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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
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 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
Dec 5, 2017
Texture 2 - Writing for families
However, in my brass ensemble writing, I'll write passages for a grouping of trumpets when the music calls for it, and/or as a contrast
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Michael Allen
Dec 3, 2017
Texture 4 - writing chamber music
Recently, I've undertaken some large engraving projects - I'm making clean versions of the Tchaikovsky ballets. This may seem a little...
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Michael Allen
Aug 5, 2017
Four Dimensional Texture
This blog is a way to collect my thoughts and 'ship em.' This is modeled after the blogging philosophy of Seth Godin (one of my daily...
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Michael Allen
Jul 31, 2017
Striving for balance with horns
Another curious Richard Strauss quote "If you can just barely hear the (French) horns on stage, the balance is perfect." Strauss clearly...
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