Violin Concerto 1st Movement

This is the opening movement of four of my violin concerto. This recording is from the first rehearsal so is not reflective of a final performance.

The concerto is 25 minutes with a slow fast cadenza slow structure.

This movement was inspired by the July bombings in London but is not narrative of that event.

All comments are welcome.

Violin Concerto I We Remember, created by Ryan Yard and presented through ACIDplanet.com

violin concerto We Remember Final.sib

I enjoyed this concerto thoroughly... if "enjoy" is applicable to the sort of memorial it is.

It was moving, and quite beautiful. You have an excellent musical sense.

You know, I think I would almost have prefered to hear a perfectly performed "sampled recording" to a hacked "live recording", however... it's a shame that we can only hear it played with errors and cuts from a rehearsal.

As I cannot access the score, I won't be able to do a 'full' review. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed what I have so far heard, and would like to share with you some of my impressions.

First, the intense single note played by the violin reminded me in part of the opening to Corigliano's 1st Symphony. That work is a memorial work as well, and in it there was both melancholy and much anger. In your opening tone I hear the same suggestions, especially as those motivic fragments danced around that single note.

Now, as the first movement progressed, you treat us to the longing grandeur of a true violin melody. The violin sings your music, at times almost a wail of anguish and grief, at others suggesting a bit of memory, a snatch of some fonder, more innocent time. The orchestration throughout the first movement was apt, and it reminded me of the Violin Concerto of Edgar Meyer. Not in terms of subject, but in terms of the way it lived and breathed. Some of the time it veered close to the spiritual emptiness of P

Hi, thanks matusleao for your very interesting comments on my concerto. Everything you say makes sense and makes me feel good that I have conveyed what I was trying to convey. The final notes you talk about are in fact artifical harmonics played on the violin, they create a thin, whispering, delicate tone which I am very fond of. If you have a listen to the first movement of my 2nd string quartet (in chamber music) there is a section where i have all 4 strings playing rhythmic figures in artificial harmonics which is quite an unusual sound.

I'm glad you liked the piece, unfortunately the 3rd movement cadenza did not get recorded and the fast second movement is very poorly played (as it was the first rehearsal and is tricky rhythmically) I'm not sure if I am brave enough yet to post that up, I will see.

I am going to post the pdf of the 2 movements already up so hopefully ppl can view them better.

Thanks again!

Here is the pdf of the score so that it is easier for people to view.

violin concerto We Remember Final.pdf

violin concerto We Depart Final.pdf

I listened to your 1st movement and was very impressed indeed. particular things I noticed: the long G at beginning and end and that stunning coda: where the violin begins the arpeggios. G minor at its best. natural colours and beautiful flow. congratulations.

must just add how much I enjoyed the finale too and again particularly the coda. I really noticed the open g stabs at the beginning and the way in which the violin blends with the orchestra the sense of slowly unfolding melody and again the stunning coda where it goes into E flat which comes almost as a shock after the strong sense of G and those creaking gate sounds from the violin. beautiful and deeply moving bearing in mind the connotations. I really hope this piece is played often. hope to hear the whole thing live one day!

Hey thanks for your comments, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am very proud of this work and spent many months living and breathing it. Sadly, I am having problems getting the piece taken by anyone, and even more sadly, the story involving me and the soloist has all the makings of a film! Unfortunately, shortly after she recorded this, we fell out very badly and I have not spoken to her since, so there is a kind of bad taste in the mouth now whenever I hear this piece. I wont give up though and hopefully someone will take it on board and play it complete!

oh thats such bad news. well, the one good thing about written music is that it doesnt evaporate so there is no rush. I was looking at your website today and it looks like you have quite enough to do in the next few months!

wishing you every success.

Hey - That's some incredible music man... I can totally tell that you're English from your writing style.

You know who you should look up and try to find online that might be able to help you find some sort of government program to help you find a performer? Stephen Montague - I'll bet he'd totally be into this piece...

The UK has a phenomenal amount of funding for the arts - there's definately something out there that can assist you in getting a performance of this work.

Thanks for that, I will look into it. Things are quite busy for me right now so may have to wait until the summer before I can actively try an get this piece of the ground. I think this is the work I am most proud of so far, it will always remain special to me.

I hear so much Barber influence here, nice! The movement in your violin sounds, using big intervals, typically Barber.

Thanks for resurrecting this piece, I was listening to it last night for the first time in ages and i am still incredibly fond of it and proud of it. I am very fond of Barber's music and know his violin concerto very well. I certainly acknowledge his influence over the work.

The fast movement of my violin concerto. From first rehearsal and very ropey but should give an idea of the excitement and vitality of the scoring I hope.

Copy and past the lin below and click on violin concerto II we dance.

All comments and views wanted!

Songs by Ryan Yard, Citizen of ACIDplanet.com

violin concerto We Dance Final.pdf

violin concerto We Dance Final.mid

Quite a performance, very blurry played though, so chaotic... needs some practice.

Yeah I know it is really shaky, we only had an hour to rehearse the entire thing so much more work needed. What do you make of the composition itself, mistakes aside?

Wow! :w00t: this entire piece was excellent (performance flubs aside). I would love to have my school's orchestra perform this. If the conductor and students approve, would there be some means of getting your permission to do so? Or do I assume it is in the public domain?

No, the piece is not in the common domain and permission would be required as the work is copyrighted. We would have to discuss a little more about who would be playing it, where and when and details such as these because obviously it is not an easy piece and would require considerable time. Feel free to send me a message if you want to talk more about the idea.

Man, I believe that this concerto, is one of the best contributions to this forum. Definitely belonging in the Major Works section.

It is a fine piece of music.

You do know how to write for strings :)

I have to say that the material for your 1st movement (have not heard the 4th yet), is not the greatest, as it consists mainly of scales and arpegges. But you managed to pull it off and work on a very fine work of music, even with this material. The way that the orchestra comes and goes is really something.

I would simply say that this work... works. :blush: It is a fine piece of music indeed.

Could you elaborate on why you think the material is not that great? Sure it uses scales and arpeggios, but perhaps an overgeneralisation?

Check out the 4th movement as it has parallels to the first.

I don't mean it entirely negative, as I mention that you pull it off although you use that.

Thing is that scales and arpeges are not exactly my kind of material. I mean somehow, it seems really clich

I do understand what you mean, but you must remember that in the context of the work, passages that go against the idiomatic qualities of the instrument need to be very well justified. Obviously, my concerto is an expressive work, and so to ignore the natural potential the violin has for these kind of passages seems a little bit counterproductive.

In other contexts I could understand where you were coming from but this concerto does not have anything cliche about it (imoh) and is able to deliver its message with a strong melodic profile whilst actually having an advanced harmonic language (by this I mean not traditional tonality but a rich and vibrant harmony that toys with tonality)

I think you should listen to the 4th movement just to get an over view of the complete work and I would be very interested in what you think.

Do check my string quartet out as well in chamber works, it may interest you.

I also understand what you mean, but just bare in mind that the violin has other things to do than play scales and arpeges. One could avoid completely scales and arpeges (which I still don't know how to spell :w00t:) and still have a very idiomatic piece for solo violin.

I will listen to the 4th movement once my kids go to sleep and also the string quartet.

I also heard your solo violoncello, which I commented (but missed it or bypassed my comments, but Idon't mind. Just mentioning it in case you missed my comments).

I'll come back for more :D

(If you want I have 2 "classical" works, on in the major works and one in the chamber orchestra, both for strings)

Hey, yeah I got your comments on the cello piece thanks, sorry I didn't respond. I have heard your works and will comment on them shortly. I certainly am very impressed with them.