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Thomas Little
United States
Приєднався 22 сер 2011
Composer and educator (a.k.a. "Classical Nerd").
Pnictogens (Suite for Violin Duo) [w/ score]
Pnictogens: Six Elemental Sketches // for two violins (2023-45)
Composed by Thomas Little // Performed by Duo Gelland
0:00 Front Matter
0:08 I: Nitrogen
1:57 II: Phosphorus
4:25 III: Arsenic
6:40 IV: Antimony
8:14 V: Bismuth
10:37 VI: Moscovium
Group 15 of the periodic table-the "pnictogens"-are (to me) one of the most intriguing columns in the table. Unlike some columns, where constituent chemicals share many properties, the pnictogens are all very different, both in terms of chemical essence and in humanity's interaction with them. Nitrogen and phosphorus are light, and necessary for agriculture, and yet phosphorous is also highly explosive and unstable in its pure form. Arsenic is a known poison, which informs the trepidatious musical material and the choreography of the performers' approach. Antimony is the least interesting, but it's been known since antiquity, so the music adopts a kind of broken, fragmented viol quality. Bismuth's density and beautiful refractive, rainbow properties when oxidized inspired the geometric precision and glow of that movement, and moscovium-an extremely unstable, synthetic, radioactive element at the heart of Area 51 conspiracies-is an exercise in continuous decelerando and diminuendo.
The Gellands (Martin and Cecilia) have a fluid approach to meter-even when they play Baroque repertoire-which I think particularly shines in the second, fifth, and sixth movements.
Composed by Thomas Little // Performed by Duo Gelland
0:00 Front Matter
0:08 I: Nitrogen
1:57 II: Phosphorus
4:25 III: Arsenic
6:40 IV: Antimony
8:14 V: Bismuth
10:37 VI: Moscovium
Group 15 of the periodic table-the "pnictogens"-are (to me) one of the most intriguing columns in the table. Unlike some columns, where constituent chemicals share many properties, the pnictogens are all very different, both in terms of chemical essence and in humanity's interaction with them. Nitrogen and phosphorus are light, and necessary for agriculture, and yet phosphorous is also highly explosive and unstable in its pure form. Arsenic is a known poison, which informs the trepidatious musical material and the choreography of the performers' approach. Antimony is the least interesting, but it's been known since antiquity, so the music adopts a kind of broken, fragmented viol quality. Bismuth's density and beautiful refractive, rainbow properties when oxidized inspired the geometric precision and glow of that movement, and moscovium-an extremely unstable, synthetic, radioactive element at the heart of Area 51 conspiracies-is an exercise in continuous decelerando and diminuendo.
The Gellands (Martin and Cecilia) have a fluid approach to meter-even when they play Baroque repertoire-which I think particularly shines in the second, fifth, and sixth movements.
Переглядів: 127
Відео
the quiet part out loud (for tenor saxophone and electronics)
Переглядів 331День тому
the quiet part out loud // for solo tenor saxophone and live electronics (2024) Composed by Thomas Little // Performed by Kyle Hutchins The phrase “saying the quiet part [out] loud” seems to have sprung out of nowhere in recent years, as political discourse becomes increasingly brazen and toxic. In this piece, the phrase is primarily used in its literal meaning: the various small, quiet, and us...
William Grant Still: ... And They Lynched Him on a Tree [w/ score]
Переглядів 4185 місяців тому
Performed by the Harry T. Burleigh Society and Urban Playground Chamber Orchestra: ua-cam.com/video/_EfByMkWPRg/v-deo.html While he is best known for an early stint of pieces inspired by his African-American heritage, William Grant Still proved a versatile composer across genres. Though he moved to a more eclectic, personal idiom in the mid-1930s, he returned to the subject of race on several o...
William Grant Still: Levee Land [w/ score]
Переглядів 3365 місяців тому
0:00 I: Levee Song 3:38 II: Hey-Hey 4:17 III: Croon 8:09 IV: The Backslider Performed by Celeste Headlee (soprano), Michael Sullivan, Paul Balch (clarinets), Wildy Zumwalt (saxophone), Ivan Ochsner (bassoon), Nancy Sullivan (horn), Charles Way (trumpet), Peter Vivona (trombone), Steve Hemphill (percussion), Ted Goddard (banjo), Karin Hallberg, Kathleen Nourie (violins), and Richard Wright (pian...
William Grant Still: Darker America [w/ score]
Переглядів 6145 місяців тому
Performed by the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra: ua-cam.com/video/x5Y0U3Kc5ik/v-deo.html Written by William Grant Still in 1924, the tone-poem "Darker America" reflects his interest and level of training of the period. The harmonies are tinged with the modernism of his private teacher, Edgard Varèse, and the subject matter was the deeply personal touchstone of race. Compared to his more famous, l...
Quirky Fugue [w/ score]
Переглядів 3875 місяців тому
[Organ: MIDI] I whipped up this piece in 2019. The subject is based on a short ditty that a composer colleague would always sing when seeing one of our mutual friends. (Text, for obvious reasons, omitted in this setting.)
The Chicken Fryers of Kentucky
Переглядів 3617 місяців тому
Narration provided by TK, who commissioned it. Piano is MIDI playback. I take full responsibility for everything else. (Not affiliated with KFC.)
Étude in Eight Thirds
Переглядів 4437 місяців тому
This is such a silly little piece I wrote for a class one time. Pf: midi (obviously)
⍼ (Angzarr) for String Quartet [w/ score]
Переглядів 772Рік тому
⍼ (Angzarr) for String Quartet (2023) Composed by Thomas Little // Recorded by the Arditti String Quartet (Irvine Arditti and Ashot Sakissjan, violins, Ralf Ehlers, viola, and Lucas Fels, cello) The ⍼ (angzarr) symbol is a mystery of the computing world. It was registered anonymously in the late 1990s and then copied into Unicode as “angle with downwards zigzag arrow.” No one knows what it orig...
Music Without Changes [Generative MaxMSP Installation]
Переглядів 645Рік тому
Purchase HQ version: lentovivace.bandcamp.com/track/music-without-changes Commissioned by the University at Buffalo art galleries for their "In Conversation" exhibit (June 27-August 18). It combines the chance procedures of John Cage with the pure ratios of just intonation at various limits. This is a sample of a theoretically infinite work, procedurally generated from a MaxMSP program.
This Embattled Land for Soprano and Sinfonietta [w/ score]
Переглядів 1,1 тис.Рік тому
This Embattled Land for Soprano and Sinfonietta (2022) Composed by Thomas Little // Recorded by Tiffany Du Mouchelle, soprano, and members of the Slee Sinfonietta (Megan Kyle, oboe, Jessica Wooldridge, bassoon, Adam Unsworth, horn, Steve Solook, percussion, Wei-Han Wu, piano, Shannon Reilly, violin, Leanne Darling, viola, Greg Chudzik, double bass), conducted by Daniel Brottman This piece is ba...
Neon in Daylight for Pierrot Ensemble [w/ score]
Переглядів 1,3 тис.Рік тому
Neon in Daylight for Pierrot Ensemble (2022) Composed by Thomas Little // Recorded by Ensemble Court-circuit Many years ago, I heard a segment on NPR about the poetry of Frank O’Hara, which included a reading of his poem “A Step Away From Them,” and all I could think of was the phrase “neon in daylight,” thinking ever since that it could be a great name for a piece. When composing this piece, I...
Signed Distance Field [w/ score]
Переглядів 1,3 тис.Рік тому
Signed Distance Field for Pierrot Ensemble, Alto Saxophone, and Percussion (2022) Composed by Thomas Little // Recorded by [SWITCH~ Ensemble] (Laura Cocks, flute, Madison Greenstone, clarinets, Matt Evans, saxophones, Clara Kim, violin, TJ Borden, cello, Megan Arns, percussion, and Wei-Han Wu, piano/celesta, Clay Mettens, conductor) My first recording session as a PhD student at the University ...
28 minutes of augmented sixths and chill
Переглядів 5782 роки тому
28 minutes of augmented sixths and chill
The Land God Forgot for Soprano, Guitar, and Harp [w/ score]
Переглядів 8533 роки тому
The Land God Forgot for Soprano, Guitar, and Harp [w/ score]
Sonata for Violin and Piano [w/ score]
Переглядів 1,5 тис.3 роки тому
Sonata for Violin and Piano [w/ score]
To the Memory of an Old Soul for String Quartet [w/ score]
Переглядів 8663 роки тому
To the Memory of an Old Soul for String Quartet [w/ score]
Strange Languages for String Quartet // VII - Kēlen
Переглядів 1 тис.4 роки тому
Strange Languages for String Quartet // VII - Kēlen
Strange Languages for String Quartet // VI - Guugu Yimithirr
Переглядів 3654 роки тому
Strange Languages for String Quartet // VI - Guugu Yimithirr
Strange Languages for String Quartet // I - Ithkuil
Переглядів 2,5 тис.4 роки тому
Strange Languages for String Quartet // I - Ithkuil
Doctor Who Theme Remix: The History of Time
Переглядів 9355 років тому
Doctor Who Theme Remix: The History of Time
Yonnondio [for Soprano and Electronics]
Переглядів 3336 років тому
Yonnondio [for Soprano and Electronics]
This is why I eat it raw !
that seems ill advised
I can understand why you would say "mystical"..... It struck me that this would be good for a dark entrance to a house at Halloween, too!
I love this and want to play with it!
Shoot me an email! thomas [at] lentovivace.com
Really interesting and explorative sounds!
Very interesting piece! Reminds me of Carter's melodic counterpoint.
I just read about this piece yesterday in the book The Rest Is Noise. Based on its description alone, I knew I’d love it. But this is 10x better than I imagined. How is this not one of the most important compositions of its era? (I mean…I know why…but still.) While I’m sad to see that this is (presently) the only upload of it on youtube, I’m glad there’s at least one! Thanks for posting.
Very Nice Thank You
Faster, different, not worse, just something else. Still magic in every way.
Orchestration at times seems questionable, but at moments delovers interesting new combinations
Reminds me a little of delius
As soon as I got done watching your video on Still, I looked for a score video of this work specifically, only to not find one (not only that, but a general lack of Still's scores in general). I'm so glad you've uploaded this, and I can't wait to listen to it in full. While I'm here (I know this is the wrong channel too :P), but could I request a video on Charles Koechlin? His life, philosophy and music are incredibly unique, and I would love to see you do a deep-dive into the subject
This is one of the first pieces i learned when I got a new piano teacher and he made me much more interested in classical music
Genuinely vital work uploading these, so glad these came as a byproduct of the (excellent ) deep dive!
Wow! Sadly I've never heard of William Grant Hill..Thank you so much for bringing him to my attention! Amazing orchestration!
My most recent episode is about him. Amazing story in addition to amazing music!
this is what einstein was listening before he wrote the bible
Very interesting!
That's so cool
Das heisst Du benutzt 8 verschiedene Terzen
incredible comedic finish on this
this’ll slap even harder on a disklavier
Me again. That comment of mine below was not serious. I actually love your little piece.
👍
I guess he couldn't pay the piano tuner.
mastapiece🔥👏
She Bunnies Crazies Looking Hello Pharmacies Perth Perthshire Dundee her home
I feel like I've listened to this piece so many times but not really
Sounds like something I'd write. <3
Fascinating
Amazing
Why?
Why not?
It would be really cool if you could do a lesson on this style of composition over on classical nerd
It's not really something one can cover in a short video, but I do give private lessons.
I very rarely give likes. I gave a like.
Glad to be here, what can I say! Cheers sounds really great
There is sonethim Intrisically meditive but also something a bit anxiety indusing in the same time. I dont know how to explain it, the best i can explain is just with one word: "Todesangst" Of course this is my personal persoption of it
What is the purpose of this music in your view? Is it meant to be listened to? Is it meant to convey anything?
I do think that this piece loses something without being in the space for which it was composed-an oddly-shaped, highly resonant, small art gallery. It is quite literally background music shorn of its intended foreground.
@@ThomasLittleComposeragreed.
Would you analize it in a video of youre?
I don’t know if Service would have liked this; he was very lyrical in all his poetry and he had very good control of rhythm in all his poetry/ballads. I think a different text would have suited these musical ideas better
I happen to disagree, but if you want something more lyrical, please check out the other Service settings I have on this channel (especially "Unforgotten").
wow
This is sooo good! Its my dream to do exactly what you're doing. Enjoy your success
I do offer lessons!
Oooh! Lets talk
@@brianbergeron164 thomas@lentovivace.com
❤
I SMELL SHOSTY
Great atmosperes!
Beautiful!!
Wow, didn't expect you to be into conlangs! How neat!!!
To me this sounds atonal. Though it seems to start on C major(?), I can't say much apart from that.
"Atonal" is ... a loaded term. It's in E Major, but in a really weird way; the grammar used is not that of the European common practice.
Beautiful music!
This is a really captivating piece
Beautiful music!
This very much reminded me of Rabindranath Tagore's "Africa".
Absolutely incredible work.
I'm sure you'd be glad to know this: you were at the top of my list for my sister-in-law when she asked me about channels that share music history. She is tired of not knowing what music sounds come from which Era - along with her listening mistakes of mixing up the long list of Great Composers she hears.