Strad as Concertmaster - Beethoven's 5th

[DPDAN]

Hi folks,
This is my rendition of one of history's favorites,
Beethoven's 5th Symphony

One of our members, Haydn created the midi file and made a GPO rendition, so some of the data for GPO was already imbedded, but you know me I replaced most of it with my own and created my own directing/roboto. I do not claim the tempo of this piece, it is blazing fast to me, but in the interest of making it sound "right" I basically copied the tempo for most sections from a recording by a Philadelphia Orchestra recording. I want to give credit to Haydn for making the midi file, in fact he made it before GPO was even out.
It is all GPO and one Garritan 2.0 Solo Stradivarius.

I have replaced this link with a remix, hence this edited post. Better French horns and much faster tempo to the more common performances by renowned symphonies.

enjoy!
DP

[etLux]

Wow!

Another truly impressive rendering, Dan!

Bravo!

David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[MMOSC]

Amazing rendition actually better then most recordings i've heard.

Any hints on your ensemble building, instruments used etc.

[Garritan]

One of the nice things about the Stradivari 2.0 is that it can serve as the concertmaster to an orchestral mix. The concertmaster plays a special and vital role in an orchestra, but this key element is rarely mentioned in relation to orchestral libraries.

The concertmaster is often the principle violinist who occupies the first chair of the first violin section of an orchestra. He or she is an exceptional player and is second in importance only to the conductor and sometimes substitutes for the conductor. The other players look to the concertmaster for guidance and cues, and this helps ensure uniform bowing and an even pace. In orchestral music you often hear the concertmaster weaving his or her violin in an out of the sonic tapestry of the orchestra. Sometimes it floats, sometimes it rises and recedes, sometimes it blends in, and sometimes it stands out.

With the Stradivari 2.0, we now have a virtual concertmaster which has been missing in orchestral libraries. The versatility and expressiveness of the Stradivari 2.0 now makes this possible. Some have asked why we have started with a solo violin and this is why.

DPDan taken Haydn's MIDI file and reworked it with the Stradivari 2.0. His rendition of Beethoven's 5th Symphony done with the new Stradivari 2.0 as concertmaster is fantastic!

http://www.garritan.com/mp3/Beethoven5th.mp3

The Strad seems to assume the role of the concertmaster quite nicely and adds a great deal of realism.

While listening, please listen to the concertmaster and see how it enhances and intertwines with the rest of the orchestra. As always, let us know how this realization can be made even better.

Gary Garritan

[DPDAN]

Haydn, that's who it was WOW!
Thank you so much Gary and all.
Dan

[DPDAN]

Amazing rendition actually better then most recordings i've heard.

Any hints on your ensemble building, instruments used etc.

thank you MMOSC,
no secrets really, a minimum of instruments were used for this.
GPO strings sections
1 Solo Stradivari solo violin
2 flutes
2 oboes
2 clarinets
2 bassoons
2 french horns
2 trumpets
timpani

4 instances of Altiverb 5, a separate setting for Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and Timpani.

Thank you for the nice comment, I must add that the Strad is so awesome.
I cheat a little bit, I copy the first violin part, but only the top most part of any sections with divisi into an empty midi track and name it Strad. I then play the modwheel for vibrato and the expression pedal for the bow pressure/volume/timbre thingie. I also change the velocities too.

I was reasonably pleased with the sound of just the 1st vlns sections, but once I added the Strad, holy cow, I could not believe how much more life ebbed in and out of the section sound.

I always record each instrument to a separate audio track for rendering, and I do alot of fader automation for each individual track too.
Alot of the finese comes from the intimate control that we have with fader automation, we can make each track enter and fade so smoothly, even moreso than with just modwheel.

I hope this helps a little.
Dan

[MMOSC]

Helps a lot Dan, thanks. I quess I'll have to get the Strad, I didn't realize it would blend so nicely with the section samples. BTW the tympani on this is excellent. Again, really inspiring rendition.

Mike

[DPDAN]

thanks alot!!!

[rpearl]

Dan,

Great job - your skills at this are most impressive.

Wow. Wow. Wow.


R. Pearl

[jonray]

Hi Dan,

Wowie - very well done indeed! Fantastic rendition. I see what you mean about the Strad bringing out the vitality of the strings.

Just one point - my recording of the Berlin Phil paying it is quite a lot faster than this.

Great work!
Jon