Joe's Notes (Music notes that is!)

Another First

2007-06-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

In May 2006 The City of London Symphonic Winds premiered my Euphonium Concerto - "The Willson Concertante" - Charley Brighton soloist with John Andrews conducting. Now Charley is on to another first sort of - the premiere of the Orchestral version. It will take place on 12/9/2007 with Andrew Morley conducting the Southampton University Sinfonietta.

You can hear the live performance of the Symphonic Band version by clicking here. A computer generated MP3 of the orchestral version can be heard by clicking here.

New Clarinet Solo

2007-01-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

Plaintive Airs & D...

If you click on the above you can hear my new clarinet piece - Plaintive Airs & Dances

My new Grandson

2006-11-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

My first grandchild Colin Joseph Campbell was born 10/20/2006! Have written three pieces so far
The first is Colin's Lullaby, next Colin at Play and then love for Colin. - listen here
You can se more pictures here

It's a wonderful life

2006-10-12T19:50:00.000-07:00

A rambling brief history of how I got where I am.

As a young boy (4 or 5 year old) I provided my older brothers with some fun when I would cry when I heard a beautiful piece of music. At 13 my brother bought me a trombone because they needed a trombonist in his band. At 15 I was playing with professionals in symphonic ensembles (mostly orchestras). Even made a faux pas (came in a measure too soon) on a national broadcast. I could also sight-read parts for every instrument in the orchestra or band – and would often have 3^rd/4^th horn or 3^rd trumpet parts on my stand in high school groups. In high school I taught theory and harmony classes. At 17 I won a music scholarship to university. At 18 I quit school (since of course I knew more than they did!?!?). Was scheduled for an audition with a minor city symphony orchestra (believe it was San Antonio??). One month before the date had an accident which destroyed my mouth and ended my trombone playing.

I set off to New York to study to become the world’s greatest composer. But soon some bad experiences and family pressures brought me back home – and into a “safe” life in the business world. In 1960 I became one of those geeks known as a “programmer” and had a pretty successful career. Actually became a technical guru. I never lost my love of music and collected conductor’s scores and read them as I listened to symphonic and operatic music.

In 2001 – at the age of 69 I retired. Discovered music writing software and began composing again. To date I have written over 40 pieces. There are Euphonium, Cello, Tuba, Oboe and Contrabass solos. Woodwind, Brass and String Ensemble works. Chamber Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Band and Brass Band works. More than half have been published and actually more have sold more than I expected. Also most of the brass solo and ensemble works have had a least one performance – mostly in the UK.

Also over the years I have supplied several thousand free charts to mostly young college musicians (at last rough count in excess of 5,000). And I've actually had 42 of them thank me!

Ironically my work has been performed in the UK, Japan, California, Australia and even Baghdad! There may have been performances in Spain, Singapore and Malaysia (can’t confirm). But I cannot get anyone in my neighborhood (Chester County Pennsylvania) even interested in looking at my music.

It doesn’t matter I have been having fun and finally doing what I have wanted to do all my life. It’s a wonderful life.

Site update

2006-09-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

I've revamped my site. Hopefully made it easier to find your way - cleaner - leaner look. Free music offered a bit sparse right now. Have had too many pieces published!! Need to write some more. By the way click here to go to my site. Waddyathink?

ITEA reviews

2006-08-24T19:51:00.000-07:00

Had quite a few pieces reviewed in the summer ITEA journal (International Tuba Euphonium Association). You can read some on my site (the good ones) click here

My publisher Brassworks4 had quite a few pieces reviewed this time. Also a great interview article on Charley Brighton. Check it out.

Some updates to my site

2006-08-06T16:31:00.001-07:00

Finally cleaned up my home page some (sort of). Hopefully easier to find the category you are looking for. Also added three new pages - Live performances has (what else!) MP3 files of live performances of my music. Then there is another page of comments and reviews about my stuff.
Finally there is a publishers page where one can find out where to acquire the sheet music.

Brassworks4

2006-07-21T16:21:00.000-07:00

Quite a few of my Tuba and Euphonium pieces have been published by Brassworks4.
Also a trumpet trio and some brass ensemble pieces. And by the end of July the catalog will include my Fantasia for Tuba (listen) as well as the Euphonium version (listen)

Pay them a visit - lots of new and traditional brass music available.

More bragging

2006-06-16T12:59:00.000-07:00

I've put up the program, some pictures and information about the London premiere on my site. Just click here to check out my showcase.

Wow

2006-06-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well I'm back from London and the premiere of the Euphonium concerto (the Willson Concertante) was phenomenal! What a thrill. It was performed by the City of London Symphonic Winds conducted by John Andrews with Charley Brighton as soloist. I left the applause after the last movement in because it was a thrill to hear the small cheer when the conductor called me to the front to take a bow.

An MP3 of each of the 3 movements can be heard by clicking on the following.

Movement 1 Con Bravura

Movement 2 Notturno Adagio

Movement 3 Vivace Con Brio

Something new

2006-05-09T17:34:00.000-07:00

I heard a flute choir play and was impressed. So I wrote a suite for a flute choir. There are four movements - Adagio Triste, Scherzo, Elegy and Gigue a la Fugato. The instrumentation is - Piccolo, 2 C Flutes, 2 Alto Flutes, 2 Bass Flutes. It can be heard here

Off to England

2006-03-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

I am quite excited. On 5/28/06 The City of London Winds will premiere my Euphonium Concerto - "The Willson Concertante" - with Charley Brighton as soloist. And I'm going over to here it in person. When Charley premiered my Summer Celebration with the Nonesuch Strings I wasn't there and the recording sis not work. Taking no chances this time I will be there. You can hear a computer rendition here

You can read about the music here

Podcasting

2006-02-02T19:45:00.000-08:00

I'm beginning to play around with Podcasting. Have set up a couple of items for testing. Anyone with a device that wants to try it and let me know if it works I would appreciate it. Neither has any spoken words or narrative yet. Just checking the technology out.
This one is two miniatures for small groups "Among the Reeeds" & "The Unasked Question".
www.joesmusicroom.com/media/mypodcastrss.rss

The other is a Dance Essay for small orchestra
www.joesmusicroom.com/media/mypodcastrss2.ess

Hope to hear from some of you

Miniature compositions II

2006-01-01T20:49:00.000-08:00

Since I had some inquiries I decided to make PDF files of the scores for the Miniatures available on my site here.
Let me know what you think.

Miniature Compositions

2005-12-29T20:00:00.000-08:00

On the Composer's Forum after the challenge to write 1 minute pieces based on the Enigmatic Scale (se post below) - we made things tougher. This challenge was to write a piece that has 100 or fewer notes (rests do not count). It is to be a finished piece - not a fragment.
My two entries to date are Scherzo Miniature and Duetta Breva - click on the link to hear an MP3.
This is excellent excercise for a composer - it also helps keep the juices going.

The Enigmatic Scale

2005-12-12T20:49:00.000-08:00

On a composer forum I participate in we discussed the "Enigmatic Scale". I did some research and found this note:
"In 1888 a music journal in Milan published what it called an "enigmatic scale" of unusual intervals, and invited composers to harmonize it in some fashion. Verdi took up the challenge by using the scale as a basis for a motet in 16th-century style on the traditional "Ave Maria" text. The peculiar ascending/descending scale is set in very long notes in the Bass, Alto, Tenor, and Soprano parts in turn, while the other voices weave around it with extremely chromatic lines, often creating rather startling harmonic progressions. Though intended by the composer primarily as a technical exercise, this Ave Maria still manages to communicate a sense of great drama and religious integrity. A few years before his death, it was published together with three other religious works as Quattro Pezzi Sacri."
The scale referenced is:

We started a challenge. Write pieces of about one minute. Must be for string quartet with optional wind solo - and must be an Adagio.
I wrote three miniatures and these are the MP3s:
Enigmatic Adagio Random Thoughts The Unasked Question

Suite for Unaccompanied Violin

2005-11-17T13:47:00.000-08:00

Have just completed a suite for unaccompanied violin. It is called "Reflections".
You can hear the MP3 here. The three movements are - 1. "Wistful" 2. "Anticipation" 3. "Hope". At first I tried adding some type of accompaniment - but it just didn't seem to fit - - what do you think?

On the air

2005-10-25T21:05:00.000-07:00

Whoops Now they say the programs are scheduled for 10/28/05 same times. We'll see! On 10/26/2005 at 10:00 PM and at 11:00 PM (Eastern time) two of my pieces will be played on the Composer Channel - an Internet radio station. The URL is;
http://www.TheComposerChannel.com

The two pieces to be featured are Ophelia's Descent for Oboe and Harp and String Opus 1 for String orchestra.

New tools - new fun

2005-10-13T20:39:00.000-07:00

I now have Finale 2006 with Garritan Personal Orchestra Lite - and much improved sound and tools. Having a great time learning all the new stuff and enjoying the sounds.

The strings are great and I completed the first movement of a suite for strings - what a difference in the sound of the strings. It can be heard here on my site.

New music for trombone

2005-08-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

I've created 2 trombone pieces - Sonatina Rondo which geared toward Tenor Trombone. Lament & Celebration is definetly for Bass Trombone. Listen to both here.

Have also added some new Oboe solos based on Shakespeare Heroines - latest is Tumultuous Kate (as in Taming of the Shrew). Give a listen here

Tribute to Peter Tangemann

2005-07-14T00:08:00.000-07:00

A dear friend and fellow composer Peter Tangemann from Grenada died tragically alone missing his dear Cilia who died the year before. Peter and I never met in person but grew very close through the exchange of music and intimate emails . I wrote a piece called "Mein Lieber Freund" in memoriam. It is for unaccompanied Euphonium. My friend in the UK - Charley Brighton has performed it beautifully and I wanted to share it. You can hear it at Mein Lieber Freund

New Brass Quintets with a Western Flair

2005-07-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

Just released a suite of 3 Brass Quintets with a western flair - Movin' the Herd, Cowpoke Saturday night Hoodang and Roundup.

Can be heard and bought here

A new fun Tuba Solo

2005-06-24T23:15:00.000-07:00

Have added a new Tuba solo with piano called "Travellin'". A short driving piece that could get you moving. Check it out here.

Shakespeare Heroines

2005-06-21T23:20:00.000-07:00

With the success of Ophelia's Descent I have created some additional pieces for Oboe and Harp (or piano). Actually they work well also for Bassoon (an octave lower of course). They can be heard here.

Also just finished a new piece for Contrabass and Piano called "Contrasts". Different sections to show off the potential and versatility of the Contrabass.

Update

2005-04-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

A new solo for Contrabass entitled Soliloquy Triste - requested by Allan Schenkel a professional soloist. To be premiered soon. Can be heard here www.joemusicroom.com/orchestralworks.html

Be well
Joe
www.joesmusicroom.com
"Music is an outburst of the soul" F. Delius

Willson Concertante

2005-04-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

In March Charley Brighton premiered The Willson Concertante with Malcolm Stowell on piano. I wrote the Concertante to commemorate Charley's new relationship with Willson as a featured Euphonium Soloist. The live performance can be heard here .

I have also produced a version with Symphonic Winds accompaniment which Charley hopes to premier some time later in 2005. A computer generated version can be heard here. On this page both versions (piano and wind band) can be purchased.

Major performances

2005-04-05T22:22:00.000-07:00

Charley Brighton will be performeing Summer Celebration with the Nonesuch strings on June 16th. This is a movement from Music of the Seasons for Euphonium and Strings.