San Antonio Rows

[San Antone]

This thread will be where I post information about the music I am writing.   Hopefully it will be of some interest to others here.  I plan on posting new clips as they are ready and offering a little in the way of how the piece(s) came to be.

This first clip is an electronic work I wrote for an art show that my wife put together.  I wrote about 40 minutes worth of electronic-ambiance music to supplement the theme of the show which was called "Sacred Space: Landscape and Letter".

Radiant Landscape

This is somewhat unusual for me, i.e. I usually don't write purely electronic music, choosing instead to combine acoustic instruments with electronic.   

This one, Radiant Landscape, was created using a audio composing application from Sony, ACID Pro 7.0 and was made up of some homemade sounds as well as samples I have accumulated over the years.  I probably have over 30,000 sound clips in my library and this piece used about 35.  These clips can range from tiny one-shots to 30 second developing or environmental sounds and can be looped to go on for as long as you wish.

I've got some other pieces almost finished, most featuring 1-3 instruments with an electronic background.  I have begun thinking of the electronic background as an orchestral component - and have even thought of writing these like small concertos.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this thread.

[Sergeant Rock]

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this thread.

Haven't listened to the music yet but I can tell you I love your thread title 


Sarge

[San Antone]

Thanks, Sarge - I hope the music lives up to it.

[TheGSMoeller]

Not to get too far ahead, but I'm really enjoying Lamp of Darkness. Interested for you to share some info on this composition.

[Mirror Image]

I sampled most of the works on the page and I really like the ambient vibe of many of them, but if I may offer a criticism there aren't enough contrasts in your music. For me, contrasts are what give the music more color. I liked Spirit Dance and feel it to have the most variety than the other pieces.

[San Antone]

Not to get too far ahead, but I'm really enjoying Lamp of Darkness. Interested for you to share some info on this composition.

Thanks!   All the tracks on Soundcloud were done for my wife's show, over a period of 2-3 months.  Due to the theme of the art work, all of the music had to evoke a certain meditative mood, so I generally tried to have whatever development of the piece occur within a fairly narrow range of energy. Lamp of Darkness is typical of that approach - beginning with a very contemplative section but entering one with a bit more tension.  I then close out with the keyboard section and bells which recalls the beginning section.

[San Antone]

I sampled most of the works on the page and I really like the ambient vibe of many of them, but if I may offer a criticism there aren't enough contrasts in your music. For me, contrasts are what give the music more color. I liked Spirit Dance and feel it to have the most variety than the other pieces.

Thanks for listening to them.  You are right about a certain sameness, but that was intentional given the purpose of the music.  However, Spirit Dance was one where I incorporated a more diverse sound palette. 

Soon I will be uploading some other music which is more typical of what I do - and you will hear (hopefully) a wider variety.   

[Karl Henning]

Looking forward to listening to your work!

[Mirror Image]

Thanks for listening to them.  You are right about a certain sameness, but that was intentional given the purpose of the music.  However, Spirit Dance was one where I incorporated a more diverse sound palette. 

Soon I will be uploading some other music which is more typical of what I do - and you will hear (hopefully) a wider variety.   

Yeah, I think those works, even though as you said they have a certain sameness about them, are still enjoyable. So much better than the junk you hear on the radio that's for sure. By the way, could you take me off of block? I apologized to you and, again, I'm sorry for saying I didn't like you. I was just frustrated that day. I think you and I would have much in common if we talked more. I've been playing the guitar for 21 years and have worked in a wide variety of musical genres. Take care.

[San Antone]

Doing the music for my wife's show acted to get be back into the saddle, vis a vis composing.  The last two months, however, have been frustrating since my music computer crashed beyond repair and I had to get another one built.  There are always problems getting everything to work properly, not to say all the time involved in re-installing the software and copying over the files.  But the new computer is a vast improvement over my 6 year old XP and despite the frustrating delay, I am not happily working and getting pretty excited about the way things are going.

I have now gotten four pieces close to completion:

1. The first movement in a planned multi-movement work for piano and electronics, which in my mind is assuming the proportions of a chamber concerto

2. A work for woodwind ensemble (8 instruments) and electronics;

3. A work for English Horn and French Horn (which my sister said I should all the "Chunnel Thing") + electronics;

4. A work for Alto Flute, Flugelhorn and Violin + electronics.

All between 4-6 minutes in length.

However, the remaining work is the slowest part of the process: review-rewrite; and finally, fine-tuning the notation by adding dynamic and articulation markings.  This is the part I enjoy the least since in my mind the work is essentially finished, but in order to prepare the scores for performance the notation has to be more than what I normally include.  Going through adding the marks is somewhat tedious, but also a chance to do even another review of the parts.  Mainly I will be looking for things which may be "possible" on the instrument but not necessarily "advisable".  I am most worried about the French Horn part, and will at some point consult with a professional player.

Anyway - the way I review the works is to create an audio file using Finale's instrument sample library and then listen to it on my commute.  I will then be able to judge if the work "lands" or if there are sections which need to be lengthened, or shortened, or developed differently.  This part of the process is mildly entertaining, since Finale does a pretty good job of mimicking an instrumental ensemble.

I will post links to the works as I consider them "finished", or at least finished for the time being.

[Karl Henning]

Splendid. Onward!

[Mirror Image]

Look forward to hearing more of your work, sanantonio.

[San Antone]

Thanks Karl and MI. 

[San Antone]

So, I made my first video. 

http://www.youtube.com/v/chMLPDi3Hhs&feature=youtu.be

The work is an electro-acoustical piece for alto flute, flugelhorn and violin with electronics.  Right now I'm using images from the Hubbell telescope.  But as soon as my wife will send me more of her images, I will replace these with hers.  I also plan on taking some pictures with my phone of some things in nature.  This is the first time I've tried creating a movie using Windows Movie Maker, but another thing I want to do is use Jing to capture the score as it scrolls.  But Jing will only capture up to 5 minutes of video.  I do have some some pieces under 5 minutes, and plan on doing that next.

[Mirror Image]

So, I made my first video. 

http://www.youtube.com/v/chMLPDi3Hhs&feature=youtu.be

The work is an electro-acoustical piece for alto flute, flugelhorn and violin with electronics.  Right now I'm using images from the Hubbell telescope.  But as soon as my wife will send me more of her images, I will replace these with hers.  I also plan on taking some pictures with my phone of some things in nature.  This is the first time I've tried creating a movie using Windows Movie Maker, but another thing I want to do is use Jing to capture the score as it scrolls.  But Jing will only capture up to 5 minutes of video.  I do have some some pieces under 5 minutes, and plan on doing that next.

This is a really cool piece, sanantonio. I especially like the instrumentation and the clever way it was used plus the electronics. The space images go great with the music. Keep it up!

[San Antone]

This is a really cool piece, sanantonio. I especially like the instrumentation and the clever way it was used plus the electronics. The space images go great with the music. Keep it up!

Thanks, MI.

[San Antone]

I activated a blog I had set up a while back but done nothing with.  I plan on posting my new music clips and videos as well as other new music and composers I discover.

Musica Kaleidoskopea

Also, I've started a YouTube channel where I will post new video clips.  Also called Musica Kaleidoskopea.

There's a new clip on the blog of the first movement of what I hope to be a three movement work for piano and electronics.

[San Antone]

I am gradually getting my recently completed works uploaded to YouTube.

Here's the Woodwind Ensemble piece.

https://www.youtube.com/v/eBKYS4GfDTM

My goal here was to have the music unfold poitillistically for the exposition then develop with a double fugue that ends with a quasi stretto section that climaxes with a unison statement of one of the themes.  When the pointillistic statement from the beginning returns, the themes are much more recognizable. 

At least to me they are.



A couple more:

Wind Trio

http://www.youtube.com/v/HdpdANySui4

I am happy with how this one turned out, but it unfolds very slowly and most of the tension is in the electronic part playing against the apparent repetitive writing for the winds.

Finally a work for English Horn and French Horn

https://www.youtube.com/v/ZL1Ex67prDs

I still need to run the horn part by a professional to make sure it is comfortably playable.

[San Antone]

This piece, piano + electronics: movement i, is the last completed work I have to date.  There are some others in the pipeline, including a work dedicated to a friend who recently passed away.  Her husband wishes to memorialize her art work in a video of this type.

http://www.youtube.com/v/iqZux9Cz8kU

I also plan on trying to get some performances of these works even if just to rehearse and record them.

My next projected work will involve a string quartet, either by itself or with clarinet.

Thanks for any feedback.

[Karl Henning]

This piece, piano + electronics: movement i, is the last completed work I have to date.  There are some others in the pipeline, including a work dedicated to a friend who recently passed away.  Her husband wishes to memorialize her art work in a video of this type.

http://www.youtube.com/v/iqZux9Cz8kU

I also plan on trying to get some performances of these works even if just to rehearse and record them.

My next projected work will involve a string quartet, either by itself or with clarinet.

Thanks for any feedback.

Very nice, and I especially enjoyed the role and character of the electronics.

Are the electronics a real-time response to 'cues' from the piano, or are they set in time?