The first version has been reviewed now. Tempo is a bit higher the acoustic room has changed, the bassoon reveived some more presence... It's so wonderful to work with the endliess possibilities of the sublime samples.

I wonder whether it was possible to perform the score in a balanced way as it was written by Mozart (only 2 violins against 2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons and 2 horns). Of course, this was only dance music, made to be played in noisy ballrooms and pubs, but despite all this, the musical quality is surprisingly good. Striking however is the absence of any alt instruments (violas). Mozart himself explained why: "Too much harmony distracts from the the dancing." Most of these numerous dancing tunes were written in between other big masterpieces for pure amusement. It took him very little time to produce them. 

Max

Thank you Philippe for your  comments and always appreciated advice.

This menuet was not really conceived as a dancing tune. It was more like an orchestral performance. The instrumentation isn't correct either (should be 2 violins, 2 flutes, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 1 oboe and cello. I made it a litter 'bigger'. That's also the reason that I interpreted the tempo more like a performance. But you're right, it can be a little speeded up to give a more dancing character. But then, I should diminish the contrast and pauses between the trio and the rest. Dancers can't pause in between coherent parts.

What bothers me most is the resonance issue: I can't hear it. Could you be more specific (in minutes, seconds) where it occurs? Could it have to do with the choice of the venue? Is it an interference with the flutes? (That often happens when they are in fifths.) The bassoon can be brought forward easily.

Thanks again for your constructive criticism!

Max

Hi Steffen,

This is another fantastic job you've done. And for sure, beatiful an perhaps underestimated music. It's great that you bring the forgotten master back into the spotlights, he deserves it. And you did honour to his music. 

Do you know the cello concertos by Joseph Fialla? Splendid music as well.

Thanks for sharing,

Max

Hi Philippe,

This is for sure an improvement, but still, I have the impression that the choir samples ave been recorded in a very different way (to my ears, they seem to be in another acoustic location). The orchestra is as usual very clear and crisp, the choir however seems distant and with a different convolution reverb. The textual quality has improved but that is, as I've understood, not the main issue yet.  

The orchestra and the music are simply divine! I'm pretty sure that you will eventually figure out a way to make the choir match with the choir.

Max

Hi,

This time, I chose a small menuet by Mozart. The chamber orchestra consists of first and second violins, cellos and basses (chamber strings), 2 flutes, oboe, 2 bassoons, 2 horns (all VSL). For the first time, I didn't make a score (in Notion), but recorded directly into Logic Pro X. (I didn't have a midi version.) That means this is some sort of experiment to learn how to handle Logic as a sequencer and DAW. I have to confess that it was rather tough for me, not being used to work that way. I'm more a score man...

Anyway, here's the result of my first attempt in Logic only:

Mozart - Menuet 4

Enjoy the listen,

Max

Hi Philippe,

Glad to hear the first vocal attempts. It is really nice to hear them as voices, but they don't quite match the quality of your intrument recordings (yet). I suppose you have tried the library to its limits by now. The balance and clearness still have room for improvement, but it is already satisfactory and opening new horizons for the future!

Thanks for the wonderful music again,

Max

Hi Martijn,

These things are on the one hand a matter of taste and on the other a matter of realism. It's always dangerous to rely on the beatiful technical possibilities of digital mixing and balancing. A relatively 'weak' instrument can play incredible out of the overall sound of the orchestra by only mixing. One can like that or not, but in reality, the place of the soloist and the visibility put the sound forward (what you see best, you hear best), but the main volume of the instrument doesn't actually change. There are tables with the relative volumes of all instruments, but that's of course nothing but theory. Your ears are the best guide in this. Trust your ears and bring the soloist enough to the foreground. That's not a matter of volume, but a matter of more direct hearing (early reflections, wet reverb, more high frequencies...) But again, I'm not a specialist in these matters.

Max

Hi Martijn,

What a fantastic idea to resample that Mozart flute concerto. I like the sound of the solo flute and at times of the orchestra. There is however one thing that bothers me. The dynamic contrasts are huge and the flute is often too loud. I may be mistaken, but have you tried to bring relief in your orchestra by using dynamic levels (volume/expression)? Sometimes, the orchestra sits back a lot, sometimes it comes forward. I'm not a specialist at all, but that is what I hear in my monitors.

For the rest, a very nice version with an elegant and singing flute, well articulated and crisp.

Congrats!

Max

Dear Steffen,

This is of an outstanding quality as to interpretation and recording. You did a terrific job! We all know the huge labour that goes into these sampled versions. 

I love all of it. And indeed the harpsichord is sometimes a little loud, but that only a trifle in these high standard concertos.

Congratulations!

Max

Hi Philippe,

I've listende to the 3 versions, inculded the one by Beat. I pretty much like your first version and the one by Beat. The trombone version is musically certaionly all right, but it's like a harsh curse in my ears. The trombone doesn't fit in the sacred atmosphre (to my taste).

Max

Hi,

Both version are very nice and sound particularly well (Orchestral Strings?). Personally, I prefer the Cembalo with its precision and carity. It comes more forward as a solo instrument (contrast with the soft strings). But as said, you did a wonderful job with both versions. My opinion is merely a matter of taste.

I love the Benda music and a lot of contemporary Czech music (Myslivecek, Fiala...). They were often underestimated because of the huge successes of Haydn and Mozart.

Thank you for sharing.

Max

Thank you Steffen.

Hi Philippe,

A most intriguing and surprising version. The Cor Anglais fits wonderfully well in the sacred spirit of the piece. Well done, I enjoyed every second of it. As usual, a very open ambience, cristal clear. 

Max

Hi,

Once more I chose a baroque piece to practice the wonderful VSL samples in all sorts of ensembles. For this recording, I've only used the Dimension Strings. I had a hard time to find the most appropriate patches to make this music sound as lively as dance music should be, with some personal interpretation as to dynamics and tempi. There are quite a number of good and alternative recordings out there, but they all have a somewhat cerebral approach: too correct and almost mechanical playing. This version is not definite, it is and stays a learning process in evolution. I hope I can complete it some day, which would mean that I understand every aspect of working with the VSL samples.

Instruments: all VSL: Strings: Dimension Strings (4-4-3-2-1); woodwinds: SE piccolos, SE bassoons, Full oboe 1, SE oboe 2; SE Cembalo

Enjoy the listen and feel free to comment,

Contredanse

Max

http://www.joswyl.be

Hi Philippe,

Again, this proves your incredible skill to give voice to the most wonderful pages of historical masterpieces with samples. The acoustics are wonderfully fit for the music and blend so nicely with the attacks and releases. (Reverb can sometimes kill all details in the music.) The choice of a recorder for the vocal part is somewhat unusual, but still surprisingly suitable.

Thanks for sharing this gem with us.

Max

Hi Darius,

It has nothing to do with your recording, only with Box.net. It was disturbed yesterday evening. Now, everything is OK.

The emotional theme is masterful. Very lovely flute indeed. I really like the other themes too, but the first one jumps out of the four.

Max

Hi,

What a wonderful intimate version with an excellent flute. You did a terrific job to make the flute really sing. (Some minor overlaps, but this is really a trifle). I enjoyed every second of it!

Thanks for sharing,

Max

Hi Michael,

Very nice music and a good version with Notion Performance. I can hear that you've used the Notion presets (the sustain patch crossfaded with the portato). Usually, the portato is a bit too powerfull and causes some kind of in-between-click between notes. Lowering the VelX (lower than 40) can help here. The orchestra is really in the background and misses some dynamic or motion. The harpsichord is a bit burried under the strings. A very good example is the version of Il Gardelino with Marcel Ponseele (a neighbour of Bruges). Notion is a fantastic notation and performance program, but it can't guess an interpretation. You have to do that yourself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE2O_yfgtBU

You can leave the Notion presets if you like, using your own keyswitches but that is time consuming and not directly rewarding. I'm still struggling with them (working about one year with VSL), but bit by bit and with the help of many friendly users, the light starts shining...

Thanks for sharing,

Max

Hi Wayne,

I do have the full dimension strings, the orchestral and the chamber strings. But so far, I didn't manage to realise anything decent with the dimensions. I also have all the SE instruments and sections, which are very good starters, but the full libraries have more articulations and flexibility in use. So I'm not the right person to give you any advise on the dimension strings...

I used to work with Finale (for more than 15 years), but now I only work with Notion (now version 5). I do my postprocessing in Logic Pro X. So I guess we both work the same way (notation with as many performance details as possible) and then the postproduction in a DAW.

At this moment, I'm working of a training version of Rameau's Contredanse from 'Les Indes Galantes'. Rather demanding as to techniques and articulations. I've already made 5 version (4 with Vienna Suite and 1 with MIR), but none of them is satisfactory so far. I will post it from the moment I'm pleased with the result.

And let me congratulate again with the very classical construction of your work. A rare capability these days.

Max

http://www.joswyl.be

Hi Gabriel,

Allow me to be, just like Beat, a little surprised about the somewhat 'strange' approach. But it is rewarding and original although according the nature of the pice and with the e. guitar, you could have added a little more 'brutality' to the interpretation (distortion?) to evoke the Rache (revenge in hell).

But you did a good job, a daring job. I'm quite sure Mozart would have liked that! They say he would have been a rocker, if that would have existed at his time...

Max

Hi Wayne,

Very nice, decent classical work. Nothing too complicated, no cerebral music, but a fine relaxing and elaborate composition in the strictest classical way. Congratulations for that achievement. You're still struggling with the samples and the musicality of them? So do I, but day by day, step by step we will get to master them. Isn't that a formidable challenge? And it is the perfect excuse to keep composing...

Max

Hi Darius,

I would like to listen to your pieces, but they're interrupted every 10 seconds... From what I've heard so far, they look pretty impressive. Is it something you can correct (e.g. new posting on Box.net)?

I'm looking forward to it,

Max

Hi Philippe,

Very beautiful, nice interpretation too. I particularly like the sound of the oboe. Again, you did a terrific job!

Thanks for sharing,

Max

That is a matter of taste and sense of realism. What do you prefer?

Personally, I like the close recording in a rather small ambience, but that doesn't fit fot all genres and styles, nor for all types of orchestras.

Max

Hi Sebastian,

This is a surprising piece in many ways. I do like the harmony turns and unusual connections. It certainly has many good ideas and sounds very decent. You did a marvellous job with the articulations, the mixing and rendition.

Thanks for sharing it!

Max