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Matthew Kennedy – “Until I Say ‘When'”

DanLisMusic Posted on August 30, 2017

Matthew Kennedy’s “Until I Say ‘When'” is a breathtaking exposure of space, timbre, and mood, that is both playful and hypnotic.

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John Wiggins – String II

DanLisMusic Posted on August 22, 2017

“STRING II was made with “real” sounds – sounds that I recorded both in my studio and in the field. I used only the oddest bits of these recordings to go ahead and represent something else. Something that EVERYONE hears differently – its interpretation is up for grabs. I feel that’s important.”

Analysis concept Harmony Instrumentation Issues Melody Notation/Engraving Psychology of Music Reviews Rhythm Theory timbre Tools for Composers

Diogo Carvalho – “Reveal” for Guitar and Tape

DanLisMusic Posted on August 17, 2017

There are times when musical notation simply does not suffice to both technically manifest, nor artistically describe, the music that is heard. This is the case with Diogo Carvalho’s piece Reveal.

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Does it have to matter? Finding meaning in art

DanLisMusic Posted on August 12, 2017

In this blog, I have repeatedly asked the questions “what does this mean?”, “what is the point?”, and “what can we learn from this?” In truth, sometimes nothing means anything, there is no point, and we can’t learn from anything. While these are philosophical points that have their own arguments, I would like to discuss […]

Analysis concept Form Harmony Melody Orchestration Reviews Rhythm Theory timbre

David T. Bridges – This Fragmented Old Man

DanLisMusic Posted on August 10, 2017

David T. Bridges’s work This Fragmented Old Man fuses the energy of Elliott Carter, the rhythmic drive of Bela Bartok, and the harmonic fluidity of Igor Stravinsky to create an energetic, wild, slightly senile, and charming work based on the children’s counting song “This Old Man”

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Brianna Drevlow – David’s Run

DanLisMusic Posted on July 30, 2017

Brianna Drevlow’s piece “David’s Run” is a soundscape-turned-nightmare, depicting a recurring dream she has: “Named after the Operation Lifesaver film I watched as a young child about train safety, “David’s Run” depicts a recurring nightmare I experience where I am being hit by a slow moving train, but I wake up before impact. This piece […]