White Chocolate Butterflies

This piece is based on the piano improv of rolifer (see "Feb 9 2008 piano" in the Piano Music, Solo Keyboard thread) with the original composer's permission. It is a rondo with a light jazz swing perhaps somewhat reminiscent to a 1900's popular composition.

The midi piano part was taken into Finale 2008 which doesn't always preserve the notes and tempo, and does create a very odd looking score with 90% of the notes in the right hand. I added string bass, flute and clarinet parts as accompaniment to the original piano. All the notes in all parts are the white keys of a piano, hence the white in the name "White Chocolate Butterflies". The butterfly part because the piano part flits about, chocolate just because it tastes great with a complex flavour :).

The piano improv digressed into chromatic variations which I have deleted to keep it on the white keys. A few changes were made to the piano part that was kept (by me I mean, not what Finale did) but not many.

Comments welcome.

The mp3 is here

Herb

What a treat to get to hear this. I must admit that without knowing the basic idea of where this came from, I never would have guessed. The accompaniment is great.

You have found an underlying structure that I never saw. The bass in here is great.

This is also a great sound you have here. The reverb is perfect.

When asked, you can take full credit for this as I just provided a background.

Well Done!!

Ron

Herb

What a treat to get to hear this. I must admit that without knowing the basic idea of where this came from, I never would have guessed. The accompaniment is great.

You have found an underlying structure that I never saw. The bass in here is great.

This is also a great sound you have here. The reverb is perfect.

When asked, you can take full credit for this as I just provided a background.

Well Done!!

Ron

Thanks, Ron. I'm glad you liked it.

Your improv starts out in a very introspective quiet mood which is what I tried to keep - and it was all white keys at the start. As I said, I didn't change much in the piano part that I kept - yes, a bit in the repeating rondo theme (which I think was partly fixing what Finale did) but beyond that just a very few accidentals removed to make it all white keys.

So it is your piano notes - but I agree the effect is somewhat different to the original improv. An interesting experiment which turned out well.

I used less reverb than in your improv so the percussiveness of the piano would cut through the flute and clarinet. I thought the piano sounded very real.

As to credit, it is your piano improv solo arranged and edited by me into a quartet - both our names should be on it.

Herb

Herb

I just took another listen to this one and still think you should just take all of the credit.

Well done

Ron

wow, you composed a piece that is perfectly relaxed, calm and very engaging ! loved its subtleness and gentle atmosphere. you started with an impro but ended with a very coherent piece, because every element seems to be in its most logical and natural place. i have heard it many times, and every time it sounded super lovely!!!!!!! loved the harmony and instruments choices, very well balanced. the original piano part is quite interesting as well. so congrats to both musicians!!!:)

ps: i cant leave without praising the clarinet part. fantastic melodic line, wow!!

wow, you composed a piece that is perfectly relaxed, calm and very engaging ! loved its subtleness and gentle atmosphere. you started with an impro but ended with a very coherent piece, because every element seems to be in its most logical and natural place. i have heard it many times, and every time it sounded super lovely!!!!!!! loved the harmony and instruments choices, very well balanced. the original piano part is quite interesting as well. so congrats to both musicians!!!:)

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you liked it, more than that, I'm glad you understood the piece.

The piano part is hardly changed from the original. When I heard it I liked it a lot - Ron (rolifer) has a fine touch as an improviser - it suggested the other parts that blended into a slightly more relaxed introspective mood.

Herb

I just took another listen to this one and still think you should just take all of the credit.

Ron

Ron, no, the piano line - the backbone - is yours so I can at most be considered an arranger who saw something in your improv that you perhaps didn't see.

The point I made in the Incidental Music thread was just that in some of your recent pieces you are going for a big complex often violent sound. Don't get me wrong - nothing wrong with that - and you are succeeding in that goal.

On the other hand, I felt some of the subtleties of your ideas were getting lost in the process, or if not lost then not being developed. Okay, I suppose my bias towards small ensembles is showing.

Thanks for commenting - we can agree to disagree on some things :).

Herb