Mark Simon's Madhouse

[Mark G. Simon]

I recently was asked to write a piece for mandolin and guitar by a reputable duo of this combination. They said they heard the soundclips on my website and liked what they heard and wanted me to write something.

These are instruments I've never written for before, and I will find it a real challenge. The thing about the guitar is that you almost have to play it yourself before you can write well for it. I think I may start by writing out a long list of 5-29 set transpositions in voicings that I think will work for guitar and mandolin, check to see if they really work, and then refer to this list as I write the piece.

I'm imagining something about 5 minutes long, in 2 or 3 brief movements, very transparent, angel-like.

[karlhenning]

Splendid, Mark!

[Guido]

I wonder what preparations Walton made before writing his guitar pieces? Though he never really played any instrument very well as far as I remember, even the piano.

[Mark G. Simon]

Or Benjamin Britten, or Hans Werner Henze, or anyone who composes for guitar and doesn't know how to play it.

My stepson Wesley has a guitar, and I've been trying things out on it, and am starting to conclude that the instrument requires having rubber fingers that can contort themselves into totally unnatural positions. I've come up with two observations: I don't need to have all 6 strings set to the desired pitches. I can concentrate on 3 or 4 adjacent strings at a time. Alternately, I could have the G string tuned up to a G# and the open strings of the guitar would sound a 5-29 set. The guitarist could then barre up to any transposition desired.

[Mark G. Simon]

While in the process of getting more concrete ideas of what I want to do with the guitar, I received another request to write a 5 minute orchestral piece for a local community orchestra.

This places different restrictions on me, namely that the piece has to be really easy. No fancy stuff. I'm going to have to curb my tendency for rhythmic syncopation and complex counterpoint. This orchestra is very modest in its abilities.

[karlhenning]

(* lurk *)

[Mark G. Simon]

I thought I heard something rustling in the bushes.

[karlhenning]

Yes, it's: Bicycle Repair Man!

[Mark G. Simon]

This morning at 11:00 I will be performing my Anniversary Sonata once again, this time at the Women's Club of Chevy Chase. This will be the third time I've played it this year. My pianist, Rosanne Conway, gets more comfortable with it each time, and I get more comfortable playing with her, so I expect this will be the best of the performances. I'll have to bring my little digital recording device.

[karlhenning]

Very good.

A question for afterwards:  what recording device do you employ?

[Mark G. Simon]

It's calleda Zoom H-4. It fits in your hand and has stereo microphones. I used it to record my wedding last year, but you might not have noticed it because it was being held by someone in the congregation.


http://www.samsontech.com/products/productpage.cfm?prodID=1901

[karlhenning]

How'd it go!?

[Mark G. Simon]

The Women's Club of Chevy Chase sounds like a pretty swank venue. I envisioned society ladies with white cotton gloves sipping tea from delicate china cups. This is a very posh neighborhood, but the club itself has a Steinway which has not been kept in good repair, and the lighting is bad, and the acoustics are worse. The page turner Rosanne thought would be there wasn't, and there were times when a page turner was necessary. So the performance was not one worth recording for posterity. The piece was well received nonetheless by the 20 or so Chevy Chasers who showed up.

My music is slowly reaching people, 20 listeners at a time.

[Mark G. Simon]

My Harmonie no. 1, for 2 clarinets, 2 horns and 2 bassoons has now reached its "first completion". All the notes are there from beginning to end. I just need to make minor changes, put in dynamic and other markings, format the score, create parts, and it will all be done.

The piece is wildly eclectic, bringing into play any and all elements that have ever been a part of my style. There is pop music and spiky rhythmic formulas such as I used in my Subatomic Particles music. There is straight-ahead tonality, 5-29 tonality, and free dissonance. There is great seriousness and great light-heartedness. In some of the more intensely emotional moments you may detect two instruments hammering out "Chopsticks". The four movements are played without pause. The unifying factor is a pop tune I have given partial lyrics to and and dubbed "Do you know who loves you?" (fortunately the lyrics are never sung in this piece).

Duration ca. 22 minutes.

[karlhenning]

Excellent (in response to both updates)!

[Mark G. Simon]

New orchestral work: Silver Spring was originally written last summer for clarinet quartet. I have now scored it for a standard orchestra (2-2-2-2 2-0-0-0 1 perc., strings)

The work is designed to be playable by community orchestras. There are 2 movements, total duration ca. 8:00.

[owlice]

And you're working on a new scoring of the work, aren't you? 

[Mark G. Simon]

Yes, my dear. Woodwind quintet. If I don't watch it, I'll turn into Arvo Part and write the same piece over and over for different combinations.

[karlhenning]

We've been waiting for more activity in the Madhouse! (This one, anyway.)

And, too-whoot! an owlice sighting!

Yes, my dear. Woodwind quintet. If I don't watch it, I'll turn into Arvo Part and write the same piece over and over for different combinations.

Oh, we've all faced down that risk 

[Mark G. Simon]

The orchestral version of Silver Spring was given its first rehearsal on Tuesday night, and I have reason to hope for a satisfactory performance on April 28. The musicians' reaction to the piece was positive. I'll have to be a sure that a recording device is present in the hall at the performance and dress rehearsal.

http://www.culturecapital.com/event.php?id=5592