Orwellian Cameras - orchestral - work in progress

I decided to have a go at doing some real voice leading in Orwell 13 which of course necessitates some harmonic movement.

Right now this is for Garritan Personal Orchestra strings, choir, and percussion - though I hear a place for a flute.

The beginning is a bit iffy - the 2nd half perhaps too boring. I need to stop at this point and get some work done on my house.

online listen
http://notonlymusic.com/board/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=437&start=0

download
http://notonlymusic.com/board/download/file.php?id=881

The tuning is

! 13-31a.scl
!
31-tET Orwell[13]
13
!
38.70968
154.83871
270.96774
309.67742
425.80645
541.93548
580.64516
696.77419
812.90323
851.61290
967.74194
1083.87097
2/1

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "christopherv" <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:

> The beginning is a bit iffy - the 2nd half perhaps too boring. I need to stop at this point and get some work done on my house.

I very much liked this; it's the sort of thing it's the sort of thing I look for in xenharmonic music, and so often don't find. I hope you finish it. Or add three movements and call it a symphony. :)

I hesitate to ask a tuning question, but why orwell in 31 rather than 53 or 84? Not trying to give you a hard time, I just wondered.

Fair question. Honestly - I didn't know the other options existed. But I had
heard of Orwell tunings on this list and thought it was something to try
once I saw the details.

(When exploring the archive I open the .scl file with notepad to see the
details which is a habit only started the past couple weeks)

Yesterday I was going through the 12 or 13 note scala files at the
beginning of the list and I loaded it up in pianoteq and liked what I could
play with it. I found chords that I liked the sound of that were non-12 but
not too harsh. (not that I don't like harsh - just not a steady diet unless
I'm intending to do so).

I'm glad you liked it by the way :-)

Chris

On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 12:21 PM, genewardsmith <genewardsmith@sbcglobal.net
> wrote:

>
>
>
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com <tuning%40yahoogroups.com>, "christopherv"
> <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:
>
> > The beginning is a bit iffy - the 2nd half perhaps too boring. I need to
> stop at this point and get some work done on my house.
>
> I very much liked this; it's the sort of thing it's the sort of thing I
> look for in xenharmonic music, and so often don't find. I hope you finish
> it. Or add three movements and call it a symphony. :)
>
> I hesitate to ask a tuning question, but why orwell in 31 rather than 53 or
> 84? Not trying to give you a hard time, I just wondered.
>
>
>

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "christopherv" <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:

> The tuning is
>
> ! 13-31a.scl
> !
> 31-tET Orwell[13]
> 13
> !
> 38.70968
> 154.83871
> 270.96774
> 309.67742
> 425.80645
> 541.93548
> 580.64516
> 696.77419
> 812.90323
> 851.61290
> 967.74194
> 1083.87097
> 2/1

Some alternatives:

! 13-53a.scl
!
53-tET Orwell[13]
13
!
45.28301886
158.4905660
271.6981132
316.9811320
430.1886792
543.3962263
588.6792452
701.8867923
815.0943395
860.3773583
973.5849055
1086.792453
2/1

! 13-84a.scl
!
84-tET Orwell[13]
13
!
42.85714287
157.1428572
271.4285715
314.2857144
428.5714287
542.8571430
585.7142859
700.0000002
814.2857145
857.1428574
971.4285717
1085.714286
2/1

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "genewardsmith" <genewardsmith@...> wrote:
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "christopherv" <chrisvaisvil@> wrote:
>
> > The beginning is a bit iffy - the 2nd half perhaps too boring.
> > I need to stop at this point and get some work done on my house.
>
> I very much liked this; it's the sort of thing it's the sort of
> thing I look for in xenharmonic music, and so often don't find.

Indeed. More like this, please.

-Carl

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, "christopherv" <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:
>
> I decided to have a go at doing some real voice leading in
> Orwell 13 which of course necessitates some harmonic movement.

I predicted I would like this based on this sentence.

-Carl

Hi Carl,

I'm glad you like the piece - and I very much do intend to work on more
"classical" pieces. While I enjoy improvising and working on popular music
composing classical music is much more of a challenge and much more
satisfying when the puzzles are solved. So there will be more - but as
always quality will be the continuing issue. But that is true of probably
anyone.

Chris

On Sat, Jul 24, 2010 at 4:12 PM, Carl Lumma <carl@...> wrote:

>
>
> --- In tuning@yahoogroups.com <tuning%40yahoogroups.com>, "genewardsmith"
> <genewardsmith@...> wrote:
> >
> > --- In tuning@...m <tuning%40yahoogroups.com>, "christopherv"
> <chrisvaisvil@> wrote:
> >
> > > The beginning is a bit iffy - the 2nd half perhaps too boring.
> > > I need to stop at this point and get some work done on my house.
> >
> > I very much liked this; it's the sort of thing it's the sort of
> > thing I look for in xenharmonic music, and so often don't find.
>
> Indeed. More like this, please.
>
> -Carl
>
>
>

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Chris Vaisvil <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Carl,
>
> I'm glad you like the piece - and I very much do intend to work
> on more "classical" pieces. While I enjoy improvising and
> working on popular music composing classical music is much more
> of a challenge and much more satisfying when the puzzles are
> solved. So there will be more - but as always quality will be
> the continuing issue. But that is true of probably anyone.
>
> Chris

I like both kinds, I just tend to like polyphonic/motivic music
more. In a way I think the free sound stuff is even harder to
write, because it has no walls and to make it holistic and
compelling vs. just a bunch of sound really takes guts. With a
linear temperament MOS like orwell[13] one can just schlep parts
and it'll sound decent -- not tired like 12-ET schlep.

-Carl

Hi Carl,

Are you referring to ambient = soundmass = musique concrete?

" In a way I think the free sound stuff is even harder to
write, because it has no walls and to make it holistic and
compelling vs. just a bunch of sound really takes guts. "

If so, I'm not sure what guts, or for that matter even (structured)
microtonality has to do with that.

I know you'll know a lot of the following - but for sake of being clear.

The term used in Theory class was "soundmass" which referred to a
composition that relied upon sheer sound - not note organization - to
acheive the aim of the composer. (I think now this term has become a part of
"ambient" and "ambient" has grown beyond defining a "space" into becoming
sometimes recognizable abstract [notated] music - drone is more often true
to the concept).

This would be my example of "soundmass" = "ambient" = "musique concrete"
http://alonetone.com/vaisvil/tracks/and-war-itself-shall-end

Also - if you heard the radio interview Andrew Heathwaite played "Touching
Me" (here is a link to just the piece)
http://notonlymusic.com/board/download/file.php?id=794

I have certainly applied microtonality in a structured fashion to ambient -
my performance at Andrew's Oddmusic Convergence did that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ROb89b1Cr4

and the proof of concept

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3krEHxlBSk&feature=related

When I hear a regular drum beat - I wonder if it is ambient anymore -
certainly its not "soundmass"

Along these lines - my friend Sam *Samshuijzen* did an incredible
composition "The Boy Under the Iron Bridge"
http://notonlymusic.com/board/download/file.php?id=795

This was all done with reel to reel tape and a single monophonic analog
synthesizer. Truly a Tour De Force.

- Perhaps I've misunderstood you and tossed out a lot of blaaah?

Chris

On Sun, Jul 25, 2010 at 12:24 AM, Carl Lumma <carl@...> wrote:

>
>
>
>
> I like both kinds, I just tend to like polyphonic/motivic music
> more. In a way I think the free sound stuff is even harder to
> write, because it has no walls and to make it holistic and
> compelling vs. just a bunch of sound really takes guts. With a
> linear temperament MOS like orwell[13] one can just schlep parts
> and it'll sound decent -- not tired like 12-ET schlep.
>
> -Carl
>
>
>
>

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Chris Vaisvil <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Carl,
> Are you referring to ambient = soundmass = musique concrete?

Maybe.

> When I hear a regular drum beat - I wonder if it is ambient
> anymore - certainly its not "soundmass"

I'd say proper ambient has no drum track.

> Along these lines - my friend Sam *Samshuijzen* did an incredible
> composition "The Boy Under the Iron Bridge"
> http://notonlymusic.com/board/download/file.php?id=795

Where'd he get the machines? I played with an old AMPEX
one day in Florida in the '90s, but by now it's broken down
for sure.

> This was all done with reel to reel tape and a single monophonic
> analog synthesizer. Truly a Tour De Force.
>
> - Perhaps I've misunderstood you and tossed out a lot of blaaah?

Believe it or not, I don't always have some deep point
to make. :)

-Carl

Sam did the track in 1978

Even the flanging was done by actually flanging the reel to reels.

I don't know why someone with his talent wasn't famous.

=> see below

> > Along these lines - my friend Sam *Samshuijzen* did an incredible
> > composition "The Boy Under the Iron Bridge"
> > http://notonlymusic.com/board/download/file.php?id=795
>
> Where'd he get the machines? I played with an old AMPEX
> one day in Florida in the '90s, but by now it's broken down
> for sure.

>
> Believe it or not, I don't always have some deep point
> to make. :)

You know - compared to some of the posts here... this is a relief :-)

Chris

--- In tuning@yahoogroups.com, Chris Vaisvil <chrisvaisvil@...> wrote:
>
> Sam did the track in 1978

Aha.

> Even the flanging was done by actually flanging the reel to reels.
>
> I don't know why someone with his talent wasn't famous.

I have to admit, it sounds pretty good.

-Carl