The Waves at Mrs Oldwrinkle's

[ted]

A protracted undulation in the simultaneous keys of Eb major and F# minor, my impression of the opening chapter of Huxley's "Those Barren Leaves". The halcyon cradle of the waves develops sinister implication, rather like the novel itself, which is one of my favourites.

 

[nickc]

Ted, this is brilliant. There is so much happening musically that it cannot be defined... (thank goodness). Whether it be your rhythmic approach, harmonic approach, linguistic approach, intellectual approach, or  theoretical approach... it all functions simultaneously to create a unique musical life form. True musical communication, freed from all "academic constraints"... Beautiful music.

[ted]

Thanks Nick, glad you like it. You’re right, I am now finished with the conventional processes and vocabulary of music and am much happier for it, but I should have had the courage to take that step much earlier in my life. Of course, the whole piece lasts an hour, this bit is just the conclusion.

[goldentone]

Hi Ted, I am listening to the latter part as I write.  The returning octave bass functions like a vortex to remind us of the unavoidable fundamental character despite wherever you may explore.  At 2.00 and 6.11 you really take flight in surpassing creative effusions that I really enjoyed.

Hope you are well.  

[ted]

Pleased you like it goldentone. When it comes to specific sections of my own recordings I’m afraid I am inconsistent about what I like and, in any case, I forget what I play very quickly after the event. Exactly what attracts different people to different parts of a piece is probably a deep question, even without personal day to day variation. I think I can say with some certainty though that the best bits are usually those involving the least conscious thought and the least planning. That is what makes pure improvisation so intriguing.

Yes, I am well thanks, and hope you are too.

[lostinidlewonder]

I agree with goldentone, at 2min mark onwards you make some interesting ideas. I copy pasted sections I liked instead of writing it in text which parts. The ones I thought were really cool I repeated 2 times

[ted]

I agree with goldentone, at 2min mark onwards you make some interesting ideas. I copy pasted sections I liked instead of writing it in text which parts. The ones I thought were really cool I repeated 2 times

Thanks for listening and for your insight. This extract and the previous one you made have led me to think a lot about “best bits” of music in general. What are “best bits” and why are they important ? When I was a kid I used to concoct tapes comprising those sections of classical music I liked, strung together so I wouldn’t have to listen to the bits I found dull. As I matured, of course, I came to appreciate that abstraction and the overall “big picture” were more satisfying aesthetically, but I am aware that I actually know next to nothing about my own reactions to art, what makes something sound better to me than something else, never mind any more universal definitions of quality. I don’t think it can be analysed at all beyond a certain point, which is why theory and algorithmic composition both have intrinsic limitations.

Nonetheless, the feedback I have accrued from posters over the years has given me much to think about.