Score available for The Forest (for symphony orchestra)
I’m in the process of editing my three most recent orchestral pieces. I just finished editing the score of the first of these. It can be downloaded (free) HERE. The audio may be streamed (free) HERE (or use the player below). I strongly recommend listening on headphones or good speakers, not just tiny laptop speakers.
In retrospect–I didn’t do this intentionally, things just came out this way–I’ve noticed that the “orchestra,” for which I naturally tend to write, has the following characteristics:
- Normal string section;
- Far fewer woodwinds and brass which are used almost exclusively only in solo/soli writing;
- Expanded percussion/keyboard sections;
- Always harp but also sometimes other plucked instruments;
- Except for string section which seems to always be present in every movement, not all movements have same instrumentation, and some instruments might only be used in one or two movements.
For example, the instrumentation of this orchestral suite is as follows:
Flute
Oboe
English Horn
Horn
C Trumpet
Percussion 1
- Tubular bells
- Sistrum or tambourine (or any metal or bright sounding shaken instrument such as “egg” shaker)
- Claves
- Anvil or brake drum
Percussion 2
- Hand bells
- 6 large drums of varying sizes (in a pinch, roto-toms would do); notes immediately repeated should be of slightly different tonal inflection; the lowest 2 (or 3) drums may be of wood–at any rate, the lowest drums should be significantly lower than the upper 3
Percussion 3
- Orchestra bells
- Dumbek or a similar, single drum that can create a variety of pitches and timbers.
Harp
Violins I
Violins II
Violas
Cellos
Basses
A More Prodigious Tulip for cello and piano
This was composed in 1972. It has had several versions. This is the most recent. It is a series of variations (“strophes”) on an abstract Schenkerian melodic skeleton, embellished over the course of the variations as one might embellish a raga. Unlike a raga which is handed down by tradition, this underlying structure was composed by me. Two salient features that help the ear keep its place are the tonic cadences and the move from the raised 4th scale degree up to the 5th. The score is available at hiltonkeanjones.com/scores/A_More_P…gious_Tulip.pdf.
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
This concerto was composed in 1994 and slightly revised in 2015. It’s for piano and small orchestra (just piano, strings, and only 4 woodwinds–no brass, no percussion). The score is still being cleaned up but will eventually be available at hiltonkeanjones.com/music.
Festival Prelude for Piccolo Trumpet and Organ
Here’s an old piece of mine: Festival Prelude for Piccolo Trumpet and Organ: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/festival-prelude-for-piccolo-trumpet-organ. I don’t think I’m allowed to say who the trumpet player is because this wasn’t done for publication, just a demo. But, he’s the trumpet player for whom I wrote all my life. I love his concept of how the trumpet should sound, noble and strong. The not-so-good organist is me. The score is available at https://hiltonkeanjones.com/scores/Festival_Prelude_picc_trumpt_organ.pdf.
New movement added to The Golden Thread — Wendeyaho
I’ve added a movement to The Golden Thread, Wendeyaho.
Although the arrangement and orchestration is my own, the melodic source for this movement is a traditional Native American tune called “Wendeyaho” that is often described as a “Cherokee Morning Song.” However discussion of it on the Internet indicates that the word, “Wendeyaho,” is not Cherokee. For a full, and fascinating discussion of this, please see Why You Can’t Find “Wendeyaho” in a Cherokee Dictionary
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Score for Meditations & Reflections now available
I finally (!) got the edited score for soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/meditations-reflections-for-solo-piano done.
It’s at hiltonkeanjones.com/scores/Meditations_and_Reflections.pdf.
It’s an entire set, and if played as a set, then it should be played in score order; however, it’s not at all necessary to play them as a set. They really all stand alone as individual pieces that can be performed separately as single pieces or in a grouping of one’s own choosing.
Twilight Peal in the City of Dreams
I added the final movement to The Geography of Dreams. The new piece is Twilight Peal in the City of Dreams.
