# Worthy new age piece?



## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Constance Demby - Novus Magnificat (part 1)

Below is the only piece of "new age" music I've ever come across with melodic content that I would consider "worthy" when compared to classical music. I'm curious what you people think of this music. Just forget about the whole new age label and listen to it with an open mind.

Information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novus_Magnificat

If you're going to comment, please listen to the whole thing (preferably more than once) and keep in mind the following:

"The music was performed using the Emulator II, one of the first digital sampling synthesizers available: this provided and combined the sound of real symphonic instruments and choirs under a single keyboard, hooked to a Roland Juno 60 "for arpeggiated effects and enhanced sounds".
Nothing being written down or scored in advance, the album was directly composed and recorded in 1985 by Demby at the keyboard. The music was further enhanced with electronic textures by composer Michael Stearns...."

Personally I've had a good experience with it. Some may find it unbearable to listen to, some may find it beautiful...


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

Not enough "action".
I find this more beautiful( New piece for me = composed between 1990-3000)
Most of you might find it too cheesy but i love this piece.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

You decided that in 4 minutes?
Why must FInal Fantasy music show up everywhere at random?


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## jani (Jun 15, 2012)

DeepR said:


> You decided that in 4 minutes?
> Why must FInal Fantasy music show up everywhere at random?


It just came in to my mind when i listened to it.

I decided in 4 mins yea.
I listened to it and it didn't catch my attention


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

Sorry, couldn't stand listening to it all the way through. I dipped in and out. I don't see how it is any different/better than any number of similar pieces, eg the work of John Foxx. And is melodic content the most important parameter when assessing classical music, anyway?


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Jeremy Marchant said:


> Sorry, couldn't stand listening to it all the way through. I dipped in and out. I don't see how it is any different/better than any number of similar pieces, eg the work of John Foxx. And is melodic content the most important parameter when assessing classical music, anyway?


That's alright, I just want honest opinions. 
I don't know if any single parameter is the most important, I just compared that aspect of the music to classical music and thought it was quite impressive.
When I listen to other new age like Ludovico Einaudi, the melodic content is so poor and there is nothing else of interest that makes me want to listen to it next to classical piano music.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I personally don't think Demby can be compared to any classical music. Her music is just typical ambient new age porridge and pretty typical of the genre at that. I think this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread.

Kevin


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

there's been a period in which i've listened to it a lot. Certainly not that masterpiece that Scaruffi claims it to be (there's a certain naiveté in it, and maybe it lacks in cohesion) but an interesting album with some beautiful original ideas, at least for me. Something like ambient and classical music in the space. 
I don't think that here it will be very appreciated.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Yes, I guess so.
I think it's not typical new age and is one of the few things I've heard that stands out in the new age genre (ambient is an entirely different genre).


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

DeepR said:


> (ambient is an entirely different genre).


do you see great differences?


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## MJongo (Aug 6, 2011)

I saw the title and was going to post Novus Magnificat. I've listened to it at least 50 times all the way through.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

There is overlap and ambient is hard to define but in essence it's very different from the highly melodic piece of music I posted here...
I'm sure it's all the same for some.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

DeepR said:


> There is overlap and ambient is hard to define but in essence it's very different from the highly melodic piece of music I posted here...
> I'm sure it's all the same for some.


yes, i was talking more in general, sure the drones are not the main aspect of the novus magnificat.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

DeepR said:


> There is overlap and ambient is hard to define but in essence it's very different from the highly melodic piece of music I posted here...
> I'm sure it's all the same for some.


Being melodic does not make it non-ambient and this has plenty of ambient style. As for it being "highly" melodious I would have to disagree. Just a bunch of celestial sounds on synthesizers and choirs. If you like it that's great! I'm glad you do but I find it as 50 minutes of dull and mostly good only for background music while getting a massage. I have to admit though that her other albums are far worse than this one.

Kevin


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Errrr ok, whatever.
You clearly don't know what you're talking about.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

DeepR said:


> Errrr ok, whatever.
> You clearly don't know what you're talking about.


I suppose I could just trade insults with you but that would be below me. However, I will point you to this list of "25 Most Influential "AMBIENT" albums of all time.

http://www.echoes.org/Beyond-Ambient25.html

I have been listening and collecting music of all kinds for 40 plus years now and I think I pretty much do know what I am talking about.

Kevin


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Found it dreary dull, listened all the way through - admittedly, though, had to jump here to there, KNOWING I would not miss any stunning events of elements of 'importance.' There is nothing 'hidden' in profound structure, use of harmony or, matter of fact, any other element to be 'revealed' in a second hearing.

I find 'highly melodic' a very odd description of this music, as there is barely, modern or older standard, to qualify as 'melody' in it. Besides, melody is far from the all or everything of music.

This clearly belongs in non-classical, where there may be less demands of what music does and more interest in it.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

jani said:


> Not enough "action".
> I find this more beautiful( New piece for me = composed between 1990-3000)
> Most of you might find it too cheesy but i love this piece.


I found this final fantasy selection to be generic 'pop piano sentimental' - as in a generic style ongoing from at least the 1970's, and almost all of it interchangeable with other pop piano in the same genre - supposedly invoking deep emotion but to me about as superficially saccharine as it gets. Can't believe this is the limit for many people of what 'beautiful' or 'evocative of deep sentiment' are.

Lite Lite Lite as a soap bubble and less entertaining. Phew!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

DeepR said:


> Errrr ok, whatever.
> You clearly don't know what you're talking about.


er, actually, I'd have to agree he does... there is very little of anything in this at all I would call 'melodic.'

"Whatever,"is not an adult response, to anything, ever.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Kevin Pearson said:


> I personally don't think Demby can be compared to any classical music. Her music is just typical ambient new age porridge and pretty typical of the genre at that. I think this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread.
> 
> Kevin


My only slight difference of opinion vs. that of Kevin's " I think this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread." ???

I KNOW this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

PetrB said:


> My only slight difference of opinion vs. that of Kevin's " I think this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread." ???
> 
> I KNOW this should be in the _non-classical_ music thread.


I was gonna say. :lol:
WTF IS THIS EVEN DOING HERE?! SINCE WHEN WAS NEW AGE _WORTHY?!?!_


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)




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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

LordBlackudder said:


>


and this one seems to be about one minute and thirty-eight seconds too long.... sigh.


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## MJongo (Aug 6, 2011)

PetrB said:


> Found it dreary dull, listened all the way through - admittedly, though, had to jump here to there, KNOWING I would not miss any stunning events of elements of 'importance.' There is nothing 'hidden' in profound structure, use of harmony or, matter of fact, any other element to be 'revealed' in a second hearing.


I completely disagree. It took a good 3 or 4 listens for me to really "grasp" Novus Magnificat in its entirety. IMO, it is one of the most emotional works of music I have ever heard.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I was gonna say. :lol:
> WTF IS THIS EVEN DOING HERE?! SINCE WHEN WAS NEW AGE _WORTHY?!?!_


i think that Ligeti is a forerunner of lot of the ambient/new age/cosmic music.
Try to listen to this:


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

Kevin Pearson said:


> I suppose I could just trade insults with you but that would be below me. However, I will point you to this list of "25 Most Influential "AMBIENT" albums of all time.
> 
> http://www.echoes.org/Beyond-Ambient25.html
> 
> ...


I was talking about the difference between this and ambient. I've listened to tons of ambient music (Brian Eno, Steve Roach etc.) and it is not the genre that this music falls under. This piece is highly melodic _compared to ambient_. Again it also depends how you define ambient.
I have no problem with your assessment of the melodic qualities compared to classical music, that was the original question I was after.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

MJongo said:


> I completely disagree. It took a good 3 or 4 listens for me to really "grasp" Novus Magnificat in its entirety. IMO, it is one of the most emotional works of music I have ever heard.


Yes, it does require multiple listenings.
I think people judge too quickly. There's more to this music than what some here are saying after quickly listening to it.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I was gonna say. :lol:
> WTF IS THIS EVEN DOING HERE?! SINCE WHEN WAS NEW AGE _WORTHY?!?!_


Yet you would discuss this on this forum? 






Oh, the irony..


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## Guest (Jul 13, 2012)

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that DeepR does not know what irony is.


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## DeepR (Apr 13, 2012)

I stand corrected. It's amusing.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

The single version of Suteki Da Ne has a different violin solo to the soundtrack version.

[edit] i thought you posted the ballad version. oh well i like the orchestral one more actually. it's colder and sadder which fits perfectly for the credits.


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