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  4. ANCIENT BATTLE SONG for Wagner Tubas

  • ANCIENT BATTLE SONG for Wagner Tubas

    W
    W

    Here is a short piece I did with the new Dimension Wagner Tubas -

    https://soundcloud.com/william-kersten-music/ancient-battle-song

    It is scored for the four Dimension tubas, the solo Wagner Tuba, and orchestra, recorded in MIR Vienna Konzerthaus, Conductor's position.
  • G
    G

    Love the sound of Wagner tubas :-)

    Well done. For my taste a bit to wide stage positioning, but great spatial impression and some really good performance shaping. 
  • W
    W

    You are right about the wide staging as the players are essentially standing pretty far apart.  I think I did that because they were the only ones there.  Besides the percussion there are just five players. 
  • G
    G

    Nicely done! Good job on the balance, and showing the soft and stronger side of this ensemble, both sounding good, but I especially enjoyed the soft section, lovely timbe! 
  • W
    W

    Thanks Guy!  I updated the file as I could not resist doing a full orchestration.  So now it is the 5 Wagner tubas and full orchestra.  You know these barbarians - they are very demanding. 
  • A
    A

    If I might add thoughts from a novice VSL user ...

    This VSL performance was amazing. Reminds me of the 'orchestral interlude' in 'Das Rheingold' which I think was also all tubas. Loved the crescendo towards the end ...astoundingly crisp. 

    I also like the fact that you have an actual theme (a very nice one!) at the core of this piece. This seems to be a rarity these days.

    I did feel that the percussion (taikos?) was not necessary, but just my opinion...I guess you wanted to give the piece a film scorish feeling.  

    Would be great to hear a longer version that develops this theme, much like John Williams does in many of his scores.

    Best

    Anand
  • W
    W

    Thanks Anand.  I also wondered about the percussion but used it to get the Barbarians moving a bit faster.  This particular tribe has a tendency to get lazy.
  • J
    J

    Hi William,

    As I cam in rather late on this topic, I didn't hear the version with the tubas only. But from what was presented now, I can only say that it is a very fine and well built little composition. The full orchestra doesn't harm any of its beauty, at the contrary! I was very fond of the richness of the tuba sound in both the soft and the harsh passage. You handled them in a very crafty way. I do agree with Guy about the balance and mix: outstanding job. An excellent demo for these instruments!

    Max
  • W
    W
    last edited
    last edited

    Thanks Max!

    I updated this piece as Agitato suggested ! and expanded it with a contrasting section and some counterpoint. Also, there are only Wagner tubas for brass, first unison and then with four part harmony -

    https://soundcloud.com/william-kersten-music/ancient-battle-song
  • W
    W

    This piece was revised.
  • P
    P
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi William,

    very beautiful work indeed. I like the construction of the piece, with the melancholic exposition of the theme, the developpement with violins and the epic end. IMO, the rich and complex sound of Wagner tubas would be more valorized in a less reverberated room, but you know my taste for closer mixing ðŸ˜•ðŸ˜‰. Very well done !!!

    Best

    Philippe
  • W
    W

    Thanks Philippe.  That may be true about the room.  
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