I hadn't realized that it's been so long ...

Lots has happened since my last post. Self-funding a recording is currently off the cards, for non-musical reasons which I won't go into. I'm still thinking about it, but I'll need to find considerable funding before I can take the plunge.

I have a faculty recital scheduled for Sept. 30 at 4 pm in the Werner Recital Hall at CCM (University of Cincinnati). Featured on the program will be a new chamber version of From Her Husband's Hand, with Diane Hunger on Alto Sax. She will also play the chamber version of Remembering the Night Sky. These two works will be split by Labyrinth, which was recorded last January by the Society for New Music. I made the first edits during the summer, and I look forward to hearing the rough cut.

I recently discovered NotePerformer3 and have made good quality audio files of Symphony No. 3 and Chaos. Although there are some minor balance issues (software related, I think), both recordings sound almost real at times. I've also embarked on a revision of Symphony No. 1, basically to take away the embarrassing bits in the third movement and clean up some other spots that sound a little square. I don't know if it will ever be as good as the second or third symphonies, but I there are some good things in it which deserve to be heard. It should sound pretty good in NotePerformer, since there isn't anything unusual in it, like aleatorics. FWIW, Dystopian Sunset sounds really good, too, except for the "Clouds" which seem to no longer be a 1/4-tone after the first cloud. I don't know why it resets and I can't seem to un-reset it. The balance between the two ensembles is wrong, too. Again, I can't seem to adjust it.

I've got a few projects on: a piece for Tenor Sax and string quartet for Diane Hunger. I'm not entirely sure about another project. I have some piano concerto sketches and more symphonic sketches, one of them being part of the piano concerto, before the piano comes in. It may be two pieces, a second piano concerto and Sym. No. 4 (or a concerto for orchestra), since I'm not sure the material goes together.

I must go teach now, so I'll post more when I have time.

What next?

Well, Labyrinth and Dystopian Sunrise (with Clouds) have been premiered, although I haven't yet heard the latter. The arrangement of Inner Sanctum premieres on Friday.

What next? I have some long term projects on the back burner:

1. Temps - an extended work for Messiaen quartet. It will include some movements from Labyrinth and Time Knot, as well as a clarinet solo movement that was originally planned for Labyrinth, but was left out, since I planned to feature Violin and Cello (because I planned on turning it into a double concerto).

2. Labyrinth Concerto - this is the double concerto for sinfonietta/chamber orchestra based on Labyrinth. I have already created a straight transcription, but I'm trying to decide if I should expand it at all. It's very difficult to re-envision an already finished work, so I'm not sure if I want to go there. I might add some improvised cadenzas. I'm consulting with possible soloists, but it may be complete as it stands.

3. A Mighty Fortress - I have a re-harmonization of JS Bach's chorale ready, however, after the original modulates, my harmonic system doesn't work so well. I need to find a way to deal with modulation - or do I? Re-harmonizing someone else's 4-part harmony into my 6-part harmony seems like an academic exercise. Is it one worth doing? The piece is for wind ensemble, if I do it.

4. Song Cycle - I have someone who wants me to write a song cycle, possibly based on my own poetry. Dare I? I've tried to do it before, and never finished any of the songs I started.

... I take that back. I already have two songs out there based on original poetry - very early original poetry that is very embarrassing. One of the songs is decent, though.

5. Orchestra piece. I have some sketches for an orchestra piece, but I left the orchestra for which I was writing it, and shelved it. I want to write more for orchestra, but I don't want to spend that much time on it, if I don't have a destination for it, especially since Symphony No 3 and Chaos, still haven't been performed, not to mention the chamber orchestra versions of my Dante tryptich (3 Pieces for Chamber Orchestra). This is where my compositional heart is, but why should I spend my time on something that may never get performed?

6. There are also fragments of a piano concerto - or two? I have the beginning of one with chamber orchestra, and fragments of one with full orchestra. I wanted to start a concerto from scratch when I was working on my commission, only to struggle for inspiration. Chaos was more piano concerto than wind ensemble piece, so I re-scored it for orchestra and finished it as a concerto, leaving the other concerto materials on the cutting room floor.

7. Piano piece(s) - It's probably time for me to write one. I have a couple of former students as well as a few other friends who might be willing to play it.

8. String Quartet (No. 4) - I was really thinking string quartet in the 3rd and 5th movements of Labyrinth. I could easily arrange them for quartet, and provide a couple of more movements.

The only problem with all this is that there are no commissions there - or even promises of performances (except maybe the songs). Having just completed an extended period of commissions, I find myself hitting a wall. Until I become better known at UC, I won't have anyone here asking me for music.

So is there anyone out there who wants a piece, either one of the above or something else? All offers considered.

Symphony No. 2 now available

My procrastination should be complete now. I've just activated my revision of Symphony No. 2 for sale now. It available now on Symphony No 2, and will be on Amazon within a week. There is a short excerpt on my website (stephenferre.com), but I may post the whole thing on Soundcloud at some point. There are some issues in the first movement and the beginning is slightly different, but the rest of the changes are either corrections, notation, or orchestration.

Time to compose now, or garden, or refinish the little table in the dining room ... or the one in the family room ...

The Master's Hammer

Well, I've not been here much lately. I still haven't finished proofing Symphony No 2, as I've been rather busy. After the passing of Pierre Boulez, I decided to write an homage for him (the image above doesn't show the dedication). In fact, the Syracuse University Contemporary Music Ensemble was already planning to perform Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time on April 13, so we decided to dedicate the concert to Boulez, Messiaen's student. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford to rent a Boulez work for the program, so instead, I put a call out to SU faculty to write short pieces in memory of Boulez that would complement the Quartet.

In addition to new pieces by Andrew Waggoner and Avram Finberg, I've composed The Master's Hammer, based on the row for Le Marteau sans Maître, divided into sets in my usual way, but also transformed to get a better variety of intervals in my sets.

That's what I've been working on when I'm not teaching, or typesetting, or writing grant proposals, or getting over a nasty cold.

Next up, I need to write my SNM commission for next March, an 18-minute piece for 8 instruments, probably featuring violin and cello as a quasi double concerto. I'll probably also spend a couple of days proofing my Symphony No. 2.