Romance in A Minor for Violin, Cello, and Piano

[Jonny Lost]

Hello everyone.

I've just finished a new piece for Solo Violin, Solo Cello and Piano called Romance in A minor. Here are the links:

MP3
Score

It was written and recorded using Sibelius 5 and GPO. I had wanted to use the Solo Strad and Solo Cello libraries, but I couldn't get them to sound very good. I guess I need more practice with them. So, all the instruments come from GPO.

The reverb is the pianoverb that is in the Kontakt Player 2. I had wanted to use Waves IR-l, but I can't seem to find a decent convolution for it. I have the convolution library that came with IR-l, but they seem to make the tune sound strange. I can't quite put my finger on it. If anyone knows of a convolution that they think would work well with this piece, please let me know. I would really like to try it out.

Originally, I had written this in G minor, but my wife, being a fine cellist herself, who enjoys busting my chops, informed me that string players do not like flats. I know that, but when I started writing the tune, it was for piano and oboe, so I didn't worry about the flat key signature. When I decided to make it for Violin and Cello, I didn't take that into account. Oh well, it's fixed now!

Anyway, the piece is a short musical conversation, similar to techniques used by Mozart in some of his chamber works. This piece is a return to concert works for me. I haven't written a piece of music that wasn't meant for film or stage in several years. It was a nice visit back with an old friend. I think I'm going to concentrate on building my concert repertoire now.

I really hope everyone enjoys this piece. I can't believe how nervous I am about posting this. I can write scores for films that are seen by hundreds of people, but this makes me quake in my boots! It's an interesting sensation. Oh well, no guts, no glory!!!

Please feel free to give any feedback, constructive or otherwise. I have pretty thick skin!

Enjoy,
Jonny

Edit: I've re-uploaded a newer version after several comments about the quality. Hopefully, I've addressed the issues and everyone can enjoy it now the way it was meant to. I'm not quite sure what happened. I guess you just get used to hearing stuff on your own equipment. Oh well!
Please let me know if there is anything else that I need to fix.

Thanks again.
Jonny

[Raymond62]

John, there must be someting wrong with it. Only the left channel is playing.
The sound.... just like a keyhole... it was not possible to listen to this piece the way any comments worth.

Raymond

[Jonny Lost]

Raymond,

Hmm... Interesting. It seems yo be playing correctly for me. I've check it on two different computers and it's working. Is anyone else having this problem?

Please let me know.

Thanks,
Jonny

[Raymond62]

Johnny, I retried it and still comes form the left and only the left. I checked the soundcard settings and I can see in the mixer that only the left channel gets info.

Raymond

[sunbird]

Hi Jonny,

I also hear it all from the left side.
Another thing is the piano reverb (or is it the sustain pedal?) which is creating an unclear sound (starting at around 00:39) and dominates.
So it is hard to comment on anything else...

Yudit

[Jonny Lost]

OK, I'll have to figure out what is going on when I get home today. Sorry for wasting your time! Thanks for letting me know that something was wrong with it. Sometimes, you get so used to hearing things on your own setup, I guess.

I'll repost when it's fixed

Thanks and have a nice day.
Jonny

[Jonny Lost]

I just posted a new version. Please let me know if it's still doesn't work.

Thanks,
Jonny

[Raymond62]

Now I have both ears working!! You used the pedals for the piano? Too much!! Give the violin a bit more juice. Now it just is too feeble!! (I mean weak). Nice piece though.

Raymond

[garymosse]

Hi Jonny,
An interesting piece. I would add a few things to check.
I wonder how you have set the panning. I'm thinking more separation would help. How about the reverb setting? It sounds like the piano has higher reverb(it should be, but not this much.) The violin seems to have very little reverb. The cello is in the middle, but could use more reverb.
I don't know, but I think the violin could use a few more notes.
"Other than that, Mrs Lincoln, how did you like the Opera...."
Gary

[sunbird]

I can hear now from both sides, but it still doesn't sound balanced. It sounds as if the distance between the instruments is too big.

I would put the piano in the middle, the cello a little to the left and the violin a little to the right.

The composition itself is an interesting one and I hope you can do what it takes to bring out what you intended it to be.

Yudit