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Michael Allen
Apr 3, 2019
Atmosphere
In early 1914, Holst heard a performance of Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra. This seminal experience along with a suggestion from...
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Michael Allen
Mar 14, 2019
Good writers write...always
I retired from a 30+ year professional playing career in May 2018. Retire is a funny word because I hardly feel retired. Since before...
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Michael Allen
Mar 14, 2019
One on a part follow up
I'm working on a large brass ensemble transcription (gasp) of highlights from a Puccini opera. I always immensely enjoyed playing...
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Michael Allen
Sep 23, 2018
Another possible approach
I might have tried to transcribe something as awesome as the first movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony decades ago - I might have even...
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Michael Allen
Jul 29, 2018
Color Separation
A single yellow bloom will really pop in a bush of red ones, even though they are all roses.
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Michael Allen
Jul 28, 2018
Get your head out of the score
Conductors who can't lift their head out of the score are a pet peeve. It usually means they don't trust their own understanding of the...
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Michael Allen
Mar 21, 2018
Trumpets - a primer
I've played on the same mouthpiece since I was in high school - my teacher handed me an old Conn Helleberg style mouthpiece when I was...
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Michael Allen
Mar 18, 2018
Texture 1 - Writing for the whole ensemble
A while back, I wrote an entry called 4 Dimensional Texture where I identified 4 basic ways to group instruments in a large ensemble.
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Michael Allen
Mar 9, 2018
Breaking my own rules
I usually have three or four arranging projects on the front burners and many more unfinished projects in my "work in progress" file....
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