For Soprano and Strings.

I put this up in a response to Maria's topic when she expressed an interest in any work of mine the other day.

For mezzo and strings, with the strings divided into a small string orchestra without basses, along with 8 solo violins, 3 solo violas and cellos and a solo bass.

Modern but not too atonal - more just chromatic.

If the strings sound weird it's because they rarely play normally; sometimes sul pont, non-vib, a few harmonics and things.

The score still needs a few touch ups and a preface page. 

If you're inclined to listen to it, many thanks.

Really cool. What vst did you use for the vocal? Also, would you mind talking a little bit about how you organized your piece harmonically? You say it's not atonal, are you making use of some exotic modes?

Really great orchestration!  You use the voice as if it's an instrument - have you thought of writing a concerto type piece for a solo wind instrument?  I love the intriguing sound you get from those frequent string glissandi - I just noticed that the score doesn't seem to include any of those glissandi?  Reminds me of Berg - thanks for sharing!

On 3/6/2021 at 2:07 AM, gmm said:

Really cool. What vst did you use for the vocal? Also, would you mind talking a little bit about how you organized your piece harmonically? You say it's not atonal, are you making use of some exotic modes?

 

Many thanks for listening and your kind response. TBH I don't think in terms of scales too much. I had this theory (well, someone must have thought this out before, LOL) that you can add dissonances to basic chords the higher in a chord and they add a kind of edge. Kind of, going up from middle C........

C - E - G - B - D then F sharp. B flat, E flat etc. Rather than think of things like polychords, diminisheds it's more about a range of dissonances appearing at the same moment that seem to sound passable and just move on as they will. Quite often I just bend the harmony so it needs resolution, then resolve it onto another discord. And I use the chromatic triads a lot.  Although I studied traditional 4 part harmony, I think my best teachers were Liszt and Gershwin! 

Again, thanks.

On 3/6/2021 at 8:31 PM, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Really great orchestration!  You use the voice as if it's an instrument - have you thought of writing a concerto type piece for a solo wind instrument?  I love the intriguing sound you get from those frequent string glissandi - I just noticed that the score doesn't seem to include any of those glissandi?  Reminds me of Berg - thanks for sharing!

 

Well, thanks indeed for your generous comment and listening. (In fact it's been in my mind to write a concertino for soprano and ensemble!) 

Ah, the string portamentos? An effect in this kind of music I like and try not to overdo it. The strings have an enormous variety of timbre.

There's a note just under the header on the first page about an asterisk * under a slur meaning change the note portamento.

Cheers!

On 3/7/2021 at 6:07 PM, Quinn said:

Many thanks for listening and your kind response. TBH I don't think in terms of scales too much. I had this theory (well, someone must have thought this out before, LOL) that you can add dissonances to basic chords the higher in a chord and they add a kind of edge. Kind of, going up from middle C........

C - E - G - B - D then F sharp. B flat, E flat etc. Rather than think of things like polychords, diminisheds it's more about a range of dissonances appearing at the same moment that seem to sound passable and just move on as they will. Quite often I just bend the harmony so it needs resolution, then resolve it onto another discord. And I use the chromatic triads a lot.  Although I studied traditional 4 part harmony, I think my best teachers were Liszt and Gershwin! 

Again, thanks.

 

Very nice(!), it reminds me a bit of Pierrot lunaire at least in terms of "feel" if not in any particular way considering musical design and structure and the only reason i bring this up is because I have been listening to Schoenberg's piece quite a lot recently and noticed a bit of similarity. Speaking of dissonances that move on as they will, sometimes those little devils just REFUSE to be resolved at least as far as post-19th century music is usually concerned. Not so much so before that time period, I would think.

Internet challenge time, everyone welcome: what is the date of the earliest piece of music that you know of which has a quite prominent unresolved dissonance? I am thinking of a work from 1898. For all I don't know, such occasions may be available for a dime per dozen but not having the time or inclination to look into this too very much, I am throwing this challenge out for my own personal gratification and cheap knowledge gathering.

Hi there, AKA,

Apologies for not responding sooner.

Thank you for listening through and your kind comment. Interesting that my school music teacher said "you can always resolve a discord onto another discord... and that was opening a treasure chest for me! I had a deal with him - if I worked to the 'proper' curriculum (with all the rules, no chord III or VII, no 5ths and stuff) he'd help me compose as I would. 

I remember Pierrot for the Sprechstimme (I hope I've got that right) but rarely listen to those 2nd Viennese composers because of time, like having to practice piano and viola, disciplined enough thankfully to put in a bit extra during lockdown. I hope the local orchestra starts up again soon!

There are so many works from the early to late 1900s that never resolve that I'd be hard pressed to think of a good example. One curiosity that's always intrigued me is the opening to Beethoven's 4th Symphony. It doesn't actually resolve into its home key (B flat) until about bar 32. Only Beethoven could do that!