Nicely Done...
Love the underlining beat
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

Hands

www.CreativeSpiritOnline.com: "Like all of Brooks’s works, 'Airs & Recitations' is a virtuosic construction of densely complex rhythms and rigorous, dissonant pitch combinations. The marvel of it is: there’s tenderness and expressive lyricism packed into his highly organized musical language."

“Airs and Recitations” was completed in December, 2022 in Fairview, TX. The work is in three movements: Andante con moto, Largo espressivo, and Andante con brio.  Performance time is about 18 minutes. Printed and electronic copies of the score and instrumental parts are available for purchase from www.CreativeSpiritOnline.com.

About this recording:
The present virtual recording was produced using Finale 27.3 and the Garritan
n Personal Orchestra 5 virtual instrument library. For the best listening experience, high quality headphones are recommended. This recording was mastered by EMastered. EMastered.com/profile/robtjbrooks

"Airs and Recitations" is an approximate transcription of the composer's seventh piano sonata, also posted here on SoundCloud.

Instrumentation:
    Flute, Oboe, English Horn, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, Trumpet, Bass Trombone, and Strings

Performance notes:
•	Tempo, expression, and dynamic markings should be strictly observed.
•	There is no key signature. Accidentals apply to the end of the measure or to the note or notes tied over the measure, and only to notes of the same pitch class, in the same octave.
•	Hairpin pairs (e.g.: mp <>, mf ><) indicate a temporary volume change of one dynamic level.
•	Passages marked  fff  or ppp  indicate playing as loudly and as quietly as possible, respectively.
•	Double-bass “C-extension” is required.

Contact information: 
Robert John Brooks,  Fairview, Texas USA
Email: robtjbrooks@yahoo.com
Web: www.CreativeSpiritOnline.com
Web: eMastered.com/profile/robtjbrooks

Engraving by the composer
Artwork by the composer
Copyright 2022

View/Buy Score

Airs and Recitations - Fantasy for 9 Soloists and Strings (Now published at Creative Spirit Online)

As each November approaches I try to make my own little Remembrance-time tribute.  Seems more relevant as each year passes...

Following the huffing and puffing empire lunacy in the summer of 1914, the next four years would see 40 million casualties, half of them deaths and of those, half were civilian.  

40 million.

40 million tales of poignancy, pain, grief and human tragedy, through times that can often seem littered with coincidence, symmetries …. bookends and mirrors.

In the Military Cemetery of St Symphorien near Mons rests John Parr.  At only five foot three inches and several years under age he (amazingly) managed to enlist in 1912 - hoping to see the world, and get the advertised “two square meals” a day.  He was the first British Army casualty, killed in the battle of Mons aged just 17, his body left behind, fate unknown until much later in the conflict;  the army unable to answer his mother’s letters of enquiry about her “silent” son.

By pure coincidence, John lies just a few yards from the last British soldier to die in the great war.  George Ellison served for four long years including at the same first battle of Mons as John, and most of the famously grinding, attritional infantry battles of the conflict.  His working life bookended by military service, George had first enlisted in 1902, leaving the army in 1912, just as John joined, he became a coal miner, re-enlisting at the outbreak of war to dig mud not coal and fight from trenches he helped excavate.  George was killed just 90 minutes before the armistice took effect at 11:00 on the 11th day of the 11th month.  The futility of the conflict was cruelly illustrated by the fact that George’s war had started and ended at exactly the same place, Mons in Belgium.  They had literally gone nowhere.

As a postscript to progress since "the war to end all wars" the human race is currently reckoned to be engaged in 7 major wars, 15 significant ongoing conflicts and 21 “minor” conflicts (the latter defined as up to "only” 1000 deaths per year).  By way of another macabre bookend, the longest of these has been going on, unbelievably, since the year .... 1918.

As always, this simple ballad is offered as a live one mic one take effort - please excuse the fluffs and gaffes.
_______________________

Bookends and Mirrors

Sun turned cold ‘cross every sky in the summer of ‘14
The Good Lord shook his head, and he placed it in his hands
Braided declarations flying, whose like was never seen
Lunatics in feathers stockpiled lead, bagged their sand.
Slapstick Mephistopheles, unleashing of his flame
Spiral minds lobotomised in the waltz of the insane
Simple lives unknowing of the mud that would become
A mirror in the resting place of two Holy Mother’s sons.

Signed the line, five years young, fingers crossed behind his back
Chance to see the world, grab a future, two square meals.
At 17, John’s angels sung, first to fall in dawn’s attack
Abandoned and forgotten, deaf to all his ma’s appeals.
Never knew the miner, his bookend pal to be
Fighting down the line, many battles that he’d see
Full four years in trenches, George’s hell lived through them all
Cruelty was smiling wide at England’s last to fall.

In service time they travelled nowhere, nothing to achieve
Embracing 40 million weeping mothers left to grieve
The crime of puffing chest bravado beggared to believe
Hall of mirrors seeping others’ blood of the innocent naive.

Now John and George lie facing each to seek their mirrored peace
Raise my eyes and brim a tear for the lessons never learned
Pray God, don’t ever let them know man’s insanity but increased
The war to end all wars a mere sequel oft’ returned 
By comedies of leathered fools stuck on infinite repeat
Bemedalled and bejewelled, they prosecute their moral defeat
But here, on sallow turf twixt heroes, broken mirror in my broken hand
Met by my own broken eyes, I still fail to understand.
_________
Photo by Michael Yuan on Unsplash

Bookends and Mirrors

Part 4 of my "All Hope Is Lost" mini track series.
The world is broken and all hope is lost but still the nomad wanders, into territories unknown he escaped but not without sin, now longing and searching for salvation...

Salvation

"Genova per noi" is a song written by Paolo Conte in 1975, and first performed by Bruno Lauzi.
It's a dedication to the city of Genoa, the song describes the impressions of Piedmontese who go to Genoa, that is, the relationships of race, attitude and temperament between neighbours in the region.

It's also strikingly reminiscent of this Welsh country bumpkin's impressions of the "big city".

The guitar was played by my son Gideon. We hope you'll enjoy!

Lyrics

Con quella faccia un po' così
Quell'espressione un po' così
Che abbiamo noi prima di andare a Genova
Che ben sicuri mai non siamo
Che quel posto dove andiamo
Non c'inghiotte e non torniamo più

Eppur parenti siamo un po'
Di quella gente che c'è lì
Che in fondo in fondo è come noi, selvatica
Ma che paura ci fa quel mare scuro
Che si muove anche di notte e non sta fermo mai

Genova per noi
Che stiamo in fondo alla campagna
E abbiamo il sole in piazza rare volte
E il resto è pioggia che ci bagna
Genova, dicevo, è un'idea come un'altra

Ma quella faccia un po' così
Quell'espressione un po' così
Che abbiamo noi mentre guardiamo Genova
Ed ogni volta l'annusiamo
E circospetti ci muoviamo
Un po' randagi ci sentiamo noi

Macaia, scimmia di luce e di follia
Foschia, pesci, Africa, sonno, nausea, fantasia
E intanto, nell'ombra dei loro armadi
Tengono lini e vecchie lavande
Lasciaci tornare ai nostri temporali
Genova ha i giorni tutti uguali

In un'immobile campagna
Con la pioggia che ci bagna
E i gamberoni rossi sono un sogno
E il sole è un lampo giallo al parabrise

Con quella faccia un po' così
Quell'espressione un po' così
Che abbiamo noi che abbiamo visto Genova
Che ben sicuri mai non siamo
Che quel posto dove andiamo
Non c'inghiotte e non torniamo più

English

With that face a bit like that
That expression is a bit like that
Which we have before going to Genoa
That we are never very sure
That's where we go
It doesn't swallow us up and we never come back

Yet we are somewhat relatives
Of those people there
Who deep down is like us, wild
But how scary that dark sea makes us
Which also moves at night and never stays still

Genoa for us
That we are at the bottom of the countryside
And we rarely have the sun in the square
And the rest is rain that soaks us
Genoa, I was saying, is an idea like any other

But that face is a bit like that
That expression is a bit like that
Which we have while we look at Genoa
And every time we smell it
And we move cautiously
We feel a little stray

Macaia, monkey of light and madness
Mist, fish, Africa, sleep, nausea, fantasy
And meanwhile, in the shadows of their closets
They keep linens and old lavender
Let us return to our storms
Genoa has all the same days

In a countryside property
With the rain that drenches us
And the red prawns are a dream
And the sun is a yellow flash at the parabrise

With that face a bit like that
That expression is a bit like that
Which we have who have seen Genoa
That we are never very sure
That's where we go
It doesn't swallow us up and we never come back

Genova Per Noi (Paolo Conte / Bruno Lauzi Cover - Giddy & Rob Jam)

Saturday Evening

thank god and D.J. Trump

Thank God And D.J.Trump # 1 (1), Gene Jumper,( Original ) Music By: Norm Evans

20 - 5-2024

Jericho

Aerofuzz (2015) Anthology CD2 Track 01

Pepe DeBarge

Latest Updates: 
From 1st June 2025, celebrating 10 years of KORG KRONOS music with lots of brand new music showcasing the wonders of this iconic workstation in all it's glory. Also as a nod to the release of the KRONOS 3, which will take KORG into the next generation.
All my albums in full quality are available on Bandcamp, please check out the link below.
Have recently taken a short holiday to recharge my batteries and top up my creative juices. Thank you to all my followers for your continued support and encouragement, means the world to me.
Over 10K minutes uploaded, over 1500 tracks - am sure there is something in there for everybody to enjoy. I love making music. Hope it matters to you.
Am posting some Jarre sounding pieces as homage to my lifelong hero of electronic music, using some of the sounds and instruments he has used along the way. Jar of Jarre is my collection of memorable sounds which have changed the way we appreciate modern electro.
Keep an eye out for my new collection of 2024 Remastered best of tracks, coming soon.
New year, new start. Back on the search for good music and inspiration. Will be featuring a lot of my older work remastered this year, seems like a long time since I began my composing journey back in 2000.
Happy New Year to all my followers, May 2025 be filled with musical magic. 
Thank you for all your kind comments and support throughout 2024 I do appreciate it. Stay safe and love each other.
All my remastered best tunes from 2015 to 2023 are now available to buy on Bandcamp.
Am back to making regular music now but sorry no Christmas songs this year. This time of year is very hard for me as it is when my father became very ill and died in the new year 2010. I still miss him very much but hope he would be proud of my musical journey, he is my number one inspiration.
Just a quick personal note on AI and music. I think it is not a good thing for the creative side of music and a lot of it comes without feelings or soul. Creativity is a gift, and should be greatly valued, cherished and nurtured. Music is what makes us human and can never be replaced by a computer.
Finished remastering up to and including 2023 now. Has been a mammoth task but well worth the effort. Next year I shall be working on a remastered series of my pre KORG days 2000 to 2008, in 8 volumes, as well as celebrating in style my 10 years of KRONOS magic, can't wait for 2025.
Have now amassed over 1000 tracks on SC (that's over 8000 minutes of music) and it has been a blast sharing them with you all. Next year 2025, marks the 10th anniversary of the start of my KORG journey.
Am currently putting together a remastered Anthology collection of all my best tracks from 2015 onwards. 2015 consists of a 3 volume set (Now available on Bandcamp). 2016 consists of a 4 volume set. (Also available on Bandcamp). 2017 consists of a 4 volume set. (Available on Bandcamp) 2018 consists of a 4 volume set. (Also available on Bandcamp). 2019 consists of a 4 volume set. (Now available on Bandcamp). 2020 consists of a 3 volume set (now available on Bandcamp).
If you would like to listen to more of Magician, especially retro older tracks please checkout Bandcamp (see link below).
Have recently been rediscovering some of my older music pre KORG days and remastering for uploading to my cloud. Hope you like. Seems such a long time ago now.
I have been lucky to have music in my life, and now the time to explore how it can affect other people. I have discovered many new talented artists on SC and am happy to encourage and support their work; from small beginnings come great things. Please be inspired to be your best, inspire others too, encourage those who lack the inner courage to move forward, and together we can make music make a difference in all our lives.
Am spending a lot more time on my music now since retiring from work in July 2020. Always learning new techniques and honing my craft. Am comfortable now with all chord sequences throughout the scales and loving improvising with the help of my mighty KORG still. Am still trying to give my full support and encouragement to all SC users and some latest (you know who you are), are developing nicely. Be good to one another, be gracious to others, leave your ego out of your life and above all else remember there is always someone worse off than yourself. 
Please be kind to each other, to be happy with our lot without jealousy or greed; to give without asking the cost; to love as if there is no tomorrow; to share and inspire others who may be less fortunate than us; most of all to enjoy life for the joy of living, for we know not what the morning brings - stay safe my friends, be strong and always stay positive; remember life changes - DON'T let it change you!!  
Music is my life - has helped me through many dark places, is a big part of who I am. I put my heart and soul into every single piece of music I produce. I have found many wonderful friends on SC and many exciting talented people.  Been writing and producing music now for 40 years plus. Specialised in electronic based orchestral compositions. I have created my own genre which I call 'electrorchestration'.
Favourite artists/bands include Gary Numan, Little Boots, Jools Holland, Eno, Edgar Froese (1944-2015), Jordan Rudess, Kebu, Madis, Keith Emerson (1944-2016), Rick Wakeman, Richard Wright (1943-2008), Pink Floyd, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Jean Michel Jarre, M83, Public Service Broadcasting, Dream Theater, ELP, Yes and Mystery to name but a few.
Click on link below to Bandcamp for more music from my collection

Jericho

Magi©ian™ (Making music make a difference)

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