|
Stars_going_round_in_my_head
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: Nathan "Big Valley"
Country: United States
Gender: Male
Interests: Andrea.
I also like music, theology, linguistics, astronomy, reading, and hiking...
Expertise: Less and less
Occupation: Student
Industry: Music
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
5/3/2004
|
|
| "'God,' said Pascal, 'instituted prayer in order to lend to His creatures the dignity of causality.' But not only prayer; whenever we act at all He lends us that dignity. It is not really stranger, nor less strange, that my prayers should affect the course of events than that my other action should do so. They have not advised or changed God's mind -- that is, His over-all purpose. But that purpose will be realized in different ways according to the actions, including the prayers, of His creatures.
"For He seems to do nothing of Himself which He can possibly delegate to His creatures. He commands us to do slowly and blunderingly what He could do perfectly and in the twinkling of an eye."
- C. S. Lewis, from The Efficacy of Prayer
| | |
| I've posted several audio clips from the orchestra reading last week. When listening, please keep in mind that
1) they were all sight reading
2) it's recorded off a single microphone
3) a lot of the instruments are missing (most of the brass, all the percussion, bassoon, and harp were absent)
Other than that, enjoy! I've strategically ommitted certain sections of this piece, for one of two reasons: either they sounded too bad, or it would give too much of the piece away.
This piece is scored for full orchestra:
Piccolo (also plays Penny Whistle)
2 Flutes
Oboe
2 Clarinets
Bassoon
4 French Horns
4 Trumpets
2 Trombones
Bass Trombone
Tuba
Timpani and other percussion (Gong, Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Cymbals, Chimes, ect.)
Violins
Violas
'Celli
Double Basses
Harp
| | |
| The orchestra read my senior project composition tonight (a symphonic poem for full orchestra entitled A Pilgrim's Progress). What an amazing experience! After spending many hundreds of hours painstaking work (this piece has been in the works for over 6 months), to hear it be transformed from an abstract idea in your head and notes on a page to glorious aural reality is nearly beyond description. Probably the closest thing to giving birth that I'll ever come to.
I was super nervous before the rehearsal, and my printer had been giving my trouble which made me late and even more nervous. I'm always a little (well, okay, very) hesitant to let others hear my music because I often wonder if it's really any good, and I think they probably won't like it. Pride thing, I guess - I don't like to feel rejected and like I'm unable to compose anything worth while. Tonight was very reassuring for me.
From the very first note, it was magical. Sight-reading, the orchestra made it come alive. It sounded almost better than it had in my head (and that's the only place I'd really heard it before - computers are practically useless for good orchestration). Everything worked beautifully -- every emotion, affect, color -- better than I could have hoped for.
Stylistically, it's sort of a combination of Samuel Barber meets Howard Shore, with hints of Stravinksy and celtic folk music, and a bit of Ravel and Copland thrown in for good measure. Interested in hearing how all that works out? Well, mark your calendars for Tuesday, May 22, in evening (probably around 7ish). That's when my senior recital is scheduled. In addition to this piece, the concert will feature the Biola Honors String Quartet, the Biola Brass Ensemble, memebers of the string faculty, some conservatory alum, and many of my very talented fellow music majors. 60 minutes of music composed by Nathan Johnson. (End of shameless plug.)
Back to composing!
| | |
| I am wondering how long it will be before anyone notices that my xanga has returned from the dead. I mainly had to revive it because I wanted to comment on others' xangas (xangi?). Perhaps I'll actually do something crazy, such as write on it.
In other news, I found out today that this group will be playing the world-premiere of my new piece "Summer Hill" with the I Artisi Ensemble in June. Wow.
| | |
| I'm sitting here working on busy work for stupid Acts class when I
should be writing music... Bleck. But other than that, it's pleasant.
I'm listening to the greatest piece of music ever written, and watching
a hummingbird hover outside my window, buzzing around the flowers on
the tree next to Emerson. It's cloudy and cool - reminds me of home.
| | |
|
