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Deliberating the Call v3b (HJP) by Doug Somers [Email]
Genre: Classical

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SONG STATS:
Hits: 637
Comments: 30
Votes: 3
Plays: 55
Last Played: Sep 17, 2008 - 12:09:26 PM
Downloads: 33
Fans: 18
Uploaded: Mar 30, 2008 - 11:07:22 PM
Last Updated: Mar 30, 2008 - 11:07:22 PM
Fan List
Keywords:
Hero (9), Journey (42), Project (9), Doug (4), Somers (4), Heroine (2), Hero's (4), Contemplation (3), HJP (5)
Description:
In a small room facing the west she sits alone in the quiet gloaming and considers the events of the morning. Her world had been shaken to its roots by the strange traveller she had met after breakfast in the market. He spoke of ill events, misfortune and hardship for her village. Something had to be done to turn the tide of this doom. Something she, with the map and gem he had entrusted to her, supposedly had a hope of seeing through to its conclusion. What to do? Answer this call to adventure, leaving behind all she knows and loves, and taking on a quest with no plan of how to accomplish it? Or turn a deaf ear and hope the events the traveller foretold are just a frightening story. Either way she senses she will never be quite the same, whatever her decision.

Outside, the silence is broken by a sudden breeze rustling through the lofty branches outside her window. And she knows what she must do.


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This piece is written around the heroine, to let a different kind of music flow forth for this project, and to illustrate that all people have their heroic moments, be they big or small journeys, and male or female protagonists. And while I have written a setting above that is mythical in its elements, I could have just as easily described a young woman heading off to study abroad for the first time in her life.

I intended to use a minimalist setting for this work and also am keeping to a detached phrasing kind of style that lets the music move more spontaneously.
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Update for v3: I have added a mid section that extends the piece for more listener experience 'soak time' to explore more fully the situation described in the story. I found in the addition that I was expressing more of the uncertainty, fear, bravery and determination that our heroine was experiencing as she was making her decision, and I strayed away from the quiet calm of the introduction and finale. By contrast, the finale should now resolve itself through chord progressions to a conclusion of quiet determination, reflecting a decision which still contains some inner conflict but nevertheless sets out a direction our heroine has now chosen to follow. I hope that you find the new piece works as a whole with integrity and balance.

As always, comments are welcome.

This piece is dedicated to my lovely wife and wonderful daughter - both heroines in my eyes.

Hardware:
MacBook Pro, Akai MPK49

Software:
Logic 7.2, Kontakt 3.0, VSL
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ahh beautiful &mdash 03/30/08 - 11:24:00 PM
Just so pretty Doug. What a nice dedication to the heroines in your life. You have so much talent making music Doug and it is always such a pleasure to listen to. What an interesting ending surprise when you changed the emotion in the song completely. This is a lovely piece, thanks for sharing it with us.

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Gail it's always a pleasure to hear from you &mdash 03/31/08 - 10:49:48 AM
Thank you so much for your kind remarks. They spur me on to new creative endeavours and push my art forward. I have been so happy to hear your new work as well.

The tie between sound and emotional feeling is a wonderful mystery of which I still have many depths to plumb. It is quite magical though, don't you think?

All the best,
Doug

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Beautiful &mdash 03/30/08 - 11:29:00 PM
This really moves... I see that lady looking around wonder what is going on here.... With anger and love in her heart she find peace.
Very good composition.

Peace & Love
---
Kenta

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Hellooooo Kent! &mdash 03/31/08 - 10:53:59 AM
Thanks for your comments. Great to hear from you.

I'm glad the music expressed the sense of the story for you.

All the best,
Doug

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Deliberating the Call &mdash 03/30/08 - 11:55:48 PM
calm all among this with deoth and tence tranquility
in the middle ...the flute is amazin ..many of the
exptessions those you mentioned ..so wide clear here !
I enjoyed this totaly my freind.thnx alot for shrain
such gem !!!!!

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Hey Feter &mdash 03/31/08 - 11:33:33 AM
Thanks for having a listen and finding this musical tone poem to your taste. It means a lot!

All the best,
Doug

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.. &mdash 03/31/08 - 06:19:38 AM
Women rock.This is a fantastic piece both pastoral and dramatic.It tells of a story yet to unfold in the mists of the morning.Beautiful and sublime - RG

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Yes women do indeed rock &mdash 03/31/08 - 11:37:04 AM
and they have a strength that often remains well hidden until times of need. This is a story that will unfold with the new day - maybe I will come back to narrate a part of it or maybe some other MacJammer will take up the story - all is possible.

Thanks Richard for your warm remarks!

Cheers,
Doug

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right then doug &mdash 03/31/08 - 10:51:02 AM
i love the open feeling of this and wonderful play between each instrument .. moving together but with enough between them to hear each one as a separate lovely story .... doug ... tis stunning!

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Thanks Jack &mdash 03/31/08 - 11:45:30 AM
I'm trying to be sensitive to space within the music and how the parts play off each other. Glad that you find it is coming together for you.

Enjoyed your woodstock piece my friend. Nicely done indeed.

All the best,
Doug

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Beautiful &mdash 03/31/08 - 11:46:55 AM
An amazing piece of art.I would love to hear this played by real instruments.Sublime!

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Wow - I'm really touched &mdash 03/31/08 - 01:01:18 PM
Glad this had its intended impact Mark - I appreciate the comments coming from you (particularly after checking out your latest work and finding more delightful tunes).

Very best wishes,

Doug

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A sombre take... &mdash 03/31/08 - 02:40:54 PM
on the Hero theme. Very nicely done.

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Thanks Graham &mdash 04/01/08 - 04:59:34 PM
This was a bit of a different head space to the tongue-in-cheek Headbanger, and it took a while to get into a Sombre state of mind to work on it after tweaking Headbanger for a few hours. I think I was able to make the shift though and no distortion pedals were harmed in recording this work.

I really appreciate your comments.

Be well,
Doug

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Another amazing piece &mdash 03/31/08 - 09:12:41 PM
You have an amazing musical sense, and such a terrific gift for arrangement and, as davisamerica said, for space and allowing the notes to breathe and express themselves before they're swallowed up by the next event. Evocative and moving, this is as good as any orchestral I've heard anywhere in a while. Thanks for sharing this with us. NIcely done, my friend. Peace.

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David, you're very kind &mdash 04/01/08 - 07:08:43 PM
It helps that this comes from the heart, but I've also had a lot of encouragement and feedback from people on this site that keeps me coming back and looking for better outlets of musical expression and ways to improve. Thanks, then, for your supportive comments on this and earlier pieces and know that I take what I read into my creative process for the next time around.

Thanks again, and
Peace,
Doug

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Deliberating the Call &mdash 04/02/08 - 02:27:58 AM
What a wonderful setting, amazing creation of atmosphere. Thank you for sharing this gem :-)

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Many thanks for your comments &mdash 04/02/08 - 08:11:16 PM
It means a lot to have this work enjoyed by others, particularly people such as yourself who are such gifted artists.

Cheers,
Doug

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Sound &mdash 04/02/08 - 03:12:20 PM
This sounds excellent. The balance between the strings and the woodwinds is right on. It must take a lot of melodic and harmonic patience to refine a piece like this. The delicacy of the arrangement is reminiscent of the style of Aaron Copland.

Thanks
Bill

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Thanks Bill for that &mdash 04/02/08 - 08:08:15 PM
reference to Copeland, who is one of my star composers. It was very odd how this piece came about since most of the middle section was improvised in a couple of passes of flute and strings, and on that structure I fiddled with (pardon the pun) the double basses and cello, then altered the chords if the harmonic progressions didn't work. It's strange but there you are.

I appreciate you coming to have a listen and leaving such encouraging remarks.

Keep well,
Doug

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Late I know but &mdash 04/05/08 - 03:47:32 PM
this was wonderful.

Loved the instrumentation and the concept.

Cheers

Dick

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Late is all relative.... &mdash 04/05/08 - 04:05:36 PM
At least I'm still around and in good enough health to read your very kind words. Actually I quite enjoy listening to older works of artists that have long ago ceased to have commentary associated with them. There is no "best before" date after all :o)

Cheers Dick,
Doug

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Besides which &mdash 04/05/08 - 04:10:16 PM
with my schedule I find I'm very very late with commenting on most posted works.

No worries.

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This is unbelievable! &mdash 04/17/08 - 08:57:53 PM
Outstanding composition! We need more of this on both iComp and MacJams!!!

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Thanks heightened &mdash 04/20/08 - 06:34:16 PM
for such a strong endorsement. I've never thought seriously about also publishing on iComp but maybe as time permits in future I will.

I have some other works in this HJP line that I'm kind of chipping away on so you should hear more soon.

Thanks, and keep well!
Doug

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Brooding... &mdash 04/20/08 - 01:34:24 AM
I really liked this piece - for some reason, the opening made me think of Vaughn Williams. More than anything, I like the space and balance in it - you really let it breathe and yearn. Nice work!

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Now I'm really going to get a swelled head &mdash 04/20/08 - 07:01:13 PM
Comparisons first to Copeland and now Vaughan Williams! I love both of their work BTW, so some influences may leak through.

Thanks for your comments! It's nice to hear from another composer who creates both interesting classical pieces as well as other styles.

Cheers,
Doug

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Williams &mdash 07/05/08 - 10:32:46 AM
Reminds me of another great composer's work, John Williams. I am always struck when I hear "Princess Leia's Theme" of its sheet beauty, through its emphasis on a feminine, lightly orchestrated main theme, to its conclusion with the horns playing a strong counterpoint, almost in a different key, emphasizing the strong and/or conflicted side of the heroine.

Your piece echoes "Leia's Theme" in many ways. I do hear a feminine "vibe" to this performance, but I hear an underlying strength as well.

The flute is very convincing and authentic to my ear.

Best,

John Stebbe

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Correction &mdash 07/05/08 - 10:34:16 AM
Sorry, that should read 'sheer beauty.' A 'sheet beauty' brings up the wrong images!

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Thanks John, &mdash 07/21/08 - 12:09:17 PM
I'm flattered of course about the comparison to Williams and such a well known theme, and I'm glad that the many qualities I wanted to have arise in points of this piece came through, including the underlying strength and resolve amidst the tenderness, doubt, and longing.

The flute is a combination, if my memory serves, of the Vienna Symphony flute, as comes with Kompakt, and the one from East West. One of the flutes had a shorter sustain, and so I varied which one I used depending on what was happening in the music.

Thanks again, and as always, for your well considered comments!

All the best!
Doug

Good line about the sheet beauty BTW :o)

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