DIY Fugue

[eStatic]

Here’s little fugue I wrote. The link is, of course, to an mp3--sigh. I'm big on dynamic range and would be grateful for any feed back on whether I've gone overboard.

http://electro-music.com/forum/download.php?id=9763

[eStatic]

RandyB,
Thanks, glad you found it worth listening to. Sorry, no the fugue is not a palindrome. Structurally it’s very simple: exposition, interlude stretto, interlude, stretto. The overlapping of the introduction of the subject is decreased each time (ie the second stretto is shorter than the fisrt) and each time increases the dissonance and rhythmic urgency. The last note will overlap the beginning of a Passacaglia. The fugue is really an emotional setup for the passacaglia which opens so slow and heavy one needs to be exhausted and beat up a bit before entering it.

I write in Sebelius then do a midi dump of score into Sonar. I've written a suite of programs in CAL that allow me to then apply mathematical functions to the aesthetic dimensions of the score through midi parameters--rhubato, interval invariant rhubato, phrasing, anticipations, dynamics etc. Then I record one voice at a time often several tracks of instruments per voice with a midi track customized for each instrument. The composition and realization of that 3 minute piece took about 840 hours of work.

I have done nothing about the sound stage in the mix because I'm still trying to understand the process and effect technically, still setting up my sound room and still trying to decide if I want to do the final mix for ambiophonic reproduction. Once that’s settled I will to some final mixes of several works I’ve done and do a real CD—if I’m still alive LOL.

[RAndyB]

Looked up stretto to make sure I had the definition correct.

Now can hear the overall structure.

Is the piece in 4/4? and how many bars long is the theme?

The only modern fugue I have in my record collection is Britten's Prelude and Fugue for string orchestra. He, of course, sticks on a slightly jokey flourish as a coda.

The midi "performance" has the advantage that "everyone's" timing is perfect, allowing the score to be heard, but even so the themes move too fast to catch during the first stretto particularly.

I am generally a lazy listener, feeling that my contribution is paying for the recording/ticket, then just letting the music do to me what it will. In this case I am certainly ready for something soothing for several bars!

The "performance" is certainly a league ahead of many midi files found on the net. Are you hoping to publish the software?

Now that I am subscribed to this thread, the passacaglia will come to me when you choose to release it :-)

Thanks,

Andy

[eStatic]

The piece is in 4/4 but the downbeat wanders now and again and is re-synced by measures in 13/16 and 15/16. The subject is 4 measures long.

Thanks I’ll listen to the first stretto with your remarks in mind.

Perhaps you should listen to John Eliot Gardiner’s rendition of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony first. Nothing will ever seem to fast again LOL – just heard it last week. My head is still spinning – not an entirely pleasant experience I admit.

I’ve posted the CAL* routines on several sites but they are so tedious to use no one is interested. I don’t really play so I have no other choice. My description of what I do was rather an over simplification. It involved nearly a hundred midi tracks used to “play” over 200 audio tracks each painstakingly envelope edited some just used for particular attacks cross faded to the sustained sample yada, yada, yada.

*CAL: Cakewalk Application Language – it’s vaguely lisp like -- should be called BDL Brain Dead Lisp –( I used to program in Common Lisp before Lucid went belly up.)

And yes I will certainly post a link to the finished piece.

Thanks again.

[KP11520]

Hi eStatic,

Am I understanding correctly, this has all been done on a computer with Midi and a controller and the software of course?

Regards//Keith

[RAndyB]

My dear-lady-wife likes it too.

[RAndyB]

Originally posted by eStatic
Thanks I’ll listen to the first stretto with your remarks in mind.

That is not a negative comment. It does what it says on the tin - builds up the tension. Could end up boring otherwise. The lightness, prettiness and smile in the theme graduate nicely into distress. The ending seems to fade to ennui.

Hope I'm not wrecking your aspirations for the piece!

Andy

Ps do you have a proper name - the equivalent of my "Andy"?

[eStatic]

Originally posted by KP11520
Hi eStatic,

Am I understanding correctly, this has all been done on a computer with Midi and a controller and the software of course?

Regards//Keith

Essentially yes. Though I run three computers in my studio, two are for sample libraries (100s of gigs in size) and soft synths.

[eStatic]

Originally posted by RAndyB

The lightness, prettiness and smile in the theme graduate nicely into distress. The ending seems to fade to ennui.

Thanks. That is how I intended it.

Robert

[KP11520]

WAY BEYOND impressive!

I'll have to look you up, if and when we ever move to NC (Asheville).

I am just starting to play with ProTools. Between this DIY forum and the ProTools, I won't have enough time to become an expert at either.

Keep it up!

Regards//Keith