Music of Firelight: Book I - Kindling -
follow the link above to here the music for one of my games.
In a tumultuous world of fire, earth, wind and ice, four heroes, each wielding the powers of an element, will do whatever it takes to stop the monstrous beings of darkness from destroying humanity. With an eclipse fast approaching, and an evil sorcerer trying to take control, the world has little hope to avoid destruction, save for the spirit and determination of the heroes.
visit me at:
Red Die Studios
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Red Velvet Box
I wrote and performed this short piece for my fiancee, Olivia. There is no programmatic gestures in this music like my other works. I wanted to write a piece that was simple and beautiful, like the way I feel about Olivia. Please enjoy!
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
When is it good to be normal?
I had an interesting experience in a masterclass today...
I'd prepared the 3rd mvt of the Gliere Horn Concerto, and played the first section for the class. Aside from a few chips here and there, I think I played it just how I wanted to play it. He offered me a few very sensible suggestions. First he suggested that I use more dynamic contrast, which I agreed with. In the first few bars, the piece is marked mf and then down to p and I think there should be a fairly large difference between the two. Second, he wanted me to play the doted eighth sixteenth in a more stylized version, because that, he said is how the composer intended. Third, he suggested a hand position that was pretty much exactly my own hand position. and used his own hand in my bell. To me the two positions felt exactly the same but others in the class claimed that the sound was more open when he did it.
For the first suggestion, he was more pointing out a lyrical mistake that I had made. I would intend to make a contrast between two different dynamics and so I agree with him, and the music makes more sense as a short call and response.
for his rhythmic suggestion I disagree. The downbeat should have emphasis, as the movement is a dance. turning the sixteenth into a grace note puts the emphasis on the second beat and would confuse a dancer.
finally, I really think that the other students just wanted to hear a better sound when the teacher used his hand, but I don't think it was any different. I felt more comfortable, obviously with my own hand in the bell and told him with almost no response.
This brought up an interesting thought, to me, that is: when is it good to do what a teacher tells you?
It seems that most music students practically worship their teachers, and take their advice as doctrine, but you know what I say?
A student would be an idiot to ignore their teachers, but I think it is just as bad to follow all of their advice for a few very important reasons.
First, your teacher, no matter how great a horn player or teacher he or she is, is a human, with their own ideas on musicality and style, and there own methods of making the horn sound good. Every person (should) sound different (to a degree) sound like an individual. This is paramount for a solo piece, like the Gliere.
Your teacher, while meaning well, might communicate things in such a way that it confuses you and makes a passage sound worse. I've had plenty experience with this, having had teachers that were very agile on the horn baffled by my own physical clumsiness. In this case it's important to tell your teacher that this is making playing harder for you.
Finally, YOU ARE A MUSICIAN!!! music is not belonging to one group or only to those who have studied and trained for decades. Music is about communication, and about creating something that is meaningful. All of the technical and lyricism in the world doesn't amount to anything without a human element in your music. if you understand this, then even playing a whole note can tell a story, or portray an emotion. If your teachers tell you that something should be played this way, and it loses that element when you change it, tell your teacher that you really believe in the music sounding like this. If you can sell it even if you play it differently than the norm, then you should play it that way.
Your teachers are there to help you, but music is about the human experience. Winning jobs, competitions and making money are important to survive, but so many orchestral musicians are so focused on that that they turn into sellouts. That is where orchestral music is headed. Music has always been a medium of revolution. I think its time it was the subject of one.
I'd prepared the 3rd mvt of the Gliere Horn Concerto, and played the first section for the class. Aside from a few chips here and there, I think I played it just how I wanted to play it. He offered me a few very sensible suggestions. First he suggested that I use more dynamic contrast, which I agreed with. In the first few bars, the piece is marked mf and then down to p and I think there should be a fairly large difference between the two. Second, he wanted me to play the doted eighth sixteenth in a more stylized version, because that, he said is how the composer intended. Third, he suggested a hand position that was pretty much exactly my own hand position. and used his own hand in my bell. To me the two positions felt exactly the same but others in the class claimed that the sound was more open when he did it.
For the first suggestion, he was more pointing out a lyrical mistake that I had made. I would intend to make a contrast between two different dynamics and so I agree with him, and the music makes more sense as a short call and response.
for his rhythmic suggestion I disagree. The downbeat should have emphasis, as the movement is a dance. turning the sixteenth into a grace note puts the emphasis on the second beat and would confuse a dancer.
finally, I really think that the other students just wanted to hear a better sound when the teacher used his hand, but I don't think it was any different. I felt more comfortable, obviously with my own hand in the bell and told him with almost no response.
This brought up an interesting thought, to me, that is: when is it good to do what a teacher tells you?
It seems that most music students practically worship their teachers, and take their advice as doctrine, but you know what I say?
A student would be an idiot to ignore their teachers, but I think it is just as bad to follow all of their advice for a few very important reasons.
First, your teacher, no matter how great a horn player or teacher he or she is, is a human, with their own ideas on musicality and style, and there own methods of making the horn sound good. Every person (should) sound different (to a degree) sound like an individual. This is paramount for a solo piece, like the Gliere.
Your teacher, while meaning well, might communicate things in such a way that it confuses you and makes a passage sound worse. I've had plenty experience with this, having had teachers that were very agile on the horn baffled by my own physical clumsiness. In this case it's important to tell your teacher that this is making playing harder for you.
Finally, YOU ARE A MUSICIAN!!! music is not belonging to one group or only to those who have studied and trained for decades. Music is about communication, and about creating something that is meaningful. All of the technical and lyricism in the world doesn't amount to anything without a human element in your music. if you understand this, then even playing a whole note can tell a story, or portray an emotion. If your teachers tell you that something should be played this way, and it loses that element when you change it, tell your teacher that you really believe in the music sounding like this. If you can sell it even if you play it differently than the norm, then you should play it that way.
Your teachers are there to help you, but music is about the human experience. Winning jobs, competitions and making money are important to survive, but so many orchestral musicians are so focused on that that they turn into sellouts. That is where orchestral music is headed. Music has always been a medium of revolution. I think its time it was the subject of one.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Persephone's Shade Garden
Last winter, I was inspired to write a piece for solo horn that would be able to emphasize a technique I had learned called multiphonics. This technique involves the use of singing into the horn above the note being played and is the brass equivalent to double stopping on a violin. If the intonation is just right, the result will produce not two but three or even four harmonic pitches above the played note. Naturally, this adds a very interesting color to the horn and, although rarely used, can be one of the most soothing sounds that a horn can produce.
This piece is inspired by the story of Persephone, the Goddess of Agriculture. It is said that late one summer, while out in the fields, she was kidnapped by the God of the Underworld, Hades. When contemplating the original legend I conceived a variation on the story that serves as the backbone of this piece.
Beginning with an open fifth from B-F#, we are introduced to a Goddess, An embodiment of fundamental human tradition, and the fundamental interval of music. With a flourish, Hades' chariot descends upon Persephone and steals her away into his realm of shade. Persephone, as the multiphonic horn, curses Hades as she is dragged into the abyss.
Persephone, in an attempt to escape her captors realm, gets lost and finds herself in a garden, alight with glowing mushrooms and the cool lights of fireflies and foxfire. It is in this place where she finds, surrounded by darkness, a cool serenity. She sings again, but with her blessing on this beautiful Shade Garden. The fungi and lichens glow with light and praise of the Goddess, and the souls of the underworld find peace in the Shade Garden.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)