Notes on Suites V & VI

This is the third and final CD in the collection of suites for electronic orchestra. 

For Suites V & VI I focused on melody and melodic development while keeping strong rhythms and more accessible harmonies. Accessible harmonies basically mean, “sounds that would be more familiar, harmonically connected, tonal, and understandable to the average listener.” 

In The first “Two Suites” (CD 1) I worked with developing multiple melodic fragments (that often came together at the end of the piece: pre-development) and really went deep into the rhythmic and polyrhythmic areas of the compositions, allowing me to create the sonic and emotional crescendos of a traditional acoustic orchestra. Rhythm had an equal part in the melodic content which often took over the melodic duties. 

In “Suites III & VI” I explored the very modern and industrial sounds I was working with as a young composer. The hosts of disjointed sounds could be used as melody, harmony, and development. Machinery, combustion engines, alien and human voices, computer and Moog memories from birth of the electronic/digital era. I remember seeing my first Mood synthesizer in a small music store in the mid 70’s. It was full of patch-cables and knobs with very limited sounds and options. The “player” had to discover most of the sounds by accident. Fun - up to a point. However, we all knew it would be the wave of the future. 

Back to “Suites V & VI.” 

Melody, melodies, more accessible harmonies (still with plenty of modern sounds….) and even more definitive rhythms were the emphasis in this collection. I know I keep coming back to melody, but humans have been creating and responding to melodies since there has been a human voice. Melodies usually have a statement, then develop, often returning to the original statement. We all respond to that symmetry. Thus, was born the ABA or Sonata form popular in the Classical era (Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin etc.) continuing today, most commonly heard in popular songs from Jazz to rock and everything else. We all love a good “Hook.” I like to think of “hooks” as being the recognizable melody that might return, there are definite examples of that here, but the return of the initial theme can be slightly or greatly altered. If you listen carefully, you can hear it in its new configuration. Some of the pieces are through-composed. Meaning the melody continues evolving throughout the piece and there is no return to the main theme and in Movement 10 “Air.”

There are large gestures and sweeping moments that either build or simply appear when the composition and emotion requires it. I found these moments to be a real “sonic commitment” in the writing. 

As in all the Suites (and all of my writing) craft is the engine that makes a piece of music work. Without craft and development music just devolves into four-bar repetitions followed by another four-bars and so on. I know - That’s some preachy shit but why are we still listening to Mozart, Chopin, Ellington, the Beatles, Dowland, von Bingham, Franklin…..? Craft and development. Anyway.

On a personal note:

I focused on the places, ideas, memories, lasting musical influences, and deep emotional responses to people and events in my life that still have significant importance and prominence for me today.

I am a firm believer that music is initially an auditory and emotional experience, that may or may not become visual - for the composer and listener. The reverse can be equally true and the reason for composing a piece. It’s totally up to the composer’s discretion. There is no prescription here and no prescription for the listener.

I had a wonderful professor and mentor who believed that music should be strictly musical, pure and NOT visual or ‘program’ (as he termed it). In other words, titles should be non-visual and not lead the listener to any specific or general idea, place or thing. ie: “Piece for.…Violin and Piano,” “Symphony No 5 for…orchestra,” “Sonata for….chamber ensemble and bongos,” and so on.  Well, that was until he fell in love - then his stuff was all about her - titles and all. I rest my case. 

In spite of all this verbiage - I am simply happy that you would give these Suites a spin and have whatever response you might have. 

Thanks for listening.

R

Suites V & VI are now available on CD and on all streaming platforms.