For a new composition for Torch, I am experimenting with a new way to inspire my orchestration by felting. I wanted to know whether I would orchestrate differently, when I am inspired by textiles, specifically felting by hand. I wanted to know whether the felting, the rubbing, the smell of the soap, the time not… Continue reading Felting Soundcolors
Category: Orchestration
How to use an orchestra, examples of beautiful work, explanation of problems and pitfalls.
Contrast and Orchestration
Working on my current project ‘I Paint Music‘, it’s difficult to write an aggressive effect, because the tutti sound of strings and tuba/euphonium is very warm and fuzzy. I might have to reconsider this orchestration, because it might not be suitable for a more aggressive and contrasting passage I’m planning. But to do that properly,… Continue reading Contrast and Orchestration
COLOR THE CONTRASTS
When you think of contrast in music, you often think about that one LOUD standing chord with a SILENCE before and after. This is the most extreme form of contrast: White – Black – White. I discussed this type of music earlier in a blog on SILENCE, because a lone standing chord by itself has… Continue reading COLOR THE CONTRASTS
How Space, Time and FORM interact.
This blog will discuss how SPACE influences climaxes and silences while playing and composing music. It’s a difficult metaphor, but it works best for me, explaining to myself how to improve my climaxes and silences by adding SPACE for sound to thrive. The first time I heard my music, I was surrounded by me, magnified… Continue reading How Space, Time and FORM interact.
The air-castle: Walls of music on stages
When we think about stage set-up, we often think about how the audience will see us, but hardly ever how they hear us. That is a missed opportunity, because not only the instruments ‘play the room’, so do the stages. The percussionists are often placed in the back of the stage on an elevated smaller… Continue reading The air-castle: Walls of music on stages
What orchestration can do for your composition.
Orchestration is the fingerprint of the composer. All composers have a favorite mix of sound-colors, by the orchestration alone you can often already recognize a composer. Here is a famous example of a composition for piano, that is orchestrated by another composer: Pictures at an Exhibition, composed by Mussorgski, orchestrated by Ravel. Or listen to… Continue reading What orchestration can do for your composition.
Orchestra set-up: How to play the room
The set-up of on orchestra is an important part of a composition. As a composer, I imagine how the music will sound in 3D. So I imagine where the sound comes from when I am orchestrating. I even conduct the composition for an imaginary orchestra to feel if the composition is right. So where the… Continue reading Orchestra set-up: How to play the room
Silences
During my lessons with Stephen Melillo we talked about the analogy between composing and sculpturing. When you make a sculpture out of marble, you remove the material you do not want. When you write music you should also remove everything that is not needed. Composers can choose not to write notes, passages (see the blog… Continue reading Silences
Orchestration: Learning and remarks
Thaleia: Learning the sound of choir combinations and conductors. Thaleia is a heroic piece about the muse of comedy. Thaleia means the ‘blossoming happiness’. I wrote this piece as a summary of all I learned about the craft in 2018/2019. There are also experiments to learn how I can improve my work next year: We… Continue reading Orchestration: Learning and remarks