@Another User said:
s the essential rhythmic motif throughout the bass clarinet part) and the calm, ascending melody (against the descending piano) to be the "calm before the storm." Also, in terms of the physicality and unpredictability of an actual exorcism, the person often has these brief moments of serenity before being overcome by the demon/spirit/whatever.
Oh, now I understand. I just had to visualize a bit more, then. Thanks for the explanation!
P.S. I do emjoy these converstations, too, by the way. Even though I might sound critical, it's not my intention, really. My intention is to share an understanding of a musical piece, whatever it might be, given music's abstract nature. And I guess this specific form is just the one that I've learned over the years. There was a time when I was writing a coupe of short reviews (non-professionally) almost every day, resulting in hundreds of reviews. A lot of people appreciated that (although not all), so I'm practicing it again now in a hope of producing the same positive reaction.
Hey Crusoe,
You, William, Jos, Paul, and a host of others offer erudite commentary that is always welcome. Engaging with those that enjoy and understand music, is a rewarding experience, especially in light of the abundance of passive listening (with virtually no feedback) that is the norm.
This actually brings up a point that I've pondered lately. As composers of more complex/abstract/non-mainstream music, we're often seeking an audience that not only will appreciate/enjoy the music, but be able to offer insight/critical commentary that gives us a sense that the music has purpose and meaning. Unfortunately, the most educated/scholarly/knowledgeable often demonstrate their awareness through arrogant, critical commentary designed more to elevate themselves than to genuinely help the subject of their commentary. It's always frustrated me how these scholarly types can be so dismissive of anything that's not in their personal interest, or to undermine anything that's not a recognized "masterpiece" of the classical literature...their agenda seems to be exclusively their own agrandisement at the expense of anyone that they believe is not at their level. When such individuals offer criticism, even if their points are valid, as they often are, the message is completely overshadowed by the way in which they communicate their ideas.
To summarize: you are not an individual like this. You show a genuine interest and knowledge of music, and even through your criticisms, you don't talk down to others, or disparage/demean them in any way. This kind of discourse should be welcome/encouraged. Finally, I'm not surprised to hear you have written reviews/commentaries in the past; you're very good at articulating your thoughts.
Cheers!
Dave