Ho hum
Alright, in the middle of end of term uni assessments and figured I needed a break so I thought I'd check to see if you'd done anything new since my last review.
I know there's a few other ones, but classical's my genre of choice... and I happen to be installing Eastwests Complete Composers Collection... "Please insert Disk 9..." Gah! Three DVD's have screwed up so far and required alternate means of transferring files, including one all nighter.
Anyways, before I commence shredding, can you advise me as to turning this mammoth set of sound samples into something half decent, you know, little tricks you've picked up over the years and things like that. That would be great =).
Ok, now onto the song.
After attempting to deafen myself so I could pick up the subtleties in this somewhat monochromatic piece I shall make one very large note, I am reviewing based on what I hear without the technical stuff. I have had barely any formal classical music education and do not have the foggiest idea what the difference between one latin word and another. So forgive me if I sound crude.
Well, you can tell this song is romantic, but it doesn't elicit much emotional connection on my part. I can't summon a shred of emotion for this, even on loud (which can create a sufficient soundscape to immerse myself in sometimes), so that's one mark down. Especially considering how the title means, correct me if I'm wrong, The Romantic Anguish. You do convey anguish however, which is why I didn't deduct more. It's just that there isn't that internal connection.
Oh goody nine dvd's of piano's have finished loading. Restart time! Why they have nine DVD's for piano's and only one for Voices of Passion, I do not know.
Not sure if it's meant to do that or not, but I can hear a definite distinction between notes, which is noteable in most lesser quality synthesisers, since you don't use low quality samples, there's only two alternatives. Either 1. you were sloppy, and didn't spend enough time tweaking, or 2. you want it that way.
I'm guessing at 2. But that is noticeable, perhaps a bit smoother transitions would be nicer, either that or sharpen the articulation, that would help in some parts.
The length that many of the notes were held for could have been extended just a little bit, not much, but a little bit to drag out the feeling a bit more.
While I understand that the key you are playing this in was a deliberate choice, and that's why it sounds like it is, I probably would have aimed for a foreground melody a bit higher up on the scale which definitely higher high notes. Contrasting the lows and the highs.
Where's the trills man? This is anguish, it needs trills. The notes are flat the whole way through, no particular articulation or waver. Which would help immensely.
Final notes, while the piece does convey the theme, it doesn't carry the theme to the heart, which sterilises it. Anguish is a powerful emotion and this piece perhaps is a greatly dampened version of that, stronger use of articulations and contrast between the high and low notes would help immensely. While anguish does drag on, it hits very hard. This piece fails to convey that. The sheer power of the human emotion striking is not evident.
It's good. But not brilliant.
Krayon