to more PT projects as well as to some of his own
pieces. beautifully played and mixed. A worthy addition to the series.

Be well gents!

[ Reply to This ]
Very Nice! &mdash 05/27/06 - 09:07:04 AM
It's great that Bill is doing Bill (you may know him as Willie). His voice is
very effective on this piece and his guitar playing is superb as usual.
Richard does a nice job with the harmonies and he and Jack put a
crystal clear production, nicely mixed song together. A's all around.
You have passed the English exam.

[ Reply to This ]
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