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Max Richter - dramatic strings articulations

Vsevolod

Vsevolod

New Member
Hello! I do not have a musical education and try to make many discoveries in theory on my own. What articulations do you think were used here to get such a dramatic score?

The first thing I hear is a technique of vibrato.. Secondly, it seems to me that Sul tasto / pont and Flautando are present here. Maybe I'm wrong.:unsure:
But the strings sound very emotional and dramatic. I would be grateful if you could help me.

And here is the video itself (Max Richter - Richter: On The Nature Of Daylight):

Click to read more...
 
Vsevolod said:
Hello! I do not have a musical education and try to make many discoveries in theory on my own. What articulations do you think were used here to get such a dramatic score?

The first thing I hear is a technique of vibrato.. Secondly, it seems to me that Sul tasto / pont and Flautando are present here. Maybe I'm wrong.:unsure:
But the strings sound very emotional and dramatic. I would be grateful if you could help me.

And here is the video itself (Max Richter - Richter: On The Nature Of Daylight):

Click to expand...

I didn't hear the whole thing but a good portion of it. Mostly not in the mood for melodrama right now.
.This is just a string quartet. Maybe towards the end he overdubbed some addition high violin. The articulations are just standard bowing. Heavy vibrato but if you just marked "expressivo" in a score that's the style of playing you will get from string players in certain parts of the world when the music is slow and minor and despondent.

Thanks for bringing me down :)
 
ProtectedRights said:
Yepp. real strings played by real humans with real emotions, presented front stage and in all detail. that's where sample libraries fail miserably.
Click to expand...

For sure but a LOT of the responsibility is with me. I AM PLAYING IN ALL THE PARTS. I have to do 'better' at not being ME at each part written, played and programmed in. ;) That narrows the gap between live and samples IMHO. It doesn't get us 'there' but 'closer'.
 
Rob Elliott said:
For sure but a LOT of the responsibility is with me. I AM PLAYING IN ALL THE PARTS. I have to do 'better' at not being ME at each part written, played and programmed in. ;) That narrows the gap between live and samples IMHO. It doesn't get us 'there' but 'closer'.
Click to expand...

I don't fully understand your post. You mean you actually played this on the real instrument or you programmed it? But you aren't referring to the first post video, are you?
 
ProtectedRights said:
I don't fully understand your post. You mean you actually played this on the real instrument or you programmed it? But you aren't referring to the first post video, are you?
Click to expand...

Yea - just simply that the 'process' of using samples - ME programming in all the parts 'can' lack diversity of interpretation - final mockup lacking in depth / liveliness. Of course we all spend a LOT of time overcoming this big issue. This doesn't even address the static nature of a recorded snapshot of a sampled instrument.
 
A piece like that deserves not just real players, but really great players... one of my favorite adagio compositions by any composer from any period.
 
Hello from a 'real' cellist! :-D

We're new to this forum so I"m not sure if I've posted in the correct section, but I wanted to let you know about our upcoming string quartet session (in case you wanted to experiment with some real players!) :)

Here is a link to the post: https://vi-control.net/community/th...ots-still-available-december-18th-2019.87206/

If you're interested and want 4 musicians' opinion on your annotations and how they are perceived, we'd be happy to include some feedback and written notes alongside the stems :)
 
Rob Elliott said:
Yet one more reminder how samples cannot compare to FOUR different live players each adding their own artistry to the whole. Curses batman, these low budgets...… :(
Click to expand...
In response, when I first started scoring and samples weren't really a thing, I use to score using just chamber ensembles. I much prefer that to using samples. Back in those days (mid 90's) I even had one director tell me that, "i must really trust you because from that demo you just played, I can't tell a damn thing." Trust was a factor and the results lead to more satisfying results.

As samples came to be a thing, then trust eroded and many people now want to hear the whole score before you even record. Or, they've become happy with the machines.

It's too bad. On one side, I don't miss the days of spending all nights before the recording getting all the parts in order. But, I really do miss the days when all I had was one synth and a couple of my friends and we'd head into a studio with a couple of their friends and make live music happen. Some real magic took place in those days. Also some real disappointment but it was way more alive.

So if I had the opportunity to do what Max is doing here I'd jump all over it. I'd rather score with 4 string players than harddrives full of every sample library. It's also less expensive if you don't live in LA.

If I remember correctly Rob you live in Salt Lake City. A right to work state if I recall. Might you consider heading to the music union and gather up a list of good players and perhaps start doing some of this kind of work if you can? A girl I went to school with Kathy Masaki (now Morris) I think use to work in that town. Great violin player.
 
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josejherring said:
In response, when I first started scoring and samples weren't really a thing, I use to score using just chamber ensembles. I much prefer that to using samples. Back in those days (mid 90's) I even had one director tell me that, "i must really trust you because from that demo you just played, I can't tell a damn thing." Trust was a factor and the results lead to more satisfying results.

As samples came to be a thing, then trust eroded and many people now want to hear the whole score before you even record. Or, they've become happy with the machines.

It's too bad. On one side, I don't miss the days of spending all nights before the recording getting all the parts in order. But, I really do miss the days when all I had was one synth and a couple of my friends and we'd head into a studio with a couple of their friends and make live music happen. Some real magic took place in those days. Also some real disappointment but it was way more alive.

So if I had the opportunity to do what Max is doing here I'd jump all over it. I'd rather score with 4 string players than harddrives full of every sample library. It's also less expensive if you don't live in LA.

If I remember correctly Rob you live in Salt Lake City. A right to work state if I recall. Might you consider heading to the music union and gather up a list of good players and perhaps start doing some of this kind of work if you can? A girl I went to school with Kathy Masaki (now Morris) I think use to work in that town. Great violin player.
Click to expand...

Yea some great 'go to players' I use here whenever I can (budget and schedule). It makes for more effort - sometimes less money - sometimes more risk -- but usually the risk/reward is SO WORTH IT. Pitching a score now where I REALLY hope to use ONLY 4-5 string players. A beautiful and rewarding 'hassle' that will be. :) Now if I can just get the producer to pony up for the live sessions, copyist, etc. (good to know about Kathy Masaki - thanks.)
 
JazzDude said:
omg, Max Richter another Arvo Pärt clone...
Click to expand...
More like Michael Nyman to me . . . but I like that it isn't just another example of Hollywood pantriadic chromaticism. There is a place for music like this.

The only thing for me is that the images and music mesh too closely, too obviously, emotionally speaking, and so it doesn't really become more than the sum of the parts.
 
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