Jalapablo

Sorry I don't have the scores for these works, as they were on my old computer that crashed last summer. Fortunately, I was able to upload them (and other works) to my YouTube channel before the catastrophe. I am currently working on a string of trio sonatas - the first movement to my F# minor sonata is also on the channel for those interested. http://http://www.youtube.com/user/Jalapablo#p/u/9/krf9otlOr_A http://http://www.youtube.com/user/Jalapablo#p/u/4/g5NlMT3cuiM http://http://www.youtube.com/user/Jalapablo#p/u/11/5rIxwollzVA

I'm hearing Bach cello suite gavottes en rondeau all over the place

I don't know if this was pointed specifically at me, but I'll address it all the same. It is, as you say, about "moving on", but I don't believe this "moving on" necessarily means one transcends a particular idiom or progesses onward, say, in the chronological fashion of rennaissance to baroque to rococco to classical to romantic, ad nauseum; with the most modern style signifying the greatest progression in terms of self expression or compositional acumen. And I'm sure that's not what you mean, either. I tend to believe you can use a specific idiom to cultivate your own style, and compose within it to your heart's desire....and still manage to churn out quality, original, memorable music. The labeling of the vehicle whereby you arrive at your style will always be there, of course, but this is something which cannot be avoided. You can inspect the exterior of a house and tell immediately if was made of steel, rock, cedar (the same parallel can be drawn with music styles), yet the inside decor can be surprisingly eclectic and fresh and new - but, sometimes it can be plastic and cheap as well ): In all this, superficiality, to me, carries negative connotations, but I do understand and respect what you're saying. I do confess: I have alot of fun composing! I break plenty of rules, and perhaps my style is the musical equivalent of a Big Mac and fries with a bottle of 1982 Chardonney on the side, but what the heck - it's fun! If we're going to place a superficiality label on something, that's fine, but let it never be said that this label applies to the soul behind the composition - regardless of what element it may be expressed through. At the end of the day, I'm not looking to even have my music featured as a footnote in a music textbook; I just find it relaxing and self-edifying to compose in this quasi-baroque (or even parabaroque) style I have come to love and feel very much at home with over the years. PFW :)

Thanks for the comment. My intentions were to simply write a fun piece, certainly nothing too deep or purposeful as far as pedantic or didactic expression goes. This was more like an intrepid voyage to see what I could merge with traditional baroque elements and yet remain somewhat individualistic. I'm not dismissing parallel 5ths and 8ves, but I would write a piece completely in 5ths or parallel octaves if I knew it would mesh with the harmony and sound good. As you well know, they often don't. This is because I am not trying to sound authentic in the sense of being a dead-ringer for Bach or Albinoni, or to pass my music off as something being a 200-300 year old genuine specimen. I'm really not after that. The baroque form is merely a springboard - or a syringe, if you will - to inject my own ideas. Admittedly, this piece has more traditional baroque influence than my own idiosyncratic gleanings. Again, I apologize for scoreless samples. Try opening the midi with your notation software. If this violates forum etiquette, I'll remove the music till I'm able to get the scores up. PFW

I will say from the outset that I do not have the scores up yet for these pieces. For some reason I am having trouble with pdf, and I keep getting error messages. As soon as I can resolve it, I'll post them ASAP. These are small, fun pieces, written in a few hours for flute, recorder and harpsichord bass line. I tried to keep them in simple trio form as much as possible. I dont really the follow rules of avoiding // 8ves and 5ths, or other things that some purists might have anuerysms over. I just believe in writing smart music that sounds good; I hope I've achieved that goal somewhat with this little sonata. I admit, these were fun pieces to write, and I have about half a dozen other trios and miscellaneous small chamber works I can post for review, but I wanted to test the water with this one first. I am not a professional composer, nor have I ever taken a class in composition. Just a hobby I've cultivated over the years studying the works of Bach, Vivaldi, Zelenka, Telemann, Handel. Yeah, I'm one of those guys on the tonal side of the fence. And I love baroque (albeit I necessitate injecting my own originality rather than merely composing pastiche. I find the baroque medium large enough and accomodating for a vehicle of 21st century individualism). In any case, I hope you enjoy these little offerings, and please feel free to comment! Sonata I - Allegretto.mid Sonata I - Spiritoso.mid Sonata I -Allegro.mid

Okay, this was nice and refreshing. I'm impressed. A minor is one of those keys, so easy (what I really mean is fun) to compose in, but the thing you have to look out for is overdoing it with the sequences, and the circle of 5ths. Try to discipline yourself to use them sparingly, strategically, judiciously. By doing so, you'll maximize their effectiveness. The Venetian sequences should be handled like fine seasoning for food: excellent in the proper place and amount, but be careful to not pour too much on lest you spoil the meal. That said, I agree that these are very diatonic-sounding pieces. Mine come out like this too, so I'm not knocking your compositional prowess. The second movement was particularly nice; certain passages took me back 20 years - back to when I was first discovering the sensualities of Locatelli. Thank you. I really don't believe in pedantics. I believe in creating evocative music, and usually one can accomplish this with simply composing from the harmony textbook found within the heart. I think you found a portion of this book, and I think you did an admirable job here. Paul

I really liked the Dungeon Theme, very neat. I dont play these types of games, but I can't see a reason why any gaming company would dislike this. Sort of creepy and dark and scurrilous. Stimulating. Any more stuff like this to show us? Paul :) PS - I just checked out your Soundclick page, and everything sounds great. It looks like you're got a great carreer ahead of you. Build that portfolio!

Well, I deliberately wanted to play it safe with these hymn arrangements and not get too fancy. The idea here is somber introspection and not so much technicalities or musical pedantics. I guess I should have explained this in the introduction. Indeed, I could have modulated and really explored the motivic structure, but with this one I just wanted to invoke the mood. Actually, the music takes a back seat to the words, which are phenomenal for this particular hymn. The music was merely there to accompany, and I tossed in the tubular bells to give it an added sepulchural tone. I do see what you're saying, though, and I understand your point; my point here, however, was not to exhaust the harmonic possibilities of Tanzer's "Bangor", but to accent and embellish the fine melody (isn't it great?) wihout taking away from the efficacy of the wonderful words. Here's one where I took a bit more liberty in elaboration, adapting it almost into French overture form. The original melody (St. Flavius, 1562) is a bit more hidden here, yet I still managed to play it safe: http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyD5K8p8ohs Paul

This is an arrangement I made of the Issac Watts hymn "Hark! From the Tombs a Doleful Sound" for strings and tubular bells. It is scored in grand-staff notation with an additional staff for the bells. The theme is by W. Tanzer, circa 1734. His original is the first eight measures; the rest is mine. I have a few renditions of different old hymns, and if this one goes over well here, I can eventually post more. In this one, I tried to invoke a moribund atmosphere, the sepulchural introspection Watts so effectively captures in the hymn itself. The words (along with the music), can be viewed in the video I made on my YouTube channel for anyone interested. By the way, this hymn was sung at the funeral of George Washington, the first president of the United States. YouTube - Hark! From the Tombs a Doleful Sound - Watts Doleful Sound.mid

Hey, thanks for that review. I'll be sure to repay the courtesy and review your works also. Most certainly I was messing around here. This was not a serious piece; it was just for fun. You're right about computer game music! Something like "Rolling Thunder" or "Street Fighter" - a kind of moving urgency. I suppose the object here was just to see what kind of forward momentum I could get going and how long I could keep it before it exhausted my interest...and as you can see, it wasn't too far :) I and IV and V will only take you so far. I have more serious works, fit for the concert hall, uploaded to my YouTube channel: YouTube - Jalapablo's Channel And Soundclick: SoundClick artist: Paul West Sorry about not providing the score; I don't really think this particular piece warrants one. And besides, I'm having trouble with pdf formatting. Kind of frustrating. But on those other links you'll will find some serious works: oboe concertos, flute concertos, a lute concerto movement, and some miscellaneoous trios for flute and recorder.

I wanted to upload something to share (my first, break the ice), and I thought I would submit this unfinished whim I wrote last year. It's really nothing substantial; the midi patches I've included are for harpsichord, string ensemble and violin, though the upload doesn't portray it. Any feedback is welcome, as I may finish this one day just for fun. I remember imagining a man running while I wrote it, and I think I was pretty bored that afternoon. unknown.mid

He doesn't, unfortunately. Just trying to be funny. P.S. I agree with you about Vivaldi. The more I absorb his music (especially his vocal works), the more I stand amazed. The conciseness of his form, his marked homophonic textures, his melodically neutral themes, the minuet finale - and various mannersims once thought to have originated with the German composers of the Mannheim school - can all be found in his music.

Gesualdo and Zelenka. Man, their stuff is everywhere and it's driving me nuts. :)

I'm tempted to say Zelenka. Very tempted. Listening to his oboe trios can be an amazing experience. His large scale choral writing is in every way comparable to the best of Bach and Handel, yet with unexpected twists and turns and surprises which often predate succesive musical styles with visionary power. There's just something so very special and absolutely unique in his music; it is ingenious in form and symmetry, his melodies are astonishingly original, and his counterpoint is every much as fresh and enthralling and intelligent as Bach's (yet considerably more difficult; ask any oboist or bassoonist). He is truly a sleeping giant, and the discovery of his genius can be an extremely rewarding thing to a music lover. I used to profess JS Bach's unsupassed greatness...until I discovered Zelenka. Now, I'm not too sure. Even Bach held Zelenka's genius in the highest esteem, and Telemann once reported in a letter that the Dresden authorities were keeping an illustrious Zelenka mass under guarded lock and key because it contained something "very special". Musicologists say that Zelenka's influence may have been the driving influence in Bach's penning of the Catholic B minor mass, after one of his visits to Dresden. Zelenka was Roman Catholic, and we know that Bach instructed his sons to copy out portions of Zelenka's masses and other sacred works for close study - sort of like Mozart 150 years later in Leipzig on his kness examining the Bach motets.