Hi folks. OK so, we’re back hard at work on MMO. Victor and I are currently working through the song that ends our show. This is probably the trickiest moment in the development of any new Musical (other than writing soliloquys) – how do you bring a work to a satisfying conclusion both dramatically and aesthetically? I’ve seen too many Musicals (successful or otherwise) with weak, indecisive, emotionally unsatisfying conclusions, to believe that writing endings is simple! Continue Reading →
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Review: José Fernándes Torres (Tomatito) Orchestral Flamenco CD
On a 2009/10 Deutsche Grammophon release by Tomatito, there is a most interesting work entitled ‘Sonanta Suite’; loosely referred to as a Concerto for Guitar, which it’s not, performed by José Fernándes and accompanied by Josep Pons (cond.) and la Orquesta Nacional De España. The work itself, as far as I can glean, dates back somewhat earlier than the recording, having been orchestrated by Juan Albert Amargós, and premièred at L’Auditori in Barcelona in June 2004.
Yuletide Greetings and Season Best Wishes
I’m on a train heading south from Yorkshire to London as I write this last entry for 2011. So, to all MMO aficionados; on behalf of the entire team who are hard at work on bringing Béa’s wonderful novel, ‘The Mapmaker’s Opera’, to the musical stage in 2013, may we wish all our subscribers, followers and increasingly numerous supporters, a very Happy Christmas and peaceful, joyous, New Year.
Oh, the picture? It’s just a bit of seasonal silliness that we thought everyone might find humorous. No offence intended! Continue Reading →
Make Musicals: The Web Site of Brisa Trinchero
Although the web site link below has nothing to do with The Mapmaker’s Opera, I felt that it was a worth a quick post to disseminate the URL for what transpires to be a very, very good web site devoted to the Art of making musical theatre.
There are, in actual fact, very few decent, informative or useful web sites devoted to the creative impetus behind writing new works for the musical stage. In this instance, the creator of Make Musicals is Brisa Trinchero (pictured, and before you ask, “No I don’t know her”). The following short bio. excerpt is taken from her ‘About’ page: Continue Reading →
A Musical History of México – PART 1
Hello again. Today, I thought I’d take a discursive journey around the interrelationships between the so-called ‘Aztec Renaissance’ of the post-revolutionary period in México: the attempted return to pre-conquest Indian musical practices: a somewhat non-authentic subjective evocation of the remote past (i.e., there aren’t any records to establish authenticity of Aztec musical culture), in relation to the rise of patriotic fervour in nationalist music in this period which drew on real or imagined impressions of Indian and mestizo cultures. Continue Reading →
What’s Been Happening…..
Hi everyone. Apologies, I’ve been otherwise occupied with some non-musical matters over the last month. Progress has slowed down only a little on the score itself, but arranging and orchestrating work for the audio demos have been a bit harder hit by the enforced hiatus. So, what has been completed? Continue Reading →
The Orchestration Mapping Process for the Songs
In a previous post, I indicated that I would give a quick overview of the process of how we put together the audio of the songs being composed for MMO. I thought I would start out by making a quick video, showing how the originating piano part of the piano/vocal chart for a particular song is input (in real-time) into a computer sequencing software program (for better or for worse, I’m currently using Apple’s Logic 9). Continue Reading →
Song No. 2 Released: When He Looked At Me
Another good day in MMO world, as we are releasing the second of the rumba gitano songs from the Musical. As aficionados of this site, you will know that there are two major musical influences in The Mapmaker’s Opera: Flamenco -and especially the Siguiriyas – and Mariachi influenced Zapateado.
This second song for Sofia Duarte is derived from page 115 in the Thomas Dunne Books (St. Martins Press Imprint) of the novel – Act II, scene i [In a Mérida square]. Continue Reading →
Today I Learned Music By Guty Cárdenas
So, the journey in search of Mariachi begins!
More soon,
Kevin
Song No. 2 Forthcoming
Apologies to all for seemingly having gone MIA over the last few weeks. Not to worry, I’ve been busy writing more music for MMO whilst orchestrating and making an audio track for a new Musical by legendary Broadway composer, Stephen Schwartz.
Before anyone further asks: I’m able to knock all this work over in a short space of time because of the assistance of several highly accomplished and gifted music colleagues – in this case, Mark Buys and Vladimir Martinka – who manage to translate my ‘sketches’ into miraculously beautiful renditions in a short space of time (sometimes ‘very’ short!) And yes, I do sleep…occasionally.
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