# Orchestra piece



## Vasks

As I promised a while back in one of my TC blogs, here's my nine minute work, five brief movements for orchestra. This ain't no MIDI mockup folks. I truly hope many of you like it.

View attachment Orchestra piece.mp3


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## nikola

Nice "mickey mousing" for Spielberg movie. John Williams would be proud. 
Also that part around 5th minute when Superman is flying with Lois Lane at night is pretty much good... it seems like my ears are waiting to hear "Summertime" from Gershwin at that part, but it never happens.
It may seem that I'm kinda sarcastic, but I do like it. Even though I'm not big fan of mickey mousing, this is pretty much fun and good piece of music.


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## Vasks

It's always fascinating how people react. I have no idea what "Mickey Mousing" is and I'm not with you on Superman etc, but you got the most important part down right. It was intended to be fun with a sufficient sense of impromptu.

The conductor that premiered it back in January had a specific picture/mood in mind for each movement. A few of them I could not relate to, but a few were pretty close to what I was trying to convey.


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## nikola

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mickey_Mousing


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## arpeggio

Not bad. Ignore the negative stuff. One of the best things I have heard from one of our members. :trp::clap::tiphat:


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## nikola

arpeggio said:


> Not bad. Ignore the negative stuff. One of the best things I have heard from one of our members. :trp::clap::tiphat:


My comment wasn't negative at all. I just shared my experience that is positive. It does kinda remind me of older style of soundtracks.


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## Vasks

and I knew it wasn't negative because you said so later on in your post. 

Of course I always understood what the general term "Mickey Mousing" meant but at first I couldn't see how it related. So after reading the Wiki article with its specific relationship to film, it got me to thinking. My first movement is a whirlwind of half-crazy motives being tossed all about creating a certain sense of controlled chaos. I can see how someone can find it sort-of mickey mousing by such a definition; but for the other movements.... not so much.


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## arpeggio

nikola said:


> My comment wasn't negative at all. I just shared my experience that is positive. It does kinda remind me of older style of soundtracks.


Sorry about from my reaction but I have been is situations were "Mickey Mouse" is used as a disparaging remark. We used to use it in the Army when dealing with military nonsense.

By the way the more I listen to it the more I like it. This a damn good piece of music. I am very impressed.


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## Vasks

I'm glad that you find much to admire in this piece, Apeggio. Thank you for listening. 

I'm hoping that with this well made recording I can get other conductors interested in actually performing it. That certainly will be my objective over the next couple of years.


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## nikola

So, I guess this is real orchestra playing now?


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## Vasks

Yes, it is a real orchestra on the mp3 you're hearing and the piece has had two performances by two different ensembles this year. It was composed in 2014 but it took all of 2015 to get the score and parts to be properly done in order for any orchestra to actually consider tackling it and then to start submitting it to various organizations.


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## Truckload

Congratulations! I know you are thrilled to have an actual live performance, as any composer would be. And this seems to be a good orchestra, very competent. Personally I think you have a very individual style. Yes there are certain elements that are somewhat similar to other composers, but the way you bring everything together is not exactly like anyone else. I like the orchestration, and I like your dramatic flair.

So if you are sending a letter or email approaching a conductor to request he listen to your work, how do you describe your music?


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## Vasks

Thank you Truckload for the compliments.

I don't try to describe my music. I've never been into any "isms" and I don't hesitate to write in any style that captures my imagination. For some composers it's important to travel down a path of personal development based on a theory/approach to
writing so that as the years go by the works seem to evolve from that single theory/approach. Well, that's fine for them, but it's not me.


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## arpeggio

*Follow Your Heart*



Vasks said:


> Thank you Truckload for the compliments.
> 
> I don't try to describe my music. I've never been into any "isms" and I don't hesitate to write in any style that captures my imagination. For some composers it's important to travel down a path of personal development based on a theory/approach to
> writing so that as the years go by the works seem to evolve from that single theory/approach. Well, that's fine for them, but it's not me.


You are making a point that many of us have been trying to make for years. A composer has to follow his heart. If his path leads him to compose tonal music he composes tonal music. If his path takes him toward atonal music so be it.

What makes this an outstanding work is that the sound is yours and you should not have to defend that sound. Of course parts of your music is derivative. Some of it comes from one guy and some from another. Between what you have absorbed from others and what is unique from you have created a sound painting that is uniquely Vask's. This is why it is superior to the vast majority of the original works I have heard posted here.

The vast majority of us are very broad-minded and appreciate all forms of music. If you follow your heart you are going to appreciated regardless of any labels that one may try to apply to it.

I do not know of any orchestras that I play with that are up to performing it. However, if you could transcribe if for concert band I know of a few groups who would love to perform it.


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## Pugg

To me it sounds good, bit like a film score, then again I am not a composer.
Better then I will ever produce :tiphat:


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## Vasks

arpeggio said:


> I do not know of any orchestras that I play with that are up to performing it. However, if you could transcribe if for concert band I know of a few groups who would love to perform it.


I have in the past taken pieces and re-scored them (e.g. A work for soprano, flute and piano becomes a work for mezzo-soprano, clarinet & piano or a piece for three celli now becomes a brass trio); and once from band to orchestra (believe it or not, under the tutelage of Gunther Schuller). But this piece and specifically the string writing of the 3rd & 4th movements would make transcribing extremely challenging. So I'd take a pass. It would be far easier to write a new piece for band 

And Pugg, it's interesting that you too like nikola find some relationships to film. I guess it's because the movements are brief and focus in on a single mood rather than develop and explore.


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## arpeggio

Vasks said:


> I have in the past taken pieces and re-scored them (e.g. A work for soprano, flute and piano becomes a work for mezzo-soprano, clarinet & piano or a piece for three celli now becomes a brass trio); and once from band to orchestra (believe it or not, under the tutelage of Gunther Schuller). But this piece and specifically the string writing of the 3rd & 4th movements would make transcribing extremely challenging. So I'd take a pass. It would be far easier to write a new piece for band
> 
> And Pugg, it's interesting that you too like nikola find some relationships to film. I guess it's because the movements are brief and focus in on a single mood rather than develop and explore.


I hate you. Schuller seems to be a cool guy.

Maybe you can do something similar that Schuman did when he rescored _Chester from The New England Triptych_ for concert band. He excluded the sting parts that did not work and created some new material to replace it. His band version of _Chester_ works as a stand alone piece. We are performing it at the next concert of the National Concert Band.


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## Vasks

arpeggio said:


> I hate you. Schuller seems to be a cool guy.
> 
> Maybe you can do something similar that Schuman did when he rescored _Chester from The New England Triptych_ for concert band. He excluded the sting parts that did not work and created some new material to replace it. His band version of _Chester_ works as a stand alone piece. We are performing it at the next concert of the National Concert Band.


Schuller was terrific. He taught me how to notate to get precision out of orchestral players. Yes, the uniquely designed string parts would have to go and be totally re-imagined by me using certain wind instruments. I still say it's no easy task.

Did Schuman call the band version of Chester, "*Chester Overture*"? I know I conducted a college band doing "When Jesus Wept" but I can't recall if I did "Chester"


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## arpeggio

Vasks said:


> Schuller was terrific. He taught me how to notate to get precision out of orchestral players. Yes, the uniquely designed string parts would have to go and be totally re-imagined by me using certain wind instruments. I still say it's no easy task.
> 
> Did Schuman call the band version of Chester, "*Chester Overture*"? I know I conducted a college band doing "When Jesus Wept" but I can't recall if I did "Chester"


Yes. He also rescored the first movement as well. I performed it once with a band. We actually had a chorus perform the original Billings before we performed each movement.

The thing I do not like about "When Jesus Wept" was when he rescored the great oboe, bassoon duet for trumpet and baritone. Those are extremely difficult parts for those instruments and I have rarely heard them well played. I know the few times I performed it the trumpet and baritone players were really struggling with the parts.


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## EdwardBast

Interesting and fun from beginning to end with a few big surprises — especially that intense crescendo at the end of the third piece(?) Some great orchestral effects too. Love that wah trumpet lick! 

Would like to hear something more broadly developed as well. So many ideas with such short lives … seems profligate somehow?


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## Vasks

Surprises are good, Edward. They keep the listener engaged. There are moments I surprise myself when composing and delight in those. That trumpet wah-wah lick is a good example. The two pitches (D and E-flat) were rattling inside my head when I came to that spot but when I realized how they could be used in a very special manner I just chuckled and went for it.

As for "developing", well, that's for other pieces not this one. I just don't expect miniatures to go "there".


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## mikeh375

Hi Vasks,

Thanks for the link to this brilliant gem, I'm a fan.
Beautifully scored and written with the economy of means I try to strive for (but rarely achieve). Each movement is succinct and clear in purpose and does not need to be allied to anything other than itself imv, in other words I enjoyed it as 'absolute' music.

I like the way you seem to flirt along the borders of tonality and a more open approach to harmony because it creates a distinctive voice that is not so shackled and is able to emancipate the imagination, impelling it to operate at a deeper level. (we should all be grateful to the 20thC developments right?). At least that's how I hear it on first listen.

I don't know how you feel about the relevance of the symphonic form in the 21stC, but I think you should write a symphony anyway..

Great work Vasks...


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## adrien

I enjoyed this.

Reminded me of Jerry Goldsmith. Lots of fun and great energy.

the orchestra did a great job too IMO. How nice to have a good real recording! The rest of us either have to hire orchestras or do MIDI mockups. I hope one day to raise my aspirations above just doing better MIDI mockups :lol:


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## E Cristobal Poveda

I personally get more of a delirious rage from it tbh.
I'd be interested in studying the score to see how you got some of the colors, but oh well.


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## Vasks

Yeah, I really don't want to share any score of mine over the Internet. Not because I think they are great and potentially "profitable" but just because I would not want someone to steal it and pass it off as their own. And to seal the deal with this particular piece, a publisher has agreed to issue it. I've signed the contract and sent him the PDFs of score and parts about a month ago. So there's no way with it being copyrighted by him that it can be shared.


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## tvparty

Just listened twice all the way through, this is outstanding. The mysterious sounding slow movement that begins around the 4:40 mark particularly blew me away.


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