speakingmusic

Insects (from Latin insectum "cut into sections") are a class within the phylum arthropods that have an exoskeleton with a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. Among the most diverse group in the Animal Kingdom, Insects include more than a million species representing more than half of all known living organisms. Insects can be found in nearly all environments, including the radioactive landscape the Nevada Nuclear Test Site. Although they dominate life on earth, humans tend to have a love hate relationship with them. While they can destroy crops, or carry deadly diseases, they are also ecologically beneficial and an integral part of the food chain. This piece is a collection of several short works, each representing a different family or order within the class Insecta. The entire collection is based on the Forte set-class 6-z17, the subset 5-22 and their variations (compliments and inversions). Some movements only use two variations of the core set-class, while others use several variations. The concept was to create unique pieces with the character of the specific insect while retaining a commonality they all share. Insects You can hear the movements here: http://chipmichael.c.../mp3/colony.mp3 http://chipmichael.c...3/flutterby.mp3 http://chipmichael.c...flyingtanks.mp3 http://chipmichael.c...ic/mp3/hive.mp3 Chip

Chasing Dark Dwarf GalaxiesWhat exists outside our own planet is often explained by conflicting theories. Just as one theory is presented and information is gathered to prove it, new information is brought to light which either changes the theory or spawns a completely new one.There have been manned missions into space to the extent of the moon. Unmanned probes have gathered more information from our neighboring planets and even the farthest reaches of our own solar system, experiencing interplanetary magnetic fields, solar winds, cosmic rays, the heliosphere and out into the interstellar medium. Telescopes on land or orbiting the earth have gathered additional data about distant stars and galaxies attempting to peer into the origins of the universe itself.Observations of the universe have discovered light reacting to matter, bending and shifting in ways that cause scientists to ponder. However, current theories about how light and matter function have left some observations unexplained. Fritz Zwicky first postulated about dark matter in 1934 to explain missing mass in galaxies. Dark matter is detectable using radio waves and observing the gravitational pull on visible objects in the universe. So, while we can observe its effects, we can not actually see it. Dark matter is considered a core component for models of galaxy formation. Recently (2002), two scientists discovered halos around galaxies potentially containing hundreds of dwarf galaxies made up of dark matter, or Dark Dwarf Galaxies. In January 2011 astronomer Sukanya Chakrabarti announced the potential existence of a heretofore unknown dwarf galaxy about 260,000 light-years away, Galaxy X. Chasing dark dwarf galaxies is at the forefront of astronomical research. According to Chakrabarti a better understanding of Galaxy X could “be a major step in verifying our understanding of how the universe condensed from primordial matter and energy after the big bang.”Chasing Dark Dwarf Galaxies is a musical representation of looking into space trying to discover the anomalies, to see what isn’t there and how what we see (or hear) is being shifted by what we don’t. Based on hexachords, these pitch sets are shifted slowly through the piece often creating the illusion harmonic shifts while remaining static, other times the harmony shifts without being audible until long after the shift has occurred. There are elements insinuating what radio waves might sound like coming back from space, as well as the haunting echo of the unknown. The music is less a narrative and more an experience. List to the music here: http://chipmichael.com/Music/mp3/chasing_complete.mp3 Chasing Dark Dwarf Galaxies

FINALLY getting a performance - but only of the 3rd movement. April 26th. I'll post links to a recording when I get it. Thanks, Chip

You can listen to all 4 movements here: http://chipmichael/Music/mp3/primas.mp3 http://chipmichael/Music/mp3/secondo.mp3 http://chipmichael/Music/mp3/terzo.mp3 http://chipmichael/Music/mp3/quarto.mp3

Primas Flemmatico (Allegro con Dolore) Phlegmatics tend to be self-content and kind. They can be very accepting and affectionate. They may be very receptive and shy and often prefer stability to uncertainty and change. They are very consistent, relaxed, rational, curious, and observant, making them good administrators and diplomats. Secundo Malinconico (Largo con Devoto) A person who is a thoughtful ponderer has a melancholic disposition. Often very considerate, melancholics can be highly creative in activities such as poetry and art - and can become occupied with the tragedy and cruelty in the world. A melancholic is also often a perfectionist. They are often self-reliant and independent. Terzo Sanguine (Moderato Scherzo) The Sanguine temperament personality is fairly extroverted. People of a sanguine temperament tend to enjoy social gatherings and making new friends. They tend to be creative and often daydream. However, some alone time is crucial for those of this temperament. Sanguine can also mean very sensitive, compassionate and thoughtful. Sanguine personalities generally struggle with following tasks all the way through, are chronically late, and tend to be forgetful and sometimes a little sarcastic. Quarto Collerico (Presto con Energico) A person who is choleric is a doer. They have a lot of ambition, energy, and passion, and try to instill it in others. They can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types. Many great charismatic military and political figures were cholerics. They like to be leaders and in charge of everything.

Quarto Canzoni Degli Umori(four tunes of the humors)String Quartet No. 2In many respects the type of person we are determines our future, our fortunes. In this string quartet the attitudes or humors dictated how the music came together. Not only are these tunes representative of the various humors of humanity, but they are themselves the result of their character. Quattro Canzoni Degli Umori

to jrcramer, yes, they were student musicians who tried valiantly to play the music well (and did so all things considered) but there were mistakes made in the performance. thanks for the compliments!

The mp3 files are from a live performance last January. PDF's of the parts are available on request. Thanks, Chip

Bamboo Suite is a piece written for a trio of double reeds. In four movements, the piece covers a great deal of territory concerning 20th century music. The opening explores interval based music. The piece is written taking a root note with notes one semi-tone up, two semi-tones up and 5 semi-tones up. The Scherzo takes the motive of the first and plays with the rhythm obscuring the pulse. The Choral explores the tonal color of the various instruments. The Finale weaves these elements together to show commonality and versatility. Bamboo Suite

to Last Life: Thanks for the comments. I disagree with you in regards to the "16th notes in the cello pizz" - they are not too fast for a quality orchestra. My university orchestra struggled with them certainly, but I've heard professional ensembles play section pizz much faster and certainly as clean. I also disagree with marking one instrument louder than another to compensate for the instruments inherent volume. It is the role of the conductor to bring out these elements. I choose to orchestrate with dynamic consistency, rather than compensate for instrument intensity - except when regards to tessitura or number of players. at mm99, the cello pizz is accent, not actual sound. It is heard when played by a live ensemble, or I should say, it is missed when taken out. The conductor of the university orchestra suggested the same thing and then retracted this statement when he took the cellos out of the mix. Many of my bow markings are unnecessary, but I'm pretty meticulous with them. To date string players have thanked me for them, so I continue to include them. Page 17, I like the runs. I agree I'm not sure how much they fit. I'd like to include more of these, perhaps with the strings, but I haven't found a place for them yet. They sort of reflect the short runs the strings have - just not very effective. P23, trumpets... see above statement about dynamics. The way I approach orchestration is consideration of the tessitura of an instrument --what the sound color of a given instrument is in a given range. For example, the horns sound as if they are playing higher (and louder) than trumpets between high C and the G at the top of the treble clef (concert). Because of this it is possible to create the sensation of the music climbing even though the actual pitch isn't (see mm190-191 where the horns take over from the trumpets, even though they drop the pitch an octave). I also use number of players to compensate for volume. In other words I'd double horns on a part when I have a solo trumpet playing against them. Or I'll put two clarinets (or two flutes) in the treble staff against an oboe in the same range. But the flute up an octave and there is no need to double it as the sound is piercing enough. I try not to put ww against brass unless I just want to add a touch of color, because the ww are not a loud as brass. But even with that a solo oboe or solo clarinet can add color to a solo trumpet even at the same dynamic level. The audience doesn't necessarily hear the ww, but they'd miss it if it was absent. I do have several orchestration books and refer to them often. Adler's The Study of Orchestration, Kennan's The Technique of Orchestration and Rimsy-Korsakov's Principles of Orchestration. I refer to them often. While I appreciate Kennan's approach, he tends to agree with you in terms of dynamic orchestration. Both Rimsky-Korsakov and Adler do not. Hopefully you see that my orchestration of this piece is not accidental, nor uneducated. It is with specific intent. I VERY much appreciate your comments and pondered many of those same issues as I wrote the piece. However, I opted for what you see in the score... Again, thanks for the comments, Chip

to JohnBucket: Thanks for the comments; let's see if I can answer some of your questions. The scale runs are obscure by design. Numerous film scores use different meters in the runs to create a sense of flow and not specific notes, which is what I was going for here. The WW at 49-52 do cut off too abruptly and I'm working on that. I've a new score/recording but still not happy with that section. Structure of the piece (as I see it): As Sonata-Allegro Introduction A - first theme B - second theme C - development begins H - recapitulation (after short false recap) (first theme) I recap second theme J - coda - which is recap of introduction As Sonata-Rondo Theme A A - Theme B G - Theme A H - Theme B J - Theme A It doesn't really work as a Sonata-Rondo form, but the concept was there. Beethoven and Mahler did it much better.

Written as a companion piece to Brahms' Symphony No. 1, Exchanging Glances has the same instrumentation but a very different feel. Rather than using E minor, I begin the piece in E Phrygian eventually shifting to G major and then to E Aeolian (or E minor) then eventually to E major. The structure is somewhat Sonata Allegro, but somewhat like Sonata Rondo with a ritornello rather than an introduction. It is the blending of modes, forms and rhythmic patterns that bind the piece as if we are never really sure whether those glances our direction really are for us. Exchanging Glances

The preludes are an exploration of polytonality. One hand moves up around the circle of 5th while the other moves down. Piano Preludes

Cantilenas was just performed by the Lamont School of Music orchestra. Hopefully I will be able to post a live performance of this piece in a few days. Regards, Chip