lovely music...well played and with some really interesting sounds, melodies and ideas

Love how the second part bring a sort of peace, a beautiful form and airy instrumentation.

nice music realisation.Beautiful strings.Easy to listen to.

This darker/foreboding section here with the timpani rolls is great

Another wonderful piece Pete. At the end here I can really feel the "transition" toward winter. Great work!

A really impressive composition. I find it to be a beautiful autumn suite. Thanks

Orchestral

"A musical vision of Spring, a time of renewal and growth. From out of the cold ground comes a promise of warmer days. Then April showers herald an explosion of life, shorter nights and lighter days full of the sound of birdsong. As the season moves on, there is a slowing of change as Summer draws near."

Description

Spring, finds me trying to express, in music, my feelings about this season. Below is a attempt at doing this in words too. This is the third of four orchestral pieces that describe the four temperate seasons of the year.

If you want to hear the other pieces from the series "The Wheel Turns" after listening to this piece, the links are here :-

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-wheel-turns

The Wheel Turns Orchestral Suite - YouTube playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQkE1sMc-t1sixu4RmJmjyFr0HF6dnUF2

---------------------------------------------------------------
Spring
The waiting is over. The Winter chill recedes and there is a tacit acceptance to the demands of birth and rebirth. A sign of fresh green poking through the ground is a welcome sight, a simple signal that all will be well.

Very quickly, in a sudden rush, there is life in the hedgerows and the sound of birds heralding a new season. One of life and growth and warmer days and rainy times, but overall a feeling of hope.

You have longed for this moment, a chance to put away your Winter clothes and feel the sun upon your face again. The riot of change will continue as the life-giving sun takes longer marches through the sky.

Spring of all seasons is a time to revel in simply feeling alive. 

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Instrumentation

Con Sordino Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Viola Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Viola Ensemble Pizzicato Loose (Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo Cello (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo(1826 Old)Violin (Chris Hein Strings)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
Piccolo (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Barock Bassoon (Chris Hein Winds)
Bb Clarinet (Chris Hein Winds)
French Horn (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn Ensemble(Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)
Bell Tree (Flying Hands Percussion)
Triangle (Kontakt Factory Library)
Concert Harp (Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)

I really wanted a lightness to this piece and it took me a while of tweaking to get what I heard in my head. I didn't want it to sound like Autumn, or Summer, both weightier seasons, but not as thin and austere as Winter. So this piece is mostly woodwinds and strings with hardly any percussion

I didn't need bottom-end, I needed more focus in the melody interaction and there was a missing link. It needed to be light and airy and what else says light and airy like the harp. After about a day working on the harp part it started to give the feel I wanted. The harp glissandi were useful as bookends to the section it features in. 

The piece begins with an echo of Winter and the bell tree, the piccolo and alto flute describe the first signs of growth before giving way to pizzicato strings of April Showers. The harp section is a semi-formal counterpoint section with the harp melody inter-woven with the solo violin in my attempt to describe the rapid growth of the Season. The final section brings in the brass and is a calmer end to the piece that hints at the glory of Summer just around the corner.

The Wheel Turns

Spring

"A musical vision of Summer, a time of warmth, light and fun. A time to live life to the full and enjoy all that mother nature has to offer. As the season moves on, the solstice reminds us that the warmth and light cannot last as we start to head into Autumn"

Description

Summer, finds me trying to express, in music, my feelings about this season. Below is a attempt at doing this in words too. This is chronologically the forth and final of my orchestral pieces that describe the four temperate seasons of the year.

If you want to hear the other pieces from the series "The Wheel Turns" after listening to this piece, the links are here :-

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-wheel-turns

The Wheel Turns Orchestral Suite - YouTube playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQkE1sMc-t1sixu4RmJmjyFr0HF6dnUF2

---------------------------------------------------------------
Summer
The days grow longer, the nights shorter, as the golden ball we call the sun parades in all it's glory.This is a time for living life to the full, a time of happiness, a time of pleasure and excess.

At the solstice, some people still give thanks to the life giving orb upon which we all depend. For we know this moment cannot last, the majesty will fade, the warmth will falter, the party will end.

With threadbare days and darker nights the proud display of Summer flowers starts to fade. The heat can be oppressive, at times there is a chill in the air and Nature herself seems finally quiescent.

We will carry those memories of days on the beach or at the park in our hearts forever. Those days of fun.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Instrumentation

Con Sordino Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Ensemble Strings Mid Octave (Chris Hein Strings)
Viola Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Cello Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Bass Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Solo(1826 Old)Violin (Chris Hein Strings)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
C Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
Piccolo (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Barock Bassoon (Chris Hein Winds)
Trumpet Ensemble (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn (Chris Hein Brass)
French Horn Ensemble(Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone (Chris Hein Brass)
Tuba (Chris Hein Brass)
Cymbal (Albion One - Spitfire)
Bass Drum (Kontakt Factory Library)
Concert Harp (Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)
Timpani (Kontakt Factory Library and Garritan Personal Orchestra 5)

This piece evolved into 5 different thematic viewpoints that I labelled up to give an insight into the composition.

1)Grand Intro ... Sunrise / The Majesty of the Sun
2)Summer Promenade / The Beauty of Life
3)Summer Fun / The Bandstand
4)Balmy Days / Sultry Nights
5)A Fading Glory / The Last Hurrah

The piece commences with a Summer sunrise and the sound of French horn and alto flute before the brass heralds the glory of the sun with a fanfare . 

Next is the introduction of the main Summer promenade theme which reflects on the glory of a Summers day before a quieter section featuring solo violin and a bit of flute in the beauty of life.

A harp glissando heralds a change of pace and mood as harp and flute hint at children playing in the park before a brief visit to a quintessentially English band-stand, complete with brass band and thumping bass drum.

Balmy days / Sultry nights introduces the listener to the fading grandeur of Summer, a more melancholic line from the English horn acting as a counterpoint to a slower version of the earlier promenade theme. 

Finally the piece ends with a last hurrah for Summer as a wistful line and rolled timpani hint at the onset of Autumn. A final bit of pomp with timpani and brass completes the piece. 

It was quite a task to fit all that imagery into  four minutes of music but overall I think it works. :-)

Summer

My rescore of the Doctor Who episode 'Doomsday', which was originally released on September 7th, 2020.

Finale

My rescore of the Doctor Who episode "Smith & Jones", which was originally released on January 1st, 2021.
This score is my first of the third revived season, and it features the first appearances of many themes that will be used throughout. The first four cues (1m01-2m04) were the last I ever composed in Zynewave Podium, and the rest of them were done in FL Studio.

Rising Rain

Overview

This is a piece of cinematically inspired music that grew out of a 30 seconds Composer Club (Facebook) Group challenge. Our remit was to create a Leitmotif based on 'The One Ring', from The Lord of The Rings trilogy.

Being a bit of a Tolkien fan I decided to create a piece based on the actual forging of the ring of power, to try and get the sense of power, malice and a desire to dominate condensed into this small object and the overriding sorrow of the Elves when they realised just what had been created.

The Shevvanai 'Voice of the Elves' vocal library certainly came in handy  :-)

After doing the initial 30 seconds I thought there was a bit more I could do with the idea so I went back to setting up the story. This involved trying to give a feeling of the Elves in Middle Earth and then I thought ... what I need is some of the Black Speech of Mordor, part of the ring rhyme to lead into the forging section. So I did my very best Dark Lord impression to utter the lines in the Black Speech of Mordor. 

Ash nazg durbatulûk, 
ash nazg gimbatul,
Ash nazg thrakatulûk 
agh burzum-ishi krimpatul.

One Ring to to Rule Them All
One Ring to Find Them
One Ring to Bring Them All
And in the Darkness Bind Them

I must admit is the most weird thing I've ever tracked vocally ;-)

Instrumentation

Shevannai vocal library (Eduardo Tarilonte)
Strings (8ve Long, Spiccato Shorts, CS Strings ,Nasty Brass (Albion One - Spitfire)
Harp (Garritan GP05)
St Peter's Choir Patch(Halion Sonic)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds) 
Oboe (Chris Hein Winds)

The sound of working on a Blacksmiths Forge and Explosion sound FX that is classed as Public Domain is used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org

The Ring Is Forged - The Elves Lament

This Lord of the Rings cinematically inspired orchestral track follows on the tale of the Ring of Power as it is rediscovered in the Gladden river by Déagol, who was out fishing on the Gladden river on Sméagol's birthday, after being lost for thousands of years.

Besides orchestral instrumentation and choir voices, it also features my Alto F Low Whistle in the first half of the piece and a Foley type section of Sound FX to link to the second section.

The idea was to setup an idyllic pastoral scene by a river before Déagol falls into the river whilst trying to catch a fish.  Underwater he spots a glint of gold on the riverbed and returns to the surface, clutching his prize.  In the second half of the piece, the One Ring quickly ensnares Sméagol, with fatal consequences. 

Listers of my earlier piece might notice the reoccurring Ring motif as it's malevolent power takes hold of Sméagol.
 
Instrumentation 
Alto F Low Whistle 

VST Orchestration 
Strings (8ve Long, Pizzicato Shorts,Spiccato Shorts, CS Strings ,Nasty Brass Long Tremelo(Albion One - Spitfire)
Sky Choir Patch, Timeless Choirs Patch(Halion Sonic)
Alto Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Rolled Timpani (Garritan GP05)

Background
Déagol was a Stoor Hobbit, who lived in a small community bound by kinship ties—akin to a clan. He had a relative named Sméagol, whose grandmother was the matriarch of the community. He found the One Ring—which had been lost for thousands of years—while fishing with Sméagol in the Gladden river.

Instantly ensnared by its beauty and seductive power, Sméagol demanded the Ring as his "birthday-present". When Déagol refused to give it up, Sméagol strangled him and hid his body, which was never found; nevertheless, the murderer (nicknamed Gollum after the swallowing noises he made) was eventually driven from his home and into the Misty Mountains.

This track contains various Sound FX that are classed as Public Domain and are used to add colour to the track from www.freesound.org, in addition to home-grown vocal FX.

The Birthday Present

“Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much.”
OSCAR WILDE

PAR ECRIT

Written by Lead belly
Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Bass- Josh McAlexander

Cotton Fields

ABOUT YOU BIG BIRD

There’s a smoky trail across the sky
Behind you big bird as you fly
I’m running waving both hands free
But my mommas come to capture me

My mom she’s got this thing you see
About you bird we don’t agree
She don’t like your fiery tail
She’s gonna capture me and hide away

Big bird flying across the sky
I don’t know you or your reasons why
Big bird do you come to play
Mommas got bad things to say 
About you Big Bird

We been here a thousand years
Momma says that you don’t care
Your fireworks that light the streets
Make houses fall to dust and heat

The baker man went yesterday
A puff of smoke, an empty tray
I kind of liked your flashing bomb
But Momma ranted all night long

About You Big Bird

In Your Dreams - an Orchestral Mystery 

Another tick of the clock,
one moment follows another,
But is there space outside reality ?

The beat goes on,
incessant and unceasing.
But while you sleep do you live another lifetime ?

... in your dreams ?

MrBouzouki Nov 2020

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Background 
This track developed from playing a simple arpeggio that you can hear in the pizzicato strings. It ended up examining the space beyond the norm ... lol

Anyway, an interesting little project and the words that arrived from the 'ether'  acted as a catalyst for the music. I'm quite enjoying using orchestral instruments in my storytelling at the moment.

Metaphysical Playlist
soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/metaphysical
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Instrumentation
Celesta (Bell Piano)- Kontakt Factory Library 
Pizzicato Strings - Albion One (Spitfire)
Violin - Chris Hein Strings
Viola - Chris Hein Strings 
Alto Flute -Chris Hein Winds 
Cello - Chris Hein Strings
The sound of an antique clock FX that is classed as Public Domain is used to add colour and provide a rhythmic pulse  to the track from www.freesound.org
creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

In Your Dreams - An Orchestral Mystery

I like to have a good time (yeah)
Every night
It's my kryptonite (baby)
I'd like to write you a love song every day
From my heart and from my soul
Straight from the bloodstream
Straight from the bloodstream
I'm pulling you in like the tides
Into my dreams
Into my schemes

I only miss you
Once the scars have healed over
Absolved of all joy 
and all order
A thousand love songs
From my heart, from my soul
Straight from my bloodstream
Straight from my bloodstream
Straight from my bloodstream
I will drag you down
Into my dreams
Into my dreams
I'd write you a thousand love songs
I'd throw all them all away
But, this is the one that I saved...

Bloodstream

"A musical vision of Autumn, a time of year when change is in the air. Mellow days and vivid colours give way to darker nights, rain storms and misty mornings. As the season moves on, a hint of Winter arrives with colder nights and frosty mornings"

Description

Autumn, finds me trying to express, in music, my feelings about this season. Below is a attempt at doing this in words too. This is the second of hopefully four orchestral pieces that describe the four temperate seasons of the year.

If you want to hear other pieces from the series "The Wheel Turns" after listening to this piece, the links are here :-

soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki/sets/the-wheel-turns

The Wheel Turns Orchestral Suite - YouTube playlist.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQkE1sMc-t1sixu4RmJmjyFr0HF6dnUF2

---------------------------------------------------------------
Autumn
The majesty of Summer has now faded. Leaves, once so green, now a myriad of fading colours as Mother Nature withdraws her life-giving hand.

The weather is changing too. Strong winds and blustery days jostle with times of calm reflection, as you take a little wander through the woods.

The squirrels are busy, as are the birds, as some prepare for darker times whilst others set forth on their migrant flights.

For Autumn knows, whilst man often forgets, that change is in the air.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Instrumentation

Con Sordino and 8ve strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Viola Ensemble (Chris Hein Strings)
Violin Spiccato (Albion One - Spitfire)
Low Strings Cello & Bass(Chris Hein Strings)
Pizzicato Strings (Albion One - Spitfire)
Oboes (Chris Hein Winds)
English Horn (Chris Hein Winds)
Barock Bassoon (Chris Hein Winds)
Flute (Chris Hein Winds)
French Horn (Chris Hein Brass)
Trombone (Chris Hein Brass)
Low Brass Dirt Growl (Chris Hein Brass)
Timpani Rolls and Strikes (Kontakt Factory Library)
Bass Drum (Kontakt Factory Library)
St Peter's Choir (Halion -Steinberg)
Shevannai vocal library (Eduardo Tarilonte)
Bell Tree (Flying Hands Percussion)

Variety was the key to this piece with it almost compartmentalised into different sections to reflect this changeable season.

The initial section what I call 'the walk in the woods section' depicts the fading grandeur of Autumn before moving into a time of relative calm. This is followed suddenly by a storm section featuring a vocal line as the wind, pizzicato strings as the rain and timpani and brass as the thunder. The final section is almost melancholic, reflecting the withdrawal of nature before dying down to a misty stillness with a hint of Winter just around the corner. In fact the end section features a motif from my piece Winter so it acts as a bridge to that piece.

Autumn

Huge thanks to my Valuable Friends who partied hard!

@janinelevinson - Dance invites and vocals
@rick-4-1 - Funkin' it up for the dance floor
@phil-mcwalter - Sausage rolls and other stuff


PARTY BACK AT MY HOUSE

Party back at my house
Party back at my house
Party back at my house
Everybody's gotta come!
'Cos you're wonderful
Ooh Lord, we think you're beautiful
And we wanna hear you talk
We wanna see you walk
We wanna hear you shout
Have fun
Back at my house

Party back at my house
There's a party!
Party back at my house
There's a party!
Party back at my house
Everybody's gotta come!
'Cos you're wonderful
Oh Lord, so beautiful
We wanna hear you talk
See you walk
Hear you shout
Have fun
Back at my house

"BE the party" (Theresa May)

"Let's just get wastey-pants" (Nicole 'Snooki')
"Wow! What a ride!" (Hunter S. Thompson)
"I wanna see you dance" (Janine Levinson)
"Party Sleep Repeat" (Rick Medlock)
"Remember when we could?" (Jack Nicholson)
"Is this a cocktail party?" (Jimi Hendrix)
"Is this my party?" (Phil McWalter)
"Hell yeah!" (Clarence Clemons)

© Phil McWalter Oct 2020
[Photo by Emma McWalter @emmam-7]

Party Back At My House

Spotify

Love John Prine's music! This is a quick raw cover of one of his songs.
Check out John's music on YouTube.

Knocking On Your Screen Door (Very raw John Prine cover by Tony)

My new song with lots of piano, electric piano, swishy synths, bass, drums and erhus. 😊🎶💕🎹🎤🎧🎼

Mastered by the lovely and talented Sander! @wane-of-summer 💕

Where would I be?

Core Activities

A collection of songs, instrumentals and orchestral pieces charting my adventures in home studio recording and production.  All original compositions using voice, acoustic and electric guitar (sometimes using altered tunings), bouzouki, low and high whistles and MIDI instrumentation. 

I'm also using VST instrumentation to create classical compositions and integrating orchestral sounds into my songs and instrumentals.

Links to various instrumental projects and other Social Media links are available below.

My Eclectic Music Connections repost thread is here

https://soundcloud.com/mrbouzouki-repost

Autumn

MrBouzouki

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