Randall Standridge - Symphony no.1: A Ghost Story - Full Symphony
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- Опубліковано 5 жов 2023
- Conductor: Randall Standridge
Ensemble: Lodge Studio Wind Ensemble
Sound Engineer/Producer: Michael Graham
We are all just ghosts waiting to happen.
This is something that, as I grow older, weighs on my mind more and more.
As I sit here writing this, I am 46 years old. Family, friends, teachers, pets…I have lost many over the years. Until I leave this world, I will continue to lose those around me. Death stands tall in our future and beckons to us our entire lives. Some of us dig our heels in and fight against that bony, outstretched hand with all of our might. Some of us turn a blind eye, refusing to acknowledge the dark shadow on the horizon, and are surprised when he finally comes calling. Some of us run towards him fearlessly, laughing all the way until we disappear into his dark robes. But hesitant, indifferent, or enthusiastic, we will all meet him eventually.
I am haunted by the memory of those I have lost. I yearn for their presence and grieve for them day after day. I tell people about the times we laughed, the times we cried, the times we fought. I tell them about the impact they had on my life. Every time I do, I tell a ghost story.
When I was asked to write this symphony, I wanted to write something that would speak to a universal experience. Ghost stories are about the past, life, loss, love, fear, and hope. Fear and hope, most of all, I think. Fear of our own mortality and the hope that we will survive the experience and be reunited with those we have loved.
And also the hope that one day, someone will tell our story.
Our ghost story.
Because, after all…
We are all just ghosts waiting to happen.
Peace Love and Music,
Randall Standridge, December 2022.
Symphony no. 1: A Ghost Story is a symphony with four movements following a narrative. A composer has passed away, and the symphony is told from the point of view of his widow. The movements also loosely correlate to the Kubler-Ross stages of grief.
Movement 1: Unquiet
The first movement begins softly, establishing a mood of dread. The widow sits alone at the piano where their spouse once sat. Slowly, they play a dirge as the house creaks and comes to life around them. The unquiet spirit of the composer surfaces in a fury, wishing to be heard. A tapping is heard, morse code for “Here.” This is followed by a flurry of activity as the spirit makes its presence known, refusing to stay quietly in the grave. The first half of the first movement serves as an “overture” for the symphony, where most of the major themes of the work are stated. A violent and “unquiet” development follows in the second half as a storm rages outside the house. Lighting flashes and thunder roars as the spirit struggles to be heard. This movement correlates with the “Denial” stage of grief.
Morse Code: …. . ._. . = “Here”
Movement 2: Loss
The second movement begins with a lone clarinet. The widow sits in a shaft of afternoon sunlight, shaking off the phantoms of the previous night. They begin to remember and reflect, haunted by their memories. As scenes from the past play through their mind, they feel grief, love, nostalgia, anger, bitterness, and hope that their loved one sits just beyond the veil, waiting for them. They catch a brief glimpse of his face and feel his presence, and are filled with wonder and joy. They ask over and over, “are you there?” This unleashes a new wave of emotions larger than the widow can bear, realizing they must move on and live without him. In a whirlwind of love and loss, the movement climaxes with a scream of grief before collapsing into a depressed sigh that ends the movement. This movement correlates with the “Bargaining” and “Depression” stages of grief.
Movement 3: Midnight
The third movement begins quietly as the clock begins to chime at midnight. The spirit of the composer stirs again, once again visiting the widow. What follows is an explosion of rage as the composer screams against the injustice of his death. A savage dance follows as the spirit runs rampant through the house, unable to control its emotions. Furniture flies, glass breaks, and the incessant knocking of “Here! Here! Here!” echoes through the house. This movement also features a wonderfully malevolent instrument, the Aztec Death Whistle. Movement three correlates with the “Anger” stage of grief.
Movement 4: Ascent
The fourth movement is performed attaca with the third, beginning immediately as the third movement ends. The dirge from the beginning has been transformed and is now presented in a hopeful setting. Dawn begins to break across the horizon, and warm light begins to drift in through the windows. The spirit, finally accepting its fate, appears one final time to the widow. They share one final, ghostly embrace before the spirit ascends, leaving the earthly plane forever, moving on to whatever waits after. Movement four correlates with the “Acceptance” stage of grief.
Proud to say my band premiered this. That trumpet solo on the second act was me!!
Edina HS?
You did wonderful!
You sounded amazing!
Percussion 7 man here. Will be premiering this in a month with the Ferris HS Wind Ensemble! Thanks so much Randy!!
Playing this with Ferris high school wind ensemble on Percussion 5! It’s going to be amazing at our concert this month!
It was SO satisfying to say “Randall Standridge Symphony number 1”
Congratulations on being a recording composer!!!
I have LOVED playing your music with my students and they LOVE playing it. They always got excited when they saw your pieces on the daily agenda.
Thank you!
I played the first bassoon part in the Northwest premiere a few hours ago, and I just want to say thank you. What a beautiful experience, and what a life-changing piece.
Just finished playing this tonight. Gotta be the hardest I’ve cried after a concert. I played the timpani part, which was absolutely insane and so much fun. Thank you for this beautiful piece, I will never forget this experience
This really does hit different post-concert, I appreciate the memories we made together!! ❤
I played the timpani part as well and it is easily my favorite part and piece I have performed, I will never forget the how amazing of a piece this is
Just got done premiering this piece, Randall, this symphony means soooo much to me and the rest of my band, and i’m so proud of this story you’ve made, it’s truely a masterpiece! Keep being amazing!!!
Played this at NSU band camp as a tuba. A little too much fun.
This is so cool. You are my favorite composers because you make every single piece fun to play and listen too. All of my friends love you too, keep doing what you are doing man.
Movement 1 notes:
The idea of using Morse code as a rhythmic motif is super cool and id love this to be a staple in all music with an underlying theme. I love the energy you push in your music. I like how it started quiet in the beginning and literally "unquiet-ing".
Movement 2 notes:
The clarinet solo really conveys the feeling of being lost, without anything helping it in the beginning. It really shows the trauma of a situation, especially when losing someone (a person turning into a ghost). I love the use of having Clarinet and euphonium as solo instruments in this context because scientifically they don't have much overtones so it does feel empty and lost. The crescendo after the euph solo shows hope, but it doesn't last forever. Not really paying attention to the story, this movement is so beautiful and makes me so happy. There is a big contrast of a happy feeling, a nervous feeling, and a regretful feeling that really tells a story. It ends making us feel like we found what we have lost, but we lose it not far after.
Movement 3 notes:
Using the "Westminster Chime Melody" to open it obviously is hinting at the title of this movement "Midnight" as being the turn of the hour. The use of low reeds (my ears and good enough to figure out the instrument[s]) after it really conveys this feeling of it being really dark and late at night because of the low pitch of the note and the complicated overtones of the instrument. The instruments coming in out of nowhere really gives this view of the random, scariness being out late at night brings. I imagine the scream coming from the flute solo right before it, a scared but optimistic person coming into this storm of these scary things (scary things being the instruments used in the chaotic bit right before it). I feel like this flute character I made is running home and all of these things are chasing her back. You have instruments grouped by sections that play the same part which shows this feeling of control, as if everyone is the same in each "clan" and you can't be different and one somebody tries to be they get attacked.
(this movement really made me think that you should be a film composer because you were so good at creating a story)
Movement 4 notes:
The beginning of this movement has some relief to it like this flute character found there way of being themselves without being attacked. I LOVED the bassoon solo! This movement is so beautiful, like we found the person who we lost in movement 2. I feel as if we finish our adventure and found the goal we have been building up for this whole piece. The chord before the flute soli was like a sub-resolution before we got our new prize.
final thoughts:
I honestly think this is my new favorite piece of music because of the story that was told. The energy that keeps changing is also really cool. I'm really excited for what is next in your awesome music library.
Real!!
Thank you! I’m trying!
percussionists were harmed in this one
You never fail to surprise me!! This is amazing!!
Thank you, Laura! I'm glad you like it!
Amazing work!!! All movements fit their category of grief very well. Personally my favorite of the four is loss, but all tie into each other so well, thanks for this incredible composition. I really hope this Symphony can get appreciated by everyone.
Thank you for listening!
At 12:36
The horn part just took my breath away. Simple, loud, but so full of emotion! Sounds like something you'd hear accompanying a DCI ballad! INCREDIBLE!! Thanks for always giving us the cool parts Mr. Standrige! I gotta go learn that one now!
Thank you very much!
I would just like to say that although I have never played one of your pieces, they are all very healing.
The UnBroken project, in my opinion, is the best series of compositions of all time. I am not kidding when I say it single-handedly saved me from many years of mental illness. It made me realize what was going on and I would like to thank you for it
This symphony is probably the most hauntingly beautiful thing I have ever heard, and once again, is written for a very important purpose. To demystify death. This is a topic I wish people talked about more often, and I feel like you do too, as recently you have been writing music about topics that society has deemed unimportant, when in reality these topics are some of the most critical topics to truly understand.
Thank you for healing through music.
Thank you for the kind words, and I'm glad it's having a positive effect
This piece is very inspirational. I was in the Century class you zoomed with and I figured I had to listen to this. It’s beautifully written.
Thank you!
Oh. My. Goodness. Mr. Standridge, I don't even know what to say. I really don't. As long as I've known about the work you do, I never thought I'd hear a symphony written by you, especially one that's incredibly spooky. You're very right in that we are pretty much just living ghosts that wait to travel to the unknown and beyond. I'm happy you wrote this, and I'm very surprised no one has asked for a symphony from you before. But that's okay. A symphony is a composer's greatest work, a lot of the time. It's a true testament to what's musically possible. Thank you, Mr. Standridge, for everything you give us. Your work is just unrivaled.
Thank you, Johnny. It is my favorite thing I've ever written.
I love the clarinet solo in movement 1! It's so catchy
The clarinet solo at the beginning of movement 2 is too good
It's so emotional and it really touches my heart
I really love the echo there
I agree as one who plays the clarinet.
@@derekgmd same
Thank you for listening!
Absolutely love this! Cant wait to play it soon!
Amazing piece as always Standridge. Will always love listening to your pieces. Keep up the amazing work!!! You and Dr. Hilliard makes me to want to pursue a degree for music composition 😊
Thank you for the kind words, and thank you for listening!
They're all amazing!! You're definitely my favorite composer
Thank you, Kyro!
Out...stan...ding!
Aztec Death Whistle's will be sold out across the globe
Wooooooooooooooooooowwwwwww es una gran obra de arte.
Muchas Gracias!
What an amazing piece you composed! What software do you use to make the music? I want to expand from MuseScore and find new softwares to use
I primarily use Finale and Logic.
My band has like every piece of music bought from Randall standrigde. My band directer is Charles Pernici and if you know him, please reply, I’ll show him.
I just came across this amazing piece yesterday, and have now listened to it several times. As a widow, it definitely speaks to me, and did before I read the thought process and inspiration behind it. I would love to have our City Band perform this at our annual October "Spooky" concert next year, if it is possible for us to play it. When will a score be available to peruse?
This piece will become available to the general public in April 2024. It's currently under consortium exclusivity.
Where is this available to buy???
This is currently under consortium exclusivity and will be available to the general public in March 2024
@@randallstandridge Where ?
Can I get sheet music for either the Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, or Tenor Sax part of this song?
😍 Promo`SM
2:05 Here