Sold/Expired 2 years on & this is my tribute

[James McFadyen]

My tribute to the memorial of the 9/11 attacks is now available for sale.

'Threnody for 9/11' is priced at £30.00 GBP

The piece starts off cute and very sweet, but brewing underneath is tragic disaster, the piece goes into a rhythmic and harmonic frenzy until the drums kick in at the end to provide real drive.

This is a seriously difficult piece rhythmically and I suggest that this is a great piece for top section bands to play and although lower section bands may find this a challenge, it will certainly get people counting!!

If you wish to purchase Threnody for 9/11, then just email devilishpublishing@earthdome.com to order you copy today!

 

[Voldemort]

It would be interesting to know how much profit from the sale of this music is actually going to the charities involved!

 

[James McFadyen]

Valid point, however, my investigation shows that the major charities supporting the 9/11 attacks have now closed their doors to more donations. The very few that atill are, are probably scam artists as there has been a lot of scams with some of the 9/11 charities, especially the smaller ones.

I will be looking at other charities unrelated to the 9/11 attacks, like Cancer Research, for example, but much work and investigation must be done there to ensure that it doesn't backfire or I get sued for giving ordinary charities donations from the sale of my memorial piece. One must be careful of the political implications.

 

[Heather]

I wonder how many sets of this you are going to sell? I would be interested to know.
I don't mean to sound horrible but am I the only one who thinks its not really in best taste to write pieces of music about disasters and catastrophes like this?
You seem to thrive on them!

 

[James McFadyen]

Most composers are afraid to write music in memory of disasters for a variety of reasons.

I'm not one of those composers and I think we, as composers have a job to do. This is my tribute. Music is a powerful medium, more powerful than words, where one would write a poem about the tragedy, I write music about it, reflecting on it's destructive power, both physically and emotionally.

My Job as a composer is simple - to write music that all sorts of people can be moved by using all the emotions. I never forget that when I compose, for some, £££ can blind them from what it means to be a composer in the 21st Century.

This type of music, like my other composition earlier this year, 'Elegy to the Victims of Iraq' is not meant for money reasons, you don't make money on them, unless you're a 'name'.

The 2 most powerful tribute masterpieces that I greatly admire are:

On the Transmigration of Souls, by John Adams.

Threnody to the victims of Hiroshima, by Pendereski.

To conclude, there will never be an even-ground when it comes to writing music like this, everyone has their opinons and reasons, each within themselves, correct.

Here's for world peace!!!

 

[Heather]

James.....do you realise you sent that last post at 9.11. Spooky!

 

[PeterBale]

I don't mean to sound horrible but am I the only one who thinks its not really in best taste to write pieces of music about disasters and catastrophes like this?

Whilst there can be the risk of such tributes being seen as tasteless, there is quite a history of such pieces, with a number being written for bands.

Reading Peter Roberts' book, he explains that he wrote the tune now known as "Grimethorpe" in memory of the children killed at Aberfan, which was its intended title, and Martin Ellerby has written a very moving elegy "Requiescat Aberfan".

"Hymn for Diana" was written by an American composer following the fatal car crash, the central movement of "Royal Parks" by George Lloyd remembers military musicians killed whilst playing on the bandstand, and Robert Redhead wrote a major piece commemorating the loss of the first Canadian Staff Band in 1914 when the liner bringing them to London sank.

I am sure there are many other examples, and equally that such pieces are primarily designed to enhance the memory of the original person or incident, rather than out of any primary desire to exploit their memory.

 

[James McFadyen]

That is spooky! it must be fate trying to tell me something!

Thanks for the backup Peter!

 

[Heather]

 

[davidsait]

.

I am sure there are many other examples, and equally that such pieces are primarily designed to enhance the memory of the original person or incident, rather than out of any primary desire to exploit their memory.

e.g. next years 1st section area test piece - Coventry Variations - has a section in depecting the bombing of Cov in WW2.

BTW, Peter, I keep meaning to ask, are you related at all to Maurice Bale the composer who lives in Coventry?

 

[PeterBale]

BTW, Peter, I keep meaning to ask, are you related at all to Maurice Bale the composer who lives in Coventry?

Guilty as charged - he's my dad

 

[Cornishwomble]

Whilst there can be the risk of such tributes being seen as tasteless, there is quite a history of such pieces, with a number being written for bands.

Rhapsody in Brass by Dean Goffin was written with his experiences in the World War 1 trenches in mind

 

[Straightmute]

Whilst there can be the risk of such tributes being seen as tasteless, there is quite a history of such pieces, with a number being written for bands.

Rhapsody in Brass by Dean Goffin was written with his experiences in the World War 1 trenches in mind

Not quite. It was his experiences fighting in the desert during WWII. But it's hardly a programatic piece in any case.

D

 

[Cornishwomble]

Right, thats it I'm slapping my ex-conductor who told me that it was WW1, thank you for putting me straight and avoiding any future embarrassmnet!!

 

[Straightmute]

Too right. Conductors love a good slapping! And when you've finished, please send JW my regards and tell him about Dragon Music!

Cheers

D

 

[mikemjc]

'Royal Parks' was written as a tribute to the Royal Marine bandsmen blown up in London in the eighties
It is a fitting and lasting tribute to those that were lost needlesly