mark_rayen
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Posts posted by mark_rayen
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That's a pretty good question. A really great thing about reading this forum is that you get so many great and elaborate answers from the many gifted thinkers out there, but the way I'm reading it the answer is actually very simple: It's the V of V with a lowered fifth, inverted to place the lowered fifth as the root (an A major chord with the E lowered to D# and placed as the root) which in this way neatly leads to D natural, the root of the dominant. I'm not sure if there are other ways to interprete it? The added F# may complicate it beyond my explanation?
Edited to add: glancing at it a second time I'm pursuaded to think there is a better explanation!
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I think it was.
Back in 2005, the LSO wanted him to conduct after the "Revenge of the Sith" sessions, but that didn't went through.
I went to that concert and it was great but I remember being disappointed because JW wasn't conducting.
I attended that one too. Williams was scheduled to conduct at first, but was eventually replaced by Dirk Brossé. I remember clearly that the reason for his decline being cited as the War of the worlds project for Speilberg.
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The tenuto is marked on the second beat of your example, which is normally an unaccented beat. So it would seem the orchestrator wants the first note emphasized to almost sound like a syncopation (considering the rhythmic "anatomy" of the 4/4 metre), to sound slightly interruptive with authority and decisiveness, but not accented. It hasn't anything to do with rubato. I agree with you though, tenuto notation is a tricky concept! Hope you figure it out
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Hi all,
I thought I would share some of my compositions here. At www.markcandasamy.no/listen.html you can listen to a fair amount of my film work. I just recently got a website, so would be nice if some of my fellow composers here might check it out!
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Such an impressive job. I really admire your diligence! I printed the Dartmoor arrangement, and enjoyed playing through it very much. I was a little sceptic as to how it would work as a solo piano piece, since it clearly isn't written for that purpose at all. But it has the potential to work fine. I hope its ok to offer a little critique?
- Some slight notation errors, mainly rhytmic in nature. In measure 3, you need to make it clear that the g is accented, not the c. And in measure 9 you abandon Williams' idea of the interruptive flute, which I think is crucial. So I would suggest removing those extra beats and making the abrubtiveness audible. Otherwise, those measures just don't make sense.. ;-)
- In measure 4, there are two things. Firstly, the dynamic marking doesn't work. It needs to be forte, and its appassionato, with great intensity! Once again, its the contrast Williams is after. The three-measure long flute solo introduction, which one expects to continue, is interrupted by this passionate outburst (very clever, isn't it!). It needs to become clear in your arrangement as well. The second thing, and that is a general thing, is that you seem to underestimate voicing. The melody needs to be lifted an octave, and the voicing needs to be spaced out in order to better match the intensity of the string orchestra the passage was originally written for. I quickly made an example of how I might have solved the issue, personally. I'll post a link afterwards in case your interested :-).
- Measure 22 needs to be in 6/8 time, I think...?
- The quick figures from 32 could use some fingering advice? I would also consider marking them "leggiero". Later, when the quick figure returns as commentary to the new melody starting at measure 40, the quick figures should be placed below the accompanying left hand figure, in the bass! After all, Williams wrote it out in widely spaced octaves, and that's exactly the thing that makes it work. So I think it would be wiser to prioritize the dazzling appeal it has in that register instead of the dull middle register of the piano. Another argument to do this, is that this way it won't get confused with the melodic voice, which is slightly disturbed by it. I hope you know what I mean, and again, think about marking it "leggiero"? :-)
- In measure 53, you could accent that wonderful detail starting on the third beat, by writing the right hand part in octaves. Its fun to play it that way, and the expressive potential is so much increased, IMO. :-)
- The new melody in measure 58 needs to be written out in octaves. It sounds unbelievably dull in a single voice. I also think you could make more of the bass part. Something is lacking, I feel. In general, it needs to sound "tutti".
Finally, thanks for the great work! I enjoyed having this wonderful music in front of me :-)
Link to my personal suggestion, considering the opening of "Dartmoor, 1912":
https://rcpt.yousendit.com/1429562896/2caa967b02778c0d4515c6a68213cd1b
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Maybe you have "overused" your musical vocabulary, or have satisfied your expressive needs through previous works. If the former is the case, perhaps you should put your long term ambitions aside and do some smaller excersizes that might help you expand your technique. If the latter, your in a luxurious situation. Perhaps the best thing then is to slow down, catch your breath, and try to redefine yourself both musically and personally before you dive back into it!
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Actually, the man behind the orchestration is Jeremy Lubbock, a longtime collaborator of both Michael and the rest of the Quincy Jones "family". And if anyone had artistic input on the song other than Jackson and Lubbock themselves, it would be David Foster, another longtime collaborator. He both performed the piano part and co-produced the record with Jackson. I think the song is wonderful and deeply poetic, however direct and intimate. One can sense how important it was for him to express his sadness in a song like this. Though I must say my favourite on HIStory would have to be 'Stranger in Moscow'.
In this interview, recording engineer Bruce Swedien shows off the score for 'Childhood' to CNN:
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Not sure why I feel compelled to contribute to this thread, but here goes.
I became fascinated with Michael Jackson as a teen in high school. I stumbled on the "Making of Thriller" VHS, which introduced me to his music, his videos, and a bit of his past. I began researching him incessantly, presenting speeches and papers on him in school (I'm sure my teachers loved that). I already have an obsessive personality, but this became a giant part of my life, during a very influential/transitional period.
Of course I love his music and his videos (who else could have made me appreciate dance like he did?). But I also became fascinated with the man, and with finding the truth in all the controversies and shadows surrounding him. I took the road less traveled and became convinced of his innocence. I defended him and maintained his innocence to the last. Yes he was eccentric; yes he made some odd choices. Being thrust into the limelight as young as he was and in such an epically massive way as he was will have some bizarre repercussions. I still maintain his innocence, still feel compelled to defend him. I think he was criminally misrepresented and vilified by the media, which in turn fed an increasing distrust and even paranoia of the press. It's a shame what that cycle does.
As weird is it sounds (and has always sounded), I love Michael Jackson. I tend to bond and identify with public figures that are misunderstood and mistreated, and never more so than with Jackson. I feel so sorry for him. He lived his whole life in a fish bowl, and his last 15-20 years were just plain crappy.
I hope that he found some peace in the end. Bless you, Michael.
I understand why mentions of his "dark past" are mentioned in the same breath as condolences. But don't believe everything you read or hear. "Just because you read it in a magazine or see it on a TV screen don't make it factual."
Maestro, I feel exactly the same way. Thanks for sharing.
I haven't been vocal about my relationship to him since I was around 17, it became too painful when classmates and people around me would offend me with horrific comments, jokes, and even go as far as to question my intelligence for supporting him. Although my responses were always to the point, factual, source-orientated, and with a heartfelt sincerity the mocking persisted for so long that I shut up and never ever mentioned his name to anyone for years. It may have been weak of me, but it says something about the terrible celebritry injustice he has suffered the last third of his life, and how many otherwise intelligent and rational thinking individuals subliminally and also culturally absorbed the media imposed notion that Michael Jackson was a freak and did not deserve any respect or even his privacy. Had the distasteful, mocking comments about him surfacing on the internet and tabloid newspapers been about anyone else than Michael Jackson, criminal charges of verbal harassment could and likely would have been made. I was so happy to see Norwegian politician Jan Simonsen emphasize that point yesterday, and saying he wishes he had been brave enough to nominate Michael Jackson for a Nobel peace prize years ago. He was also the man responsible for nominating Bob Geldof. I just hope his name will finally be rested now, I loved him too.
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Jane Eyre works! It was like a kind of three-movement sinfionetta (slow-fast-slow). Does anyone know if there exists a recording of it?
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About pictures: by the entrance to Symphony Hall it says "flash photography" is prohibited, which means that if you disable your flash theres no harm in taking pictures. I had my camera clearly visible on the table and nobody complained.
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Sorry, I forgot to mention Hook was performed as well! Exhilarating performance in an even quicker tempo than I've heard it before. During the following applause there was a funny old lady by my table who made the snobbish remark "I don't recognize any of his tunes!".
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The concert last night was excellent! The program was as follows:
Huray for Hollywood!
Themes from Adventures of Robin Hood
Suite from Jane Eyre
INTERMISSION
Concerto for Viola and Orchestra
Adventures of Mutt
INTERMISSION
March from Superman
Selections from Far and Away
Raider's march
Themes from Lawrence of Arabia
Encores: Yoda's theme and the Star Wars theme
The highlights of the program were in my experience the suite from Jane Eyre and the new Concerto for Viola. The performances were stunning and Williams conducted with such inspiration, and a sensitivity on the podium I didn't even know he had. He was clearly enjoying himself and his conducting was about as precise and crystal clear as many of his film scores. I think many here will be pleased to hear that the concerto is composed in a romantic idiom very similar to much of his film work. It is perhaps one of his least experimental concert works to date. The outer movements are slow, emphasizing the lyrical abilities of the soloist, while the second movement is a classic Williams scherzo with a fun timpani/viola duet in the middle that also features a couple of fun timpani glissandi towards the end.
The opening movement evolves around an enchanting melody, which is in character similar to the theme from Memoirs of a Geisha but with a much broader structure as well as a sensitive developement section. Cathy Basrak, the soloist, performed this theme wonderfully and with great nobility in my opinion. The exposition of the theme also had some delightful solistic comments from the flute (most notably), horn, and oboe. My only critisism for the entire work would be the early and in my opinion intrusive tutti climax only a few minutes into the movement. The exaggerated Hollywood-like orchestration spoiled that particular section for me, and I also failed to appreciate why it was even there in the first place. This lack of patience in Williams' approach to form is in my opinion perhaps his greatest weakness. Thankfully though, it didn't last too long. The preparation of the cadenza was somewhat unusual in that the orchestra discretely faded out instead of building tension and dramatic expectation like we usually get to hear. Although the cadenza was difficult with intricate double stops, it seemed more a quiet meditation than virtuosic statement, something I greatly appreciated. The ending of the movement was again wonderful and truly had Symphony Hall in tears.
The final movement was also meditative, in a way similar to the final movement of Five Sacred Trees. It opened with the viola on its own and was soon joined by the harp, which for the occasion was moved right in front of the podium for better communication with the soloist and Williams. The movement later re-explored the theme from the first as well as revisiting the flute/viola combination. The audience reception resulted in a well deserved standing ovation and I believe the work to be one of Williams' greatest accomplishments. I would rank it even higher than the Mikos Rozsa concerto for viola, for those who are familiar with that. It is one of the most lyrical and most heart-felt and sincere works he has done. Perhaps in time it will prove to be one of the greatest contributions to the modern viola repertoire. At least it left me deeply touched.
Adventures of Mutt was a joy. Williams was smiling ear to ear and it seemed obvious that he loves conducting it. The humour in that piece is just incredible, and in my opinion one of the best arrangements he has ever concieved. The last section of the program consisted mainly of the obligatory must-do film themes. Williams seemed very tired and the performances weren't top class. The tribute to Maurice Jarre was however lovely and a worthy ending to a lovely evening!
- Mark
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Vær så god!
I'm glad somone appreciated it.
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So I took the time to complete it yesterday - it now has the coda!
The Epilogue from "War of the worlds" transcribed for solo piano:
http://download.yousendit.com/2D09144B5FBBF934
Enjoy!
- Mark
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I transcribed the epilogue for trumpet trio and strings from "War of the worlds" for piano when it came out. I never completed it (the coda is missing), but the work I did was accurate according to the score. It works astoundingly well for piano if you ask me, and the piece offers great freedom in terms of interpretation. I'll transfer my notes to computer and upload it if somebody would be interested enough to perform or study it?
- Mark
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It is one of my very favourites, and I think the way the music is presented in the film is unique. In the liner notes Spielberg writes about their effort to make not so much a motion picture but a document of those intolerable times. And yet the thematic material is so incredibly poignant I can not understand how Williams could have believed he was going to get away with it! With a melodic material like that you might think that the sentimentality of the finished score could do some serious damage to a film like schindler's list. I would think so anyway. But somehow he was careful enough, creative enough, thorough enough, to master one of the most difficult film scoring gigs ever with such elegance. Just the spotting itself is like a masterpiece. 15 minutes into the film a group of jews walk assembled down a road. The camera is placed quite far from them, so we only see a crowd and not individual faces. A formal text appears on screen naming the date and location of the historical events the film is recreating. Of all places this is where Williams decides to place his first composition! The scene is so formal the music doesn't associate itself with any dramatic content of the film. It merely makes an almost objective comment to the happenings on screen. Unison violins and and french horn perform a cool rendition of the main theme - unharmonized, and which eventually segues into the crosscutting scene where Schindler starts his factory and the jews are all lined up, bored, and registering to the ghetto. The music here is extremely practical, the minimalistic character ties the scenes together and makes Mike Kahn's editing smooth and even. And the way the role of the music is gradually transfomed throughout the film from at first representing the film in its entity to representing the main character himself is quite remarkable.
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I think the epilogue from war of the worlds has one of the most complex harmonic designs I've ever encountered. I just can not understand how he could make it all sound so logical! I transcribed most of it for piano and played it for a few friends, and they don't understand the grammar of it either. It has such incredibly complex textures.
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Hi, I'm new. I've read this forum for quite some time now but this is my first time posting.
I've only just started getting into Williams' concert music and I must say that I really like his bassoon concerto. Its so mystical and colourful with such imaginative orchestrations. Though my favourite must be the Elegy for cello and orchestra. I recently ordered the reduced score of the horn concerto because I'm so tired of waiting for a recording! Its about time somebody recorded it. I also recently bought the premiere recording of the violin concerto. It hasn't really convinced me yet unfortunately, I find the climactic build ups to be a bit "artificial" in a way. Nothing to say about the skill involved here though, the man certainly knows what he's doing! And the flute concerto featured on the same disc is fantastic - its such a brilliant concept.
Were Mozart und Beethoven that great? Or just really popular?
in General Discussion
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I think it is a mistake to claim composers can not be compared due to "technological" advances in craft throughout the centuries. I would call that a rather superficial argument!
Reverting to the original question, which addresses the objective standards of our arguments, the closest I can imagine coming to objectivity would be to refer to the composer's capabilities in terms of broader artistic elements, such as musical rhetoric, inventiveness, or sheer vitality.
Mozart and Beethoven are in large part responsible for defining (along with Haydn and Bach), and more importantly, mastering the musical forms that to this day serve as the quintessential forms of music. Forms that most composers today lean on for aesthetical reference, one way or another. They exemplified the mastery and command of smaller and larger forms, from bagatelles for the piano, to major works for quartets, quintets, or orchestra. Their historical influence aside, they were artistically able to sustain audience interest in musical ideas over long stretches of time, and over severe degrees of inventive transformation. They are stylistically coherent, yet constantly innovative, transforming and expanding the horizon of their language over the course of their vast careers. There command of form reached such a level that they were able to manipulate audience expectations, allowing them to deliver not only music of an intuitive emotional strength, but one that possessed intelligent irony, humour, satire, and that posed deliberate aesthetical challenges and could take on philosophical or even political dimensions. The combination of supreme intellect, and supreme emotional depth is some of what has caused musicians of all generations to never grow tired of their work. Of course, that only scratches the surface of their accomplishments!
I would also disagree that Beethoven's 9th is "easy" to listen to! The famous choral in itself is merely a small soundbite of a much larger work. For some REAL insight into what makes the symphonies so great, check out what Hector Berlioz wrote about them in his essays, wonderful awe-inspiring stuff! http://www.hberlioz.com/Predecessors/beethsym.htm#sym9
Speaking of soundbites, the problem with a lot of film music compared to "classical" music (dislike the term classical...) is that the film medium tends to only require smaller sound bites. There are no long lines, no great semantical explorations, no broader scoped expansions of a musical material or specific musical language. In short, no ambition! It's so compressed and small, as if unfolded from within a straight-jacket. After about two to four minutes, it's usually over. Double bar. Fine. To this day the most superbly developed Hollywood film music was composed, in my opinion, by a non-film composer, Leonard Bernstein, in his grand suite from On the waterfront.