Opera - first attempt...so far as you know. My first pretend attempt not to write Opera obviously doesn't count. We are playing Opera 'you are allowed to forget one or more earlier catastrophic attempt' rules. Under these rules (which I made up as I went along)...the integer representing deniable (discountable) previous operatic atrocities can only increment. It cannot decrement. Hence, the number of deniable previous attempts may only rise.

Cinque Secondi - Act I

Short theme for ballet

Experimenting again here with different divisions of strings. Why is getting the balance right so difficult? Part of the answer is that conductors (not composers) are the experts. They ensure, for example, that large numbers of divisions of second violins, avoid blasting smaller numbers of viola divisions into acoustic oblivion.

Small, medium or large orchestras plainly have very different numbers of divisions of the different string instruments. It is very complicated to get the balance right, to say the least. Conductors know how to handle all sorts of different orchestras (small, medium and large)...and therefore all sorts of different divisions, of all sorts of instruments.

The best way for composers to learn (from conductors) is to attend rehearsals of pieces made by famous composers. Making notes of everything the conductor says to the orchestra during rehearsals.

Gustav Mahler was a conductor who happened to compose in his spare time. Being a good conductor, in my opinion, is orders of magnitude more difficult than being a good composer. Controversially, I suggest good conductors should not be required (by the performance notes of a score), to adhere strictly to performance notes. Good conductors should be positively encouraged to interpret scores ad libitum.

Efforts were made in the above study to think about string divisions, in relation to other string divisions and piano. A technical study. Which became the first movement of my first piano concerto.

Piano Concerto No.1 (1st movement) Op.22

String Quartet No.1 Op.37

Begun with jazz before becoming classical without noticing.

Sonata No.91 Op.9

Sonatas No.93 Op.9

Spanish Dances No.5 Op.34

In the near future, AI will probably compose music better than human primates.
This may happen, but let us say this together, as a team and as the last of an ancient tribe. Not today.

Do not go gentle into that good night...
Rage, rage against the dying of the light (Dylan Thomas)

Spanish Dances No.6 Op.34

Waltz No.1 Op.39

Nocturne No.15 Op.27

Piano Concerto No.4 (1st movement) Op.40

Piano Concerto No.4 (2nd movement) Op.40

Libretto

Io ho le serrature...
Ho io le chiavi...
A lui, gli allarmi...
Facile non sarà...
Due sensori là...
Ferri e chiavi!...
Ma ci vorrà anche... del Prosciutto e del formaggio

Niche humour. About a daring diamond robbery in Antwerp. Carried out by objectively brilliant Italian criminals. Almost the perfect crime, but for the fact they left a ham and cheese sandwich behind for the police to find.

I have the locks...
I have the keys...
He has the alarms...
It will not be easy...
Two sensors there...
Tools and keys!...
But we will also need... some ham and cheese.

La Scuola di Torino

Sonata No.94 Op.9

Bumblebee No.1

Spanish Dances No.10 Op.43

Spanish Dances No.13 Op.43

Piano Concerto No.5 (5th movement) Op.41

Caravaggio's Shoes

Nocturne No.2 Op.43

Spanish Dances No.19 Op.43

Spanish Dances No.20 Op.43

Piano Concerto No.7 (i) Op. 47

Study for an Aria 15.09.25

Piano Concerto No.8 (i) Op.48

For Mario. Continuing a series of Piano Concerto miniatures which remain close...to my heart.

Piano Concerto No.8 (ii) Op.48

Piano Concerto No.9 (i) Op.49

Piano Concerto No.9 (ii) Op.49

Piano String Studies No.1 - Snowfall

I once said to my family that only God and Mozart could write a string quarter with two violas. The absurdity is that string quartets, by definition, may only comprise two violins, cello and a solitary viola. The above piece, the first in what I hope will become a series, was written for three violas (alongside piano, two violins and cello). I hope that at least some of my growing love for the viola, comes through. I consider it more of a piece for viola than anything else. The piece is named after the Latin Quarter in Paris, a place of elegance and grace.

Latin Quarter Suites No.1

Piano Concerto No.10 (iii) Op.50

Latin Quarter Suites No.2

Latin Quarter Suites No.3

Latin Quarter Suites No.4

This piece took me hostage, from the moment I heard it (in my mind). I had no choice (other than to orchestrate and record it). The idea somehow seemed more important than the resulting piece.

Paul Maurice Roche | Composer

Pinned to spotlight

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