Note: These are live recordings. Mp3 samples only (approx. 1 minute excerps)
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Seascape:
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Upon being selected to attend the 8th International Composers Meeting in Holland,we were each asked to compose a
3-5 minute piece for their ensemble-in-residence, Orchestra De Ereprijs and a combination of voices.
The liberetto I had chosen was from two poems by Queensland Poet, Helen Horton, depicting a very Australian scene
of deep blue oceans, rolling waves and birdlife along the shoreline.
The ensemble I used was:
Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano and Tenor
and
Flute, Bass Flute, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Saxophone, Alto Saxophone,
Trumpet, French Horn, 2 Trombones, Tuba, Electric Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano
and a Percussionist (Suspended Cymbal, Vibraphone and Crash Cymbals).
The instrumentation for the orchestra itself, to me was quite unusual, no strings or double reeds,
added saxophones and electric guitars...apparently very Dutch.
The piece itself is built in three sections: the deep blue ocean, the colourful coral reef creating
small waves that roll onto the sandy shoreline and then the dry land and bird-life finish the piece.
I used performance techniques such as mutes and gentle blowing into their instrument (as if through a straw)
to soften the harsh brass instrument sound and give a feel of deep winds.
I had the voices doing the same and also whispering into their microphones, this worked well.
I asked that the Vibraphone and Suspended Cymbal be bowed, which was a great ghostly sound
and carried the underlining sound through the piece, together with the French Horns.
High Winds:
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As of 2001, Queensland Conservatorium Composers have been premiering works in local areas
and surrounding states.
High Winds for Flute and backing CD is the third piece I have composed for a live instrument/s and backing CD.
Along with six fellow composers, our pieces were premiered at the University of New England in Armidale, New South
Wales, about 5 hours south of Brisbane. An encore of the concert was performed only a few days later at the
Conservatorium in Brisbane.
High Winds and other pieces composed with live instruments and a backing track are "Performance" works.
Although they are interesting to listen to, much of the effort put into composing the piece is aimed at the skill needed
by the performer to perfectly time their playing to the CD rather than just reading and interpreting the score.
It adds an extra dimention to the music, and I really enjoy created it.
Composing an actual score to perfectly accompany a CD recording is definately a challange, but when it works,
it gives me great satisfaction.
I create the backing CD first and 'naturally' compose the live instrument/s to intertwine with whats happening on the CD.
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Aurora:
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Classical guitarist,
Patrik Karlsson
approached me in 2002 to compose a piece for him to perform in his
home country of Sweden. As it became a popular piece amoungst his peers, Patrik was offered to perform
Aurora for Swedish radio and television. Since then Aurora has been toured by Patrik to numerous other countries
including Europe and America.
Aurora is the first piece of a suite of guitar solos all symbolising the life of stars, Aurora Australis
in the southern hemisphere (Southern Lights) and Aurora Borealis in the northern hemisphere (Northern Lights).
I used some new techniques in this piece and it is a little difficult to perform for those less experienced.
Natural harmonics and decending glissando harmonics are used both at the beginning and part way through.
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The Dying of
the Light:
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This was the first original film I had worked on.
The creator/director, Anuar Jose Montes was an international film student from Mexico. He gave me a brief
explanation of what he wanted me the create in the music. The music needed to be an emotional explanation
since the film lacked all dialogue. The film was about a young girl who with her blind father, mourned the death
of her mother and the flashbacks of happier times, opened areas of musical development.
There are four themes which twist through the 10 minute film. I chose to use only three instruments to keep
with the simplicity, an Acoustic Guitar, Cello and Clarinet/Bass Clarinet.
The sampled theme is from the opening sequence of the film, developing the relationship between mother and daughter.
Repeating a cycle of two simple guitar chords with a sad flowing melody above.
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Redhead:
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Written in 1998, this is one of my earliest pieces, composed for a composers concert at the Conservatorium in
my first year at university.
Performed by two Flutes Redhead symbolises the life of 'Fire'. The aim of the project was to
evoke a colour through music. The piece re-creates the energy and life fire posesses. Disjunct, yet specificly numbered
combinations of notes aiming for a 'key' note of F sharp ... is the main theme.
Overlapping this is a smooth, simple melody and also overlaps in unison with more energy and force.
This has become a surprise favorite of mine.
A Desert-Ocean
Ride I-III:
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This set of pieces were composed to an amateur film script written by my father, Keith Sunbeam.
In short, this very Australian story is about an ex-soldier named Otis McDivitt who is travelling west,
through the middle of Australia on a BMW 1100R Desert Racer motorcycle. He is unaware that he has been
confused with a murderous, thief and is being chased across Australia by two unintelligent police detectives.
The music is my sound description of a scene from the script.
Otis is on his motorcycle, travelling along a deserted dirt road through central Australia. Along the way as
Dawn breaks, he can see various Australian wildlife feeding and basking in the Australian landscape.
For each of the three movements, I used a differing combination of a number of core instrumentalists,
to develope the rich, Australian, rustic sound with a 'raw/natural' feel to it.
I-Dawn Breaks included 2 Marimbas, 2 French Horns, Trombone, Violin, Viola and Cello
II-Solitary Trek included 3 Treble Recorders, Tenor Recorder and French Horn
III-Lone Frilly included Treble Recorder, Tenor Recorder, Cello and 2 Woodblocks
A year after composition, I organised a full concert showing of the set of pieces, along with a narration of the story
and visual slides to emphasize the music...it was a great success.
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Caipirinha:
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A sweet Brazilian cocktail made from 1 sugar-crushed Lime and 125ml of Cachaca (sugar-cane spirit), and also the title
to my first "performance" work for Flute, Double Bass and backing CD.
"Performance" work, meaning a piece designed for a combination of live instrument/s with backing CD is a really
enjoyable compositional area to play around in. Although it is interesting to listen to, the focus of the piece is
mainly on the skill needed to both create it and also the skill needed by the performer/s to perfectly time their playing
to the CD rather than just reading and interpreting the score. It's this added dimention of the music that makes this piece
(and others like it) so interesting to hear. Composing an actual score to perfectly accompany a CD recording is definately
a challange, even more when using more than one live instrument, as you need to time not only the instruments to the CD,
but also to each other. It's a strong listening and cueing exercise for the performers, definately. In the case of Caipirinha,
I created the backing CD first and then composed the Bass line to overlap and stand out of whats happening on the CD.
Then I used the flute to intertwine with both the Bass and the CD, using specific cues from the CD to let the performers
know when to enter or when to solo.
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Copyright 2008 by creator Hannah Sunbeam.
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