Well, that was easy.
I ripped the tune from the CD and converted it to an MP3 and uploaded it to my server. That’s the short version with all the bitching and whining cut out. Thanks to everyone who gave me good advice.
So, yes. As promised. To keep from exceeding the bandwidth limits of my hosting account, and for other reasons, I should leave this file online for a limited time. After that, if you still are interested in listening to it, mail me at metamorphosist [at symbol here] gmail.com and I’ll mail you a copy.
Llik Daor MP3, 7.4 MB
(For a logical reason that escapes me now, I originally had the link in the extended entry. Sorry to anyone that confused.)
The file is 7.4 MB.
The title of the song is “Llik Daor”
It was composed with ten harps in mind, and a cello, and two cellphones and a digital camera. At the debut performance, of which this file is a live recording, it was performed by six classically-trained harpists, a cellist (not me), two cellphonists and there was a young boy taking pictures, so it came awfully close to the ideal I had imagined.
When I spoke to the professional composers at the workshop as a part of which I composed this tune, they asked me if I envisioned further evolution of this piece and I said no, it’s done. But now I have changed my mind and may go back to this with several things in mind including arrangements for other instruments such as bells or saxophones and so on.
The piece was, as I may have mentioned, inspired by a dead fox seen at the side of the freeway, and the general sadness I felt at my father’s death; and the evolution of the piece sort of kinda reflects me starting to move out of that grief. It’s not supposed to be a sad song, although that was the original idea. It’s supposed to be about life winning, not that I want to put any pressure on it or anything.
Great job, mig! Thanks for posting this-
I’m looking forward to hearing how it evolves. Right now it feels very grounded.. given the inspiration for the piece, perhaps a soaring solo violin or other alto type instrument would fill in some color? Or maybe it’s supposed to be black and white, as in the richness of an old movie and tampering with it in that way wouldn’t be appropriate.
Whatever you decide to do with it, please keep us updated ;-)
Nice job. I like the combination of harps and cello, and you use it well. And that’s a great sound for a live recording.
beautiful & stirring music – thank you mig.
apart from the shoddy work of the cellphonists (i personally feel there could have been a bit more “ringtone” in their performances), i also found this ‘beautiful & stirring.’
i’d like to hear more of this, or music like it. i wonder what you will compose in the future?
the cellphonists misperformed, because i did not tell them exactly, precisely what to do. it had seemed obvious to me. actually, i did tell them, but only once and perhaps they forgot. two phones were programmed with ring tones that corresponded to the two main themes of the piece F-C-B-Eflat and D-A-C-B-Eflat. first one was supposed to play, a couple rings, and then the other. the intention was to first of all make a cellphone joke, because cellphones always ring at music school concerts, and also to include the audience space in the performance, as well as introduce those two themes. unfortunately they rang both phones at the same time. in future, i would include instructions to use only 2 phones – one calls the other – instead of 2 phones on stage calling two in the audience. maybe they were nervous and wanted to get it over with. just goes to show, whatever can go wrong will.
as far as what i will compose in the future, i don’t know. i’ll post it here if it gets recorded, and certainly write about it. i would like to write something for harp, cello, piano and recorder since that’s what we play at home, but there are tons of inspiring instruments out there. i would like to do something for cello and theremin, or theremin and singing saw because that seems funny. the sky is the limit.
in their defense, btw, i must add that the cellphonists were not classically-trained, and this was in fact their first public performance. also, the sound level seems rather low in this recording, although the actual performance was also rather quiet, and not everyone heard the cellphones live either.
I liked it. It sounded like it should be the scary theme for a thriller, and it reminded me of the “six feet under” theme music.
Nice.
i thought you were joking about the cellphonists – i wouldn’t have criticized if i’d known they were really meant to be. well, in that case, great performance amateur cellphonists! here’s hoping that with a little diligence and practice, your cellphoning will reach ultimate cellphonist levels.
Had the recording running here in the background while I’m working. It’s very atmospheric. I’m not any kind of musical expert, so I’ll limit my comments to that, and to this:
I enjoyed it. Thank you.
I hope we’ll get to here more of your compositions in the future…
I listened to this and enjoyed it. It seemed sad at the beginning and then life affirming toward the end. Unfortunately, don’t know enough about music or instruments to say any more.