Ballet/contemporary dance, a quartet - Modes of war

2wice in one day this is not possible, okay carry on.

Hello at uni throughout 2007 - 2008 I composed music for a Ballet/contemporary dance played by a quartet.

The quartet and the instruments used at the Ballet/contemporary dance were:

1 - violin
1 - viola
1 - cello
and a piano

It did get it played by a real quartet,the resident quartet of the Uni, though very differently,
alot slower, many different notes than these audio files. Though it was an experience I shall not forget.
I do not have live recordings of that event sorry these audio files will have to do.

Modes of War: This is the 24 minute version, I also created a 16 min version and a 7min,
which is the last 7mins of the 24minute version. Which is what the quartet played at the show.
Modes of war needed a conductor and I could not conduct this though I did create it which is strange.
Jeremy conducted it, he put a lot of energy I thank him for that here.

This is some of my commentry:
Modes of war was initially thought out to be conflicts of modes or modes layered on top of each other
from different scales not relating so much to each other, though in a musical and melodic manner.
The original 24 minutes version was not unrelenting it had breaks that would give other instruments time to rest.

Modes of war is about simply ideas, not forms that structure the music but ideas that structure the music,
these ideas are short in length and then placed throughout the composition in places I see fit and when these
ideas do appear it is like a little secret, or even a ray of hope or as an opposite a death ray has appeared.

The waltz was composed at the same time of modes of war. It is not part of the Ballet or part of Modes of war
though it does use some ideas from Modes of war so in a way it is part of it.
I hope people can enjoy it in a different light.

The samples used for these files were from eastwest strings gold

Here are the Mp3s of the same version at different bit rates:

One should be able to paste these addresses and download the files should.

Waltz 120Bit:
The waltz Quartet.mp3


waltz 81bit:
The waltz Quartet 81.mp3


modes of war 120bit:
Modes of war 120.mp3


modes of war 81bit:
Modes of war 81.mp3


modes of war 61bit:
Modes of war 60.mp3


modes of war 31bit:
Modes of war 31.mp3

Thanks and I am happy I can share this as well.

Hello is it okay to ask these question to anyone.

I would like to know what people think of this composition, any criticism is okay.
What do people who compose within a tonal center think of Modes of war?
And what do people who compose in an atonal centre think of Modes of war?

This piece is based on 5-6 ideas, these ideas interact more towards the end what does one
sense by the end of piece?

What does one feel when they listen to this piece?
what does it convey to one?

I would be grateful if anyone took the time to have any thoughts on this piece.