Big Orchestral performance with Sibelius/VSL

[DaveTubaKing]

After much trouble and strife (with many thanks for the patience and expert advice of Andi) I have completed a performance of a 21 minute orchestral/chorus score. It is the 2nd movement of Kaikhosru Sorabji's 'Jami' Symphony. Scored for a double size symphony orchestra and (very briefly) a double chorus with organ, piano, celeste, 2 octave tuned gongs, very chromatic timpani played by four players (looks a bit like a bass xylophone part in places).

You can listen to it here and if you feel so inclined you can read a bit more about it here.

It uses 71 VIs for which I used the full DVD sound sets. I had 7 VEPro instances and used MIR Pro with the Vienna Konzerthaus stage mic in 15th row. It took up just short of 21GBs of my 24GBs of RAM and at it's loudest and most complex was pushing my intel i7 extremem quad core processor to just under 80 degrees. I think the resulting sound is fantastic (and a real testament to Sibelius/VSL). I'm sure there is much I could do to improve the sound thru 'mixing and post pro' but that is the area I am least experienced in.

Any constructive comments as to how to improve the sound would be welcomed.

This is the short 2nd movement. The entire four movements come in at about 4.5 hours. The other movements will require probably about 100 VIs and about 36GBs of RAM so is currently beyond my system capabilities (and probably beyond my sanity). Perhaps when I've upgraded to some SSD drives it may be possible.

[Chuck Green]

What a beautiful performance Dave.  It all sounds so real.  It sounds like a live performance.  Very well done.......

[DaveTubaKing]

Thanks for your kind words Chuck.[:)]

I must say I'm envious of your gorgeous looking studio set up and gear. Who said retirement would be boring. I'm not there yet but count the days.[ip]

[William]

very interesting work and performance !

[Mike B Studios]

Dave This performance does Sibelius and VSL proud. Powerful stuff indeed...

[William]

I thought more should be known about this composer.  I wasn't sure how to go about it though.  I believe he does not want his work played.

[DaveTubaKing]

@William said:

I thought more should be known about this composer.  I wasn't sure how to go about it though.  I believe he does not want his work played.

Hi William. Thanks for your encouiraging words and to Mike B.

The best place to start exploring the Sorabji Universe is over at the Sorabji Archive. Then there's the rather academic site of the worlds leading Sorabji Scholar Marc-André Roberge. He's had ready for publication for some time now the definitive biography/study of Sorabji but there are difficulties over finding a publisher. Whilst we're waiting for that the current leading book on Sorabji is "Sorabji: A Critical Edition" which is sold thru the archive and quite often pops up on ebay.

Sorabji placed a prohibition on anyone performing his works without his permission and for nearly forty years did not give that permission until in the late 70's he gradually relented and since his death, with the encouragement of the Archive, performances have burdgeoned and there are many many CDs available. Getting away from Opus Clavicembalisticum (which it is now clear is by no means Sorabji's best or most representative work) I can highly reccomend these CDs: The Fifth Piano Symphony and the ongoing Transcendental Studies project.

These are very exciting times for a Sorabjiite with many of the major works now performed or in preperation and plenty of recordings in the offing.

[William]

 thanks Dave that is good to hear about.