Ron's Talking's Compositions

Started by Rons_talking, June 04, 2017, 01:31:25 PM

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MarkMcD

Such evocative music, it's very beautiful.  I'm quite jealous of people who have this apparent ease and confident train of thought.

You know what I think would be helpful from some of you more experienced composers is to have a thread explaining your process.  How do you approach a blank page?  Where do the melodies and harmonies come from?  Do you employ a theoretical approach or do you just follow the music?

I'm not usually a fan of much contemporary music, but with you there always seems to be something hook the listener, it's like a painting in sound.

I have to say I think your recordings would be much improved with a better sound set, but that is incidental to the music itself.

Kind regards
Mark

Rons_talking

Quote from: MarkMcD on June 03, 2018, 05:55:58 AM
Such evocative music, it's very beautiful.  I'm quite jealous of people who have this apparent ease and confident train of thought.

You know what I think would be helpful from some of you more experienced composers is to have a thread explaining your process.  How do you approach a blank page?  Where do the melodies and harmonies come from?  Do you employ a theoretical approach or do you just follow the music?

I'm not usually a fan of much contemporary music, but with you there always seems to be something hook the listener, it's like a painting in sound.

I have to say I think your recordings would be much improved with a better sound set, but that is incidental to the music itself.

Kind regards
Mark

Thanks very much, Mark. You made my day! While my blog is neglected, I do post scores there and if you have a specific work in mind, I'm happy to say what I can about its origin.

Rons_talking

#162
I'm composing some short sketches for piano (very short). Here are the first three...and the fourth  :o

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/summer-sketches-for-piano-opus

Karl Henning

Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking


Karl Henning

Good work.  How extended a set are you planning?
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on June 13, 2018, 01:14:41 AM
Good work.  How extended a set are you planning?

Thanks,

This is it! Seven in total. I've got so many piano collections, it's hard to keep them straight.  I'll need to go over these a bit, of course. I'm still living in a remote town in Ontario, so there's no one to perform anything...What was supposed to be a short time up here has turned into a full year. Long story.

Karl Henning

The day I first arrived in St Petersburg, there were plywood walls and wooden pallet flooring running between Warsaw Station and the bus depot, while construction was, I don't say in progress, but anticipated.  My now-wife wrily observed that day that "There's nothing so permanent as what you were told is 'temporary.'"
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on June 13, 2018, 06:57:45 AM
The day I first arrived in St Petersburg, there were plywood walls and wooden pallet flooring running between Warsaw Station and the bus depot, while construction was, I don't say in progress, but anticipated.  My now-wife wrily observed that day that "There's nothing so permanent as what you were told is 'temporary.'"

So true!

Rons_talking

#169
I've got two movements drafted of my next opus, a quartet for winds and piano (my third).

Now I have three...

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/piano-quintet-3-opus-141

Rons_talking

I'm reposting the finale to my 19 th Chamber Symphony. It's a fast 6/8 to start with, then the meters fluctuate until it slows down to close the larger work. When I last posted it (not here) I didn't get much feedback. Maybe the sound quality's bad (it sounds fine on my headphones) or something else. Anyway, here it is...not too long ca. 4'

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/c19thsinf?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/sinfonia-19-opus-130

Karl Henning

Quote from: Rons_talking on June 22, 2018, 04:26:42 AM
I'm reposting the finale to my 19 th Chamber Symphony. It's a fast 6/8 to start with, then the meters fluctuate until it slows down to close the larger work. When I last posted it (not here) I didn't get much feedback. Maybe the sound quality's bad (it sounds fine on my headphones) or something else. Anyway, here it is...not too long ca. 4'

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/c19thsinf?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/sinfonia-19-opus-130

I think it is very good.  The sound quality is not bad, per se;  I do think it the kind of piece which is much better served by actual musicians.  (I know, we all realize that MIDI is inadequate at best.)  In a live performance, it would be a dramatic piece;  and the MIDI (a little worse than usual) makes it sound like buttons have been pushed.  The piece itself is, to repeat, very good!
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking

Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on June 23, 2018, 05:43:45 AM
I think it is very good.  The sound quality is not bad, per se;  I do think it the kind of piece which is much better served by actual musicians.  (I know, we all realize that MIDI is inadequate at best.)  In a live performance, it would be a dramatic piece;  and the MIDI (a little worse than usual) makes it sound like buttons have been pushed.  The piece itself is, to repeat, very good!

Thanks Karl. Strangely, the sound quality sounds pretty good through my headphones (unless I'm going "nose-blind" to the faults). I suppose I'll need to get some better sounds. I've received several criticisms of the sound quality on assorted instruments, and I certainly don't want the listener to have to strain. I'm not that way when I listen to other composer's music unless something in the sound precludes my comprehension of the work.

Rons_talking

Here's a recent "Orchestration of the adagio of my 2nd st. quartet.


https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/2-adagio-strings

Karl Henning

Quote from: Rons_talking on June 27, 2018, 04:43:00 AM
Thanks Karl. Strangely, the sound quality sounds pretty good through my headphones (unless I'm going "nose-blind" to the faults). I suppose I'll need to get some better sounds. I've received several criticisms of the sound quality on assorted instruments, and I certainly don't want the listener to have to strain. I'm not that way when I listen to other composer's music unless something in the sound precludes my comprehension of the work.

I don't mean that the sound is bad, but . . . I guess I am having no success at explaining what I mean.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking

#175
Quote from: k a rl h e nn i ng on June 27, 2018, 07:53:29 AM
I don't mean that the sound is bad, but . . . I guess I am having no success at explaining what I mean.

I misunderstood...Yes, a live musician/s would change everything (I have had many comments  :( on the sound quality, so I expect it); in fact, I appreciate the different aspects a talented performer can reflect. That's why I don't micromanage every element on my scores. I have had pleasant surprises in the past when a performer is truly "hearing" the music.
Here is the draft of movement one of my sonata 22 for piano...

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/sonata-22-opus-142-opening

Karl Henning

I don't believe it is a good use of our time, to micromanage the sound files (especially since the end result is still going to be rather inadequate).  Carry on!
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Rons_talking

I just completed the Adagio go my last sonata this morning. Here it is:

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/new-music

Rons_talking

And on top of that I have 5 new shorts or flute and piano.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/flute-and-piano-set-2-opus-143

I wanted to keep the works short, unified and "unfeminine."  I believe, on that account, I have succeeded   ;)  .

Karl Henning

Quote from: Rons_talking on July 07, 2018, 02:41:40 AM
And on top of that I have 5 new shorts or flute and piano.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/flute-and-piano-set-2-opus-143

I wanted to keep the works short, unified and "unfeminine."  I believe, on that account, I have succeeded   ;)  .

Beautiful work!
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot