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Maxwell, the "Crimson Lullaby" is for my taste really a successful effort, along with your "Scarborough Waltz" (which I had heard in an earlier post).
You had said something to the effect that you'd be willing to send scores of selected pieces to interested parties -- is that still the case? I like these two enough that I'd be interested in the sheet music, and would probably play them at a monthly Amateur music gathering. Just let me know, and I'll post my address, probably via Private Message.
Wonderful pieces. Very enjoyable, but I'm guessing a bit of a challenge to play. Is that you playing them? If so you've done an excellent job of composing and performing your pieces. Congratulations.
Some of them are played by me, but at a Slower tempo, that's why it sounds a bit artificial at some parts. I also do the recordings in midi, then translate them to a virtual instrument. It seems to sound a lot better than what I could get out of a live performance on my Upright electric piano (Clavinova). Some of the pieces aren't too hard to play, The Scarborough Waltz for one is very similar to the Chopin Waltz in Ab major, but in some ways a lot simpler in the right hand. The real difficulty in that piece is keeping a quite left hand. its been a while since I played that piece, so right now I am very very rusty. Out of the Pieces posted here, the one that is the toughest to play would have to be the second Oriental Waltz. I remember playing it quite well years back when I first wrote it, but now I avoid that piece because, it is just heck (if you don't mind me saying that) I would have to start practicing seriously to get that piece up to performance. The same goes for the Piano Sonata 3, Which I think is even harder (The opening for the first movement Sounds simple, but it is actually the hardest part of the piece to play properly), and the Second Piano Sonata which you can hear Excerpts of on YouTube. I do have some recordings that actually show me playing the piano. I'll try and post some of those at some point also.
I have a manuscript pad that I use when I am at the piano, But I use that to mostly for getting the ideas. It is usually disorganized, and only I can tell how to put the pieces together, at that point I usually migrate to the Software Program, where I put the pieces together, and do the required editing touches to the piece. A lot of the time though, I'll have an idea when I am not near a piano, so what I do is grab a piece of scrap paper, and just write down the notes that are in my head, then I put it in my pocket, and attach it to my manuscript pad when I have a chance. I hope this answers your question.
JorgeBol, just wanted to let you know that I played your "Jig" and "Crimson Lullaby" from Op 17 last night, as part of the monthly "soiree" series of an amateur music group in Madison, WI. The pieces were very well received -- one of the Asian members thought the music had a Celtic flavor to it, and several commented on the sheer beauty of the Lullaby. In introducing the pieces, I did mention that you are Canadian, and that, for me, there is a peculiarly Canadian quality in your compositions -- English, not French -- that I find hard to pin-point, but somehow is there. Just wanted to let you know.
Incidentally, what is the genesis of your handle - "JorgeBol"? I'm assuming it refers to the great Cuban Romantic pianist Jorge Bolet, but in what context? Just curious.
I am glad to hear this. I think this is the first time anyone other than myself has performed these pieces. Is there a video available? How did you find the playing for the Crimson Lullaby? was it quite difficult? I went through some more editing of the score for that piece so if you want I can send you a copy of that (The music is still the same, there are only small notation changes and addition of some dynamics) if you would be interested.
Your friend is right, there is a bit of a Celtic atmosphere to the piece. The reason is, there is a lot of that in New England. When I was still a kid I used to live there and I found that there was a lot of Irish/English influence, so I added it to these pieces.
JorgeBol does come from Jorge Bolet simply because I enjoy many of his interpretations.
Thanks again for giving my music a performance, and I hope you continue to share it with those around you. It is greatly appreciated.
2 The toughest thing about Crimson Lullaby was reading the sections festooned with double flats -- a result of notating the chordal progressions as G flat minor, instead of F sharp minor, or in one case E double flat rather than D. In a way, though, this was fascinating to work through; in the early going, though, it resulted in many painful wrong notes. There is no reason to send an update; I've learned it to my satisfaction.
3 In the future, I do plan to program your Scarborough Waltz and possibly the Berceuse from your Scarborough Pieces (Is that a reference to the Toronto suburb?). However, in the Waltz I'll probably take the liberty of altering your final two pages somewhat -- like Steve Chandler, I don't think the conclusion quite "works" as written -- but the rest of the piece is so bang-up good that I can't resist working on it.
I don't mind at all if you take some liberties with the Waltz. I have many ideas for that last section, and don't really know which one to go with. So I think I'll just label it as (at your own discretion or ad lib) so that you can either go with one of the options that I provide, or make one up for your self in a similar way to how people in the past have created their own cadenzas to Mozart or Beethoven Piano Concertos.
