..this is awesome. I could here the jazz and blues influences, more so around half-way .. very dramatic and fresh in the more classical parts. Just brilliant, sir.

Now, go break some instruments!! Pity I can't find
a link to "Ballistic Bob" from 'Chewing the Fat' on
youtube .. I get a feeling from this piece you would
have enjoyed that character.

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You've got me all intrigued. I'm off to search You Tube !

Thanks for listening.

P.S. It would be nice to bring in a bit more Rock and Roll, and maybe have a string players smash their violins, etc. at the end of the piece - Lol!

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I think this is one of the best things I have heard on macjams.I don't think it needs to be changed.I can hear Piazolla,Gershwin, Ravel,but you have your own style.I love this piece.Was there any improv involved or was it all written out?

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Thank you kindly for such a nice comment.

I mainly work by trial and error, and then by building on what I've kept from it, and so on, and so forth. So yes, there is an element of improvisation to start with but then it becomes more thought out. Once the piece is finished, I work out the score from the midi tracks.


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You're telling us that these are electronically produced instruments?

That almost blows me away as much as this piece......almost....

Love the bass...just keeps things rolling along, there...

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Yes, the instruments are samples from the very good East West Orchestral Gold Pro software.

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Love the whole project. The realistic string voices are amazing. This is the "jazziest" of the three, and the easiest to understand. But all three are a joy.

Thanks
Bill

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I am glad you took the time to listen to all three movements in turn, for that's really how it should be heard.

I hope they form a whole together in the listeners ears, even though there isn't a definite fast-slow-fast structure to it.

Thank you very much for stopping by.


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I heard more than one style in this piece. I really like the violin.
Ive aways been a fan of Jazz violin!! Very neat timing.
And wow the strings and Orchesrta sound so real!
Id like to hear more of this,and I will.

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for visiting.

I tried to get hints of different styles in this piece. I think the one that works the best is the section that goes into a sort of blues.

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this is very sweet and melodic . there s a great
charm on this .and I think its the best piece from
all the Suite .again the sound of the ensemble so
realistic .welldone !!

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You are right, this is the most melodic of the three, and probably the most accesible.

My personal favourite is the second movement.

Thanks for stopping by.

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and i mean that in the most pure sense of the word...... the tonal content is wonderful....... i like the key...... do you see colors or get diff emotions from diff keys? i do. C is nice..... don't change it..... IMHO. wonderful musician you are..... a fan of Shostokovich and Bartok?

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You know, I pretty much decide whether to work with all the white notes, or all the black notes when I start on a piece, and then constantly struggle against being stuck in C, or in the pentatonic scale.

I envy people who can see different colours, and hear different moods relating to a chosen key. You must have perfect pitch, which I definitely don't have, even though I've tried to acquire it (there actually is a course on attaining perfect pitch - and I've got the Cds !).

I could sum up my way of working as having to constantly battle against being drawn and seduced by familiarity. Tonality is such a magnet !

Thanks for your comment, and I'm thrilled you liked the piece, and, yes, I love Bartok.




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Original and interesting music. I did not know you could find strings software that sound like real instruments. Wonderful!

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to see you stop by Enrique.

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This is exciting stuff! Tooooo cool!

Great rhythms and blend of genre!

Doug

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the dense polychords, jazz inflections and instrumentation. Very nice work! Mature musicianship is in evidence here!

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I like the unconventional harmonic language; very rooted in tonality, but you manage to make it sound fresh, That is a major achievement.

There is lots of rhythmic interest too; some unexpected shifts. This also really helps keep my interest... what's he going to do next? Never predictable.

I also really like the stylistic pastiche. This is something I like to explore and play with in my own music.

The 'col legno battute' stuff -- hitting the string with the wooden part of the bow -- does not strike me as being difficult at all. The resistance I have encountered from players with regards to this technique is that it can damage the finish of the bow, which is an understandable concern for them, since a good bow can cost $100,000! However, that's no reason not to write it into the music. Sometimes they'll bring an old bow to use for sections that ask for this technique, and sometimes they tap with the hard ivory plate at the tip of the bow, which produces more or less the same sound.

A couple of suggestions, or things to think about:

The piano writing seems kind of tame... traditionally, the piano in a piano quintet is pretty meaty and virtuosic. No reason why it should be that way here, of course, but it was just something that I noticed.

It is very sectional, almost like mini-movements within the larger movement. The more usual way of composing longer movements in classical music has been to develop the thematic material, and to have transitions, both of which tend to be harmonically and melodically unstable, leading to more stable thematic sections. Whether this is a good idea or not is of course up to you, but it may be worth considering for your next piece.

Overall, I really like this. Yours is an original voice, and I strongly encourage you to keep composing.

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Clark, thank you so much, I really value your imput on this. Much of what you say is spot on. The piano is an instrument I know well, and which I really struggled with in my youth - I wanted to become a concert pianist ! Finally realising my limitations, I gave up in total disgust - I still find it hard not to be slightly put off, or intimidated by it.

I also take on board your point about themes, and maybe trying to stick with them, and develop them a bit longer. I think I suffer from a slight fear that whenever I come up with something I like, I tend to not want to take it too far for fear of destroying it in the first place.

Gosh, maybe I should consider moving to Canada for a few years ! I could do with a few of your classes.

Thanks again for your gererous feedback.

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How do you get such realistic string sounds?

I enjoyed this piece, but I feel like I need to listen to it several more times before really absorbing it. The jazz hints are a nice touch. I felt like the ending was a little bit of a let down. Not that every piece needs to end on a bang or a traditional cadence, but it just seemed like it stopped before arriving where it was going. Just my opinion though- the piece overall is magnificent and I want to listen to more of your music as time permits. Really excellent writing.

peace,

chip

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What a brilliant composition. It flows so nicely and it is so rich with the varied harmonies and different playing-techniques and rhythmic variations, a true gem! Bravo!!

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