The wind is cutting at my cheek.
I gaze across this drifted valley,
all about the unmistakable smell of steam.
Fall stopped, the engine roars hope.
Back on board
the conducter reassures
"the shovels will do their job."
We take tea and discuss politics
and then we're off!
Back down the mountain till we're flying.

[ Reply to This ]

Wow! I'll have what he's having! Wonderful and inventive imagery
there, Jon; you're a poet! Thanks very much for your description of a journey
into free association. (At least I think that's what it is?)

Cheers!

---
Visit my website for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Me he puesto muy c�modo para oir esta pieza y la he disfrutado en esta
ma�ana de domingo. Es magn�fico. Clark, t� est�s en un nivel musical
superior y es delicioso disfrutar de lo que haces. Gracias por brindarnos la
oportunidad de compartirlo.
Saludos y enhorabuena.

[ Reply to This ]

Muchas gracias por sus palabras agradables. Los aprecio mucho, y me
alegre mucho que usted podia escuchar a esto. (I wonder why you can't write
accents in the comment fields?)

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Wonderful. I enjoy the differences in textures as you develop the piece,
the patience and mixture of pop-contemporary/film scoring/Twentieth
Century elements, even some Negro Spirituals riffs. They all cohere,
entertain, provoke thought. Really nice. I most enjoyed the back story;
thanks for sharing that. Always good to know the creativity that comes
out of struggle.

[ Reply to This ]

Glad you enjoyed it, Tobin. I'm always a little unsure of how much back-story to
provide, because (a) I feel the music should speak for itself, and (b) some of it is
pretty personal, and this place is pretty public. I tend to be a fairly open person,
however, so I probably reveal more than is prudent some times, but for the most
part it hasn't come back to bite me. Yet.

Oops! I see some burly orderlies approaching with manacles and sedatives... I
must have said too much... Must run!

(Thanks, btw!)

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Very well written, this is top notch! Enjoyable Sunday morning listen.

[ Reply to This ]

I'm glad you enjoyed it, John! I've been enjoying your music too. Cheers!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Full of high level talent, love the way the tune flows.

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks Bill. That means a lot.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

You just know it is an incredible piece of music when you don't care how long it is... you just want to sit there and experience it. You don't even really want to talk about it until after it has been over for a while and you are given time to reflect on it. Anyway, this has all the elements I think great music should have and more. It covers such a range of emotions and still remains interesting and innovative. Thanks again for posting your music and contributing here!

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks so much for such encouraging words! 14 minute pieces are not
remotely unusual in classical music, but I sometimes get a little nervous about
submitting a longer piece here, because I don't think it's what most people are
used to. I have thought occasionally about adding a couple more movements
because classical/romantic piano trios always were multi-movement. The basic
reason I haven't done so is lack of time, but your comment is making me
consider this again. Hmm...

Thanks very much!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Like layers of perception! Thanks for sending us this happy piece!

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks for having a listen, Doug. Glad you enjoyed it!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

It really isn't, Clark... I mean you have all these wonderful musicians at
your beck and call and all I'VE got is... me. ;-)

What a wonderful (earned) gift you have, to be able to compose these
lovely and interesting pieces --- with so many curious twists and turns
--- evoking a variety of emotions.

This piece made the 14 minutes seem an effortless listen. Nice
work. ;-)

--- Joe



[ Reply to This ]

Yeah, but at least you can play guitar and sing really well! I play guitar and
sing in a manner that works great when an emergency evacuation is called
for, but not so good if you're actually hoping to entertain/touch people with
music. So, I HAD to find others to play my music. Sort of like Blanche DuBois
depending on the kindness of strangers, I guess. :-)

As for the beck and call thing, well, no question I am lucky to have access to
such fine performers, but it often takes a fair amount of effort to get them to
play my music; performers generally prefer to play the music of dead people.
Not that I'm complaining; more that I'm whining. Yeah, that's it.

Thanks very much!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

CC, a very fun piece. I hope when it was done you could get back to
serious song writing :-) omg, its GREAT. If I only understood a few of
the principles at use here. Maybe I'll come north and audit a few of
your classes.

Its the piano that really sucks me in. The whole piece seems woven
around that light affecting, genre busting piano work. As well, the
section where the strings hold center court and the piano is playing
rythymic support is really amazing. Probably my fav CC piece of all
time.



[ Reply to This ]

Sure! Come on up here! :-)

Those are really great and inspiring comments, John, and I very much appreciate
them. Thanks very much!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

I almost forgot how instruments could sometimes tell a thousand times more than any lyric. At least when the composer as well as the musicians are top notch. Saying this is excellent would be an understatement. But then again, you'll just have to do with this, poor little would-be noise maker I am... Clark, you're a talent man.

Walter

[ Reply to This ]

Hey Walter, those are beautiful words, man, and I really appreciate them. I've
thought a lot about the expressive power of instrumental music versus vocal
music, and for me, instrumental music exists on a different plane; not higher or
lower, just different. Instrumental music is more ambiguous, and that's part of
what I like about it. Thanks again for having a listen and leaving a comment!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

It is rare for a song to be so powerfully evocative, not sounding confined or compressed or compromised in any way. The free-spirited nature of this piece, its performance, everything about it cries out for a ten rating. There can be no perfection in the subjective art of music, but this is definitely approaching as close as you can get.

Well done.

[ Reply to This ]

I'm flattered silly! It is true that perfection and art are terms that probably don't
belong together, but it is also true that some art comes pretty darn close, and
this is what I suspect most artists stive for. I hear some things in this piece that
could/should be tweaked a bit, but for the most part I'm reasonably content with
it. The performers didn't care for it very much, though! Ah well.

Thanks for the great comment, and I just left one for a piece of yours
(Sanguinate).

Cheers!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

First... I would have given you 28 minutes if needed... 2nd you don't
have to comment on anything of mine, you have been more than
generous... 3rd you could do this for a living :-)
I really appriciate the personal glimpse behind the time of this
writing... It really adds quite a bit to the listen... you say it is a light
hearted happy piece... but I feel the undertow tugging us back out to
danger (if it could)... I'll always take the bittersweet, that seems to be
where some of the most significant art happens

this has become my soundtrack for my office work time

[ Reply to This ]

Whew! It's taken me this long to respond to the above comments, and leave
comments for their music, so sorry for the delay in responding!

My thoughts:

28 minutes, eh? Hmm... Now I'm thinking I'd better try trying a piece that
long! Hah! (Actually, I wrote a 40-minute piece once for orchestra, but it's
never been performed.) Thanks though; the sentiment is very generous.

I'm a big fan of yours, as you know, so I really appreciate your thoughts on
this.

And I just left a comment for your latest tune; I was happy to!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Bravo!!

Ed

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks for stopping by, Ed. Just left a comment for your song "One Day," which
I really enjoyed! Cheers.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

A gerwsin like opining movement leads into a delightfully animated
conversation between the various instruments. The piano accompanies
like a rippling mountain stream at times even evoking a Bach like
fugue. There's an effervescent quality to this music and the live
performers conveyed it with great joy.
About midway through you took an interesting turn into a swinging
folksy interlude with some really cool dissonants.
Later you turned a pleasant dialogue into a brief furious battle of
instraments. But return in your finale with reflective, playful and
wonderfully warm music.
Clark I really hope you don't have to get into such a sorry state to
bring out such terrific music from you. But it just might be worth it.

Thanks for posting this wonderful piece and for your positive attitude
and all the help you%u2019ve given myself and others on this site.


[ Reply to This ]

Thanks for such detailed and thoughtful comments, Charles! This piece is kind
of a musical journey, and you seem to have picked up on the various character
changes, which is great. I very much appreciate this, and I've realy been
enjoying your music too. Cheers!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

very enjoyable...very creative...very well performed...
this music is joyful and makes me happy... a tremendous composition.
thanks
D/L

[ Reply to This ]

I'm very glad you liked it, Tom. I've just left a comment for your song, 'Fly
Away,' and I hope you'll submit some more tunes here soon! Cheers.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

...performed and recorded...

Some piano based recordings sound wrong somehow, tonally or in
terms of the recorded space....

On my system, this sounds both rich and clear.

I love the composition. My one Penguin Cafe Orchestra CD is all shorter
cuts. I love it, but I've sometimes wondered what it might be like if
there was something longer on it... This is like that. It's got the humor,
it's whimsical and all that, but it's also tight musically, and there's time
for development and variations.

Never sounds pretentious or overwrought. Works on every level, for
me.

Into the iPod she goes...

Ed

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks a lot for the comment, Ed. I understand that the piano can be difficult to
record well, but this recording was done by our national broadcaster (CBC), and
they seem to know what they're doing. This piece was like a 'coming out' for
me; it was commissioned by a national radio show that only plays modern
classical music, mostly very avant-garde. After months of failed attempts to
write what I thought 'they' (whoever 'they' are; I was never sure) would like, and
failing miserably, I just decided to take a right-turn one day and write what I'd
like to hear. I'd like to say I never looked back, but the dilemma still comes up
from time to time for me.

I just left a comment for your beautiful collab with Johannes.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

I listened to Yo Yo Ma's CD, Yo-Yo Ma Plays Ennio Morricone (My first taste of of Yo-Yo Ma) on the way to see country/blues guitar virtuoso, Junior Brown, in concert in Lancaster, PA.

Then I come home (midnight) to this appropriately named comp, Steppin Out... which I did.

WOW! WHAT A NIGHTCAP!!!!!!

It's been one heck of a night of virtuosity!

Thank you for sharing your gift of music, Clark.



[ Reply to This ]

Yo-Yo Ma playing just about anything is a real treat! You might like his
performances of the Bach unaccompanied Cello suites, some of the finest music
ever written, and he gives an amazing performance.

I very much appreciate your enthusiasm! Thanks for the comment.

I just left a comment for your most neglected piece (and unjustly so, IMO),
Adoradores Del Sol, y me gusta mucho. Pero cuando vas a terminar 'Romanza-
Danza2?' Me gusta mucho eso tambien!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

What a lovely musical treat!

I greatly enjoyed the whimsical nature of this piece. It is ultimately light-hearted, and was obviously very healing for you to compose during a difficult time in your life.

The ongoing rhythmic piano creates an energetic backdrop for the lightly bouncy cello and violin, then they trade roles as the piece progresses.

The lilting repetitive sixteenth-note passages lightly peppered with quick dissonances -- that sort of ostinato/perpetual-motion -- reminds me very much of Stravinsky's "Dumbarton Oaks".

The opening piano trills made me think "Rhapsody in Blue". I knew I was in for an entertaining ride!

I'm writing this in a stream-of-consciousness way while I am listening to this piece, which mirrors this free-flowing sense.

Its twists and turns, and various side-trips down interesting lanes is totally captivating to my ears. Throughout, the rhythmic running eighth notes provide a great deal of energy and forward motion, trading off between the three instruments.

The impression of this piece having been written as a sort of theraputic "nudge" to stimulate other musical projects, comes through especially strongly in the final section, with the expanding harmonic exploration, jazzy in feel, with more dissonances.

Then there is a return of the earlier thematic material which ties this piece together, with pokes of fun reminiscent of P.D.Q. Bach (who, by the way, made periodic appearances in this piece throughout) and it ends with a understated, yet tasteful flourish.

This is truly one of the best chamber pieces I have heard in years. It has a perfect combination of light-heartedness combined with depth; the sounds of the three instruments are artfully interwoven (great orchestration!) and the overall feeling of this piece leaves me very refreshed as well as stimulated.

The performance and recording, too, are top-notch.

Who could ask for anything more? BRAVO!!!

[ Reply to This ]

Wow! I'm moved by your enthusiasm. As anyone who has received feedback
from you knows, your comments are ALWAYS incredibly detailed, thoughtful,
and heartfelt. I am honoured by your words.

Yours is the second comment to mention Gershwin (in regard to the opening),
and of course it seems obvious now that I think about it, although R in B
wasn't consciously on my mind at all when I wrote it. And I can hear the PDQ
Bach references too... the musical humour in the opening section is
supposed to be the length of time it goes on with nothing much really
happening, except for the repeated thirds in the piano, and the struggle
between the pno and vc to coordinate their 'so-do' figures, something they
never quite manage to do. But in an earlier version, this section went on
MUCH longer, which I think made the humour more obvious, but risked
turning the piece into too much of a joke, so I shortened it. The other PDQ
Bach moment was towards the end, when the intensity builds and everybody
starts self destructing, only to suddenly jump to a bunch of so-do figures.
Audiences usually chortle at that.

Thanks SO much for listening and commenting!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Breath of life.
It spills from the sound and it falls.

And, it flies up again.
As if, there seems to be an intention.

The note dances in the sky of spring.
Musical instruments capture the note.
And, it dances on the bowstring.

Very wonderful composition.
Music near person.
Music that seems to be music.

Thank you for a wonderful notice.

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks very much for another of your wonderful, poetic comments, Tadashi. I
have read it many times. I very much enjoy all of your compositions as well, and
am amazed by your ability to create so many extraordinary compositions AND
still find time to leave so many beautiful comments. I don't know how you do it,
but I am glad that you do.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

You are fortunate to have professionals play this for (with?) you. But,
knowing what I do about how musicians work, I worry about how much
you owe them back for this excellent performance. You haven't traded off
any of your children or anything, I hope.
Beautifully written. You reference many composers and musical styles
here. yet it is still your own music. I'll just be quiet now, and listen.

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks Kristine; always nice to hear your thoughts. I have many amazing
musicians as colleagues, and they have been remarkably cooperative when it
comes to performing my music, so I've been very lucky indeed. They don't
always LIKE my music, unfortunately, and this piece is an example of a piece
they didn't much like. Ah well.

Just left you a comment (African piece) too. Very nice!

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

great music here......................................

[ Reply to This ]

.......................... Glad you liked it, McB! Cheers.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

modern classical music could be so gratifying, soothing, inspiring, intriguing, uplifting and fulfilling. Having played classical piano for more than a decade I was obviously impressed by the piano part especially. Simply amazing! I'm not sure I found the humor in it, except for in your description, when you say that you wanted to write a "SHORT, happy piece...", and the ending, being short and sweet, contrasting the enormous variety and depth of your composition. Turned out to be a 14 minute "symphony" of fresh, creative and wonderfully structured musical ideas merging into a feast of beautiful musical imagery. In a time where in my opinion the only way for a "classical" composer to get some attention is through entering into the entertainment industry (motion picture soundtracks is what I mean) it is enormosly reassuring that you have found the time, inspiration and the means to put on production like this! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. I could go on like this forever, but let me just say that I have voraciously enjoyed every single note of this marvellous work of yours!!!

[ Reply to This ]

Wow! Your comment is exceptionally generous; thanks so much!

Modern classical music covers a HUGE range of styles and accessibility; some
of it is not audience friendly at all, some of it is, some of it seems designed to
shock people, some to soothe... there really is something for everyone,
although most people, even (especially) most classical audiences, think of it
either not at all, or in a negative way. But there's tons, TONS of really fine
stuff out there, if people are curious to do some exploring.

The humour is somewhat subtle, Cameron (above) said he could hear PDQ
Bach (a very, very funny guy who writes humorous takes on classical music) in
this piece, and this is what I said about that: I can hear the PDQ
Bach references too... the musical humour in the opening section is
supposed to be the length of time it goes on with nothing much really
happening, except for the repeated thirds in the piano, and the struggle
between the pno and vc to coordinate their 'so-do' figures, something they
never quite manage to do. But in an earlier version, this section went on
MUCH longer, which I think made the humour more obvious, but risked
turning the piece into too much of a joke, so I shortened it. The other PDQ
Bach moment was towards the end, when the intensity builds and everybody
starts self destructing, only to suddenly jump to a bunch of so-do figures.
Audiences usually chortle at that.

The 'so-do' figure is V-I, or C-F in F major, by the way (which you probably
know, but possibly others reading this might not).

My (probably dellusional) hunch has always been that if I could get more
people to hear and perform this music, many audiences would find it
accessible and my music might become better known, but, as we all know, it
is incredibly difficult to attain that kind of success in any genre within the
music business, so I guess my strategy is to just keep writing the stuff, have
occasional performances, and hope that a few people at least will enjoy it.
This particular piece hasn't been played in about 8 years, so it's really
gratifying to get some positive comments about it here!

Thanks very much. ( l left a a comment for your newest tunes earlier today,
and loved it. )

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

I'm awed that this is a live performance. Clark, you are INDEED a
composer. (Unlike me---who am merely a hoser!) I thoroughly enjoyed
this and will play it again and again.

Press on friend and weild your gift to the benefit of all!

[ Reply to This ]

PS---Good to see you at the top of the Fan Picks list. Nothing I've heard on the
lists has a better claim to that title. This piece BELONGS at the top. CONGRATS!

Take care!

[ Reply to This ]

Uh, I don't think anyone considers you a hoser! You're just as much a composer
as anyone on this site. But thanks very much for the compliment all the same.
I'm very glad you enjyed it. I very much appreciate your encouragement--I am
one who becomes discouraged all to easily.

As for the performers, yes, wonderful job, especially considering that I had only
finished the piece the day before the performance! Cheers.

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

I've really enjoyed what I've heard so far however, I like to listen to a track
a few times through before commenting - and as your track is rather long
I need to put some time aside!

KK

[ Reply to This ]

Finally got back to it! I love the sound of chamber ensembles such as this.

When I first listened I wasn't sure that I could pick up a Penguin Cafe Orch
thing - instead I was getting a strong early 20th century vibe. 2nd time
through tho' I was picking up some PCO hints although I guess PCO was more
of a starting point than an influence.

To me the strengths of this track lie in it's almost relentless drive to it's
conclusion - the piece is nearly always pulsing - it's broad textural variety
and the strong performances from yourself and those you've drawn from your
fellow musicians.

It's great to hear such fine and carefully wrought work here on MJ.

KK







PS - I'll probably have something posted in a few weeks which also has a bit
of a PCO influence

[ Reply to This ]

I'm glad you were able to have another listen, and I just left a comment for your
latest track, which was a pleasure to hear. I also just put you on my "Favorite
MacJammers" list, so I don't miss your PCO-inspired track when it's posted;
looking forward to it.

All the best, Clark

---
Visit <a style="color:blue;font-size:11px;" href="http://www.clarkross.ca">my website</a> for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]

Reminds me of the style of TV/film composing often employed by Jeff
Beal (POLLOCK), a terrific composer. Downloaded. Thanks for sharing.:)

[ Reply to This ]

Thanks so much for the comment, and thanks especially for pointing me to the
music of Jeff Beal, with which I was unfamiliar. Turns out he's a very fine
composer, so I'm very happy to have become aquainted with his music, and
what's more, the guy's got one of the best composer's websites I've ever seen,
with something like 250 MP3s available for listening. You can check it out

here, if I did the link right
(jeffbeal.com).

Thanks again!

---
Visit my website for lots more free MP3s and scores.

[ Reply to This ]