On Wednesday I posted a video performance of the Metropole Orchestra performing Vince Mendoza's composition, "Esperaça". This afternoon, while eating my lunch, I stumbled upon an interview from the same time, where he discusses this very piece and has the orchestra demonstrate some of its constituent parts. What a find!
Billy Strayhorn's motto, "Ever Up and Onward" seemed an apt title for the ruminations of a composer/arranger, jazz pianist, music educator, husband, father and Christian.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Keepin' It Real
This has been a much more productive week of music writing. I attribute it to two things:
It has been insightful to blog about my process as I go about arranging music. Every once in a while I have an "ah ha moment" where I make a major observation about myself and how I work best. I had one of these realizations when I saw how much faster ideas came to me when I turned off my computer and worked at the piano, rather than in front of a computer screen. As nice as the music looked in a previous post when presented using Finale notation software, I think I was jumping the gun. I don't normally use Finale until later, and by using it early on, I inadvertently slowed myself down.
In an effort to "keep things real" and to honestly present how I go about writing, I've decided to show more of my pencil sketchings (complete with many visible erasures), rather than transferring my work to music notation software as I go.
Here is a sample of what I wrote on Tuesday. It is a shout chorus which will utilize surrounding drum fills/hits. I wanted to keep the intensity up after the initial statement of the head (melody), and to feature the drums early in the piece, as the composer, Tyler Hornby is a drummer. I also like the idea of "messing" with the form by presenting a shout chorus towards the beginning, rather than at the end as one sees in 90% of published big band music.
The audio clip is a recording of me at the piano, but the passage will be played by the entire horn section, with the exception of the fourth measure which will be played only by the rhythm section, to allow the music to breathe. The lead lines presented here will be fully harmonized by the horns.
After this section there will be a quirky, paraphrased restatement of the head with plenty of space for drum solo fills to continue.
- better (rigid) time management, and
- returning to the use of old fashioned manuscript paper.
It has been insightful to blog about my process as I go about arranging music. Every once in a while I have an "ah ha moment" where I make a major observation about myself and how I work best. I had one of these realizations when I saw how much faster ideas came to me when I turned off my computer and worked at the piano, rather than in front of a computer screen. As nice as the music looked in a previous post when presented using Finale notation software, I think I was jumping the gun. I don't normally use Finale until later, and by using it early on, I inadvertently slowed myself down.
In an effort to "keep things real" and to honestly present how I go about writing, I've decided to show more of my pencil sketchings (complete with many visible erasures), rather than transferring my work to music notation software as I go.
Here is a sample of what I wrote on Tuesday. It is a shout chorus which will utilize surrounding drum fills/hits. I wanted to keep the intensity up after the initial statement of the head (melody), and to feature the drums early in the piece, as the composer, Tyler Hornby is a drummer. I also like the idea of "messing" with the form by presenting a shout chorus towards the beginning, rather than at the end as one sees in 90% of published big band music.
The audio clip is a recording of me at the piano, but the passage will be played by the entire horn section, with the exception of the fourth measure which will be played only by the rhythm section, to allow the music to breathe. The lead lines presented here will be fully harmonized by the horns.
After this section there will be a quirky, paraphrased restatement of the head with plenty of space for drum solo fills to continue.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Metropole Jazz Orchestra
"Wordless Wednesday" is here again. I know you will enjoy this video of the Metropole Jazz Orchestra, based in the Netherlands. I own and regularly listen to the CD recording of this piece, but this video helped to answer some of my orchestration questions. Let's hear it for Vince Mendoza!
Monday, September 24, 2012
Orchestration
I made some progress on Tyler Hornby's tune this afternoon by sketching a harmonized version of the bridge. Here is a "sneak peek":
The trumpets will play the melody in octaves. I think I will put 3 trumpets in the higher octave and one down. This is a trick I learned from Michael Abene in the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop. According to Michael, Manny Albam emphatically discouraged octave writing with 2 trumpets up and 2 trumpets down. 1 up and 3 down or 3 up and 1 down are both preferable for intonation reasons.
To the trumpets I may add one saxophone to the lower octave to help emulsify the sound.
The trombones are harmonized, similar to how a pianist punctuates with his/her left hand. I will add the bari sax to the bottom, playing roots along with a similar, but not identical string bass part.
I had to be careful about the lower octave trumpet crossing into the trombone range. By choosing mid-register trombone voicings and leaving some space, I think I avoided any problems. The melody is just a bit too high for lead alto saxophone... and there's nothing worse than sax parts in the highest minor 3rd of the instrument.
I changed a couple of rhythms and notes but more or less kept this section true to Tyler's original lead sheet.
Drums are always in the forefront of my mind, but interestingly, they are the last thing I enter into a score.
Now I'm onto the "shout" section, with drums soloing around ensemble hits. Where did I put that hand-held cassette recorder of mine?
The trumpets will play the melody in octaves. I think I will put 3 trumpets in the higher octave and one down. This is a trick I learned from Michael Abene in the BMI Jazz Composers' Workshop. According to Michael, Manny Albam emphatically discouraged octave writing with 2 trumpets up and 2 trumpets down. 1 up and 3 down or 3 up and 1 down are both preferable for intonation reasons.
To the trumpets I may add one saxophone to the lower octave to help emulsify the sound.
The trombones are harmonized, similar to how a pianist punctuates with his/her left hand. I will add the bari sax to the bottom, playing roots along with a similar, but not identical string bass part.
I had to be careful about the lower octave trumpet crossing into the trombone range. By choosing mid-register trombone voicings and leaving some space, I think I avoided any problems. The melody is just a bit too high for lead alto saxophone... and there's nothing worse than sax parts in the highest minor 3rd of the instrument.
I changed a couple of rhythms and notes but more or less kept this section true to Tyler's original lead sheet.
Drums are always in the forefront of my mind, but interestingly, they are the last thing I enter into a score.
Now I'm onto the "shout" section, with drums soloing around ensemble hits. Where did I put that hand-held cassette recorder of mine?
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Dear Diary
Dear Diary,
I didn't get much music written this week, and find myself feeling anxious, agitated and annoyed. Meetings, "pressing" e-mails and work deadlines ate huge chunks of my time. Squeezing in writing between appointments just isn't working. Somehow I need to block our more three or four-hour designated time slots in my week to do some focused arranging.
The problem is, when I ignore my e-mail inbox for just one day, there are usually at least 60 new messages waiting for me. Of these, about 20 will require serious consideration/preparation before reponding. 15 or so will require "urgent responses". More and more, I am finding it increasingly difficult to "unplug".
Following a day of musical productivity, I inevitably have to spend the following day catching up on what I have "neglected". E-mail has become the bane of my existence.
In addition to managing my inbox, I was so over-scheduled this week that I didn't even have time to put anything away. I would teach a class, drop my books off on my desk (or piano), and then run across campus for a meeting. My office looks like a refuse site. This is clearly contributing to my stress levels. Returning my work space to a productive environment will be my first step towards getting back onto the path of productivity. Deep breaths.
Perhaps my biggest challenge at this time is not allowing myself to be a grumpy, old bastard. My wife deserves better.
I generally pride myself in being good with time management, but this week I lost the battle. Tomorrow represents the beginning of a new week and a fresh start. I like fresh starts.
~ Earl
I didn't get much music written this week, and find myself feeling anxious, agitated and annoyed. Meetings, "pressing" e-mails and work deadlines ate huge chunks of my time. Squeezing in writing between appointments just isn't working. Somehow I need to block our more three or four-hour designated time slots in my week to do some focused arranging.
The problem is, when I ignore my e-mail inbox for just one day, there are usually at least 60 new messages waiting for me. Of these, about 20 will require serious consideration/preparation before reponding. 15 or so will require "urgent responses". More and more, I am finding it increasingly difficult to "unplug".Following a day of musical productivity, I inevitably have to spend the following day catching up on what I have "neglected". E-mail has become the bane of my existence.
In addition to managing my inbox, I was so over-scheduled this week that I didn't even have time to put anything away. I would teach a class, drop my books off on my desk (or piano), and then run across campus for a meeting. My office looks like a refuse site. This is clearly contributing to my stress levels. Returning my work space to a productive environment will be my first step towards getting back onto the path of productivity. Deep breaths.
Perhaps my biggest challenge at this time is not allowing myself to be a grumpy, old bastard. My wife deserves better.
I generally pride myself in being good with time management, but this week I lost the battle. Tomorrow represents the beginning of a new week and a fresh start. I like fresh starts.
~ Earl
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Monday Night: Live Jazz at UConn
UConn Jazz Showcase. Monday, Sept. 24
All of the UConn jazz groups will perform a sampling of the music they are preparing this semester. Expect plenty of variety; from bebop to big band swing! Gregg August, Earl MacDonald, & John Mastroianni, directors.The concert begins at 7:30p.m. and will be held at the von der Mehden Recital Hall, which is located at 875 Coventry Road, across from Mirror Lake on the UConn campus in Storrs. General Admission is $10, free for UConn students and for children. There will be plenty of free, well-lit parking across the street. For more information please call 860-486-2969 or visit us on the web at music.uconn.edu.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wordless Wednesdays
Every Wednesday I plan to post a video that has caught my attention or inspired me in some way.
I listened to the Brussels Jazz Orchestra this morning while doing a training run. I have heard this ensemble live twice, and think they are one of the most polished big bands around. I really wonder if they are on the radar of musicians from this side of the pond. Composer/Arranger Bert Joris is an incredible talent. Enjoy!
I listened to the Brussels Jazz Orchestra this morning while doing a training run. I have heard this ensemble live twice, and think they are one of the most polished big bands around. I really wonder if they are on the radar of musicians from this side of the pond. Composer/Arranger Bert Joris is an incredible talent. Enjoy!
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