Wonderful! I don't know how you can do these things without a keyboard, just with a laptop + software. Sitting in your café, you create these wonderful versions! I can't wait to listen to more by you from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Brandenburg Concertos (my favourits).
Thanks, so, so much Andreas. This has been the most challenging piece I've done so far, I'm not completely sure I've solved all the problems of clarity versus richer harmonic underpinning, it's little thin in places and, yes, it takes ever so long when putting in notes without a keyboard! I plan to do all the Brandenburgs in the fullness of time, maybe getting a keyboard is the answer!
@@grahamcaldecott . because as of Yet, I haven't uploaded anything to YT, I probably shouldn't be advising anyone. But... I have sequenced many 100's of pieces into a computer with a midi keyboard, and also done perhaps 6 or so with the alphanumeric computer keyboard. It seems much easier to me,.. to do with a midi keyboard. You can certainly now find a lot different midi keyboards, that send midi out, at a low price, best to have one that does velocity out, and perhaps after touch velocity, and any type of midi connector is OK, as far as I know..as adapters work well. If i have a rough passage to figure out, I can step record, or make parallel entries and make composite files. my old sequencer is very easy to edit files with. It is nice to get a natural sounding Humanly played performance,... but as far as that goes sometimes over quantized Bach doesn't sound all that bad. All that being said Your results are always impressive & excellent ! ! ! Once You have the midi files they can easily be manipulated to different devices, computer programs etc. Most of my gear is stuff that was available in the early or mid 1990's, and I haven't found any limitations so far ! ! ! Just keeping a computer with a current operating system, that likes the latest iteration of the internet is the difficulty!
Thank you so much for this entertaining arrangement, Graham. I especially like the transformative effect of softening the attack phase/transients of the instruments. It is so much easier on the ear than some of the synth versions I've heard! You've varied the sounds and made sure that important passages are not buried in the mix. Even string ensembles struggle with that, because, well, 'strings'. Thanks again.
Thanks, so much, Karl. For me the sound is everything and the EQ enables me to vary it in real time as if you are "playing" your instrument. I think acoustic performances of this movement in particular need a lot of rehearsal time with a brilliant conductor to make it shine. What would Carlos Kleiber do?..........
Not intended as competition, but since these old ones seem to go to the winter-web to die, here is the allegro mvt# 3 from 3rd brandenburg by Drummelskrudd uploaded 15 years ago.
Ah, I see you accepted the challenge :) This is hard to do, innit? Well, congrats, it's fresh and totally your style, I love it! A major upside of arranging music like this is that you get to know them intimately, I loved how you solved the portion at 4:12, with all the voices coming in independently and the build up to 4:38, because I remember how difficult it was. There are so many versions of this piece, some of them are just a bit mechanical, just using different timbres than the original instruments, but a comparatively large number are truly individual characteristic interpretations like yours - the very fact that so many different beautiful versions exist, goes to prove how musically significant is the base material of this concert, although this is probably something you can say for almost all the Brandenburgs.
Hi OrzoMondo, too right this was a hard one, 5 - 6 hours for 2 months and still have reservations, I agree that 4' 12" - 4' 38 works well but it's still work in progress, so, I'm going to pause and leave as is and remix next year. Arranging in this way certainly gets you intimately acquainted with all those lines, some I've never noticed or heard before! There are a few mechanical ones and some who add a few patches press play and maul mercilessly and then there are some amazing versions including your own last mov of this. Can't help thinking of Schnabel: "some music is greater than it can be played" innit. Thanks a mill.
@@grahamcaldecott "some music is greater than it can be played" - very cool quote, makes me think of the people who cannot read music - the ability of reading rather than just listening is an advantage (unless you're a genius).
@@grahamcaldecott It's nice to hear a familiar tune - one of my favorites from Walter Carlos' 1968 album Switched on Bach (Grammy album). That's why I wrote Walter Bach. --- Your interpretation sounds better, more interesting. Listened 5 times))
@@МойшеЮхман Ha, one of my favourites by Walter Carlos as well, I purposely didn't listen to this so as not to be influenced by him/her and haven't heard it since the seventies actually.
@@МойшеЮхман As You may have surmised, though released under Walter, Wendy prefers her present name. If You listen again, (it is available on CD also) it IS really a beautiful rendition. James Pinder also does a great one, as does Cary R. Meltz.
This is always a great piece!
It really is!
A terrific fresh interpretation of a classic!
Thanks, so, so much, Annie.
Wonderful! I don't know how you can do these things without a keyboard, just with a laptop + software. Sitting in your café, you create these wonderful versions! I can't wait to listen to more by you from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Brandenburg Concertos (my favourits).
Thanks, so, so much Andreas. This has been the most challenging piece I've done so far, I'm not completely sure I've solved all the problems of clarity versus richer harmonic underpinning, it's little thin in places and, yes, it takes ever so long when putting in notes without a keyboard! I plan to do all the Brandenburgs in the fullness of time, maybe getting a keyboard is the answer!
@@grahamcaldecott . because as of Yet, I haven't uploaded anything to YT, I probably shouldn't be advising anyone. But... I have sequenced many 100's of pieces into a computer with a midi keyboard, and also done perhaps 6 or so with the alphanumeric computer keyboard. It seems much easier to me,.. to do with a midi keyboard. You can certainly now find a lot different midi keyboards, that send midi out, at a low price, best to have one that does velocity out, and perhaps after touch velocity, and any type of midi connector is OK, as far as I know..as adapters work well. If i have a rough passage to figure out, I can step record, or make parallel entries and make composite files. my old sequencer is very easy to edit files with. It is nice to get a natural sounding Humanly played performance,... but as far as that goes sometimes over quantized Bach doesn't sound all that bad. All that being said Your results are always impressive & excellent ! ! !
Once You have the midi files they can easily be manipulated to different devices, computer programs etc. Most of my gear is stuff that was available in the early or mid 1990's, and I haven't found any limitations so far ! ! !
Just keeping a computer with a current operating system, that likes the latest iteration of the internet is the difficulty!
@@GeopholusI'm a pianist who has crossed over into an area I'm not completely comfortable with and this will no doubt help a lot, Thanks, Geopholus.
Thank you so much for this entertaining arrangement, Graham. I especially like the transformative effect of softening the attack phase/transients of the instruments. It is so much easier on the ear than some of the synth versions I've heard!
You've varied the sounds and made sure that important passages are not buried in the mix. Even string ensembles struggle with that, because, well, 'strings'. Thanks again.
Thanks, so much, Karl. For me the sound is everything and the EQ enables me to vary it in real time as if you are "playing" your instrument. I think acoustic performances of this movement in particular need a lot of rehearsal time with a brilliant conductor to make it shine. What would Carlos Kleiber do?..........
Not intended as competition, but since these old ones seem to go to the winter-web to die, here is the allegro mvt# 3 from 3rd brandenburg by Drummelskrudd uploaded 15 years ago.
@@Geopholus Yes, I've looked at this guy and many others on your site, it's been very interesting.
@@grahamcaldecott Wow YT is now taking down all links ....aarrrgh
Ah, I see you accepted the challenge :) This is hard to do, innit? Well, congrats, it's fresh and totally your style, I love it! A major upside of arranging music like this is that you get to know them intimately, I loved how you solved the portion at 4:12, with all the voices coming in independently and the build up to 4:38, because I remember how difficult it was.
There are so many versions of this piece, some of them are just a bit mechanical, just using different timbres than the original instruments, but a comparatively large number are truly individual characteristic interpretations like yours - the very fact that so many different beautiful versions exist, goes to prove how musically significant is the base material of this concert, although this is probably something you can say for almost all the Brandenburgs.
Hi OrzoMondo, too right this was a hard one, 5 - 6 hours for 2 months and still have reservations, I agree that 4' 12" - 4' 38 works well but it's still work in progress, so, I'm going to pause and leave as is and remix next year. Arranging in this way certainly gets you intimately acquainted with all those lines, some I've never noticed or heard before!
There are a few mechanical ones and some who add a few patches press play and maul mercilessly and then there are some amazing versions including your own last mov of this.
Can't help thinking of Schnabel: "some music is greater than it can be played" innit. Thanks a mill.
@@grahamcaldecott "some music is greater than it can be played" - very cool quote, makes me think of the people who cannot read music - the ability of reading rather than just listening is an advantage (unless you're a genius).
@@OrzoMondo yeh, like Art Tatum
@@grahamcaldecott a very intimidating genius indeed.
Walter Bach
?
@@grahamcaldecott It's nice to hear a familiar tune - one of my favorites from Walter Carlos' 1968 album Switched on Bach (Grammy album). That's why I wrote Walter Bach.
---
Your interpretation sounds better, more interesting. Listened 5 times))
@@МойшеЮхман Ha, one of my favourites by Walter Carlos as well, I purposely didn't listen to this so as not to be influenced by him/her and haven't heard it since the seventies actually.
@@МойшеЮхман As You may have surmised, though released under Walter, Wendy prefers her present name. If You listen again, (it is available on CD also) it IS really a beautiful rendition. James Pinder also does a great one, as does Cary R. Meltz.
@@Geopholus Yes, meant Wendy. Yes, James Pinder gets this first movement beautifully and the last, only just listened to, is stunning.