Mythological Creatures

Everything’s connected
But nothing’s working
Times running out
And death sits there smirking
Do you remember that night?
Wrapped in chains
Voices near us
Drowning out
Everything I could say
Creating turmoil
Creating chaos inside of me
It’s driving me crazy
Everything’s connected
But nothing’s working
When I’ve just shut my eyes
Wake me
Ready to rise
Crystal clear
Ready to fly
Everything’s connected
But nothing’s working
Times running out
And death sits there smirking
If everything’s connected
Why isn’t anything working
Times running out
And death just sits there smirking

Everything's Connected But Nothing's Working

Recorded 1994 with a 4 Channel Mixer, Hifi Tape Deck ;-) - sorry for the bad sound quality!

Artwork M. Besinger (dad)

Demo Songs 1994

Miles to Go 1994 (remastered)

A neoclassical testament to the value of retreat,
where silence gives birth to the most profound expressions,
contrapuncting the noise of our world.

This is the 2nd movement of my Symphony "Alive!".

Composed in the silence, solitude and fears of the Pandemic Lockdown.

Sigh of Retreat

Words and Music by Roger Whittlesey. Bass by Noel Barrett. All other sounds by Whittlesey.  2024.

The Minutes of Night

Singing video: https://youtu.be/gFoG4xCyUc4

Opera

Regnava nel silenzio

Regnava nel silenzio - Quando rapito in estasi

method: there is so much static around, so much distortion -  sometimes things are just messed up, sometimes even actively screwed up - until, that is, until you listen with those other ears and remember that you still have a different set of senses beyond the panicking ones
narration: the poem is an older one about becoming an adult, first made public - already many decades after composing it - in  the TINY INCLUSIONS chapter of my collection AUSLEGPAPIER,  2020
image: some of the setup employed in the acoustic recreation, copyright jo richter

poem / copyright jo richter:

on the road, he
found
a deserted smile

poor thing, all
covered
in wanton regret

.

traces of trust
lined
its inside gum

these, he scraped
carefully
off to enjoy in a jar

while the bile, he
handled
with surgical gloves

.


then, he remembered
losing 
it, and shuddered

traces - the aleatoric stimulus meridian response mix

Recently, I stumbled across this piece I wrote and recorded months ago...a simple piano composition, based on the idea that where you go doesn't matter as much as the person beside you. 

Anywhere With You

Nocturne No. 1

Reflections on like, growing old, a little sad, but I think we all share emotions of good and bad times.

I Don,t Like Tomorrow Today

Blob Goblin
Oh Blob Goblin
Blob Goblin
Oh Blob Goblin

In early spring 
When spring peepers sing
The blob goblin rings
It's bells

To awaken a flood 
Of early spring mud
Since blob goblins love
To dance in the mud

Instruments:
Lyre Harp, Tin Whistle, Sitar

Blob Goblin

Instruments:
Lyre Harp, Tin Whistle, Synthesizer, Small Greek Baglama

Elephant King (reprise)

A song written and recorded during a snow storm. 

Instruments:
Mandolin, High D Tin Whistle, Low D Tin Whistle, Glockenspiel, Moroccan Clay Drums, Egg Shaker, Melodica, Guira, Sitar, Bamboo Jaw Harp, Whistling

Frog and Gnome Ride Their Sleigh

Instruments:
lyre harp, Doug Tipple flute

The Lyre Of The Shire

An original waltz.

Instruments:
shruti box, Killarney whistle, sleigh bells, Doug Tipple flute, bongos, glockenspiel, jaw harp, wooden spoons, guiro, tongue snaps

The Luminous Gnome

I really enjoy the "Flotsam and Jetsam" chapter in "The Lord of the Rings", where Pippin's pipe is smoked during a very peaceful and silly feeling moment of storytelling and reuniting, so I named this original tune for that moment.

Instruments:
tenor guitar, Parks high D whistle, Kentucky mandolin, ghungroo bells, tinghsa bells, a regular bell, sleigh bells, and clapping

The Hobbit Pipe Hornpipe

Original compositions played upon various acoustic instruments. 

At the moment, the majority of music I record is original folk tunes. Most of these tunes arise whilst out in natural ecosystems or shortly after visiting a natural ecosystem. The titles often reflect an aspect of the ecosystem I had noticed while the tune came about. Lately this is usually a species of bird.

Tin whistles and flutes appear the most often in my recordings; though mandolin, tenor guitar, lyre harp, jaw harp, dulcitar, and a handful of other instruments show up fairly often as well.

And here's some more music I've made along with my friend Dan Jones:
https://soundcloud.com/user-453898279

Frog and Gnome Ride Their Sleigh

Zach Schneider

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