Recording of my orchestra performance

[fusilierb]

As some of you know I had an orchestra piece selected for a performance a couple of months ago. Many have asked to hear the recording. I just got the CD yesterday. I had the engineer send me all the stems that he recorded so I could play around with the mix.

The performance wasn't the best, but considering that it's a difficult piece and that this was literally the third time they ran through it, it's still amazing that they could play it this well. It was a great experience and it's made me realize that I really want to do more concert pieces. I only had two and half weeks to write and notate this thing out before the deadline. Looking back there are a million things I'd have done differently, but it is what it is.

So for better or for worse, here is the performance I got. They really kind of struggled with the opening section, but its still cool to here it played live. I think they did a great job on the slow section at the end. I'm still playing with the mix a lot. It's pretty wild to get that many tracks. All the mics are bleeding into one another and its hard to isolate things, but its fun to play around with. The original tracks were all very low in volume, so I normalized them. Might have over done it.

http://soundcloud.com/fusilierb/fitfull ... -10-8-1020

If you want to follow along, I put a copy of the score here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid= ... y=CI7nmbIF

B

Since this is a shamless plug section, hear are a few older live perfomances. I'm gathering up all my old cocnert music recordings:

This was a commission by a trio I used to write for. This was the first of three different commissions I wrote for them.

http://soundcloud.com/fusilierb/la-visita

This next one was my first string quartet. I've got a better performance somewhere that I'm gonn dig up, but in the meantime, here's the second moment writen when I was 18.

http://soundcloud.com/fusilierb/the-que ... av/s-EeuAh

And lastly here is a piece for piano and sax. This was the Sax professor at LSU who performed it for me. He did a wonderful job on a very difficult part:

http://soundcloud.com/fusilierb/variati ... p3/s-PwcOd

[rnrmachine]

Hey Bryan,

I gave Fitfull Dreams a listen... the 2nd link that is supposed to goto the score took me to the recording. They are the same link so it would be cool if ya fixed that. I wanted to follow along and couldn't. Anyway, I liked the ending a bit more then the beginning but that is common for me to like that style you used at the end. I really liked the lighthearted feel of it. I was pretty creeped out by the rest of the piece too. I could easily see that used in Film/TV. Any chance they will let you submit it for something?

La Visita was AWESOME!!! I loved it!! Like I said though.. I love that more light hearted style, but when done in minors and such I melt. HAHA I thought this was the best piece like this I have heard in years!!

The Quest was cool too. I could hear a few moments where they didn't play it as well as I thought it was written. I could be wrong but it sounded like not enough practice on the piece. Just got that vibe a few times. Excellent work though... when it ended I was bummed. I wanted to hear it end properly... not just cut out. /sigh... Anyway, there were moments when you touched greatness in that piece... imho. No blowing smoke up your a++ either. I am sure I have proven by now that if I say something it's my honest opinion and the only sugar coating I do is if I don't like something... I'll try and be gentle.

Variations in Motion is probably the least I liked because it's just not my cup of tea style wise. Don't get me wrong.. I like the sound of a Sax but I find it fairly rare that I am impressed with the instrument. I am not really melodically into your choice of notes here BUT I am impressed by the choices. Still a really good interesting piece. Just not my Favorite. La Visita was my favorite followed by The Quest which seriously touched on greatness imho. Fitfull Dreams was excellent work but seemed more Film/TV to me then a self supporting work like the other two were.

Overall, I have a new respect for you.

Rob

[fusilierb]

Hey Rob, thanks for the listen and comments. I fixed the link so the score is now live.

I'm glad you liked La Visita. I wrote three pieces for that group. I'm getting recordings of the other three in the next month. I'll repost them also when I get them.

The Quest needs to be pulled down. It was a basic read through. I've got a couple of better performances that should be coming on disk with the other pieces. It was written a LONG time ago (I was 17). It does just end, but its the second movement of a three movement piece, so really it does keep going, just not in this movement.

Thanks for your time my man!
B

[onelight24]

Hi Bryan, I've listened to your tracks listed here on this post, & I have to tell you they are all extremely well written, & great compositions! I believe they truly showcase your talents & abilities as a composer! My favorite was "La Vista" for its drama, & "Fitfull-Dreams" for its textures & intensity!

Bravo Bryan, & congratulations!

Cheers,
Vincent!

[davewalton]

Very nice! Always a dream of mine to hear something played live. I'm still dreaming.

Congratulations

[dotted8]

Very cool, Bryan! You must have felt like a proud papa having your baby performed by others... Congratulations!

I had no idea you have been composing for so long... your songcloud page showed it was performed in the year 1020

[crystallions]

Bryan,

Thank you for posting these. I really enjoyed listening. These are all very beautiful, and well-crafted, compositions. I thought you had picked a very fitting title for the orchestra piece. My favorite part of it is from 2:24 - 3:11. Very cool!!!

Thank you for posting the score too. What program did you use to create the sheet music? Did you write the piece in your notation program or your midi program?

Love your other pieces as well.

~ Lydia

[fusilierb]

Thanks all! I really appreciated the kind words Onelight!
Ha Dotted 8! yes, it was first performed by beating rocks and clubs in a cave. (It was actually a better performance.

Thanks Dave, its a great experience watching something you've written performed by a live orchestra. I'm sure it will happen for you sooner than later!

Lydia, I use Sibelius for the notation. I was a long time Finale user, but tried Sibelius out a couple of years ago. I'll never go back. I started writing it on old fashion paper and pencil, moved it into Ableton to play around with motives and transformations. Then moved everything into Sibelius for all the writing and final orchestrating. I had to do a mock-up, so once it was "done" I dumped midi tracks into Cubase to use East/West for the mock up. From there I bounced back and forth between Sibelius and Cubase to tweak.

B

[stevebarden]

Bryan, this is a very cool composition. It is very different from typical film score material, and yet I hear some Bernard Herrmann influence in there. How awesome that you had it performed by a real orchestra. Non many of us ever get that opportunity. I hope you keep composing this type of material. Well done.

Steve

[fusilierb]

Thanks Steve! It was a great experience. It's a yearly concert, so I'm going to write something for it again next year also. We'll see if I can get selected again.

Definitely not film score material. I was going for a kind of Bartok meets Charles Ives meets Bryan Fusilier kind of sound. You know I love me some Bernard Herman, and I can hear why you say that.

Speaking of, I wrote another tribute to Mr. Herman about six months ago. Fake orchestra this time

http://bryanfusilier.com/wp-content/upl ... Coming.mp3

And my first tip of the hat to Herman/Hitchcock from a few years ago:

http://bryanfusilier.com/wp-content/upl ... hcocky.mp3

So yeah, I'm a big fan and his writing does creep into mine sometimes.

Thanks my friend!
B