Mountian Quest-Piano Suite

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Mon May 09, 2005 7:24 pm

Well, here is Mountian Quest...,

(THESE ARE NOT IN RIGHT NOW>>AND ALL THIS WILL BE DELETED SOON, SO I CAN RE_POST...Please read the last post, if you remember these...)

Hope to hear a comment from some on this. I am a bit embarrased about the length, but pick and choose and comment if you please...Now was a good time as activity is slow. I will remove quite soon, to keep from overcrowding...

1.Heights and depths...After you start up, it all really looks a loong ways away..when you are a few thousand feet high..
http://members.irishacts.com/heights.mp3
2.Odours and sounds..Wind..bird..I plan to mark the score for the L. hand rubbing the bass strings for the wind sound..
http://members.irishacts.com/odours.mp3
3.Crystal Stream..Same as my previous "Mountian Stream"...
http://members.irishacts.com/crystal.mp3
4.Snowfield..When you crest a ridge..and there is the snowcap...a shock..
http://members.irishacts.com/snowfield.mp3
5.Distant Valley..Nearing the top..you can see a valley beyond..so far away so small, yet so large...
http://members.irishacts.com/valley.mp3
6. Star Reach..looking up from your sleeping bag...you can almost touch them..then a shower of shooting stars....you know you can...
http://members.irishacts.com/stareach.mp3

My Regards, ellll

krob43 · Post by **krob43** » Tue May 10, 2005 10:53 pm

This is very musical ellll. I've very much enjoyed this one so far. I've only gotten a chance to listen to the first one but I'll try and get back to hear the others later. Thanks for sharing.

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Tue May 10, 2005 11:44 pm

Thank you for listening!!!,

I know it is a formidible task for one to listen to six items, but actually I was just hoping it would get a listen from a few, just for ONE....

I thought about posting them one at a time, but that didn't serve my purpose really.

They all need a lot of work, but I am getting that done to some extent as I score them...BUT That is a REAL prob...I am having to re-order some timing as it is not reasonable to notate it as played....and hand-scoring takes so long...but Heights is almost finished, and I already had the one about the stream done, as it was the first I did....

The first, is in fact, most of the prob.That is because it was after I worked it up, that I decided to go with a suite, and it was already "in" so to speak...I have been more careful with the other four, although two are quite complex...

It will keep me out of trouble for a long time, at the least!!!

Thanks for the listen!!! My Regards, ellll

georgeinar · Post by **georgeinar** » Wed May 11, 2005 1:33 am

Well, the first one nearly has me in tears with the beautiful piano and the gorgeous harmonies. Did Rachmaninoff merge with Gershwin here and proude Ellll? Inquiring minds want to know. The ending to the first one seems to need work, but I'm not sure how much of an ending it should have being it's part of a suite. It seems to need something there though. The rest is just really beautiful. And that's just part one......

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Wed May 11, 2005 2:14 am

Hi George,

I am going to answer a lot on this suite thread....probably henever someone comments...

The "Heights", the first song, is perhaps a bit rough, and I am trying to clean it up as I score it, right now...the little walking section half way through is an example...it sounds more like it's staggering

Ido hope to get them all ironed out. If anyone hears anything I need to know about, please give me the time point so I can look...

I actually feel pretty good about the whole thing, but may not be able to play them well after scoring myself!!..(I do have someone interested in printing the whole suite for me...I know someone younger will play them better); I am having no mercy, and on a grand....you don't go back and make corrections...!!!

Best Regards, and THANKS!!!!! ellll

georgeinar · Post by **georgeinar** » Wed May 11, 2005 10:33 am

Tonight I will listen to more movements. From having heard the first ones, I would say this is a musical journey I would love to have on my ipod and I would take to the beach and close my eyes and take the wonderful sonorous journey.

beanstalk40 · Post by **beanstalk40** » Wed May 11, 2005 10:45 am

Hi Ellll,

Been upto my eyeballs in work... will download and hear these soon!

Prash

ronbo27 · Post by **ronbo27** » Wed May 11, 2005 11:35 pm

Moi aussi Ellll! Dress rehearsal today....showtime tomorrow...and Friday and Saturday...But I`ll get to hear them on the week to come...looking forward..... so leave em` up ...OK?
Happy Days!
Ron.

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Thu May 12, 2005 12:11 am

Will do Ron,

And I do appreciate it very much...I am kind of tweaking as I go, hoping they will come out for "real" piano O.K.....Of course I won't be able to play them as well, but perhaps with practice....Actually, I am getting back into practice a bit now...!!!

Been sloppy for a few years, a fear...

My Regards, ellll

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Thu May 12, 2005 12:46 am

And so funny how I get off...

Wanted to "push" you on your rehersal....but it will be fine...(Break A Leg....!!), I forgot you in speaking of myself...!!! I MUST not Do that

I am getting old and forgetful I fear.... My best wishes for your performances...!!!

My Hope and Regards, ellll

georgeinar · Post by **georgeinar** » Thu May 12, 2005 2:20 am

I've got the second one in now. Very reflective sounding, thoughtful. Some ripples in the quick little notes, faint but effective. It's very quiet at the end. Mountain stream is very nice here. This does have a "suite" sound and I mean this in both meanings. Crystal is also very beautiful and well played IMHO. Snowfield has a different feel to it, less twinkling sounds more solid chords. Now more arpeggios and finally a more sense of melody and theme than I'd heard for a few minutes. I really like Snowfield. Vally has full chords also starting out, but much grander and mountainous. I would like to hear a bit more grandeur perhaps it's coming (at 1:54 now) I think I would like to hear more of the mezzo forte large chords to stand this out from the previous, but then maybe your last movement will give that.
On Star now: Nice floating notes so far and a feeling of movement almost waltzy for 4/4. The descending at 1:00 is really well done. Up and down the keyboard. Now strong chords as I was anticipating, but still holding back just enough to keep me from going all out, still maintaining. At 2:00 - 2:15 it seems to falter a bit? Almost at 3 mins very quiet now, then grand chords.
final words: There are some themes here that could be more developed, but I am so bad with this stuff that I can't go into really helpful detail. I do hear some absolutely gorgeous stuff going on here, there do seem to be some moments that falter just a tad, but not badly, and this is my first listen so I may have been expecting something. These pieces usually take me 3 or 4 listens to really "get" it. But musically I think this is great stuff and as far as the ending, I think the beginning of the movement is stronger than the end. I was expecting more of a star burst. I wonder if there's an opportunity to repeat at the end the portion between 1:00 and 2:00 (somewhere there) where you did such unbelievable runs up and down, it almost wants to do more of those at the end, even switching keys perhaps, I'm just fishing for thoughts. And I don't want to leave this suggesting a lot needs to be done, as I really love it already. I think the best one (from memory) was the opening piece. I hope this helps. There do seem to be some very minor areas where the "performance" or the sequence needed a tweak or two, but I don't believe this is necessarily the finished product anyway and really a demonstration of how this would be played after being scored. Anyway, I tried my best here. I find it very difficult to discuss one ended like this on a large piece, especially since I have no formal training in music, and I've just developed an ear from listening to tons of music and reading liner notes on symphonies and their descriptions. Thanks for the listen. I really enjoyed it. You are one great composer.

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Thu May 12, 2005 10:54 am

Hi again, George,

I am really thrilled at your critique, and will need to re-read it a good bit...

The idea in the second is to give a feeling of just the lower level forest you pass through as you climb..(that may not be the right word...on this mountian it is a hard uphill walk,...but it was a climb to me....)!!!!

The third is passing of course, one of the many small streams running out of the snowfields above....I did do some changes from my orig. song from my last posting...it was still called Mountian stream then...

The forth...Snowfield was meant to reflect the quiet and brilliance it gives when you first come upon it...We had to continue the climb in the snow from there on...It is supposed to be a pretty strong change in style.

The Valley song is perhaps not possible to alter as I would like, but I do a little work on it most days...just small things...The problem is the structure needs to be massive....yet far off...as I felt in seeing this distant, yet obviously hugh valley..(it was hidden by the mountian 'till you are almost at the top....

As for the Star Reach...I have a few staggered parts I am unsure of altogether, as I want the "open" sound, yet need to be more grand perhaps in places...

All your comments hit near the need I feel for this whole thing...I do have the faltering feel in places, as I dig for ways around a progression I want to present...and then change, so it may be improved by simply smoothing out...your ideas on the ending will be added;

I was afraid of the recording of the full piano, as my soundcard has a hard time at more than about "100" for a given velocity on a note, so I hold back, both in design and actual playing.....That won't matter on a completed set of songs, as they will be played on a real piano..and all will change, should they ever be recorded again...

Thanks as usual for your patience and help...you are a real listener, and it is so nice to consider your thoughts....Please give me a day or so to look further at your comments...

My Regards!!!! ellll

georgeinar · Post by **georgeinar** » Thu May 12, 2005 12:19 pm

I was very glad to hear this and comment, though I felt somewhat pretentious as I haven't a clue as to how to implement my suggestions, but you're the genius here, not me. This is quite a work and would make a beautiful cd with perhaps a couple stand alone pieces and then your suite. Just a thought.

chordial · Post by **chordial** » Sat May 14, 2005 5:05 pm

I started working on my May earlier this month, and it's only piano. I hope to develop this further next week, but keep the basic theme, and possibly the solo piano for the first section.

I was trying to achieve, what Elll has managed in abundance here. I'm listening to them now, and there are so many changes and ideas in these compositions. I'm still taking it all in. Trying to be analytical for a moment, and stop myself just listening to the sound, I recognise some chord progressions, and playing techniques, but there is so much variety.

I haven't offered any constructive criticism, and can’t imagine how I would change these pieces.

Thanks for posting them

Simon

ellll · Post by **ellll** » Sun May 15, 2005 6:03 am

I can only thank you Cordial, for your kindness..,

In fact, these are not great art as can be easily seen...but I believe they are maybe playable, with some change, as piano pieces for a student...At present, even with a couple written down I am not sure where they would "grade" for a student....Maybe grade five ir so...

When all is done they will not be even as technical as they sound now....it is hard to notate to that point, and they should be fairly easy in order to get them played, as they are hardly worth technical difficulty and effort without some promise they will be sucessful for an upper-intermediate student...Really technical material is waaay above this...

thanks very much for taking some time with them...and ...again, Please don't anyone feel you need to listen to all...I am thrilled if you listen to a few phrases of one...

My Regards, ellll