Her Scars — A Ballet in 11 Scenes

Her Scars

A Ballet in 11 Scenes

Scene 1 — Moons Rise 0:00 – 2:42
Scene 2 — Demon Dance 2:42 – 7:27
Scene 3 — Water Ablutions 7:26 – 11:02
Scene 4 — Creature Dance 11:02 – 17:01
Scene 5 — Demon Dance II 17:01 – 23:18
Scene 6 — Katas 23:18 – 26:47
Scene 7 — The Demon King Enters 26:47 – 30:20
Scene 8 — Battle! 30:02 – 35:12
Scene 9 — Healing 35:12 – 40:30
Scene 10 — Funeral 40:30 – 44:40
Scene 11 — Moons Set 44:40 – 47:22

MP3: https://soundcloud.com/ed-w-sharpe/her-scares

Score at: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/189907.html

47 minutes, 129 pages, 1389 bars of music; two years in the making. 

Score of the week: Ballet — 59,620 YEARS

59,620 YEARS — A Ballet in One Scene

Score of the week: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/20562.html

The title is in reference to the fact that in 2003 the planet Mars made its closest approach to Earth in the last 59,620 years. Aldo Vitagliano, of the University of Naples in Italy, calculated that Mars hasn’t had as close a brush with Earth since September 12, 57,617 B.C., when Neanderthals ruled but modern man had begun to make inroads.

When I was writing this piece I was envisioning in my mind short ballet to go with the music.

The form of the piece is a simple arch, A (slow introduction in 4/4 time), B (the "chant" section of alternating time signatures and a slow increase in tempo), C (the central calm section in 11/4 time, basically a passacaglia that build ups as each voice is added then slows thins out as each voice drops out), The return of the B section and finally the return of the A section acting as a coda

Ballet Outline

Section A (4/4)

o Through the void of space Mars approached ancient Earth.

Section B (Mixed Meters)

o Fearful a Neanderthal shaman prays to the clan’s gods. o Slowly the clan joins the shaman in praying to their gods. o The prayer becomes a chant o The chanting breaks into a chaotic dance o The shaman start to pray again.

Section C (11/4)

o While the clan sleeps the red star waxes and wanes in the autumn sky.

Section B (mixed meters) (Return of)

o The Shaman starts to pray again. o Slowly the clan joins the shaman in praying to their gods. o The prayer becomes a chant o The chanting breaks into a chaotic dance

Section A (4/4) (Return of) (Coda)

o Through the void of space Mars returns.

Score of the Week: Black Fire

  

This a straight ahead Jazz tune that owes some of its inspiration to such classic Jazz tunes such as "So What" and "Killer Joe", with perhaps a very small dash of "City of Glass" thrown in. In 5/4 time and the Dorian mode; "Black Fire" for a large Jazz Orchestra (555+rhythm) is a bit dark, a bit edgy late at night, give me another whiskey sort of piece.

Score (PDF) and MP3 file at: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/88632.html
 
   

Score of the week: Thou Stars of Winter

A short character piece for harp and flute.

The titles of the three movements form a Haiku.

Score and MP3: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/33298.html
 
   

Score of the week: San Antonio Rainbow

A petite two minute atmospheric ambient character piece for Piano

Score and MP3 at:  http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/107572.html

        

Score of the Week: on that winter day

  

on that winter day a butterfly floated on the cold mountain stream

A short character piece for solo piano with a six against four rhythmic scheme.

Score and MPS: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/28682.html

Score of the week: Dark Stairs in a Strange City . . .

   

A musical Haiku in 12/8 time divided 3+2+2+3+2. For a quartet of Alto Flute, Guitar, Bass and Drums.

Score and MP3 at: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/32585.html

A Short Cruise ...

A short cruise through the semi-abandoned side streets and alleys of L.A during the wee hours of a hot mid-summer’s night

A Non-Standard tune in a quasi rondo form (arch form) for Jazz Quartet. Each of the three main Themes are in a different time signature: 5/4, 6/4 and 4/4.

Score and MP3 at: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/38402.html
                

Score of the week: “the darkness between the stars”

     

This is a tone poem for String Orchestra and Solo Bass Clarinet in which I tried to invoke the darkness/void/loneliness of deep space; out where there is nothing. 99.9999+ percent of the universe is an empty lonely place.

while I was writing this piece I imaged myself floating in the darkness of deep space billions of miles from any other being, billions of miles from even just another object, with just the faint dots of stars everywhere in the black void.

Score and MP3 at: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/35987.html

Score of the Week: Threnody for a Servant of God

For String Orchestra; A fugue in E minor in a slow 5/2.

In memory of Sr. Leonella Sgorbati, 1940-2006 Anno Domini.


Score and MP3 at:  http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/52938.html
 
   

Score of the Week: Ojiichan

 
A short character piece for Oboe and Bassoon.

Ojiichan means Grandfather in Japanese. What do you picture when you listen to this? What would you title it? I would love to hear your suggestions

Score and MP3: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/9817.html
   
   

Score of the week: Impression No. 1

   

First of a set of five Impressions. Impression of what you ask? That is up to your mind and ears to decide.

Listen to this piece in a calm and quiet spot.

Close your eyes.

Let the music take your imagination on a trip.

Score and MP3: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/147406.html
 
    

Score of the Week: Meisa's Lullaby

    

An arrangement of Brahm's Lullaby for for big band. It features a flugelhorn soloist with the rest of band backing him up.

I have re-titled the piece Meisa’s Lullaby in honor of my granddaughter.

Those of you who take time to listen I hope you will enjoy it.

Score and MP3: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/102617.html

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ImBoWAg-Ks

   

Score of the Week: The Heat Death of the Universe

An atmospheric piece for  solo bass clarinet (plus effects) using a limited number of pitch classes in its composition.


You Tube: The Heat Death of the Universe
Score and MP3: The Heat Death of the Universe

Score of the Week: "...and into dust you shall return"

... and into dust you shall return

Another Fugue for String Orchestra

This piece started when I challenged myself to come up with a fugue subject that spanned less than a fifth, was fairly simple rhythmically and very short. Previously my various fugue subjects tended to cover a large range and where long when compared to fugue subjects from the Renaissance. What I came up with is a seven note subject that covers the interval of just a perfect fourth. Harmonically the subject is in the Phygian mode.
 
MP3 and Score:  "... and into dust you shall return"

  

Score of the Week: Forgotten Thoughts

  

Forgotten Thoughts

A laid back 12/8 groove featuring a soprano vocalise followed by a harder 4/4 middle section and finishes up with a return to the 12/8 groove. Ten minutes of sounds and textures that go nowhere.

MP3 and PDF Score: Forgotten Thoughts
                 

Haiku of the Week ~ White petals stained pink

  

White petals stained pink

Falling, Drifting, Descending

Once more spring arrives.

         

Score of the Week: Whatever

Whatever

A little Jazz number in a fast 7/8. Based on a fragment of an idea I wrote in a notebook in the late 1970’s.

The MP3 recording was done with Garritan's JABB and Sonar.

Score and MP3

Score of the Week: Impression No. 2

Impression No. 2

Second in a set of five Impressions.

Impression of what you ask? That is up to your mind and ears to decide. Listen to this piece in a calm and quiet spot, close your eyes and let the music take your imagination on a trip.

Score and MP3
    

Score of the week: Jesus Wept

Jesus Wept

 A shot motet done in pseudo Renaissance style. Based on the shortest verse in the Bible. The MP3 recording uses Pythagorean tuning, not modern equal tempered tuning.

Score and MP3 recording

Score of the Week: Eous

Eous

"Eous" is a piece for a Jazz group consisting of Soprano Sax, Vibraphone, Bass and Drums.

Please take a listen to the MP3 for an example of one way the piece could be interpreted. Thank you.

"Eous" is a made up word with no meaning.

Score and MP3
 
   

Score of the Week:

String Quartet #1 (Yuki)

Score and MP3

This is a short five movement piece for string quartet. Each movement is only about one minute each. And each movement is one line of a Tanka that I wrote about Snow (Yuki). I wrote the second movement first and all of the material in the other four movements appears in or is derived from the second movement. Given this, one can think of the first movement as a prelude with the second movement being the main movement. The fifth movement re-states the main motifs of the first four movements, combining them into one large polyphonic mass.

Unable to sleep I listen throughout the night to the silent song of falling snow in my yard. With the soft dawn, satori.

The first movement is built around the pentatonic scale F# G B C# D. (The Japanese Hirajoshi Scale; 平調)

The second movement is built around the pentatonic scale C# D F# G# A.

The third movement is built around the pentatonic scale D Eb G A Bb.

The fourth movement is built around the pentatonic scale C Dd F G Ab, but does not strictly adhere to the scale in places.

The fifth movement is built around the pentatonic scale C# D F# G# A, but does not strictly adhere to the scale in places

Score of the week: 59,620 YEARS

59,620 YEARS

Score of the week: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/20562.html

The title is in reference to the fact that in 2003 the planet Mars made its closest approach to Earth in the last 59,620 years. Aldo Vitagliano, of the University of Naples in Italy, calculated that Mars hasn’t had as close a brush with Earth since September 12, 57,617 B.C., when Neanderthals ruled but modern man had begun to make inroads.

When I was writing this piece I was envisioning in my mind short ballet to go with the music.

The form of the piece is a simple arch, A (slow introduction in 4/4 time), B (the "chant" section of alternating time signatures and a slow increase in tempo), C (the central calm section in 11/4 time, basically a passacaglia that build ups as each voice is added then slows thins out as each voice drops out), The return of the B section and finally the return of the A section acting as a coda

Ballet Outline

Section A (4/4)

o Through the void of space Mars approached ancient Earth.

Section B (Mixed Meters)

o Fearful a Neanderthal shaman prays to the clan’s gods. o Slowly the clan joins the shaman in praying to their gods. o The prayer becomes a chant o The chanting breaks into a chaotic dance o The shaman start to pray again.

Section C (11/4)

o While the clan sleeps the red star waxes and wanes in the autumn sky.

Section B (mixed meters) (Return of)

o The Shaman starts to pray again. o Slowly the clan joins the shaman in praying to their gods. o The prayer becomes a chant o The chanting breaks into a chaotic dance

Section A (4/4) (Return of) (Coda)

o Through the void of space Mars returns.

Score of the Day

   

Obsidian Waves and Missing Thoughts

A study in quartal harmony; written as an example of the use of fourths to build both vertical structures and horizontal lines.

Score and MP3

Score of the Day

  

Out, Damn Spot!

Sometimes I just get these crazy ideas stuck in my head and I have to get them out of my head and inflict my madness on the world. This piece is one of those ideas, a perverse genetic mutation with the potential to offend even the deaf.

I have describe it as Schoenberg and Shakespeare visit Compton.

Out, Damn Spot! (MP3): https://soundcloud.com/ed-w-sharpe/out-damn-spot

Score: http://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/178439.html