Talking Music
	
 	The construction
 	This prelude draws from a technique similar to twelve-tone technique- but only to a certain degree. Whereas dodecaphony rises all chromatic tones to equality, I chose to leave distinct tonal markers in the genome of this piece, in order for it to remain communicating. The choice of material helped. The single 16-note progression upon which material is based, was derived from the already rather chromatic dux of a baroque (so utterly tonal) fugue I wrote around the year 2000. This tonal dux fitted the purpose of a rather strict use in bending, tossing around and transposing utterly smoothly, because of the chromatic aspects of it and almost complete use of a chromatic scale. Retrograde motion, transposition and inversion were used in the context of a traditional formal structure and a free tonal harmonic vocabulary, the balance between tonal and atonal shifting now and then. 
	The piece
	The structural model for Breakdown is the Baroque Prelude.  The principal sequence of notes (called 0) is stated repeatedly, be it at first in ‘cells’ of four sixteenth notes, in a fluid rain of notes. Then the theme appears more or less complete and is repeated in various ways, increasingly interrupted by fragments of itself. Towards the end all material is disintegrating to continuously shrinking fragments that are mixed unrecognizably, deteriorating to a musical void. The piece ends with a sudden and short moment of relived brightness.  
On (a)tonality
	Hopefully this modest addition to the still ever-growing symphonic repertory may contribute to the definitive defeat of the convulsive (and still rather powerful) modernistic view, in which all things should be new for the sake of being new. What wrong lies in the synthesis of something Old and something New? Why completely abandon principals that already proved their merits, purely for the sake of abandoning? And why trying to reach musical goals by solely using dissonances? Or complex systems that possess hardly any communitive properties? Just like light exists only exists because darkness does, consonance and dissonance are the Ying and Yang in music. They are in fact the Ferdinand and Isabella that make our musical realm complete.
	I refuse to understand why music without consonances should be more worthwhile to create, perform or listen to than music predominantly consonant. I think it is out of sheer intellectual elitism that we’ve presumed otherwise for so long. It is time we dare admit that the Emperor is, in fact, naked.
	So, in this aphoristic  musical statement, I have sought to combine tonal and atonal principals, and to bring together old and new forms. In harmony.   

Breakdown is the result of my final assignment for a Berklee Orchestration class in 2022.

Breakdown

Breakdown, a prelude for orchestra, by Sipke Hoekstra (=Fugitempus)

In this track I used four chords and repeated them twice. Added a short coda. The first take is Shostakovich-ly grim. Winds help change the mood in the second take, after which the third take, with a Holst-like approach, brings hope of a reunion. 

Made in Finale, bounced in Cubase Pro with Spitfire BBC SO, East West SO and UVI OS. Honestly, neither of them performed a realistic legato attack in the pianissimo sections. Only combined they sound rather ok. I later replaced this one with a new version, in which I use mainly Spitfire Appasionata Legato Strings and let the others play just second violin :-) 

Plugins by Waves and Izotope mainly.

Farewell | for orchestra

Have a look at the movie I made right here: https://youtu.be/2PX2vRqY3RE (Read in Frisian, not UK English)

In 2020 my mother, Hinke Veenstra, published her second book of Frisian poems, called ‘Heit en ik’, meaning as much as ‘Dad and I’. In this book she combines poems by her father, my grandfather, the Frisian poet Sipke Veenstra, with poems of her own that deal with similar topics. 

This particular poem, ‘Wiete klinkers’ (‘Wet paving stones’) struck me because of its nostalgic beauty, its atmospheric qualities and rich metaphors. I decided to make a project out of it and surprise her with it! 

Beneath you’ll find the original poem in Frisian, the language that is closest of all languages to the English language, accompanied by my English translation. Enjoy. 

(I used Alicia’s Keys terrific piano VST, along with orchestral VST’s by East West and Spitfire (BBC SO.) For mixing and mastering I used plugins by Waves, Izotope and Fabfilter)

wiete klinkers                    wet paving stones

boartsjend yn ‘e sinne`           playing in the sun
of op wiete klinkers            or on wet paving stones
ferklaaipartijen, beltsjedrukke               dressing up, playing ring-and-run
krythinkelje, iepen knibbels,          hopscotch, sore knees
út ‘e bocht fleane op roltsjeredens  out of control on roller skates
in tút fan mem, safolle mear as   mum’s kiss, so much more than 
pleisterplakke             sticking band-aid

naïveteit as gids liet de sinne sakje  naivety as guide lowered the sun
ûnwaar as ûnheil yn ‘e sinne          thunder as doom afar
rinne, efteromsjen                    walking, looking back
de bui foarbliuwe wolle                   wanting to stay ahead

yn ‘e klauwen fan in tongerbui  in thunder’s claws
dy’t tichteby ynsloech           striking nearby
himelfjoer dat it sicht ûntnaam   heaven’s fire blocking view

ôfhinklik en oerlevere oan in rezjym dependent, subjected to a regime
mei in Babylonyske tongfal           with Babylonian accent
monologen om oerein te bliuwen  monologues to remain standing 

yn ‘e spelonken fan it brein           in the caves of the brain
waard in rekwiëm skreaun           a requiem was written
de noaten kopswier hingjend  the notes heavy-headed
oan the balken, net wittend hokker  on the staves, not knowing which
partij se kieze moatte            side to choose 
de toansoart fersille            the key bemused

in iepen slot…             an open ending…

Hinke Veenstra
(Translation from Frisian by Fugitempus (=Sipke Hoekstra))

Wet Paving Stones ('Wiete Klinkers', a Frisian Poem) UK ENG version

Soundtrack I made for the BIFSC 2024 movie score competition. Sound fx are by Adam Chilcote, who won the 1st Prize in the Berlin International Sound Design Competition. 

Used instruments mainly by Spitfire, East West, 8dio, UVI. For Mixxing and mastering mainly UA, Waves and Izotope. 

FILM SYNOPSIS: A contemplative journey throughout the steps of the world's creation, inspired by an old Native Americans legend from the Pawnee tribe.

FILM CREDITS: Animated & Directed by Baptiste JAQUEMET, Lucas TEBIB, Yahnis VENTURA, Fiona VILLATE.

Trail Of Light Alternative Soundtrack BIFSC 2024

I scored the famous tightrope scene from Charlie Chaplin's brilliant movie The Circus (1927), and the end credits while I was at it. 
I am perfectly aware that Chaplin did not approve of 'mickey mousing', but, being a huge fan of Scott Bradley, I could not resist the temptation. 
Stereo version will follow later, as well as the Youtube version - as soon as I get Hitfilm to work again...

The Tightrope Scene | Music for Charlie Chaplin's The Circus (1927) (MONO)

First adventure in the realm of lo-fi, celebrating the incomparable sixties.
If it stinks, let me know and teach me.
No AI, no prefab Midi or Audio. Just me and the music.

I BELIEVE

I scored the famous tightrope scene from Charlie Chaplin's brilliant movie The Circus (1927), and the end credits while I was at it.
I am perfectly aware that Chaplin did not approve of 'mickey mousing', but, being a huge fan of Scott Bradley, I could not resist the temptation.
Stereo version will follow later, as well as the Youtube version - as soon as I get Hitfilm to work again..

End Credits | Music for Charlie Chaplin's The Circus (1927) (MONO)

Track I've been working on for some while. No AI, no premade midi fragments or prefab audio licks. Just me and the music. Enjoy.

Let Yourself Go

I Went Downstairs With This Idea In A Minor - and just played and recorded it. No more, no less. 

I Went Downstairs With This Idea In A Minor

Orginal working title Planet of the Grapes. Later orchestrated it as part of Soundscape and Toccata for Symphony Orchestra. Performed live on National Dutch Radio by the NNO, Feb 28th 2025. 

ARRIVAL

This song is about an invisible light bulb. It may be invisible, but it's there; you can see the light. And feel it. 
Wrote it for my son. And for everyone in need of an extra light bulb. Seen or unseen. It should be felt anayway :-)

INVISIBULB

One of the very first DAW projects I started, but never finished because of the sheer size. 

Epic Passacaglia

Musical anomaly, mixing ethnic styles and tonalities in a modest way. Not sure what it is or should be, but hey > there it is anyway....

Pan and Flute

Started this mockup-like track soundmining 8dio choirs. Suddenly felt a craving for a Hunt for the Red October / Rachmaninov kind of thing and added Olympus Choirs, made by Soundiron, to it. Getting the vocal sounds right. Olympus (men's choir) yielded phrases from a well known chant about Maria, believed to be mother of Jesus. A more recent saviour? Seek out Vasily Arkhipov. A man nowadays profoundly unknown, yet he singlehandedly saved our all lives, back in 1962. This song is about steadfastness and faith in all what is good in men. On whatever side you are.

Bogoroditse Dyevo

Fugitempus = Sipke Hoekstra = Eckmann
Composer/orchestrator/arranger/producer of whatever music or sounds I like 
(classical stuff published by Donemus and released on Spotify)

FUGITEMPUS

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