The story behind it
‘I paint music’ started out as a love-song. But it changed it after I heard stories about people who, now, have to wait at home, behind glass, in quarantine. People are forced to stay at home, while loved ones are in the hospital fighting for their lives.
Below the first test-version Take 1. To compare both versions and hear the development of the composition:
These stories changed the composition into music about the fear of loosing loved ones, not being able to hold their hands. Being stuck behind a glass window.
The music comes visually alive by the inspiring sand-show designed by sand-artist Immanuel Boie. Who can be invited during your performance.
Orchestration
The composition is written for a small orchestra, with a main sound in the middle register: viola’s and euphonium. Strings, saxophones, tuba and euphonium, provide a warm, soothing sound. Mallets and timpani provide speed and depth. There are parts for singers as well, they sing the song-text (see below).
The sound-colors will mix into a warm golden blend.
This orchestration is not ‘regular’: The goal is to unite instruments and people that normally wouldn’t play together. Strings, Singers and Brass play in different types of ensembles, but I think that in these difficult times for music, a composition should unite people from common and different musical backgrounds.
We have to reinvent playing music together, now, why not explore new grounds? Make this an exciting musical time as well?
If you would like an arrangement for your own orchestra or ensemble, let me know! (I’m currently working on an arrangement for brass-band as well.)
On- and offline project
The idea is that people at home, play the music, record it and send it to me. I will make a mix out of the recordings.
Parts of this mix will be used during a live performance of the composition. There will be a part in the composition where ‘the past’ can be used to make ‘the present’.
To remember how it was and how great it is to be together playing again.
The composition is optimized for online performance: A PAD Bass will provide intonation guidance, percussion will help with rhythm. To make playing possible, conductor Arne Visser will provide a video conducting the composition.
1,5 meter concerts
Maybe, we have will have to face a period of ‘1,5 meter’- concerts. This composition can be played with less performers on stage than a normal orchestra. Even only a few players per part or soloists will do. The percussion is organised in ‘pits’ so there is no walking involved.
Sand-artist Immanuel Boie
To design a complete experience, sand-artist Immanuel Boie design ed a show. Sand-art is about the process: changing one drawing into another. And at the end of the show, the sand disappears again in a bag.
Like music, it’s only there while it is being played.
There will be a video of the show accompanying the online project. When life get’s back to normal, you can invite the sand-artist to make your concert an enchanting experience for your audience.
There will be a part in the composition where the sand-artist takes the lead, and the composer will write music to support the images. And there will be a part where the composer takes the lead and the sand-artist will provide images to support the music.
Exciting to see and hear what happens when we change the lead!
Crowd-funding
This project supports musicians who are having a hard time, now concerts are cancelled due to the corona-crisis. The composition is a gift from the composer. The money will only go to the artists who helped making this project possible.
There will be a ‘I paint music on’ bag for sale, designed for sheet-music, water-bottle and music-stand. It will have the text ‘I paint music on’ and a field where you can crayon where you paint music on.
Money remaining will go to artists who help out with the next online project, “Frau Holle”, inspired by the Grimm Brothers tale. This is a project for woodwind-ensemble.
TAKE 1: THE MUSIC
The music is composed in ‘takes’, so imagery and music can inspire each other. This page gives an impression of “‘take 1” of the first half of the composition. The second half holds a more aggressive, angry part and a song.
Song text (PDF) I paint music on the bright side of your tears.
Music (virtual orchestra)
Score (PDF)
