# Trying something new



## rJames (Jul 21, 2009)

I took re-peats advice and bought the Leonard Bernstein Norton Lecture on DVD. It has filled in a lot of gaps for me because I haven't really studied music seriously except for EIS which is mostly devoid of examples from the history of music; more specifically from the evolution of music. (although the evolution is explored in theoretical terms).

Back to Bernstein; it is an inspiring lecture.

And so, I've made this experiment. Any comments would be appreciated since I am sure that, for the most part, I've made a http://digitmusic.net/prePresentation/Mockery%20M.mp3 (Mockery) of it.


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## NedK (Jul 21, 2009)

Ron, I'm not familiar with the material referred to....but I like your piece a lot.


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## Rob (Jul 22, 2009)

very enjoyable, nice variety of ideas and very good rendering... I like it


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## Hannes_F (Jul 22, 2009)

That I like!  Good music.


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## lux (Jul 22, 2009)

Pretty nice Ron, and speaks about you. I like the dynamic harmonies expecially.

Luca


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## Frederick Russ (Jul 22, 2009)

Some really compelling ideas Ron. Its great when a lecture can inspire a new approach to writing based on EIS. Cool piece.


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## rJames (Jul 22, 2009)

Thank you guys. Hoping this experiment will lead to another that is more controlled. Always too many ideas or too quick an evolution.


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## IvanP (Jul 22, 2009)

Very nice, Ron, this could turn out in a nice concert piece IMO


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## artsoundz (Jul 22, 2009)

Seemed focused to me-very fresh and interesting music. I just wish it went on a bit more.


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## schatzus (Jul 22, 2009)

Sweet! Tons of great ideas in there...


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## rJames (Jul 22, 2009)

That is very nice of you guys.

For those of you who like to read about music, here are a couple of resources that you may not know about.

Here is Copland's Norton lecture series in pdf form.
http://www.archive.org/details/musicandimaginat006093mbp

and Stravinski's Norton lecture series...
http://www.archive.org/details/poeticsofmusicin002702mbp

For those of you who like to study scores, here are Coplands sketches;
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/collections/copland/sketTitles1.html

and I just accidently found this as I was going to get these addresses to link;
http://www.archive.org/details/SlonimskyBerkPianoBar


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## Rob (Jul 24, 2009)

rJames, thanks a lot for the links...

PS the Slonimsky is irresistible


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## rJames (Jul 26, 2009)

Here's another great link (unless you already have the book).

I was led to this while reading Copland's, "Music and Imagination," (his Norton lecture at Harvard)

A Treatise Upon Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration by Berloiz

And if anyone has time for a critique and/or advice here's another couple of experiments.

http://digitmusic.net/cueFolder/Fast%20&%20Furious%20M.mp3 (Fast &amp; Furious)

and

http://digitmusic.net/cueFolder/Separated%20at%20Birth%20M.mp3 (Separated at Birth)


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## Dave Connor (Jul 26, 2009)

Terrific, very good indeed. Good material and well handled.


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## George Caplan (Jul 28, 2009)

That's very good.


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## rJames (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks George. You're new here aren't you? Welcome to VI.


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## careyford (Jul 29, 2009)

Really fun work. I'm going to have to go back to the Bernstein again, it's been a long time since I watched or read it (there's also a book version.) 

You commented on feeling like there were too many ideas too fast. I feel like that has been one of the things I've had to work on, too. (Probably db's fault :D ) If I can suggest something that's been fun/helpful for me. Go back to one of these pieces and extract an idea or two that you like. Then write a new piece with those, sketching out the form as a graph before you start composing. Really limit the materials and see how much you can squeeze out of them. Mapping the form ahead of time helps me not wander off into the musical forest. Some of mine are so goofy I've been thinking of selling them as art. :oops: 

Thanks for sharing these links and your work. Really made my morning today.

Richard


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## re-peat (Jul 29, 2009)

Ron,

Excellent work. The first 40 seconds are absolutely perfect, I think. Not entirely convinced by that climbing 'comedy movie' tutti at 0:40, because it sounds stylisticaly quite inconsistent with what came before. It's only those 4 seconds which bother me though, because from 0:44 onwards until the very end, it's again gorgeous music.

_


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## rJames (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks Piet. Yes that is my Achilles heel; inserting an unstylistic phrase or a whole new and incorrect direction in a cue.

This is all straight from the heart (or the mind) but I realize that an unsuspected turn can "turn off" a listener at a moments notice.

There are a couple of other cues that I posted a few posts earlier (in the middle of the thread) and would love to hear your feedback on them.


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