GMG Classical Music Forum

The Music Room => Composing and Performing => Topic started by: Crudblud on September 30, 2016, 06:00:36 PM

Title: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 30, 2016, 06:00:36 PM
In which I peddle my musical wares. Is it classical music? Eh... I would say no, but I know most people disagree with me and see it as being generally in line with contemporary classical music, so what the hell do I know?

In brief, I've been making music with computers (but don't let that put you off) since I was about 11 or 12, I forget the exact date but it was somewhere around 2001. In 2007 I started to take it a little more seriously and began making albums and so forth, mostly couched in progressive rock type stylings and mostly not very good. In 2012 I accidentally bumped into the style which my friends from elsewhere will probably know me for, and I've been farming that land ever since.

If you'd like to check it out, there's a bunch of ways to stream including SoundCloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan), bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/), and a YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLp1uXhMPyr7kFaRpBOfAA/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0) which I started fairly recently. If you decide you'd like to have some of this stuff hanging around, tainting your hard drives for all eternity, around 70-80% of everything I have ever released for public consumption is available to download for free here (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/), and most of these releases include liner notes the contents of which range from nonsense and jokes to almost well-written essays — sometimes all three.

That about wraps it up. If you listen to any of it, I hope you enjoy it, but feel free to write me an angry letter if you think it sucks. Personally I'd recommend checking out the selection on my YouTube channel first, it features most of my best work.

Edit: Thread title changed because I felt like it. I assure you I'm still that most Cazazza of Dans, Cazoozer Don.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: ComposerOfAvantGarde on September 30, 2016, 08:13:27 PM
Quite a fan of your work! Will be checking more of it out shortly. Keep us up to date with your new pieces! They are quirky and mostly good
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 01, 2016, 06:09:23 AM
If I think it sucks, I may write, but probably not an angry letter.

8)
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 01, 2016, 07:58:49 AM
Quote from: Sergeant Rock on October 01, 2016, 07:26:58 AM
Cazazza Dan (Crudblud) Frozen Bob's Estranged Wife

https://www.youtube.com/v/SROnoyvZwXE


Sarge

This is all very good.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on October 01, 2016, 04:58:15 PM
Thank you, Karl, and jessop too.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on October 22, 2016, 04:19:08 AM
Alright folks, new music time!

Portal Preludes is a set of six little pieces for English horn, bassoon, cimbasso, trombone, alto flute, clarinet, and bass saxophone.

You can download it in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE30_Portal_Preludes_2016.zip) or FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Portal_Preludes_FLAC.zip) (or both, if you're weird, I guess), or if streaming's more your thing, it's currently up on YouTube (https://youtu.be/Mw8W-R4qmEE) and Bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/portal-preludes).

Hope you dig it!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 22, 2016, 07:15:56 AM
What's a cimbasso?
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on October 22, 2016, 07:38:48 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 22, 2016, 07:15:56 AM
What's a cimbasso?
It's a brass instrument sort of somewhere between a trombone and a tuba, quite popular in Italian opera orchestration in the 19th century. These days I think it's mostly used in film scores. Of course, what I'm using isn't really a cimbasso but a sampled cimbasso, so the physical facts of the source instrument aren't quite so relevant.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 22, 2016, 07:45:16 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on October 22, 2016, 07:38:48 AM
It's a brass instrument sort of somewhere between a trombone and a tuba, quite popular in Italian opera orchestration in the 19th century. These days I think it's mostly used in film scores. Of course, what I'm using isn't really a cimbasso but a sampled cimbasso, so the physical facts of the source instrument aren't quite so relevant.

Interesting, thanks!  What would you say the difference in timbre is, as distinct from either the trombone or tuba?
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on October 22, 2016, 08:44:54 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 22, 2016, 07:45:16 AM
Interesting, thanks!  What would you say the difference in timbre is, as distinct from either the trombone or tuba?

I'll preface this by saying that my experience with each of these instruments does not extend beyond using various sampled versions, that's generally something worth bearing in mind for anyone who wants to ask me questions about this kind of stuff.

I would characterise the cimbasso (this being the Chris Hein Horns Vol. 4 sampled version) generally as having a softer, warmer tone than a trombone, but not as dull as a tuba. However, its timbral range is quite broad, and it can just as easily tackle soft lyrical passages as caricature-Wagnerian heavy brass booms. In an arrangement I made of the first scherzo from Mahler's 10th symphony, I was able to use it rather effectively in combination with a bassoon — in the low to middle registers their tones blend together very smoothly, to the point that I could almost seamlessly pass melodic lines from one to the other, though this became less viable in their upper ranges — and I think in some ways you could say it is the brass equivalent of a bassoon. Its versatility is one of the main reasons I've used it so often over the past few years.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 22, 2016, 10:32:43 AM
Very nice!

http://www.youtube.com/v/Mw8W-R4qmEE
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on October 22, 2016, 10:35:58 AM
The chords starting at 07:15, in particular, are exquisite!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on October 22, 2016, 12:06:42 PM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 22, 2016, 10:35:58 AM
The chords starting at 07:15, in particular, are exquisite!

Thanks! I'm glad you like it.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 17, 2016, 08:41:18 AM
 New piece coming on the 20th, fans (pff) mark your calendars!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Mahlerian on December 17, 2016, 02:56:23 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on December 17, 2016, 08:41:18 AM
New piece coming on the 20th, fans (pff) mark your calendars!

Looking forward to it!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 19, 2016, 08:02:18 PM
Alright folks, look forward no more, because if you do you'll miss this.

This is Fat Trout Neighbour, a supercharged scintillating stupefying and satisfying sampling of supple sounds... or something. It's got violas, bass clarinets, cimbassos (yes, it's back!), trombones, clavinets, wurlitzers, ondeses martenoteses — all your favourites! It'll cure your baldness, and if you ain't bald, why, it'll give you even more hair! So don't delay, pick up your copy today! (Fat Trout Neighbour is non-refundable. Crudblud is not liable for any incidents involving spontaneous combustion arising from the use of this product.)

download mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE31_Fat_Trout_Neighbour_2016.zip)
download FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Fat_Trout_Neighbour_FLAC.zip)

stream YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW9VymehXJc)
stream soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/fat-trout-neighbour)
stream bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/fat-trout-neighbour)

P.S.: Let me know how I'm doing with my shtick.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Mahlerian on December 19, 2016, 08:51:23 PM
That electric piano makes parts of it sound like some forgotten free jazz thing from the 70s...done up in your inimitable style.  Crazy and wild and just a bit sentimental.  I enjoyed it a lot (and the electric piano too)!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 20, 2016, 07:36:23 PM
Quote from: Mahlerian on December 19, 2016, 08:51:23 PM
That electric piano makes parts of it sound like some forgotten free jazz thing from the 70s...done up in your inimitable style.  Crazy and wild and just a bit sentimental.  I enjoyed it a lot (and the electric piano too)!

Thank you!

Some parts do have the effect of free jazz, but I couldn't really tell you how all of what's in there got there. I mean, obviously I put it there, but I can't recall the last time I felt so strongly that I didn't know what I was doing.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: ComposerOfAvantGarde on December 20, 2016, 11:07:10 PM
Happy birthday, I think? I'll listen to some more of your music  8)
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on December 21, 2016, 01:17:51 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on December 19, 2016, 08:02:18 PM
Alright folks, look forward no more, because if you do you'll miss this.

This is Fat Trout Neighbour, a supercharged scintillating stupefying and satisfying sampling of supple sounds... or something. It's got violas, bass clarinets, cimbassos (yes, it's back!), trombones, clavinets, wurlitzers, ondeses martenoteses — all your favourites! It'll cure your baldness, and if you ain't bald, why, it'll give you even more hair! So don't delay, pick up your copy today! (Fat Trout Neighbour is non-refundable. Crudblud is not liable for any incidents involving spontaneous combustion arising from the use of this product.)

download mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE31_Fat_Trout_Neighbour_2016.zip)
download FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Fat_Trout_Neighbour_FLAC.zip)

stream YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW9VymehXJc)
stream soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/fat-trout-neighbour)
stream bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/fat-trout-neighbour)

P.S.: Let me know how I'm doing with my shtick.

I love it just the way it is . . . .
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 21, 2016, 03:20:48 AM
Quote from: jessop on December 20, 2016, 11:07:10 PM
Happy birthday, I think? I'll listen to some more of your music  8)

Mine was yesterday. However, it is Zappa's birthday, so that kind of counts. And then it's Varèse's tomorrow. Vaguely neat coincidence I guess.

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 21, 2016, 01:17:51 AM
I love it just the way it is . . . .

Well, at least someone does.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on December 21, 2016, 03:22:40 AM
With a nod to both the electric piano, and a certain Top 10 hit of the late '70s . . . .
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: ComposerOfAvantGarde on December 21, 2016, 03:27:36 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on December 21, 2016, 03:20:48 AM
Mine was yesterday. However, it is Zappa's birthday, so that kind of counts. And then it's Varèse's tomorrow. Vaguely neat coincidence I guess.

Ah yeah I get you and Zappa mixed up because of a combination of your avatar and the quirky music that both you guys make. 8)
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 21, 2016, 03:54:15 AM
Quote from: jessop on December 21, 2016, 03:27:36 AM
Ah yeah I get you and Zappa mixed up because of a combination of your avatar and the quirky music that both you guys make. 8)

Maybe there's some astrological correlation between being born at this time of year and being an obscure eccentric composer.

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 21, 2016, 03:22:40 AM
With a nod to both the electric piano, and a certain Top 10 hit of the late '70s . . . .

I got the reference, although I wasn't sure of the connection until reading your post just now.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on December 21, 2016, 03:56:39 AM
Your writing is strong, both technically and in character;  I like it.

Carry on.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: pjme on December 21, 2016, 04:08:02 AM
Just in case someone would like to know...

(http://www.jacquelynadams.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/AndyBove.jpg)

Cimbasso

(http://www.professionalorchestration.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/cimbasso-and-all-bones.jpg)


P.
Title: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on December 21, 2016, 04:09:47 AM
Thanks! I have wanted to know.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on December 21, 2016, 04:37:57 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 21, 2016, 03:56:39 AM
Your writing is strong, both technically and in character;  I like it.

Carry on.

Many thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it.

Quote from: pjme on December 21, 2016, 04:08:02 AM
Just in case someone would like to know...

They look as impressive as they sound!
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on January 12, 2017, 07:33:24 AM
Brief new piece called "Monumentum".

Downloads:
mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDS03_Monumentum_2017.zip)
FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Monumentum_FLAC.zip)

Streaming:
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXUUie-GmDo)
bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/monumentum)
soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/monumentum)
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on January 12, 2017, 08:58:23 AM
Nice.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Mahlerian on January 12, 2017, 09:08:15 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 12, 2017, 07:33:24 AM
Brief new piece called "Monumentum".

Downloads:
mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDS03_Monumentum_2017.zip)
FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Monumentum_FLAC.zip)

Streaming:
YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXUUie-GmDo)
bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/monumentum)
soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/monumentum)

I like it.  Is this your first piece for solo piano?
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on January 12, 2017, 11:13:29 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 12, 2017, 08:58:23 AM
Nice.
Thanks.

Quote from: Mahlerian on January 12, 2017, 09:08:15 AM
I like it.  Is this your first piece for solo piano?

Thank you. It's the first one I've published as a stand-alone work. There are a couple of others, most recently the variation I wrote for Thatfabulousalien's project back on TC. Others I've worked on are either unfinished or just not very good.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on January 25, 2017, 04:25:12 PM
New musics are on the way, folks, one in particular I'm quite excited about (others not so much because I haven't really gotten a handle on them yet), but in the meantime here's some not very big news.

All the cool kids are doing it, and my friend said I should get one, so I have tentatively made myself a Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/cazazzadan). I don't know why anyone would want to give me money, and I don't expect anything to come of it, but we'll see. If it works out it could be a decent supplement to the as yet meagre sums I make working in video games.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on February 02, 2017, 02:23:59 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/lOoExnb.png)

Almost ready to move into phase two of something that should be pretty spectacular if I can actually pull it off.
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on February 09, 2017, 03:21:20 PM
And the above is now finished. I'm currently writing an essay for the liner notes. In a few days this place'll be jumpin'! Jumpin', I tell ya!
Title: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Karl Henning on February 09, 2017, 05:50:33 PM
Hoots, mon!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Title: Introducing: Pints of Brine
Post by: Crudblud on February 10, 2017, 12:22:21 AM
Things always go quicker than you expect when you're not expecting it. Well, here's Pints of Brine.

No mere pabulum, it's a pianistic parade, a plethora of pianoid planetoid paranoids passionately perambulating in pink pyjamas by the palatial pavilions of pantonal pathos. Pax, pals, and do partake, won't you please?

Download in mp3 with liner notes (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE32_Pints_of_Brine_2017.zip)

Download in FLAC with liner notes (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Pints_of_Brine_FLAC.zip)

Stream on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0JSAoGau2Y)

Stream on Bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/pints-of-brine)

Stream on Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/pints-of-brine)
Title: Re: Cazazza Dan
Post by: Crudblud on February 17, 2017, 09:56:09 PM
Found some old unreleased stuff I might re-work into something more substantial. I don't know yet, and there are quite a few other things I am already working on, including my first composition intended for human performance, so we shall see.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 13, 2017, 05:17:40 AM
Introducing a few older pieces posted up on YouTube recently. They are all related to each other.

Motbourne Rag (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7pVcok8p6I)

First, a piece made entirely out of sounds from a trombone, modified to some ridiculous degree to create a wide range of sounds which become less and less trombone-y as the piece progresses. The original trombone piece was written for a friendly composition competition on another forum.

Compressed Burlesque (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmVOkOxc4cs)

Next, a short piece for piano and violin, originally written for another friendly composition competition on another forum. It's a fun little ditty that I keep thinking I'll expand with additional movements but never do.

The Hole (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYHhIgHxBt8)

Lastly, a large-scale piece made mostly out of voice recordings. Motbourne Rag was kind of a technical dry run for this in a lot of ways, and the beginning and end are made entirely out of Compressed Burlesque.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 13, 2017, 05:31:18 AM
Will listen, thanks.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 23, 2017, 05:26:50 AM
Charming:

http://www.youtube.com/v/lmVOkOxc4cs
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 23, 2017, 11:00:52 AM
I love the sonorities in this one.

http://www.youtube.com/v/M7pVcok8p6I
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 24, 2017, 08:56:18 AM
Thanks Karl!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 22, 2017, 11:59:08 PM
Coming soon to a thread near you: this abomination!

(http://i.imgur.com/I37GkeS.png)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 26, 2017, 10:44:33 PM
Well friends, here it is, An Ængliscmans Partyta for solo violin. And it can be yours at the click of a button! Do buttons click? Some of them clack. Others ping or bing. I guess I didn't really think that one through. Anyway, if you like pinging, binging, clicking and/or clacking, I have a feeling this one's for you!

I still don't know how to embed YouTube videos on this forum, so here's the video (https://youtu.be/njJxdWr-qwI).

Meanwhile...

Downloads are available in mp3 (V0) (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE33_An_Aengliscmans_Partyta_2017.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/An_Aengliscmans_Partyta_FLAC.zip)

And alternative streams are up on Bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/an-ngliscmans-partyta) and Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/an-aengliscmans-partyta).

Thanks for reading, I hope y'all enjoy it!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on May 28, 2017, 08:24:16 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on May 26, 2017, 10:44:33 PM
Well friends, here it is, An Ængliscmans Partyta for solo violin. And it can be yours at the click of a button! Do buttons click? Some of them clack. Others ping or bing. I guess I didn't really think that one through. Anyway, if you like pinging, binging, clicking and/or clacking, I have a feeling this one's for you!

I still don't know how to embed YouTube videos on this forum, so here's the video (https://youtu.be/njJxdWr-qwI).

Meanwhile...

Downloads are available in mp3 (V0) (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE33_An_Aengliscmans_Partyta_2017.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/An_Aengliscmans_Partyta_FLAC.zip)

And alternative streams are up on Bandcamp (https://cazazzadan.bandcamp.com/album/an-ngliscmans-partyta) and Soundcloud (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/an-aengliscmans-partyta).

Thanks for reading, I hope y'all enjoy it!

I'll be fleshing out a sketch idea for solo violin soon, and your piece provides just that much more inspiration about the sonic possibilities of the instrument.  Quite excellent.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 28, 2017, 08:43:37 AM
Quote from: Mahlerian on May 28, 2017, 08:24:16 AM
I'll be fleshing out a sketch idea for solo violin soon, and your piece provides just that much more inspiration about the sonic possibilities of the instrument.  Quite excellent.

Thanks for checking it out! As long as you don't write eight note chords like I did, I think you'll be fine.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 30, 2017, 01:01:47 AM
My piece Pints of Brine has been submitted to the British Composer Awards 2017. I'm not expecting anything, but it's worth trying out.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 31, 2017, 03:51:33 AM
Quote from: neilasuolubaftahT on May 26, 2017, 11:21:41 PM
Gonna listen shortly, I always enjoy your works  8)

Presently wondering (without jealousy, I hasten to add) if this got lost under a torrent of new John Zorn records...
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 31, 2017, 11:05:03 PM
Quote from: Neil Asuolubaftaht on May 31, 2017, 05:17:41 PM

I forgot to follow that up sorry.

Very evocative piece, I like the the slower-paced very concentrated kind of mood the partita evokes. The use of artificial harmonics (I presume) where very colorful, quite a lyrical piece too. I found your use of musical space and form over the six movements to be intriguing (as it's something I'm trying to find within my own stylistic aesthetic).

Yep, I liked it a lot!  :D

It's cool, I just didn't want to make a liar out of you. :P (ugliest emoticon ever created?) One time there was someone (ain't namin' names) who expressed interest on the day of release but ended up actually listening to it over a year later, even then only after I happened to bring it up. Anyway, thank you so much for listening!

There are quite a lot of harmonics in there, artificial or natural I couldn't really say, I guess it'd be in the library manual, but I didn't really look it over too thoroughly. I tried to have a good mix of vibrato and non-vibrato sounds, since the violin patch I ordinarily use (LA Scoring Strings) is all vibrato sustains all the time. I ended up using this one (Chris Hein Solo Violin) because it has a broader array of articulations, even though the legato transitions are not sampled and just consist of super-fast pitchbends and sound goofy as hell. The LASS violin has properly sampled transitions, and you can break them in a variety of interesting and totally unique ways, but for a full-on solo violin composition I really wanted to not be tied down by realism — there are still some limitations on that front, but I felt it was a worthwhile compromise, so didn't go poking around under the hood.

Thanks again!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 07, 2017, 11:01:30 AM
Here's the first (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRAjdXWVDf0) in a new series of short pieces that I'll be uploading only on YouTube. It's basically just going to be like a sketchpad, things dashed out in an hour or so for fun. I'd been meaning to start it for a while, but hadn't had any ideas. Today is a friend's birthday, so I decided to write a little piece for him.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 07, 2017, 11:08:14 AM
Will check it out soon!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 07, 2017, 09:56:49 PM
Quote from: Neil Asuolubaftaht on June 07, 2017, 04:22:47 PM
Sounds sweet, I enjoyed it a lot

Thank you!

Quote from: Neil Asuolubaftaht on June 07, 2017, 04:22:47 PM(very short though)

That's the idea! Although I didn't start the series for this reason, the game I'm working on is now making strong progress in its development, so I will soon have a lot less time to be composing longer works of my own, but I can probably keep up a steady string of fun miniatures. Short pieces were my bread and butter as a kid (I learned to compose on a demo version of a guitar tablature software which would only allow you to save roughly 16 bars of music per file, depending on other factors) so it'll be quite fun to return to that form now, and I imagine many of the short pieces will inspire longer works in a similar style when I have the time to realise them.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 12, 2017, 07:06:02 AM
Quote from: α | ì Æ ñ on June 12, 2017, 04:59:36 AM
Dan/Crudblud, I've been really enjoying the hell out of your work lately, I downloaded around 9 of your albums from your site and have been putting them on over the past week. I've almost collapsed on my computer (I just watched twin peaks episodes 5/6 TWICE today, 5 being two re-watches, lol) from tiredness but I will follow this up tomorrow.  8)

Thank you so much, I'm sincerely very flattered. These are just the positive vibes I need coming my way, soundtrack work has been kicking my ass lately.

I'm about to watch episode 6, btw, we can confer in the Peaks thread later.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Rons_talking on June 13, 2017, 11:15:25 PM
These are exciting works. You seem to use every element to get so much variety. I like, in particular the "portal" piece. It's so high, low, thick and thin in terms of texture and density. Good work!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 13, 2017, 11:54:14 PM
Quote from: α | ì Æ ñ on June 13, 2017, 10:22:03 PM
I've been listening to repeatedly quite a bit:

Fat Trout Neighbor
Frozen Bob's Estranged Wife (such a Zappa title  :-* )
The Hole
Male Goat Odes
Salami

Which I've been enjoying the most

Thank you, I'm so glad you're enjoying them! I don't really ever hear about people getting that into my music, so it's really gratifying to hear this from you. Salami is the only piece I have substantially revised, and now I'm not happy with the revision, so there may be another majorly different version coming in the next year or so, if I have the time to do it. By the way, two of my favourites of the past few years that people seem to avoid for some reason are Urgynes and Problem Zero; I don't know if you've heard them already, but while I've got you hooked I might as well push more of this crap.

Quote from: α | ì Æ ñ on June 13, 2017, 10:22:03 PM
And I checked out earlier stuff like "The 20th Century" and The Salad, which are very fascinating to hear  :D

I do sense a sort of kinship as a composer, we've both been influenced quite strongly by certain composers. Though, while I'm still stuck having to rely on musicians to do my dirty work with my classical compositions, you've kinda taken the synclavier idea (but in the 21st century) and really run with it, which I admire. There's some really cool stuff I've heard there so far, still listening of course  8)

*warning: tedious ramble about computers mixed with autobiography incoming*

Using computers to make music just started as a dumb little thing to do after school when I was around 11 or 12 or so. My friend showed me this goofy demo software and I started playing around with it when I should have been doing my homework. As I got more and more into it, it started to become more of a thing where I was realising, in some way, the things I wanted to play with a real band (I wanted to do technical metal cribbing from Dream Theater, Zappa, Primus, Atheist etc.), but couldn't because I was a crappy guitar player and I didn't know many people who would be interested in trying to play ridiculously hard stuff for fun. Fortunately, computers don't need to learn how to play instruments or how to coordinate themselves, as long as they have the right software they can do whatever you need. So I was developing my skills composing for computers out of necessity, and by the time I got serious it was something I was quite comfortable with, although I don't think I was any good at it.

I would never recommend computers over live musicians as a general rule, because they're as different if not more so than, say, a violin is from a xylophone. As a composer, you'll know that writing for an instrument requires a certain familiarity with that instrument, its strengths and weaknesses, particular techniques, limitations etc., and it's the same when considering the computer. Lots of composers these days use scorewriter software to create MIDI mock-ups of pieces intended to be played by live musicians, but they invariably end up sounding terrible, because no matter how much money they spend on sound libraries, they don't consider that the computer is not an interpreter but an absolute executor of instructions, and you have to not only be a composer but a conductor as well, guiding it in every element with as much precision as possible. The stock MIDI library can produce as "natural" (though not "realistic"*, obviously) sounding a render as a super expensive orchestral library if you only take the time to make the score computer friendly. It's quite different to giving a score to someone who can actually think and make their own decisions. I wouldn't say one is easier than the other, of course, but it is something to bear in mind that most people don't seem to consider at all.

Anyway, while I was doing that "MIDI metal" stuff I eventually met some people who encouraged me to start releasing music to the public, and I started working on The Salad, by which time I had already been exposed to a lot of different music. In particular I had started to listen to John Zorn, Mr Bungle, Captain Beefheart (I had known him before, but I got seriously into his stuff around 2007), Merzbow, Cop Shoot Cop, Boris, Throbbing Gristle, Foetus and others, and I kind of ended up imitating a lot of that and throwing it all together. The Salad was (still is) a goddamned mess! But it was my mess. Hard to believe that'll be ten years old next year, but given how different it is from what I'm doing today, it does almost feel like a previous life. The 20th Century is easily the best, most consistent thing I did pre-2012, after that I started to get into free improvisation and put out some really lame stuff, particularly in 2010. I put out lame stuff in 2011 as well, but that was a whole other level of embarrassment. One thing you might notice in those early albums, where the computer is used, is that my rhythms are very metronomic, I was writing usually at a resolution of 1/16, 1/32 at the most, whereas these days I use the finest grain resolution I possibly can, 1/128 or higher.

I don't mean to ramble on, but I don't get asked or prompted on this stuff very often, so it tends to spark an attack of logorrhea when I do. Anyway, thank you so much for the kind words, I really appreciate it.

*The topic of realism in MIDI rendering is somewhat irritating for me, since it assumes that the goal of all music made with computers is ultimately to create a simulation of live performance. I am trying, in what small way I can, to fight that assumption. If my work proves to have any reach and lasting impact, it will likely be felt in the emancipation of the goofiness achievable only through the exploitation of MIDI systems and sound libraries.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 13, 2017, 11:56:37 PM
Quote from: Rons_talking on June 13, 2017, 11:15:25 PM
These are exciting works. You seem to use every element to get so much variety. I like, in particular the "portal" piece. It's so high, low, thick and thin in terms of texture and density. Good work!

Thanks Ron, I appreciate it!

I have been meaning to check out your music. Will do so when I have some time outside of work, which will hopefully be soon. Thanks again.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 14, 2017, 03:02:15 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on June 13, 2017, 11:54:14 PM
Using computers to make music just started as a dumb little thing to do after school when I was around 11 or 12 or so. My friend showed me this goofy demo software and I started playing around with it when I should have been doing my homework.

Okay, I'll say it:  Your mind was engaged, so playing around with the goofy demo software was your homework, in effect.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 14, 2017, 03:44:21 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on June 07, 2017, 11:01:30 AM
Here's the first (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRAjdXWVDf0) in a new series of short pieces that I'll be uploading only on YouTube. It's basically just going to be like a sketchpad, things dashed out in an hour or so for fun. I'd been meaning to start it for a while, but hadn't had any ideas. Today is a friend's birthday, so I decided to write a little piece for him.

Nicely sculpted.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 19, 2017, 03:29:03 AM
Oops, I see I've been neglecting the thread. Well, hang on chaps, I'll be around to respond eventually, but work is presently becoming hectic. For now, here's another doodle (https://youtu.be/tnc-bsLB5lc).
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 19, 2017, 03:33:31 AM
http://www.youtube.com/v/tnc-bsLB5lc


Nicely done.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 19, 2017, 10:57:57 AM
And another one (https://youtu.be/FrhjYeuxgJc), made on request following the composition of the previous one.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 26, 2017, 02:45:36 AM
Good news: Four hours of music completed in the past 12 months, following the best part of a year of forced compositional inactivity.

Bad news: Computer is failing POST and I will probably have to shell out for replacement RAM if not something more expensive...

Of course this would happen when I'm busier than ever!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 26, 2017, 02:47:30 AM


Quote from: Crudblud on June 26, 2017, 02:45:36 AM
Good news: Four hours of music completed in the past 12 months, following the best part of a year of forced compositional inactivity.

Good job!

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 29, 2017, 09:34:36 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on June 26, 2017, 02:45:36 AM
Bad news: Computer is failing POST and I will probably have to shell out for replacement RAM if not something more expensive...

Turns out it was just me being a goofball and misaligning the CMOS breaker. Good job I kept coming back to the hardware and tinkering with it. Now I'm back in business, baby!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 29, 2017, 10:27:23 AM
Very good!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on July 18, 2017, 09:17:59 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on May 30, 2017, 01:01:47 AM
My piece Pints of Brine has been submitted to the British Composer Awards 2017. I'm not expecting anything, but it's worth trying out.

Alas(! o woe is me, and all that jazz), the piece has not been performed or played on the radio, and has been rejected on those grounds. I was aware of the requirement for a "premiere", but it seemed to indicate that any public appearance would suffice. Too bad, I guess, but I didn't have high hopes for it in the first place.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on July 19, 2017, 07:29:43 AM
Better luck next time!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 17, 2017, 07:29:41 AM
Owing to financial difficulties which my boss is currently trying to sort out, I am free from soundtrack duty for however long. I'll try to complete some new pieces in that time.

In the meantime, if you ever wanted to hear what it sounds like when I try my hand at quasi late romantic pastiche, here's some soundtrack work that didn't make the cut. Watch out for Mahler references, there are a couple of not-so-subtle ones in there.

http://www.youtube.com/v/hu5zz9BPOJ4
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on August 17, 2017, 08:13:41 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on August 17, 2017, 07:29:41 AM
Owing to financial difficulties which my boss is currently trying to sort out, I am free from soundtrack duty for however long. I'll try to complete some new pieces in that time.

In the meantime, if you ever wanted to hear what it sounds like when I try my hand at quasi late romantic pastiche, here's some soundtrack work that didn't make the cut. Watch out for Mahler references, there are a couple of not-so-subtle ones in there.

http://www.youtube.com/v/hu5zz9BPOJ4

I can hear several Mahler references, but believe it or not, I hear your voice most strongly, even though the borrowed language.  Pretty enjoyable!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 17, 2017, 11:29:01 AM
Quote from: Mahlerian on August 17, 2017, 08:13:41 AM
I can hear several Mahler references, but believe it or not, I hear your voice most strongly, even though the borrowed language.  Pretty enjoyable!

Thanks! I'm glad you think I still sound like myself here. It's difficult for me to gauge that sort of thing anyway, but in this case I was just happy that it sounded decent to my ears.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 18, 2017, 08:18:33 AM
I was hoping to have more of these out by now, but I severely underestimated how time consuming soundtrack work was going to be. In any case, here's another littl'un.

http://www.youtube.com/v/RE1g2kJcJDA
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 18, 2017, 09:22:17 AM
Good to see you at work!

Will check this out a little later . . . .
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 28, 2017, 08:42:39 AM
Just about completed a rough draft of what I think will be one of a "book" or "cycle" of short to medium length ensemble pieces. I'm not really sure yet.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: millionrainbows on August 28, 2017, 01:33:54 PM
Just to let you know, I have always gotten the Cazazza reference in your monicker. I remember a photo of him on Valentine's Day.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 28, 2017, 10:31:57 PM
Quote from: millionrainbows on August 28, 2017, 01:33:54 PM
Just to let you know, I have always gotten the Cazazza reference in your monicker. I remember a photo of him on Valentine's Day.
A friend suggested it as a joke back in 2007. For whatever reason it stuck. I'm actually not that familiar with Monte Cazazza, but the connection amuses me nonetheless.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: millionrainbows on August 29, 2017, 08:10:40 AM
I notice that you are a fan of Zappa. How do you feel about rhythm? Do you like your music to be 'free' or within the grid of some rhythmic scheme? Most of it sounds very free rhythmically. I would think that in a computer environment, that adhering to some sort of rhythmic underpinning or grid would be always available for exploitation. What is your most 'rhythmic' work?
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 29, 2017, 09:25:27 AM
Quote from: millionrainbows on August 29, 2017, 08:10:40 AM
I notice that you are a fan of Zappa. How do you feel about rhythm? Do you like your music to be 'free' or within the grid of some rhythmic scheme? Most of it sounds very free rhythmically. I would think that in a computer environment, that adhering to some sort of rhythmic underpinning or grid would be always available for exploitation. What is your most 'rhythmic' work?

It's really on a case by case basis. When I start composing a piece, I am looking for a "seed" idea, something that can generate material and fuel development of that material sufficient to create something substantial. Composition is done with reference and deference to that seed, I am always seeking out what is appropriate to it. Some ideas produce floating gestures that seem to exist independently of any overall sense of meter, while others may give rise to metric schemes and encourage or demand adherence to them.

If I'm understanding what you mean by "rhythmic", I think Frozen Bob's Estranged Wife (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/frozen-bobs-estranged-wife) is what you're looking for. It is very dance-oriented, and meter is generally quite strictly observed, probably because I tend to think more in terms of a beat when I use percussion (but not always). You may find Problem Zero (https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan/problem-zero) relevant for similar reasons. They function quite well as companion pieces.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 06, 2017, 07:59:36 AM
Here's one I made earlier. It was originally going to be a movement of something bigger but I capped it off and let it sit on its own. There is something big(ger) coming in the next month or two which is related to both this and the previous doodle, at least in instrumentation. As for this 'un, I was so proud of it that I gave it a really unique and memorable title.

http://www.youtube.com/v/UE-Q18Pz_tQ
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Rons_talking on September 12, 2017, 06:47:27 PM
I just listened to AEnglishman's Partyta and the work that follows (piano) on Bandcamp (I've never used it before), and the works are great! You have a strong sense of musical balance and micro-structure. The works are wild and intuitive. Keep on!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 12, 2017, 08:06:16 PM
Quote from: Rons_talking on September 12, 2017, 06:47:27 PM
I just listened to AEnglishman's Partyta and the work that follows (piano) on Bandcamp (I've never used it before), and the works are great! You have a strong sense of musical balance and micro-structure. The works are wild and intuitive. Keep on!

Thank you, Ron! I'm currently struggling with the early stages of something big, and it is very hard going, your kind words are a real boost to my spirits.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on October 02, 2017, 10:02:41 AM
Very well done!

https://www.youtube.com/v/yrLLCAdE7M0
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on October 02, 2017, 02:09:12 PM
Thanks Karl! I actually forgot to post those "videos" here for some reason, but there's one of 'em at least. I think they're pretty good for what they are, but out of context of the grand scheme I had planned they're just pastiches. These were, as the descriptions on the videos indicate, to be "in universe" musics that would play when the player visited a specific city. Each city was going to have 15-20 minutes of unique music with instrumentation and style drawing on various European traditions, as well as a few cheeky riffs on specific composers. I got about halfway there, with four cities fully scored and a handful of pieces in various states of completion for the others. Too bad I guess, but life and music go on.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on November 08, 2017, 07:10:27 AM
Hey everyone, the new thing is here. I was hoping to have it done by the end of October, but a week over ain't so bad. Hope y'all like it!

https://www.youtube.com/v/oyXw0NQV-qc

P.S.: Downloads are coming, but following some awkwardness surrounding the continued hosting of archives at the usual location I am in the process of migrating the back catalogue to a new place. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on November 08, 2017, 07:11:38 AM
Good to see fresh activity!  I'll give it a spin (← hipster antique-speak) this evening at home, and at my leisure.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: You did it on November 08, 2017, 11:51:06 PM
I'm really impressed with Starlite Revue  :)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on November 10, 2017, 02:33:39 AM
Hey gang, downloads are here (https://mega.nz/#F!kfpQQYBI!AHqd92vstLEYh_25NcMQFA) now, so if ever you wanted to read the nonsensical notes that accompany these abominations, you can now do that! Again! (the old links are still up but I'm not in control of that server, so their continued functioning is not up to me)

Quote from: Le Moderniste on November 08, 2017, 11:51:06 PM
I'm really impressed with Starlite Revue  :)
Thanks!

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on November 08, 2017, 07:11:38 AM
Good to see fresh activity!  I'll give it a spin (← hipster antique-speak) this evening at home, and at my leisure.
Thank you for the interest, I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on November 10, 2017, 08:44:36 AM
Downloaded and listened to Starlight Revue today.  More fine work, good sir, and I'm impressed at how you were able to create such an extended composition, and one with frequent motivic returns and development, at that.  It was certainly too much to take in every detail in a single sitting, but your characteristically startling turns of direction and half-parodistic/half-serious tone is always fascinating.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on November 10, 2017, 09:04:35 AM
I need to set aside a listening hour to give the music its due;  I enjoyed the first 8 minutes unreservedly  8)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on November 12, 2017, 03:28:33 PM
Quote from: Mahlerian on November 10, 2017, 08:44:36 AM
Downloaded and listened to Starlight Revue today.  More fine work, good sir, and I'm impressed at how you were able to create such an extended composition, and one with frequent motivic returns and development, at that.  It was certainly too much to take in every detail in a single sitting, but your characteristically startling turns of direction and half-parodistic/half-serious tone is always fascinating.

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on November 10, 2017, 09:04:35 AM
I need to set aside a listening hour to give the music its due;  I enjoyed the first 8 minutes unreservedly  8)

Thank you both. I was holding off because I wanted to give a more detailed response (particularly to Mahlerian's comment on the motif stuff) but I couldn't really think of anything to say. Best to let the music speak for itself I guess?
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on November 16, 2017, 06:20:09 AM
Alright, apologies due. I was in my usual "post-completion depression" phase when I wrote that response, and I'm sorry to have been so shitty about it. Let's try that one again...

Quote from: Mahlerian on November 10, 2017, 08:44:36 AM
Downloaded and listened to Starlight Revue today.  More fine work, good sir, and I'm impressed at how you were able to create such an extended composition, and one with frequent motivic returns and development, at that.  It was certainly too much to take in every detail in a single sitting, but your characteristically startling turns of direction and half-parodistic/half-serious tone is always fascinating.

This was my first time working to a predetermined structure. I wanted to create something that would have more of a goal in mind, rather than simply "let's follow this and see where we end up". Of course, taking a path and seeing where I end up is kind of how it goes regardless of what preparations I might make, but having a "plot" this time around gave me a different perspective on the path I was taking, it was one I had at least partially mapped out before I began to walk. This map, rather than telling me the direction I would go in, more gave me a sense of terrain, and if I keep this metaphor going any longer I'll get annoyed with myself...

I wanted to take a bunch of instruments and split them up. After some farting around I settled on a septet of piano, harpsichord, bandoneon, French horn, English horn, marimba, and cello, and set about coming up with a scheme of breaking them up into smaller ensembles. In my notepad I eventually ended up with the following:

1. Full ensemble
2. Duo I: Marimba, cello
3. Piano
4. Trio I: Fr. horn, Eng. horn, cello
5. Quartet I: Harpsichord, bandoneon, Eng. horn, cello
6. Fr. horn
7. Duo II: Bandoneon, Eng. Horn
8. Harpsichord
9. Trio II: Piano, Fr. horn, marimba
10. Sextet: Piano, harpsichord, Fr. horn, Eng. horn, marimba, cello
11. Trio III: Piano, bandoneon, cello
12. Eng. horn
13. Duo III: Harpsichord, Fr. horn
14. Cello
15. Quartet II: Harpsichord, Eng. horn, marimba, cello
16. Trio IV: Piano, harpsichord, bandoneon
17. Marimba
18. Duo IV: Piano, marimba
19. Full ensemble

The first section came out around three and a half minutes, and it didn't take long for me to work out I was looking at at least 40 minutes total. I was somewhat apprehensive because I didn't know if this would ultimately lead me to stretch the piece longer to appease a burgeoning hubris, fortunately I don't think that happened. What occurred to me pretty early on, and it had largely happened naturally during the plotting process, was that the instruments appeared in cycles of sorts, each one would feature in a group of multiple contiguous sections and then disappear for several others before reappearing. I tried to adapt this also to the treatment of motifs that had emerged in the first section.

The first part of the piece (which I would think of as sections 1-9) almost denies the motifs, once the simple fifth pattern in the bass is shaken off by the piano solo, the use of established material becomes quite sparing and covert, but after the sextet its importance is reestablished, and the piece begins to move back, searching out the full ensemble. That was partly a response to seeing how far away the music seemed to be getting from its roots. In the sextet there is a big crescendo early on, beginning with a piano ostinato and layering the other instruments on top, and it struck me how far this had come away from the starting point. Not that this was a problem in itself, but with a symmetrical (in terms of size of ensembles) structure, the sextet being right in the middle, it seemed that this should perhaps be the most extreme distance, the apoapsis of the piece, which also fit the "cycle" idea nicely.

So from that point it starts to come back home, but I wasn't quite sure what to do when it arrived. The file I was working on was saved multiple times under different names, each version containing a different aborted finale. I wanted to go back to the beginning, but I didn't want to do it literally, as I had done in Problem Zero. If I could recapture the mood and the tone without restating the material in bulk, I could reach a conclusion. Eventually I came to the realisation that if the finale was to be a recapitulation, it should be a stifled one. I think of the finale as beginning with nostalgia for the first part, recalling its facile waltzes, trying to get back to the opening section, but ultimately having to move on somewhere else.

So that is what I wanted to talk about the first time in response to Mahlerian's post, but my brain just was not in gear. The more time I've spent with Mahler in my ear and Bach in my fingers (I like to play guitar transcriptions, particularly of the works for solo string instruments) the stronger, I think, my interest in motivic development and structure has become. In this piece it's those two composers in particular who have pushed me to strive for a greater sense of overarching unity and structural integrity, and I hope that is apparent when people listen to it. Of course, now I may have influenced people who come to the piece through this thread to hear it by writing this, but whatever.

Thank you again Mahlerian, I'm really glad the emphasis on motif came through for you, and that you enjoyed the piece.

P.S.: Here (https://youtu.be/AXmFpFbqXsU) you can hear my first attempt at starting the piece. Originally the instrumentation included a lute, and used a violin instead of a cello. I had not yet worked out any kind of structure, and I don't think I had many or any ideas either. It's pretty easy to see why I abandoned this one.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on November 16, 2017, 06:53:51 AM
I did not think that anything in your response requires an apology.

I'll apologize, a bit, though for not yet attending to Starlight Revue.  Woolly week at the office, Triad concerts this weekend, and my wife & I are getting ready to travel next week.

The good news being, that come Tuesday, I shall have ample capacity to give it its musical due!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Rons_talking on November 17, 2017, 09:57:04 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on November 08, 2017, 07:10:27 AM
Hey everyone, the new thing is here. I was hoping to have it done by the end of October, but a week over ain't so bad. Hope y'all like it!

https://www.youtube.com/v/oyXw0NQV-qc

P.S.: Downloads are coming, but following some awkwardness surrounding the continued hosting of archives at the usual location I am in the process of migrating the back catalogue to a new place. Stay tuned.

Hey, nice work! All of your work has  (to me) a sense of spontaneity to it, regardless of your macro-structure. I find that lacking in a lot of contemporary music but you've got it and it's good!  I also like the use of quotation and the space you give this work. Well done...
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on November 18, 2017, 07:53:24 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on November 16, 2017, 06:53:51 AM
I'll apologize, a bit, though for not yet attending to Starlight Revue.  Woolly week at the office, Triad concerts this weekend, and my wife & I are getting ready to travel next week.
No need at all, Karl. You lead a full life, that's nothing to apologise for. Good luck with your concerts, and I hope the weather is good for your journey!

Quote from: Rons_talking on November 17, 2017, 09:57:04 AM
Hey, nice work! All of your work has  (to me) a sense of spontaneity to it, regardless of your macro-structure. I find that lacking in a lot of contemporary music but you've got it and it's good!  I also like the use of quotation and the space you give this work. Well done...
Thanks Ron! In this case a planned macrostructure may well have been the wellspring of spontaneity. Having the instrumentation grow and shrink and otherwise change over course of the piece forced me to find ways of handling familiar instruments in often unfamiliar combinations, which I think kept the potential for surprise fairly high.

By the way, I messed up...

Quote from: Crudblud on November 16, 2017, 06:20:09 AM
5. Quartet I: Harpsichord, bandoneon, Eng. horn, cello

There ain't no stinkin' cellos in that there quartet! 'Tis a marimba, plain as day! That's what I get for doing it from memory instead of using my notes. That one's a freebie: any other mistakes, I'll be hiding under my desk until we've all forgotten about them.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on November 21, 2017, 04:23:04 AM
Cheers!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on December 15, 2017, 08:45:06 AM
Couple o' short shorts f'yez.

https://www.youtube.com/v/CgIWW7UVYzU

https://www.youtube.com/v/ELOZ-Iw_9rY

A merry Krizmus to you and yours, foax.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on December 17, 2017, 07:22:47 AM
Posted up a big ol' essay (https://cazoozerdon.wordpress.com/2017/12/17/twin-peaks-is-cinema-and-metal-is-the-new-classical-music/) of potentially minor interest to people on this forum. I haven't seen much or really any of what I talk about in the essay here on GMG, but those of you who frequent or have in the past frequented TalkClassical, or who have ever had the misfortune of being possessed by morbid curiosity regarding comment sections on YouTube videos, will probably know very well what I'm talking about.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on December 17, 2017, 07:40:07 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on December 17, 2017, 07:22:47 AM
Posted up a big ol' essay (https://cazoozerdon.wordpress.com/2017/12/17/twin-peaks-is-cinema-and-metal-is-the-new-classical-music/) of potentially minor interest to people on this forum. I haven't seen much or really any of what I talk about in the essay here on GMG, but those of you who frequent or have in the past frequented TalkClassical, or who have ever had the misfortune of being possessed by morbid curiosity regarding comment sections on YouTube videos, will probably know very well what I'm talking about.

I don't recall when I first started hearing "film composers are the new classical composers/true classical composers today," but it's always struck me as a bizarre claim.  People who say this seem to have a very shallow understanding of what classical music is or can be.

Also, calling something "classical music" does not imply anything about quality (at least not in the modern usage), so I find it odd when people think that the best of the surviving popular music of the 20th century will eventually be considered "classical."

If people want to defend popular music/jazz/film scores/video game scores/metal, they should discuss its merits rather than creating dubious connections to concert music.  It doesn't create the patina of respectability that these people imagine it does.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on December 17, 2017, 07:02:14 PM
Quote from: Mahlerian on December 17, 2017, 07:40:07 AM
I don't recall when I first started hearing "film composers are the new classical composers/true classical composers today," but it's always struck me as a bizarre claim.  People who say this seem to have a very shallow understanding of what classical music is or can be.

Also, calling something "classical music" does not imply anything about quality (at least not in the modern usage), so I find it odd when people think that the best of the surviving popular music of the 20th century will eventually be considered "classical."

If people want to defend popular music/jazz/film scores/video game scores/metal, they should discuss its merits rather than creating dubious connections to concert music.  It doesn't create the patina of respectability that these people imagine it does.

In some cases it is just a matter of "it sounds somewhat like X to me therefore it is X", an ignorance that could possibly be challenged assuming the person making the claim is open to the idea that they could be wrong, but on the internet especially people take a position with little or no basis than their own initial reaction to something and don't back down no matter the evidence or quality of argument presented against it. The resulting arguments are always insubstantial and almost always result in people calling each other idiots while neither side has any real understanding of the subject.

It's one of the rare instances where I find that the massively overused word "pretentious" is actually applicable. I didn't use it in the essay because I think it has taken on too much cultural baggage to be viable for general usage, it's the best way to turn a discussion into a mudslinging contest, but it's highly accurate in describing this phenomenon.

On your last point, I think part of the problem comes from the idea that one's musical taste must be defended in the first place. What's interesting to me is that so often it seems to be the case that the defence is the starting position, it's not a response to anything, it's preemptive action against something that probably won't even occur unless you go looking for it. And yes, engaging with a given piece or type of music on its own terms is always the best policy, trying to make of it something that it is not is just plain wrongheaded.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on December 18, 2017, 04:21:09 AM
Tangentially, on the theme of the concert hall conveying any kind of legitimacy:  I find John Williams's music for the screen superior to any of the "concert music" he has written.  My personal working hypothesis there is, that in the case of his movie soundtracks, he had others to whom his work needed to answer.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on December 18, 2017, 07:38:25 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on December 18, 2017, 04:21:09 AM
Tangentially, on the theme of the concert hall conveying any kind of legitimacy:  I find John Williams's music for the screen superior to any of the "concert music" he has written.  My personal working hypothesis there is, that in the case of his movie soundtracks, he had others to whom his work needed to answer.

Without making any comparison in terms of quality, I think the case of Wagner may also be instructive in that his "absolute music" is, almost exclusively, lackluster compared to the dramatic projects that inspired him.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on December 18, 2017, 09:23:18 AM
Quote from: Mahlerian on December 18, 2017, 07:38:25 AM
Without making any comparison in terms of quality, I think the case of Wagner may also be instructive in that his "absolute music" is, almost exclusively, lackluster compared to the dramatic projects that inspired him.

Aye, that thought crossed my mind, I do admit.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 17, 2018, 08:15:59 AM
I have not had much in the way of musical ideas lately, since the big one last year it's been a bit of a drought, on top of that I just haven't had much time or energy to devote to it. This is the first thing I've been able to complete since, not counting some extremely simple soundtrack work.

https://www.youtube.com/v/RNg3hjHgVmo
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 17, 2018, 08:20:31 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 17, 2018, 08:15:59 AM
I have not had much in the way of musical ideas lately, since the big one last year it's been a bit of a drought, on top of that I just haven't had much time or energy to devote to it. This is the first thing I've been able to complete since, not counting some extremely simple soundtrack work.

https://www.youtube.com/v/RNg3hjHgVmo

Charming!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 18, 2018, 08:25:57 PM
Here's s'more.

https://www.youtube.com/v/XkhGdjbLzU8
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 30, 2018, 09:24:38 PM
I finally got something done! It's pretty good!

https://www.youtube.com/v/MP54ZYExaH4
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 31, 2018, 04:06:19 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on March 30, 2018, 09:24:38 PM
I finally got something done! It's pretty good!

https://www.youtube.com/v/MP54ZYExaH4

Sweet!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 08, 2018, 09:36:22 AM
Thing I started as a doodle could possibly be first section of large weird ensemble thing? All this (and more!) in the next however long it's going to take for me to figure it out.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on April 09, 2018, 03:37:08 AM
Conquer!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 16, 2018, 05:31:05 AM
Another tiny piano thing while I work on bigger things. (https://youtu.be/45Aw0CGyrWM)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 17, 2018, 11:36:57 PM
As some of you will be aware, a while ago I was working as a writer and composer for a game studio, but was forced to leave when the project I was working on started to have major issues with investors. The work I did for the game ended up coming back to me, so I decided that, rather than let it go to waste, I would write a bunch of articles about it and try to provide as much context as possible. The series has gone on for some 14 weeks, and today I have published the final article (https://cazoozerdon.wordpress.com/2018/04/18/the-world-unbuilt-music/), this one about the music I composed for the game. I thought I would make a post about it here since the work occupied so much of my composing time last year. There is a link to a YouTube playlist with substantial selections (some rougher than others) from the prototype soundtrack at the end of the article.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 26, 2018, 04:10:12 AM
Somethin'.

https://www.youtube.com/v/iq786EvcVQY
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on May 26, 2018, 04:14:56 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on May 26, 2018, 04:10:12 AM
Somethin'.

https://www.youtube.com/v/iq786EvcVQY

I've dropped everything to listen.  It's a beauty!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 06, 2018, 08:00:12 AM
Some vanity-posting (what else?): I have at last beaten writer's block. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 06, 2018, 08:21:12 AM
Good!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on August 06, 2018, 08:46:56 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on August 06, 2018, 08:00:12 AM
Some vanity-posting (what else?): I have at last beaten writer's block. Stay tuned.

Huzzah!  I'm waiting with bated breath for your latest.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 29, 2018, 03:19:59 AM
Thanks for the interest. There is still much work to do, but I'm confident in saying that the new work will be ready to go in the first half of September.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 29, 2018, 03:20:42 AM
Carry on!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 03, 2018, 11:41:35 AM
At last!

https://www.youtube.com/v/ynLgop6eujY

You may also download it if you wish, presently available in your choice of mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE34_Noisy_Dreamer_2018.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Noisy%20Dreamer_FLAC.zip), as always. I'm thinking about ditching FLAC because it's one more thing to upload and I stopped believing I could tell the difference some time ago, but for now it stays!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: EddieRUKiddingVarese on September 03, 2018, 12:50:43 PM
Good too see your still hard at work Crud  ;)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on September 04, 2018, 06:33:59 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on September 03, 2018, 11:41:35 AM
At last!

You may also download it if you wish, presently available in your choice of mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE34_Noisy_Dreamer_2018.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Noisy%20Dreamer_FLAC.zip), as always. I'm thinking about ditching FLAC because it's one more thing to upload and I stopped believing I could tell the difference some time ago, but for now it stays!

Great work, as always.  There are some fresh elements to it, for sure, but it sounds fully like your work.

The entry of the farfisa organ reminded me of Takemitsu's Valeria.  Do you know it?

https://www.youtube.com/v/Um7M1fDJdgk
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 04, 2018, 10:11:53 AM
Quote from: EddieRUKiddingVarese on September 03, 2018, 12:50:43 PM
Good too see your still hard at work Crud  ;)
Thanks Eddie. It has been longer than I'd like since my last "major" piece but I'm happy to be past my block now.

Quote from: Mahlerian on September 04, 2018, 06:33:59 AM
Great work, as always.  There are some fresh elements to it, for sure, but it sounds fully like your work.

The entry of the farfisa organ reminded me of Takemitsu's Valeria.  Do you know it?
Thank you. As you know, I was struggling for some time with concerns about becoming redundant in my style. This might have led me to reject or give up on some ideas that could have been fruitful if I'd pursued them, I don't know. They might also have been much easier to realise than this one, so perhaps I was looking for a particular kind of challenge. Having to handle and balance the different classes of sound and in such numbers as they appear in this piece probably forced me to think differently than I have in previous pieces.

Thank you also for introducing me to that Takemitsu piece. I had not even heard of it before. It's quite a mysterious thing, I will definitely be listening to it some more in the near future.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Uhor on September 04, 2018, 02:20:12 PM
Very nice work.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on September 05, 2018, 12:27:40 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on September 04, 2018, 10:11:53 AM
Thanks Eddie. It has been longer than I'd like since my last "major" piece but I'm happy to be past my block now.

Thank you. As you know, I was struggling for some time with concerns about becoming redundant in my style. This might have led me to reject or give up on some ideas that could have been fruitful if I'd pursued them, I don't know. They might also have been much easier to realise than this one, so perhaps I was looking for a particular kind of challenge. Having to handle and balance the different classes of sound and in such numbers as they appear in this piece probably forced me to think differently than I have in previous pieces.

Conquer!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 05, 2018, 08:36:26 PM
Quote from: Uhor on September 04, 2018, 02:20:12 PM
Very nice work.
Thank you!

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on September 05, 2018, 12:27:40 AM
Conquer!
Conquerin'!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on October 11, 2018, 10:42:12 AM
Couple of new ditties available.

https://www.youtube.com/v/nOtrBrs8zwk

https://www.youtube.com/v/C9da6Tijosw

Download 'em in one sleek package (if you should so require) in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDSI12_Sly_Incandes_2018.zip) or FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Sly_Incandes_FLAC.zip).
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on October 13, 2018, 05:28:35 AM
Just about the perfect way to start out the Saturday morning's listening, thanks!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: shirime on October 13, 2018, 06:25:08 PM
L-79 is a nice ditty. Sounds like an advertising jingle for toilet cleaner in an alternate universe.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on October 14, 2018, 03:27:20 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on October 13, 2018, 05:28:35 AM
Just about the perfect way to start out the Saturday morning's listening, thanks!
Happy to be of service! And thank you!

Quote from: shirime on October 13, 2018, 06:25:08 PM
L-79 is a nice ditty. Sounds like an advertising jingle for toilet cleaner in an alternate universe.
I'll take it.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Jackman on October 15, 2018, 08:51:58 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on October 11, 2018, 10:42:12 AM
Couple of new ditties available.

https://www.youtube.com/v/nOtrBrs8zwk

https://www.youtube.com/v/C9da6Tijosw

Download 'em in one sleek package (if you should so require) in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDSI12_Sly_Incandes_2018.zip) or FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Sly_Incandes_FLAC.zip).

Your music sounds really cool
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on October 16, 2018, 01:02:57 AM
Quote from: Jackman on October 15, 2018, 08:51:58 PM
Your music sounds really cool
Thanks for listening! I'm glad you like it.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 21, 2019, 11:32:47 AM
Well, well, friends, it has been entirely too long but I finally got something done. This here is Henningssonate, five movements for clarinet and piano. From the name you might be able to guess that it is dedicated to composer, clarinetist, and GMG veteran Karl Henning. Since I was unable to contribute to his recuperation fund, I decided instead to send a little musical moral support. Karl has most charitably accepted the dedication, so it's now my great pleasure to present it to the public. Hope you all "dig" it, as the kids say.

https://www.youtube.com/v/si9aZiUPdp8

As usual, downloads in good old mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE35_Henningssonate_2019.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Henningssonate_FLAC.zip) are available.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Florestan on February 21, 2019, 11:44:57 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 21, 2019, 11:32:47 AM
Well, well, friends, it has been entirely too long but I finally got something done. This here is Henningssonate, five movements for clarinet and piano. From the name you might be able to guess that it is dedicated to composer, clarinetist, and GMG veteran Karl Henning. Since I was unable to contribute to his recuperation fund, I decided instead to send a little musical moral support. Karl has most charitably accepted the dedication, so it's now my great pleasure to present it to the public. Hope you all "dig" it, as the kids say.

https://www.youtube.com/v/si9aZiUPdp8

As usual, downloads in good old mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE35_Henningssonate_2019.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/Henningssonate_FLAC.zip) are available.

I certainly "dig" it and look forward to Karl's performing it and posting the whole thing on YT.

A fine work and a moving tribute to one of the most respected, likeable and friendly GMGers. Bravo!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 22, 2019, 01:05:33 PM
Well, thank you very much Florestan! As I said to Karl, there are a couple of issues re: performance, but they could be quite easily solved.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 22, 2019, 02:49:41 PM
Many thanks, again, Dan!

My mom-in-law likes the piece, too!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 23, 2019, 12:15:08 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 22, 2019, 02:49:41 PM
Many thanks, again, Dan!
The pleasure is all mine!

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 22, 2019, 02:49:41 PM
My mom-in-law likes the piece, too!
That's so nice to hear! Please thank her for me.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 10, 2019, 11:18:06 AM
New work for modified/expanded Pierrot ensemble is now under way.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 10, 2019, 12:39:08 PM
Splendid!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on September 17, 2019, 11:20:23 PM
Howdy folks, if you want to know what I've been up to for the past couple of months, this here Soundcloud playlist (https://soundcloud.com/nyranofficialsoundtrack/sets/nyran) will let you in on some of it. It's some selections from a game soundtrack, the work is currently prototypical and far from my personal style, but it is indeed "a thing what I done".
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on September 18, 2019, 01:43:00 PM
Good to see, and soon to hear.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 23, 2020, 01:12:14 AM
https://www.youtube.com/v/7zS9mpmXCbo

Good enough for government work.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 25, 2020, 12:10:45 AM
https://www.youtube.com/v/YZMqnKvZbws

It's got a bassoon and a bass clarinet, what more could you want? Probably a lot, but this is all I got.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 25, 2020, 06:01:13 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 25, 2020, 12:10:45 AM
https://www.youtube.com/v/YZMqnKvZbws

It's got a bassoon and a bass clarinet, what more could you want? Probably a lot, but this is all I got.

This is a beauty, a perfect miniature.  Good to see you back in the saddle!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 29, 2020, 02:20:14 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 25, 2020, 06:01:13 AM
This is a beauty, a perfect miniature.  Good to see you back in the saddle!
High praise indeed! Thanks Karl, your kind words are most appreciated.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 20, 2020, 05:32:47 AM
https://www.youtube.com/v/cIqjNh1di44

A short one. I haven't decided how to release this yet so there are no downloads. Possibly it will end up as part of a loosely related series of similarly titled works.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 20, 2020, 05:37:47 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on March 20, 2020, 05:32:47 AM
https://www.youtube.com/v/cIqjNh1di44

A short one. I haven't decided how to release this yet so there are no downloads. Possibly it will end up as part of a loosely related series of similarly titled works.

Lovely!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Uhor on April 11, 2020, 09:18:41 PM
It's always interesting to hear what you come up with, I can imagine a slow gestural dance to this one.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 23, 2020, 02:39:04 AM
Thanks guys. Sorry for the delayed response, I held off posting here because I was expecting to have this next one ready to go sooner, but here it is now.

https://www.youtube.com/v/OMJvs1eJitY

This is not part of the potential series (no news yet!) I mentioned earlier, rather an offshoot of Offering. I really like the way this ensemble sounds and I wanted to do at least one more thing with it before moving on to something else.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on April 23, 2020, 04:28:27 AM
I hope that you don't stop using this ensemble now, as it really has potential for something larger than the two pieces you've produced so far. Keep it up!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 23, 2020, 07:12:40 AM
Quote from: Mahlerian on April 23, 2020, 04:28:27 AM
I hope that you don't stop using this ensemble now, as it really has potential for something larger than the two pieces you've produced so far. Keep it up!
Oh, don't worry, there's more to come, I'm just not sure what it is yet. At the moment I have another project for a different ensemble I'm eager to get started with, I've been planning stuff for it for a while, but it's not quite there yet.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on April 23, 2020, 07:46:23 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on April 23, 2020, 02:39:04 AM
Thanks guys. Sorry for the delayed response, I held off posting here because I was expecting to have this next one ready to go sooner, but here it is now.

https://www.youtube.com/v/OMJvs1eJitY

This is not part of the potential series (no news yet!) I mentioned earlier, rather an offshoot of Offering. I really like the way this ensemble sounds and I wanted to do at least one more thing with it before moving on to something else.

Beauty!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on April 23, 2020, 12:54:41 PM
Cheers, Karl!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 22, 2020, 07:40:51 AM
Well well, my good sirs and madams, it is time for more of this, whatever this is! In fact, "this" is a substantial new piece called To the Wild and Hidden Spaces, written for a sixteen piece ensemble consisting of winds, brass, strings, keyboards, synthesisers, and mallets.

https://www.youtube.com/v/FKtVtIjVNhI

Liner notes featuring a moderately detailed essay on the composition can be found in the download versions, available free of charge (as ever) in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE36_To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_2020.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_FLAC.zip) if you are so inclined.

Thanking you kindly, and in advance, for your attention.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Mahlerian on May 22, 2020, 08:41:35 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on May 22, 2020, 07:40:51 AM
Well well, my good sirs and madams, it is time for more of this, whatever this is! In fact, "this" is a substantial new piece called To the Wild and Hidden Spaces, written for a sixteen piece ensemble consisting of winds, brass, strings, keyboards, synthesisers, and mallets.

https://www.youtube.com/v/FKtVtIjVNhI

Liner notes featuring a moderately detailed essay on the composition can be found in the download versions, available free of charge (as ever) in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE36_To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_2020.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_FLAC.zip) if you are so inclined.

Thanking you kindly, and in advance, for your attention.

The influence from Eastern music genres such as Gagaku blends into your style wonderfully, and this music has a wider sense of space than I've heard in your earlier work. I love both the subtle play of timbres and the way the melodic lines have become ever more distinctive while remaining within your own idiom. Beautiful.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 22, 2020, 09:42:58 PM
Quote from: Mahlerian on May 22, 2020, 08:41:35 AM
The influence from Eastern music genres such as Gagaku blends into your style wonderfully, and this music has a wider sense of space than I've heard in your earlier work. I love both the subtle play of timbres and the way the melodic lines have become ever more distinctive while remaining within your own idiom. Beautiful.
Thank you so much! I'm really glad you like it.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on May 23, 2020, 04:13:51 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on May 22, 2020, 07:40:51 AM
Well well, my good sirs and madams, it is time for more of this, whatever this is! In fact, "this" is a substantial new piece called To the Wild and Hidden Spaces, written for a sixteen piece ensemble consisting of winds, brass, strings, keyboards, synthesisers, and mallets.

https://www.youtube.com/v/FKtVtIjVNhI

Liner notes featuring a moderately detailed essay on the composition can be found in the download versions, available free of charge (as ever) in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDE36_To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_2020.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/To_the_Wild_and_Hidden_Spaces_FLAC.zip) if you are so inclined.

Thanking you kindly, and in advance, for your attention.

Beautiful, exquisite and dynamic, Dan. Bravo!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on May 23, 2020, 09:40:20 PM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on May 23, 2020, 04:13:51 PM
Beautiful, exquisite and dynamic, Dan. Bravo!
Thank you for the kind words, Karl!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on June 13, 2020, 05:31:06 AM
I meant to tell you, Dan, that before the contest's starting gun, when I was turning general musical notions, the models I was keeping in view were your own pieces, and Zappa's (e.g) "Igor's Boogie, Phases 1 & 2" and "Project X"
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on June 13, 2020, 11:01:28 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on June 13, 2020, 05:31:06 AM
I meant to tell you, Dan, that before the contest's starting gun, when I was turning general musical notions, the models I was keeping in view were your own pieces, and Zappa's (e.g) "Igor's Boogie, Phases 1 & 2" and "Project X"
An honour, on both counts. Thanks. Wishing you the best of luck!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 24, 2021, 08:05:45 PM
Dan, I have been taking delight in revisiting your Henningssonate.  Eager to win my way back to the clarinet, so I might play this.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 25, 2021, 02:42:20 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 24, 2021, 08:05:45 PM
Dan, I have been taking delight in revisiting your Henningssonate.  Eager to win my way back to the clarinet, so I might play this.
I'm glad it still holds up! A performance would be quite something. I think a significantly altered performing version would have to be made, but it's definitely something I would be interested in pursuing at some time in the future.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 12, 2021, 09:36:44 AM
To whom it may concern, there is new music to be heard.

https://www.youtube.com/v/27UNHD5eFjU

This is a set of piano preludes based on the theme of a Vaudeville tune called "Shine On, Harvest Moon".

And if you want to download a copy, with a brief accompanying essay, it is available in mp3 (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/CDA18_For_Me_and_My_Gal_2021.zip) and FLAC (http://crudblud.sjm.so/CazazzaDan/FLAC/For_Me_and_My_Gal_FLAC.zip).
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on March 12, 2021, 05:26:26 PM
Excellent!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on March 14, 2021, 10:07:18 AM
Thank you, Karl.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on January 15, 2022, 02:38:53 PM
In which I return to the land of the living. This is a fairly short piece for celesta, guzheng, and clarinet.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Sd4ptwRSk5U

Coming tomorrow: A remaster of For Me and My Gal that doesn't sound like it was recorded in a toilet.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on January 15, 2022, 02:56:44 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 15, 2022, 02:38:53 PM
In which I return to the land of the living. This is a fairly short piece for celesta, guzheng, and clarinet.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Sd4ptwRSk5U

Coming tomorrow: A remaster of For Me and My Gal that doesn't sound like it was recorded in a toilet.

Great to "see" you, Dan!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on January 16, 2022, 07:08:18 AM
Thank you, Karl. I'm glad to be back.

And here is the remaster of For Me and My Gal.

https://www.youtube.com/v/-r2Bpyy96Bo
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on January 16, 2022, 08:34:49 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 15, 2022, 02:38:53 PM
In which I return to the land of the living. This is a fairly short piece for celesta, guzheng, and clarinet.

https://www.youtube.com/v/Sd4ptwRSk5U
Exquisite, Dan, thanks!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Iota on January 16, 2022, 10:50:56 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on January 16, 2022, 08:34:49 AM
Exquisite, Dan, thanks!

+1

An enchanting piece. I listened to it twice and will be listening again. Bravo!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on January 16, 2022, 12:16:00 PM
Thank you both, that's very kind.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Uhor on January 16, 2022, 07:28:24 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 15, 2022, 02:38:53 PM
In which I return to the land of the living. This is a fairly short piece for celesta, guzheng, and clarinet.

It's always a nice suprise to see what you've come up to. This one makes me thing of a light rainy twilight.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on January 17, 2022, 04:10:33 AM
Thank you Uhor. I need to catch up with your latest stuff too.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on January 23, 2023, 07:02:52 AM

Finally managed to rub a couple of braincells together and produce a musical thought.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on January 23, 2023, 07:11:33 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 23, 2023, 07:02:52 AM

Finally managed to rub a couple of braincells together and produce a musical thought.
Nice! Will tune in soon!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on January 25, 2023, 07:13:44 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on January 23, 2023, 07:02:52 AM

Finally managed to rub a couple of braincells together and produce a musical thought.
Charming!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 03, 2023, 02:02:18 AM
More nonsense for your listening displeasure.

Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: krummholz on February 07, 2023, 05:00:53 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 03, 2023, 02:02:18 AMMore nonsense for your listening displeasure.



Not nonsense, certainly! Quite interesting actually, and does evoke the atmosphere of some old noir detective pic... but I assume the one in the title is purely imaginary? (Or else REALLY forgotten?)
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 07, 2023, 06:14:42 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 03, 2023, 02:02:18 AMMore nonsense for your listening displeasure.


Very nice!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 07, 2023, 07:35:58 AM
Quote from: krummholz on February 07, 2023, 05:00:53 AMNot nonsense, certainly! Quite interesting actually, and does evoke the atmosphere of some old noir detective pic... but I assume the one in the title is purely imaginary? (Or else REALLY forgotten?)
For both our sakes, let's hope I did imagine it.

And thank you for listening!

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 07, 2023, 06:14:42 AMVery nice!
Appreciated as always, Karl!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on February 07, 2023, 08:01:53 AM
And, of course, I enjoyed the misdirective provenance. 
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 07, 2023, 08:49:12 AM
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on February 07, 2023, 08:01:53 AMAnd, of course, I enjoyed the misdirective provenance.
It's that little bit of Borges I retained from reading his Universal History of Infamy; there's nothing quite like a good and harmless hoax!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: krummholz on February 07, 2023, 09:24:04 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on February 07, 2023, 08:49:12 AMIt's that little bit of Borges I retained from reading his Universal History of Infamy; there's nothing quite like a good and harmless hoax!

Hmmm - that's one Borges volume I don't know. Is Ohlsdorfer actually from one of his stories?

In any case I thought it was a neat idea to invent a detective movie that was never produced and write music for it... just as JLB wrote stories based on books that never existed.

Now to go dust off my copy of Silas Haslam's A General History of Labyrinths...
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on February 07, 2023, 09:54:13 AM
Quote from: krummholz on February 07, 2023, 09:24:04 AMHmmm - that's one Borges volume I don't know. Is Ohlsdorfer actually from one of his stories?

In any case I thought it was a neat idea to invent a detective movie that was never produced and write music for it... just as JLB wrote stories based on books that never existed.

Now to go dust off my copy of Silas Haslam's A General History of Labyrinths...
Ah no, really more of a spiritual inspiration than anything. Ohlsdorfer is just a name I found aesthetically pleasing/amusing for a noir detective character.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on July 29, 2023, 10:30:18 AM
The rare update without a new piece, yet with more news than simply that I've not disappeared off the face of the earth. I am intending to present an all new (and perfectly unplayable!) "arrangement" of the inner movements of Mahler's 10th Symphony some time within the next week. The prospective title is, rather perfunctorily, Trilogy After Gustav Mahler.

It's somewhat a revisit of an older project from 2016, which just dealt with the first scherzo. Earlier this year I thought "I can do better", and let me tell you, I've made that mistake many many times! This may or may not be one of those times. I'm currently tinkering with details that I'm sure no one else will ever notice, but maybe...
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on July 29, 2023, 05:42:15 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on July 29, 2023, 10:30:18 AMThe rare update without a new piece, yet with more news than simply that I've not disappeared off the face of the earth. I am intending to present an all new (and perfectly unplayable!) "arrangement" of the inner movements of Mahler's 10th Symphony some time within the next week. The prospective title is, rather perfunctorily, Trilogy After Gustav Mahler.

It's somewhat a revisit of an older project from 2016, which just dealt with the first scherzo. Earlier this year I thought "I can do better", and let me tell you, I've made that mistake many many times! This may or may not be one of those times. I'm currently tinkering with details that I'm sure no one else will ever notice, but maybe...
Good to "see" you!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 06, 2023, 12:31:41 AM

As promised, slightly later than anticipated, here it be. Enjoy, or don't—the choice is yours!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 06, 2023, 06:56:57 AM
Quote from: Crudblud on August 06, 2023, 12:31:41 AM

As promised, slightly later than anticipated, here it be. Enjoy, or don't—the choice is yours!
Nicely executed!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 06, 2023, 07:24:25 AM
Now revisiting this:


The curious synchronicity being that the title of a tone-poem I am nearly writing is For You, Fuchsia.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Rons_talking on August 14, 2023, 06:55:34 AM
Wow! I really like this...
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 14, 2023, 12:43:59 PM
Quote from: Rons_talking on August 14, 2023, 06:55:34 AMWow! I really like this...
Thank you, Ron.

I've been meaning to spend some time catching up with your prolific output, by the way.
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Crudblud on August 14, 2023, 01:25:10 PM
Quote from: Karl Henning on August 06, 2023, 07:24:25 AMNow revisiting this:

The curious synchronicity being that the title of a tone-poem I am nearly writing is For You, Fuchsia.
I look forward to nearly hearing it!
Title: Re: Crudblud's Craptacular C(r)ompositions
Post by: Karl Henning on August 14, 2023, 01:26:32 PM
Quote from: Crudblud on August 14, 2023, 01:25:10 PMI look forward to nearly hearing it!
I've found a strategy for its execution.