One thing I like about SoundCloud is that it doesn't provide a medium just for professional level recordings, but also for others (with something to recommend them of course) in between.  If a given listener doesn't want to experience the industry's seamy underbelly, she can just skip that particular track!  Elsewhere on this site, I have my complete Salon Music for piano trio, recorded in Bulgaria in August of 2014.  So if anyone wants to hear a polished and perfectly recorded and rendered version of this number, please just go there.  But I am so fond of this demo that I wonder if others will enjoy hearing it too.

It is common practice when a composer can't be physically present at a recording session to send her a preliminary demo, to make sure there weren't any misread notes, or to invite commentary.  Musicians the world over will attest that I always have something to say, in good English and French, and pretty good Italian and German, or poor Spanish.  But in this case I was brought up short.  I couldn't get over how these European musicians (British violinist, Bulgarian 'cellist, Romanian pianist) had such a feel for its popular American idiom.

The recording has too high a gain, but that just makes it sound like a hoary radio broadcast; the rehearsal piano is subpar, but that just makes it sound more honky-tonk.  Everyone seems to be enjoying their roles:  'cellist as superannuated vaudeville hoofer; violin, his trusty sidekick; pianist, stolid manager and emcee.  Everyone's having as much fun playing here as I did writing it!     

Soft Shoe (raw demo)

Scores are available for study or performance for the asking, in pdf form or as hard copy.

VFrost2468@gmail.com

Soft Shoe (raw demo)

Victor Frost — composer