THE EMERGENCE OF TIME - Symphony Orchestra (Sosnowski)

[joaz]

David, congratulations on another beautiful work.

For some reason, this piece didnt send me into philosophical mode, pondering how many quarks were present 1 billionth of a nanosecond after the big bang.

Rather I had an image of of an anthropomorphic representation of Time. Like when Death is represented by a chess playing Grim Reaper.

In this case , in my minds eye, Time takes the stage like a Vaudevillian entertainer, beguiling us with soft shoe shuffle, amazing feats of magic, haunting and fear inducing monologues, a man of a thousand faces, of which you can remember none clearly.

Though this music doesnt sound particularly serial, it does have a whiff of Schoenberg about it.
Particularly when he was in jaunty and playful mood. Like in Pierrot Lunaire for example.

Whereas many of your previous pieces sounded like very concrete pieces of music, intended to be self contained worlds.
This new piece sounds like it belongs in a theatre, with Ballet or Music Drama, or perhaps Cinema or Animation.

I am not saying that this piece needs these other media to be complete, rather , that this music has such a strong sense of drama, that these other media would benefit from the association.

I enjoyed this music very much, although such a dense score would repay many repeat listenings before yielding up all its secrets.

I look forward to returning to it when the score is available.

regards Joe

[pianodoc]

David:

I just listened to The Emergence of Time for the third time and then went back and listened to The Realization of Light again.

I don't find these works at all difficult to listen to over and again, quite the opposite it takes many times to get to know them. they are quite musical and definitely worth getting to know.

Certainly they are not at all atonal. Dissonant, yes but quite lovely. At times dense - but always in the service of the mood and moving the music farther along. Tonight I heard (of all things) elements of Gershwin in the realization of light. I was surprised.

I am reminded of the first time I heard a recording of Horowitz playng the Piano Sonata by Samuel Barber (do you know the recording - 1948 I think). I said to myself Yes! after the first hearing and then went on th listen again and again and with the score and then tried to learn the piece (my hands aren't large enough for parts of it). But so much emotion - that piece.

Your music is quite different but my feeling after hearing these two pieces was a definite Yes! And then I begin to get to know them.

I will look forward to the score of this latest work and then look forward to the next one and the on after that.

Thank you for the experience.

David Mauney

[GaryBric]

David,

Another fine work emerges from you!! Definately tonal and backed up with lots of interesting scoring and always keeping me on my toes. You certainly put the GPO through its paces!

BRAVO!!!!

Gary

www.garybricault.com

[etLux]

David,

There is so much here that I will have to take several listens to have a coherent reply. Nonetheless, most people hear a new work only once, sadly...

I appreciate your patient ear, my friend -- and, yes, sadly, true: new
work in unfamiliar idiom asks more than a cursory listen to grasp; yet
it is rarely given the courtesy.

I particularly liked the last third - the use of the piano in the orchestra is tricky, and you handle it superbly. It adds a beautiful color, without become concertato - and that's rare. Also, the winds near the end: such clarity and drive!

Thanks, Ron. I think I've said previously that I've come to view the
piano almost as another (essential!) "section" of the orchestra... and
I write for it accordingly. I could be all wet on that; but you must
admit, it helps keep pianists off the unemployment roles.

The work feels very organic, in both its language, and as I imagine, its inspiration: it does feel as though something is emerging/birthing. It also seems very much like the language of your recent postings. Your voice is very clear in all this - again, a rare and admired feat.

Ron, that's probably one of the kindest things you can say to a writer.
Thank you.

I have only one criticism, and it is not at you: the mp3 format really takes a lot of the wind out of the sails, so to speak. There are too many places where the orchestra sounds small, and I think the compression is to blame. or my lousy speakers. Or my lousy ears...Still, I imagine that the original WAV file is much richer, yes?

I admit to a preference for a leaner, sparser orchestra (a heavy ensemble
just would not work with a piece of this agility)... and that's certainly a
factor in the sound.

The .mp3 on this is at 256 k/bs, though; and it's reasonably true to the .wav;
though, inevitably, the encoding does take some of the slap and shimmer and
richness away.

Great job, David. I look forward to listening again in the coming days.

Happy New Year!

And a wonderful New Year of joy and still further achievement to you, too,
my friend. Thank you for taking time with this; I believe you know how
much I respect your opinions and thoughts.

With warm regards,


David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[etLux]

Nice one, my friend! I don't understand it but I like it.

You get the claps...

You have really outdone yourself this time. Thanks for sharing it with us, young Yankee person.

My best,

Larry

Ah, my old friend, you made it by, and glad to see you.

You know -- and this is a dead serious comment -- I don't
believe it is necessary to "understand" a piece, so long as
it reaches you on some level, and delivers the goods.

Pleased you enjoyed it, Larry!

Always my best,


David
www.DavidSosnowski.com

I think they have a cure for that now...

.

[etLux]

Hi David,

I'm so frustrated - as you know I'm away from home at present - and on my in-law's dial up connection - hence I can't get at your latest piece -it's too large to download. I'll have to wait 'til I get back home around the 4th January.

No doubt it will be well worth the wait if your past compositions are anything to go by!

Best,

John

Ah! Sorry to hear, John!

But not to worry, the music will still be here; and by
then I should have the score ready, too.

Thanks for stopping in and saying hello, in any event;
and all my best to you in the New Year.

My best,


David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[etLux]

Wonderful stuff David, I really enjoyed this! All the more, because I know that further listening will take me even deeper into this spacious sound landscape - there's so much to discover here.

Thanks, Graham! As I said earlier to Ron, music like this -- new
work in an unaccustomed style -- it does take a little more work
and more than a single listen to really get your ears around it.
I appreciate your taking time with it.

The restrained use of the string orchestra particularly appeals to me. I agree with Ron, the piano and woodwind towards the end were superb.

The strings are said to be the "backbone of the orchestra" and it's most
certainly true; yet, I try to keep well in mind that there are many other
fine players in the other sections who deserve to be heard, as well. In
a piece like this, with more of a chamber music feel to it and lighter
overall orchestration -- it gives greater opportunity to showcase all of
the members of the orchestra... and give the strings a lesser role and
more of a rest.

And yes, I'd say this was a touch more romantic in nature than some of your other works. Thanks for sharing.

Graham, I'm an unapologetic neo-Romanticist... lol. Or maybe it's...
post-modern-neo-Romanticist. Thanks for listening, I appreciate the
kind comments.

My best,


David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[etLux]

David:

Man, I really like your stuff ... very well composed and orchestrated. Tons of color and energy. AND, what fine orchestra and conductor do you have at your disposal for the readings and performances of your works? They handle what sounds like pretty difficult techniques with apparent ease.

Congrats,

Dean

Thanks for the good word, Dean!

An interesting point you mention...

You know, an important part of writing is knowing the strengths
and weaknesses of the instruments; and actually engineering the
more difficult material so it falls readily under the hand. In this
piece, as in others of mine, some of the elements that, on hearing,
would seem to be rather challenging, a good player would blow them
off on a sight-read due to the way they're designed.

Although, Dean? I surely wouldn't mind if real orchestral players
had the accuracy of a playback via Finale and Garritan!

My best,


David
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[etLux]

I am always awed by your masterful compositions and the amazing renderings you achieve. This is no exception. This is a very complex piece with many changes in instrumentation/phrasing yet it is still cohesive and works towards the overall effect. Very, very impressive. Thanks for sharing it.

Clark

Many thanks for the kindness of your comments, my friend.

Clark, did I ever mention [only a few hundred times by now]
that I'm one of the slowest writers on planet Earth...?

One of the reasons is, getting material like this to behave
cohesively takes a considerable degree of effort and a great
deal of time... and I greatly appreciate your attention to it,
as it's something over which I work quite hard.

As for the rendering, my hearing is not the best; so it's more
a matter, with me, of flying on theory than having any real
ability. No one's chopped me off at the knees on this recording
yet; but it no doubt has its flaws, and I generally richly de-
serve the criticism in that regard.

But I particularly appreciate your comment on that aspect;
it's something over which I worry quite a bit!

All my best,



David.
www.DavidSosnowski.com
.

[jsp2]

Bravo, David!

I thoroughly enjoyed this work!.. Not the enjoyment one might get relaxing to a soothing sonata, but the excitement gained trying to analyze an abstract painting. It's not always clear, but there's often a skillful form of intent.

Interesting though, ..unlike some of your prior works, I felt no distinction of a linear storyline (beginning, middle, end).... or perhaps the depiction itself was that moment before the story...(before time)?

... again, the fun of analyzing..!


Very imaginative work, David !


Excellent!!


~Jeff