PIANO QUARTET IN C MINOR STUDIO RECORDING!

  At last, I can post the studio recording of my Piano Quartet in C minor.

    The two movements were recorded in a 4 hour session on 5/23, and spliced/mixed today 5/30.

  I've learned so much, and am very  happy with the result, as solo strings are not good on ANY VST, compared to professional string players.  The pianist stepped in on short notice and did wonders humanizing the  piano part--the chorale and 2nd movement theme sound fantastic!

 Now I have a concrete reference for what my writing sounds like with actual musicians.   I plan to do another pass over the score, as there are things that need improving on my part.   A worthwhile and important step in my DIY musical education!....

The artists:

Fantastic musicians, and they all helped me consider my writing, score/part preparation and musical issues in new ways!----

Violin:  Dan Winnick

Viola: Chloe Thominet

Cello: Michelle Kulwicki

Piano: Derek Szlauer

Recorded and mixed and Big Sky Recording, Ann Arbor, Mich.  Geoff Michael, Engineer. 5/23/25 and 5/30/25.

Hey @Rich!

The live version is so so so much better than the computer version. The sadness already contained in your music is a million times enhanced here, as I had listened to both versions and can easily listen the difference! Those subtle tempo rubato would not be possible in a computer rendition at all, as well as the very detailed changes of tones . 

There's one (two actually lol) question for me, how much is the cost for hiring the entire ensemble and also the production team? They are really professional here! How did you find them in the first place?

Thx very much for sharing your precious live recording of your own movements! Hope you will also submit the other movements to them too so we can enjoy (free-ridingly lol) more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Henry

9 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

The live version is so so so much better than the computer version. The sadness already contained in your music is a million times enhanced here, as I had listened to both versions and can easily listen the difference! Those subtle tempo rubato would not be possible in a computer rendition at all, as well as the very detailed changes of tones . 

 Thanks for your comments, Henry--and yes, if you're writing chamber music, nothing compares to a live performance--the strings were so much more detailed and nuanced, emotive.     This is very helpful for me to remember and to write with this in mind.  I was shocked at how much Derek brought out of the piano part!

The Cost?!

   A lot!  The musicans were $100/hr.    x4 hours for the recording session.  The studio was $75/hr.    This included the enigneer and access to the glorious Yamaha C-7 (7.5 ft conservatory grand) freshly tuned.    I spent 3 hours in post-production for splicing and mixing.  It was a $2k day.

    This is summer vacation money for a family for 5 or 7 days.  This is how I choose to spend my treasure--  I rationalize it by calculating that a composition degree and access to musicans would cost $60k-80k (easily) at university.  I hope to write something substantial each year and go to studio in the late spring /summer--at least untill I have internalized the lessons to be had from working with real musicans and recording.

   Next: A violin sonata (violin+ piano) which will be cheaper by almost half!

  I want to do a full-on string quartet after that....

  The musicans:  They were great! NO  auto-tune here.  A few pitch issues but really very, very good.   All University of MIchigan trained string players.  Master's degreed.  Derek is a fresh graduate of Wayne State University, and has a great career ahead of him.  He prepped this in 7 weeks, where 3 months would be the norm...

I just googled for string players.  They gave me the lead on the pianist...  I think I got lucky...

  I think I'm going to start the violin sonata and back track and do the last movement of the PQ--  a tarantella tempo piece with a Siciliano B section (my mom was Sicilian).  Up-tempo and a bit more adventerous...

Thx for your information! It’s really useful! I guess I won’t have my Sextet performed by them given the cost lol haha.

49 minutes ago, Rich said:

  I think I'm going to start the violin sonata and back track and do the last movement of the PQ--  a tarantella tempo piece with a Siciliano B section (my mom was Sicilian).  Up-tempo and a bit more adventerous...

Oh I also just finished a Violin Sonata commissioned by @expert21 and also feature dance rhythm…… 😛

Henry