Monday 20 June 2011

WORK

I've started my new project -
I'm orchestrating a very large piece for a 90 piece symphony orchestra -
aaaaaaaaaaagh - but i do love to work and the time flies.
the downside is that almost every available moment of clear headspace is now filled with all the instruments of the orchestra one by one running through my head -
ah well, there are certainly worse things to happen.
i can't divulge more yet, but you'll be the first to know - of course.
much love
R x

19 comments:

  1. Head filled with music? Oh yes, nothing to complain there (if it was, say, death metal, maybe but...). What you're telling puts me in awe, because the orchestration of a large piece for a 90 piece symphony orchestra must involve incredible complexity. Then again, you've got the training for precisely this stuff. Things always seem more complicated than what they probably are to those who don't know anything about them.

    Wishing you plenty of energy and enjoyment for the work.

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  2. Rachel,

    That is incredible! Absolutely amazing. Obviously I am not musical, other than loving music haha.
    It's brilliant to have that gift. Have fun with it.
    I look forward to hearing more.

    oxo

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  3. Hola Rachel,

    How exciting!!! It also sounds really hard, but when you finish it, it'll be perfect
    No music, no life..:)

    I wish you all the best.
    xxxxx

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  4. Yes, I know all about time and how it seems to manipulate itself. How it can be stretched or compressed as we try to comprehend that which takes place in our head. It’s as if time has the ability to disassociate itself from the ticking of the clock. We all deal with it as best we can.

    I recall an evening when I was writing for pleasure and it was going well and before I knew it, it was almost morning. Seven or eight hours had slipped by, but I had written for no more than 20 minutes in my mind. I had heard that this could happen, this transformation of time, but I was astounded when it actually happened to me. Since the evening that I speak of, I have grown more accustomed, and become more aware of this strange phenomenon known as time.

    There have been days when I actually wished that time would speed up. Oh I would think, I can hardly wait for Saturday. I can hardly wait until this debt is paid, I can hardly wait for some event to arrive, a concert perhaps, I can hardly wait until we arrive and to hell with the ride. There have been times when I found myself actually wishing my life away. And then one day I woke up and discovered that my wish had been granted. Come rain or come shine, there is something to be said about living in the moment, but it can be a son-of-a-bitch to actually do it.

    Writing a score for an orchestra is accomplished moment by moment, but ultimately as the moments are consumed, it must be written in the past, as time goes by. Looking back on it now, is a common refrain, but there is no other way to do it.

    Sincerely,
    Tommy

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  5. Where would we be without WORK? It is with the greatest anticipation we await the fruits of your labor,as always.

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  6. Hi, Rachel, just slumming around and thinking about you, and what you are doing, what with 90 pieces and all. And while you claim there is not much more room in your head, for other things, while in the throes of battle, I think you are being coy and you know it. There is still plenty of room up there.

    While slumming with the steelworkers in Canada earlier today, I felt in the mood for a poem. And so I wrote a poem for some downtown yokels in the midst of a labour dispute.

    The title of the poem is a bit on the raunchy side and wouldn’t make the Ladies Home Journal, whereas the poem itself just might. The title is, Yore Fucked. And here’s the poem:

    US Steel shut down Hamilton's blast furnace last year,

    They shut down Serbia's blast furnace last month,

    Which furnace do you think they will start-up first?

    Are there any idle furnaces in India or Brazil?

    Who needs slabs? Who needs slabs?

    Yo! Slabs fo' sale, slabs fo' sale!

    Get'em while they're still hot.

    Buy one, get two free.

    (I hope everybody is a least smiling to themselves ... right about now)

    WELL, now that I’ve had a chance to read that over again, I see that it has no rhyme, nor is there any rhythm to this so called poem.

    I find it reads more like a bunch of broken sentences or something just strung together. No rhythm or rhyme. It’s hardly a poem.

    How about if I said it was a jazz-poem, do you think I could get away with that?

    Wait.

    I think I know what it is now!

    It is an industrial-poem. Yeah that’s the ticket.

    It’s an industrial-poem. It’s about the picket.

    (So that’s what an industrial-poem looks like. I’ve always wondered.)

    Gil

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  7. I hate to bother you with this Rachel, but just to show you how easy it is to blunder when you simply shift a word or add something that changes the structure of a sentence – and you forget to correct the “their.” And so I stand corrected.

    My cats, Orange, Trouble, Dragon, Bobby, Biggs and Little One, have 9 lives, each and every one of them, that’s 54 in all. Not a bad number, considering there isn’t one soul amongst them.

    That’s better ... that’s much better.

    Love,
    Tommy

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qBzuYyK_z0

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  8. The longest day,enjoy it.

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  9. Sometimes I forget that you're not just "Rachel" but an EXTREMELY accomplished musician, composer and orchestral arranger......You have such a beautiful lack of pretense. So proud to (sort of ) know you, Rachel Fuller.

    ~X~
    EA

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  10. That is wonderful news on starting your new project. It sound wonderful. I am so excited for you. I can't wait to hear more about this project. I enjoy symphony orchestra music. I even have a record of the London Symphony orchestra. Enjoy. Have fun.
    xxoo

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  11. I would imagine the hours the orchestrations keep you going have you wake singing.

    enjoy!
    -ginab & b.b.

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  12. Oh, this is going to be good. Do we get to listen as it goes along I hope?

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  13. 90 musicians at once. Daunting. Don't be afraid to get a little Buddy Rich with them.

    Speaking of which...I think Ill do a jazz thing for a few. And Wimbledon is coming on in half an hour. Great morning!

    Luck Rachel.

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  14. That sounds like a super fun project Rachel. Hope you are able to post something from it for us to listen to.

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  15. Sounds like a major challenge, but have faith that you will end up with something brilliant as usual. I'm looking forward to listening to your composition.

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  16. Hi Rachel, it’s been a rather quiet day for me. I didn’t write much of anything and I ended the day with a fun e-mail to a woman in her mid fifties, which is not to say all that old, but nevertheless getting up there, and like me when I was in my mid fifties, she’s not in the best of shape. I looked at today’s groupon and it made me laugh, and it made me think about her. I have to send this to Debbie with a little note for her amusement, I thought, and so I did.

    http://www.groupon.com/deals/metabody-toronto-1?c=dnb&p=3

    I'll give you the $50 if you promise to go.
    And if you come back alive I'll throw in a bottle of tequila and some fresh squeezed limes.
    "MetaBody Boot Camp" has a nice ring to it, and it's FREEE if you promise to go.
    Let me know if you want me to sign you up! But hurry, the offer won't last.
    Hey, wanna hear something real cool from Neil Young?
    This guy is always "cutting edge" and he seems to be always having fun these days.
    And why not - soon he will be dead.

    Tommy Discool

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=XRi_mpJH7bA

    Neil Young seems to think the future of music, for music lovers in their own homes, will be produced in Blu-ray. And he seems to think that if you get a picture, to go along with the majestic sound – bonus!

    Neil has a decent batting average, he’s usually more often right than he is wrong. He’s a railroad man, and god bless him for that – kinship comes first. He knows his limitations, he does not write music for philharmonic orchestras, but he has touched on it. He’s still funny and he appears to be honest and sincere.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na1v3_RloJg

    I think this is about as honest as one needs to be. Everything can’t be explained by a young man.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY1hZPVHCqo

    The Godfather of Grunge

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paeNnR33i5Q

    I think it would be nice to hear some Grunge from a great big bad orchestra. I really do. You can’t expect and solo musician with a loud guitar to cover the entire string section, but it’s always nice when they try.

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  17. Take 2,701 'you know this used to be fun...'

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  18. When I think about Bob Fosse and what he did with, “Bye Bye Love,” by the Everly Brothers, I come to the conclusion that this musical (movie) production may never be surpassed. After all these years, I still find it stunning.

    The other day I mentioned that I don’t usually watch anything more than 85 times. I’ve seen this movie front to back on more than one occasion - I think twice to be precise. But I’ve watched the ending countless times.

    Sincerely,
    Tommy Discool

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXXz6DW51m8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nE_f_c3Jeo

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  19. Rio Bravo is the film I can watch back to back,the 85 time rule is closing in fast.Dean Martin,Ricky Nelson,Angie Dickenson and John Wayne are the main players. There are some classic one liners,duets and a bit of romance. The cinematography is spot on.Maybe my favorite movie.An old Western

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