# Siciliana for strings



## Rob (Jan 30, 2010)

Hi there, I'd like to offer to the forum this composition I did the other day as part of a series of piano pieces I have to write in the romantic idiom. I think it lends well to strings as well, so did this version... I did not go into fine details, and I'm missing what I'd call the "consonants" of musical phrasing, it sounds a bit as a person speaking with vowels olny :D , but anyway, here it is, thanks for listening...

http://www.robertosoggetti.com/siciliana.mp3


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## artsoundz (Jan 30, 2010)

It's *A*n* E*xcellent* I*nteresting *O*vertly *U*nified piece.

I think it's a very interesting piece. It sounds like nothing I've heard before so it compels me to listen to it several times. I'm envious of this kind of writing. 

What are the strings? VSL?


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## Frederick Russ (Jan 30, 2010)

Your lyrical writing is absolutely stellar Rob. Its wonderful. This piece deserves a live rendition with top notch live players. Mockup seems a bit rough though against what I've heard in the past from you. The writing however is fabulous.


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## Rob (Jan 30, 2010)

artsoundz @ 30th January 2010 said:


> It's *A*n* E*xcellent* I*nteresting *O*vertly *U*nified piece.
> 
> I think it's a very interesting piece. It sounds like nothing I've heard before so it compels me to listen to it several times. I'm envious of this kind of writing.
> 
> What are the strings? VSL?



-anks -e-in, i-'s a -ix-u-e o- -i-e-a-ic s--ings an- hu--er -olo s-ri-gs...


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## Rob (Jan 30, 2010)

Frederick Russ @ 30th January 2010 said:


> Your lyrical writing is absolutely stellar Rob. Its wonderful. This piece deserves a live rendition with top notch live players. Mockup seems a bit rough though against what I've heard in the past from you. The writing however is fabulous.



Frederick thank you man, really appreciate it... yes the rendering is so-so, also the reverb is just Eos thrown on the master. I will however take the time to do a better performance as I have the time. Thing is, I have been asked to write 20 short pieces for piano, so I'm quite busy, but still wanted to try this piece with strings... thank you again, Fred


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## fido94 (Jan 30, 2010)

indeed a very beautiful piece Rob!


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## mech289 (Jan 30, 2010)

Rob, this is simply lovely work. Enjoyed this piece a lot. Sort of sounds like CS in there. Could be wrong. Again wonderful work. Joseph


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## Guy Bacos (Jan 30, 2010)

I enjoyed listening to it, high caliber as anything Rob does, but contrary to others did not find it that realistic. I hope I won't get crucified  , I like to give an honest opinion. Probably because some areas of the sampled aspects jumps to my ear, or just getting pickier. But still great work.


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## Nathan Allen Pinard (Jan 30, 2010)

CS has rumblings, but it's more stage noise. Actually adds more to the realism, but you can still remove it if you need a clean sound.

Also this isn't 100% CS. CS does not have portamento, and the sound is significantly different.

CS also to me, works best with breath control.


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## Rob (Jan 30, 2010)

Thank you for your comments, fido94, Joseph!

Guy - thank you very much, yes I agree that it's not very realistic, as Frederick already said... still enough expressive to convey the feelings behind the music, I find

Piet - soon or later our idyll had to come to an end... I suspected that you'd not liked this piece, after I read your remarks about Tchajkovsky in another thread... me, I kind of like this melody, for reasons that are beyond my understanding. As for marrying and children, I have to remind you that you've been promising a wedding since a long time, and the three children we already have are often asking for their mother (you were the mother, right?) :lol: 

Nathan - I want to clarify about the low frequency rumbling... there's a ppp layer in CS that I really love, it's soft and has a lot of bow in it, so I often take that layer and raise its volume well beyond the acceptable, because of the sheer pleasure it gives to me. And, I have been using breath controllers ever since the 90's and have been trying to persuade everybody about its benefits... here too I've used one


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## Nathan Allen Pinard (Jan 30, 2010)

Rob @ Sat Jan 30 said:


> Thank you for your comments, fido94, Joseph!
> 
> Guy - thank you very much, yes I agree that it's not very realistic, as Frederick already said... still enough expressive to convey the feelings behind the music, I find
> 
> ...



I use an EWI, so the note/breath coordination goes hand in hand. I also add the vibrato control AFTER tracking all the notes. I find trying to control breath and vibrato (foot pedal) is difficult.

But I'm hearing portamento in this aren't I? Are the ppp patches kind of sappy like that?

Can't wait to get the features they are adding later this year. The lib needs portamento. But hands down it's the best sound imo, including libs that are not out yet. Though that depends on what sound you want. CS to me has a very good TV/Studio sound to it.

FYI, I think your using too much spot mic. I find less spot mic is a much deeper sound.


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## re-peat (Jan 30, 2010)

Rob,

I urgently need to nuance my comments made in that 'melody'-thread, because I seem to have left the impression that I'm somehow averse to a good tune or a sexy melody, when nothing — and I do mean: nothing — could be further from the truth. Honestly. Nino Rota, Richard Rodgers, J.P. Sousa, Tchaikovsky, J. Strauss Jr., Gershwin, Burt Bacharach, George Bizet, John Williams, Frederick Loewe, ... I love 'em all to bits, I really, really, really do.
In fact, it is precisely because I rate melodic invention sooooooooooooooo incredibly high, that I have serious difficulty with anything that's only halfway up there. But that's a different story, and this last comment is certainly not related to the piece at hand.

So no, there's nothing stylistically or lyrically in this 'Siciliana' that I feel uncomfortable with. It's just that I find the piece a bit well-behaved, perhaps even a bit academic, if you don't mind me saying so. The wings of your composing genius seem a little bit clipped here, preventing to you to fly as freely and uninhibited as I've always seen you fly. Does that make sense?

And finally, our idyll is certainly not at an end. In fact, I like to think it is now even stronger than before. Otherwise I wouldn't have permitted myself to say the things I've said.
Give my regards to the little Soggettinos. Motherly hugs & kisses to all of you!

_


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## rayinstirling (Jan 31, 2010)

By all accounts, it seems you've created this piece with one hand tied behind your back Rob.

Just as well you've got that breath controller 

And I suppose the title allows some discussion on family matters.

Marks out of ten ?.......maybe only nine and a half


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## Christian Marcussen (Jan 31, 2010)

Frederick Russ @ Sat Jan 30 said:


> Your lyrical writing is absolutely stellar Rob. Its wonderful. This piece deserves a live rendition with top notch live players. Mockup seems a bit rough though against what I've heard in the past from you. The writing however is fabulous.



Agreed. The composition is excellent, but the mock-up is not in the same league. 

But nice writing.


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## Rob (Jan 31, 2010)

Thank you, Christian... I feel obliged now to try a better rendering, maybe CS alone...


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## TheoKrueger (Jan 31, 2010)

Lovely work, for a moment i forgot this was a mockup and just dived in the music itself. Great writing, very elaborate and your musical knowledge shines through. One of my fav vi pieces i've heard. I think it sounds very real by the way. I'd be glad to write music with such a sound.

Cheers,
Theo


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## Mahlon (Jan 31, 2010)

I think this piece would come off beautifully performed live. How the mockup comes off doesn't bother me at all. That said, the provocative little devil in me can't help but wonder what it might sound like via LASS.

I like the open vowel-i-ness of it and the simple statement very much.

Mahlon


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## Rob (Feb 1, 2010)

TheoKrueger @ 31st January 2010 said:


> Lovely work, for a moment i forgot this was a mockup and just dived in the music itself. Great writing, very elaborate and your musical knowledge shines through. One of my fav vi pieces i've heard. I think it sounds very real by the way. I'd be glad to write music with such a sound.
> 
> Cheers,
> Theo



hey Theo, thank you very much! 



Mahlon @ 31st January 2010 said:


> ..l. That said, the provocative little devil in me can't help but wonder what it might sound like via LASS.
> 
> ...
> 
> Mahlon



thanks a lot Mahlon, if you feel like trying a Lass version, I'd be more than happy... you can find the score here: http://www.robertosoggetti.com/siciliana.pdf


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