<<  -- 3 --  Patric Standford    CREATING 'THE EMPEROR'S ORCHESTRA'

2 January 2001

No second oboe, no second bassoon, definitely a trombone. El Amor Brujo is out; probably some Poulenc pieces instead. I have a satisfactory (for me!) opening for the orchestra at its best, and its adaptation and reprise for the ending. I do like to have the beginning and end of a piece drafted out first; it creates much needed security. The Princess theme works well in seven different guises, which is good because I won't need them all. The adviser's music has been ditched; a new form is emerging, perky, with a touch of xylophone. (I wonder if there is still a percussion player?)

9 January 2001

Definitely timpani and a percussion player, but no harp or piano. Ian K promises no more changes! Took time off to try photographing the awesome eclipse of the moon. There always comes a time in creating pieces when one is no longer pushing; suddenly the work begins to flow. Everything falls into place. It doesn't stop the rubbish from appearing, but it becomes far easier to dispose of it! Such a time has arrived. But the next two weeks are plagued with meetings. Boards to appoint a new artistic director for the Huddersfield Festival and two London trusts to attend. All part of the challenge! As I want to overlap narration and music on occasions, timing is vital. I have decided to draft this out crudely, but having the computer play back to me the relevant sections whilst I narrate -- a curious experience for those around me hearing me give out dramatic eloquences to sounds I alone hear over headphones. Experimenting with metronome markings and giving the story a steady pace for a large hall seems to do the trick.

21 January 2001

Intend to begin orchestration next week, though most time so far has been given to transforming the main material into suitable episodes and calculating time spans for the narration. Still need the march, interlude and waltz. A month to go and a touch of panic flutters by occasionally. I need a week for the orchestration and at least three days to put the score into the computer. And then extracting and editing the parts. That means the score should be finished by St. Valentine's day latest. It will be.

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