Hi Sam,

Well, what can I say?  I've never had a piece of music analyzed to such an extent.  Your detailed answer brought me back to my first year of school, and exuberant professors that derived great joy from breaking down theme groups, sketching out figured bass, and introducing us to our new best friend, Heinrich Schenker.  Of course, I've leaned towards Debussy's thought that there is no theory and you only have to listen.  I'd rather suggest that the theory is well-ingrained and instinctively channeled in to the music I write.  I certainly don't sketch out a plan prior to writing, and prefer the sponteneity of just "doing it" and letting it evolve in to what it will be.

To clarify, the piece is a demo for the VSL Special Edition 5: Synchronized Dimenson Strings library, and can be found on the library's demo page, alongside the peerless Guy Baco's demos, among others. 

As for the criticism re. those "firework-like" string runs...I'll admit to purposely choosing to use portamentos to blur the sound and essentially simulate rapid glisses.  The runs are just marginally too fast to be properly articulated and when doing so with just a basic legato keyswitch, sounded very midi-precise (I couldn't "ugly" up the sound and make the runs sound totally authentic with the limited number of articulations available).  A little trivia: the piece was originally written for my accordion/clarinet duo, but I stubbornly held to keeping them in the string version, even if a little unrealistic :)

Thank you for listening, and sharing your own talents in breaking down the work like this.  If you're not already working in a post-secondary environment, I'm sure many music theory departments would love to have you on board!

Cheers!

Dave

p.s.  the ape has 3 more years before he's eligible for parole :)

@Another User said:

Thank you for listening, and sharing your own talents in breaking down the work like this.  If you're not already working in a post-secondary environment, I'm sure many music theory departments would love to have you on board!

And thank you for sharing your music.  Please keep doing so.

- Sam

That is interesting about Debussy - I wouldn't like to try to analyze La Mer!

Thanks again, Sam and William.  

Analysis of music is just like analyzing biblical scripture.  You can find hidden codes and meaning in virtually everything.  Do you know when a plagal cadence is more than just a plagal cadence?  And what about that series of passing tones in bar 104?   Just what was he trying to tell us with those ridiculous 32nd notes?  But, you really should be scared by those composers that still insist on hand-writing their scores.  Just look at the way he drew that treble clef, I swear there's an eye in there...Illuminati perhaps? :) lol

Time to go read the Bach Code.

Dave

Dave and Becky,

This Scherzo is one of my favourites from your Acclarion albums. I think I still prefer the accordion/clarinet incarnation but this string orchestra version is great, too; very right for the idiom. Your arrangement is spot on and Becky's MIDIstration is superb. And VSL is to be commended for offering so capable a library at such a modest cost. Speakling of VSL, it's great to see your work featured as one of their demos. Congratulations!

If I say that I prefer your original version to this new one it has nothing to do with the veracity of the MIDI work. While I am sure that the expert critique you have received has merit, any sonic or stylistic weaknesses in the performance are quite beyond my ability to detect; I found the piece to be completely convincing. Musical and wonderful.

Glad to see action again on this fascinating forum and you right in the thick of it, Dave. Keep up the good work!

Tom

@Acclarion said:

Thanks again, Sam and William. Analysis of music is just like analyzing biblical scripture. You can find hidden codes and meaning in virtually everything. Do you know when a plagal cadence is more than just a plagal cadence? And what about that series of passing tones in bar 104? Just what was he trying to tell us with those ridiculous 32nd notes? But, you really should be scared by those composers that still insist on hand-writing their scores. Just look at the way he drew that treble clef, I swear there's an eye in there...Illuminati perhaps? 😊 lol Time to go read the Bach Code. Dave

Tom:  Your continued support and kind words do so much to motivate and inspire.  Thank you!  As for returning to composition, I think all musicians suffer from the Godfather reality:  "just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."  :)

Sam:  There's a complete misunderstanding re. my attempt at humour with the "analysis" post that followed William's mention of La Mer.  

To clarify, I was absolutely blown away at your detailed analysis and quite honoured that someone would even take the time to listen/analyze something I wrote to that extent!  I fully agree with your thoughts that analysis can provide greater insight and appreciation, and that those gifted enough (such as you) to have this ability should by all means exercise it.  Thanks again for your contributions to this thread and elsewhere on the forum.  It's becoming a lively meeting place again.

Cheers,
Dave

@Acclarion said:

Sam: There's a complete misunderstanding re. my attempt at humour with the "analysis" post that followed William's mention of La Mer.

@Acclarion said:

As for returning to composition, I think all musicians suffer from the Godfather reality:  "just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in."  😊

Truer words were never spoken. I think when my time comes, I won't keel over in a sunny terraza in Sicily. No, it'll be at the end of a community band concert, clutching a decrepit french horn in my gnarled talons, right after the final stinger of the Stars and Stripes Forever.

"...clutching a decrepit french horn in my gnarled talons..." - tchampe

Isn't that what you already do?

Sorry - I couldn't resist.  Your horn is NOT decrepit! 

Also, I should not be taunting a horn player.  It is well known in orchestral circles that horn players are, well... different.  And they can have a short fuse.  Of course I have no personal experience with this.  😇 But why this is true is unclear, although it has been conjectured that it is a result of the very high and close partial series the instrument normally plays in.  Over time, this can have psychological effects. 

@Another User said:

Also, I should not be taunting a horn player.  It is well known in orchestral circles that horn players are, well... different.  And they can have a short fuse.  Of course I have no personal experience with this.  😇 But why this is true is unclear, although it has been conjectured that it is a result of the very high and close partial series the instrument normally plays in.  Over time, this can have psychological effects. 

In my case, it never made me particularly mean. It just totally removed whatever controls I may have had on my Midwestern smart mouth. At this point, I judge the quality of a conductor primarily on how well he/she can tolerate it. 

This of course brings up the question what is the difference between a bull and a symphony orchestra. 

@William said:

That is so crude of me. This is a forum of respectable musicians and so really I have no right to be here.

@William said:

This of course brings up the question what is the difference between a bull and a symphony orchestra. 

I hate to admit it, but there are a few conductors, after being subjected to some of my attitude, that would swear that both items are in the back (as anatomically impossible as that may seem).

I had the same attitude toward certain conductors.  What is it about horn players?  They are supposed to be so refined.  I think it has to do with the length of tubing.  It is just too much for a normal mind to deal with.