Ron's Talking's Compositions

[Rons_talking]

Yep...I had the same movement twice...trouble uploading. Thanks for listening.

[Rons_talking]

I haven't been here for awhile so here's my complete piano sonata (6/2023). It's two movements and I positioned them in the order I composed so the 2nd movement's first. Mov. 2 is fast and slippery while the first is more diatonic in materials. I hope you like it...

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/complete-sonata-62023?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/sonata-for-piano-6-23

[Rons_talking]

I just finished composing and revising this passacaglia.  It has a short intro and coda with a 7-bar fixed bass that eventuall becomes featured melody. For me, the challenge is to balance the materials; if you stray to far from the fixed figure you might lose it and the work will lack coherence. Then again, you don't want your work  to be stiff and predictable by overstressing the theme. This is for a piano/strings quintet and finishes the larger work.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/passacaglia-for-9?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/quintet-for-strings-and-piano

[Karl Henning]

I just finished composing and revising this passacaglia.  It has a short intro and coda with a 7-bar fixed bass that eventuall becomes featured melody. For me, the challenge is to balance the materials; if you stray to far from the fixed figure you might lose it and the work will lack coherence. Then again, you don't want your work  to be stiff and predictable by overstressing the theme. This is for a piano/strings quintet and finishes the larger work.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/passacaglia-for-9?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/quintet-for-strings-and-piano

Nice to see fresh word, Ron! Will listen soon.

[Karl Henning]

I just finished composing and revising this passacaglia.  It has a short intro and coda with a 7-bar fixed bass that eventuall becomes featured melody. For me, the challenge is to balance the materials; if you stray to far from the fixed figure you might lose it and the work will lack coherence. Then again, you don't want your work  to be stiff and predictable by overstressing the theme. This is for a piano/strings quintet and finishes the larger work.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/passacaglia-for-9?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/quintet-for-strings-and-piano

Very nice, Congrats!

[Rons_talking]

Here's the opening movement of my last piano work. It's largely diatonic but has lots of 7ths and 9ths in voicings and parallel motion.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/sonata-for-piano-6-23

[Rons_talking]

Just revised.  From a series of songs for trumpet and piano.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/blue-model-4?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/trumpet-and-piano

[Rons_talking]

These are fairly straight-forward by design.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/trumpet-and-piano

[Rons_talking]

On the edge of tonality with frequent dances; here's my piano suite.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/piano-suite-2023

[Pohjolas Daughter]

On the edge of tonality with frequent dances; here's my piano suite.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/piano-suite-2023

Nice!  I listened to the first movement but was unfortunately interrupted, but will listen to it in its entirety in a bit. 

How are things going at your end?  Have you had much luck getting your work performed, etc.?  I saw a bit somewhere when googling that you used to help orchestrating work for your father?  I'd love to hear more about how you got into composing if you have a chance.  You may have mentioned it earlier, but I don't know the thread very well (please feel free to mention a page number or a posting if you've already written about it).

Best wishes,

PD

[Rons_talking]

Brand New...I've just completed the opening movent of my piano sonata (Twilight, 10/2023). It's a little extroverted (except the ending) and has both tonality and nontonality. It's also fast, then slow. I hope you like it.

https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sonata-opening-twilight?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/piano-sonata-45-10-2023

[Rons_talking]

Sorry PD, I didn't notice this until now. Thanks for listening... Yes, my father was a Hollywood composer as well as a jazz arranger (back in the 50-60s). His big band recorded on Decca Records. He also did advertising, mainly arranging jingles for radio play. His Shaefer Beer arrangements were on the radio during Yankees games for over 20 years. Later, he scored for television and movies. I learned arranging and began to score some of the insignificant scenes (a couple of PBS specials and  really bad show called Helltown). I decided to get a formal education. I taught composition/theory, etc. for a few years at a university but couldn't land a tenure-track position. I stopped composing between 1993-2010, feeling embittered at the music scene. Now I compose for fun. I plan on arranging a recording of some of my music at some point and I'll let everyone know when it happens. Good luck in your own composing! Ron

Nice!  I listened to the first movement but was unfortunately interrupted, but will listen to it in its entirety in a bit. 

How are things going at your end?  Have you had much luck getting your work performed, etc.?  I saw a bit somewhere when googling that you used to help orchestrating work for your father?  I'd love to hear more about how you got into composing if you have a chance.  You may have mentioned it earlier, but I don't know the thread very well (please feel free to mention a page number or a posting if you've already written about it).

Best wishes,

PD

[Rons_talking]

Here's  is my last symphonic work. The total work is longer than average for me, though it's only about 17 minutes.  This is on the diatonic/non-tonal border (I'd say 2/3rds of my work could be described as such) and is scored for chamber orchestra. https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/sets/complete-chamber-sinfonia-42

[Rons_talking]

Here's a revision of the Largo of the quartet I recently composed. It might seem old-fashioned to some, but there are "modern" quartets (including two of mine) all around, and a little diatonicism is good for my mood.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/4tet-2-copy?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/string-quartet-8-2024-lento

[krummholz]

Here's a revision of the Largo of the quartet I recently composed. It might seem old-fashioned to some, but there are "modern" quartets (including two of mine) all around, and a little diatonicism is good for my mood.
https://soundcloud.com/ronald-roumanis/4tet-2-copy?in=ronald-roumanis/sets/string-quartet-8-2024-lento

Diatonic, but to my ears not old-fashioned or traditional. And if a composer has something to say in an "old-fashioned" style, if the result is music, who cares? You certainly had something to say here. Thank you for sharing.