Sound Track to the Donner Party

RPM has issued a challenge this year, like last, to record an album of
music, 35 minutes or ten songs, during the month of February. Lots of
bands are participating. More can be read about the idea here:
http://www.rpmchallenge.com/content/blogsection/7/309/

Since I've been in a bit of a rut lately, I decided to try it out. I
had been taking about 3 months per song, which has grown to a year or
more, so I felt I needed the kick in the pants.

So far I've finished three pieces in 15 days, and hope I can at least
hit the 35 minute mark by February 29. That one more day this leap
year might be rather busy.

You can hear my progress on my weblog at
http://bumpermusic.blogspot.com/ . Individual finished tracks are
available to download here:

Westering Journey: http://ripnread.com/listen/journey-c1.mp3
Wagon Train Hoedown: http://ripnread.com/listen/wagon-c2.mp3
Hastings Cutoff: http://ripnread.com/listen/hasting-c8.mp3

To get me started, I've imagined writing the sound track to a movie
about the Donner Party. It would make a terrific opera, or ballet, or
movie. Someone will do it some day.

The pieces are all in 53-TET, and mostly based on the tonality diamond
with some extensions. There is lots of modulations by a 77:76, and
changes of tempo by very small amounts over a long time.

Prent Rodgers

The found theater in long beach did
the donner party: the musical
which was also dinner theater.
I understand it was the only play they did in 25 years that made money!

Prent Rodgers wrote:
>
> RPM has issued a challenge this year, like last, to record an album of
> music, 35 minutes or ten songs, during the month of February. Lots of
> bands are participating. More can be read about the idea here:
> http://www.rpmchallenge.com/content/blogsection/7/309/ > <http://www.rpmchallenge.com/content/blogsection/7/309/>
>
> Since I've been in a bit of a rut lately, I decided to try it out. I
> had been taking about 3 months per song, which has grown to a year or
> more, so I felt I needed the kick in the pants.
>
> So far I've finished three pieces in 15 days, and hope I can at least
> hit the 35 minute mark by February 29. That one more day this leap
> year might be rather busy.
>
> You can hear my progress on my weblog at
> http://bumpermusic.blogspot.com/ <http://bumpermusic.blogspot.com/> . > Individual finished tracks are
> available to download here:
>
> Westering Journey: http://ripnread.com/listen/journey-c1.mp3 > <http://ripnread.com/listen/journey-c1.mp3>
> Wagon Train Hoedown: http://ripnread.com/listen/wagon-c2.mp3 > <http://ripnread.com/listen/wagon-c2.mp3>
> Hastings Cutoff: http://ripnread.com/listen/hasting-c8.mp3 > <http://ripnread.com/listen/hasting-c8.mp3>
>
> To get me started, I've imagined writing the sound track to a movie
> about the Donner Party. It would make a terrific opera, or ballet, or
> movie. Someone will do it some day.
>
> The pieces are all in 53-TET, and mostly based on the tonality diamond
> with some extensions. There is lots of modulations by a 77:76, and
> changes of tempo by very small amounts over a long time.
>
> Prent Rodgers
>
> -- Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island <http://anaphoria.com/index.html>
The Wandering Medicine Show
KXLU <http://www.kxlu.com/main/index.asp> 88.9 FM Wed 8-9 pm Los Angeles