Music Engraving

Watch this video. It's fascinating.

I don't think any of my music is prepared this way. I'm pretty sure that my publisher creates printing plates electronically. But still, imagine engraving whole pieces, symphonies, and even operas in this painstaking method.  And doing it all backwards.  Hats off to these engravers and their artistry.
  

New Submissions for 2013

This past weekend I gathered together my portfolio of new music, recorded it to disc, wrote out some brief descriptions, and today I took it all to the post office and shipped it all to my publisher for consideration in their 2013-2014 catalog!

As always, I try to offer a wide variety of music and this year's packet of nine pieces includes three pieces for beginners, three for intermediate-level performers, and three for advanced players. Five are in major keys, four are in minor keys. Some are overtures like Gauntlet or Westward Motion, but I also included a scherzo and some pieces that mimic styles from around the world. None is too much like any other.

When I first decided which selections I'd submit, only three had titles, but I spent the last week coming up with names for the other six. As always, that's the most difficult part of the process and I know I shouldn't leave it until the last minute.  But I'm happy with the titles and with all the submitted music in general. 

Now we wait and see. The selection committee will meet, look over all of this year's submissions (from me and from all the other composers) and put together a catalog of interesting music for all ability levels. I usually hear back in June or July, when my fingernails are nubs. Once I hear back, I'll be sure to post it here. Wish me luck!

Doug Spata's iPod 2012

Every year around this time, I share some songs that I've been enjoying recently. While I love a lot of music, I usually just use my iPod when I'm running, so I don't keep classical music on there. It's hard to keep a steady pace when tempos and moods keep changing, so I prefer up-tempo pop music. Here are some of my current favorites:

1. "Domino" by Jessie J.

She's like the British Katy Perry and has a really powerful voice. I'm impressed with her vocal control on the melismas and I like her subtle use of vibrato. The song itself has a great beat and fun chords.

2. "Back and Forth" by Bright Light Social Hour

This Austin-based band is really good, but there's an even better version of this song, if you can find it. Their keyboard player (who goes by the nom-de-DJ "Mirasole") did a techno-electronic remix that is truly amazing. Unfortunately, it's not available on iTunes or YouTube.  Anyway, enjoy the original version and its weird video.

3. "Maniac" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Here's a great song to run to - I just love that propulsive bass line and excellent drumming. There's no official video for this song, but I found a really good fan-made clip that features a stuffed ferret, geometric solids, and a tea party. You're welcome.

4. "Love Etc." by Pet Shop Boys

Like a lot of Pet Shop Boys songs, this one has a wonderfully sly sense of humor and that characteristic bone-dry, sarcastic British wit. It has a great call-and-response melody and the aloof, icy cool beats indicative of great English dance pop.

5. "The Geeks Were Right" by The Faint

This is another ice-cool electronic dance tune. There's a serious environmental message in the lyrics, but the buzzing synths and mechanical beats are the real draw.

6. "Breakin' Up" by Rilo Kiley

Whispy, breathy vocals become stronger and more assured as this song progresses, moving from ennui to complete confidence. The song is about getting over a relationship and by the end, it's an all-out hand-clapping sing-along celebration of freedom. This video is kinda hilarious.

 

7. "Clap Your Hands" by They Might Be Giants

I got to cross off "see They Might Be Giants live in concert" from my bucket list last year when I attended an amazing 150-minute show that included 8 encores and every single one of my favorite Giants songs.  I've been a fan of theirs since middle school and believe that Lincoln is one of the greatest albums in all of music. The show I saw was for grown-up kids, but they still played some songs from their kids' albums, including this little gem.  There's no story or heavy meaning here - sometimes you just need to get up and clap your hands, stomp your feet, and jump in the air.

8. "Holidays" by Miami Horror (featuring Alan Palomo)

I love love love the fat bass sound in this modern-day disco song. And speaking of weird videos...

9. "Friday I'm In Love" by The Cure

Is it any surprise that the composer of Gauntlet is a fan of The Cure? They have a reputation as a mopey English band that sings dark, sinister rock dirges and they're a touchstone of goth style, but this song is an absolutely ecstatic expression of sheer happiness. Beneath all that dark eye makeup and tangles of Edward Scissorhand hair, their hearts are little balls of sunshine. I couldn't post the official video, but this one will do nicely.

 

10. "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen

Quite simply the greatest song written by the greatest rock star who ever lived and performed by the greatest rock band ever assembled.

Oscar Night Post-Mortem

Well, I had a pretty good Oscar night!  I correctly picked 15 out of 19, which is a 79% success rate.  Here's how it turned out (I've asterisked my correct picks):


Best Picture: The Artist*
Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist*
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist*
Best Actress: Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners*
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help*
Best Original Screenplay: Midnight In Paris*
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants*
Best Editing: The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Best Cinematography: Hugo
Best Score: The Artist*
Best Song: "Man or Muppet" The Muppets*
Best Art Direction: Hugo*
Best Costumes: The Artist*
Best Makeup: The Iron Lady*
Best Sound: Hugo*
Best Sound Editing: Hugo*
Best Visual Effects: Hugo
Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation*


I didn't pick the Short Film, Documentary, or Animated Feature categories, but here's who won:


Documentary Feature: Undefeated
Documentary Short: Saving Face
Live Action Short: The Shore

Animated Short: The Fantastic Flying books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
Animated Feature: Rango


I probably could have picked Rango, but all the others would have ruined my average. I dodged a bullet there.


It was a good show - Billy Crystal never disappoints and it moved quick.  Tributes and montages were kept to a minimum, there were no musical performances, and the thing Cirque Du Soleil was entertaining.  It was a lean, entertaining show. I had fun this year, even without writing a series of long blog posts. I can't wait for next year's Oscar season where, no doubt, I will be rooting for The Hobbit.
 

Oscars 2012

Oscar Night is my favorite holiday of the year and I usually celebrate online by writing in-depth reviews of the Best Picture nominees and explaining my picks in exacting detail here on the blog.  A lot of work and thought goes into the process ever year, but I've had this conversation too many times:

Friend: "So what do you think of the Oscars this year, Doug?"

Me: "I've been publishing all of my opinions and picks online for the last month. Haven't you been reading my blog?"

Friend: "No."

As much as I love writing them, the exhaustive string of blog posts just doesn't get read and all anyone really wants to hear about is who is going to win.  So here are my final picks for this year's Academy Awards:

Best Picture: The Artist
Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best Actress: Viola Davis, The Help
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Original Screenplay: Midnight In Paris
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants
Best Editing: The Artist
Best Cinematography: Tree of Life
Best Score: The Artist
Best Song: "Man or Muppet" The Muppets
Best Art Direction: Hugo
Best Costumes: The Artist
Best Makeup: The Iron Lady
Best Sound: Hugo
Best Sound Editing: Hugo

Best Visual Effects: Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation


As always, I don't pick documentaries or short films, because I don't get to see most of them during the year and can't make an informed decision. This year, the same goes for Animated Feature, a category which features two films that have yet to get wide release and (for the first time since the category was established) no Pixar entry. I feel surest about the Actresses, least secure about the technical awards, and am pretty sure that The Artist will charm its way to the top spot and receive five other awards, but not Best Original Screenplay. The movie with the most nominations, Hugo, is also a marketing nightmare and will walk away with a respectable three statuettes.

Several prognosticators predict a win for George Clooney, but I think Jean Dujardin will be named Best Actor. The closest we have to a lock this year is Christopher Plummer for Supporting Actor.

I'm making some pretty daring picks this year in other categories. The visuals in Hugo blew me away, but I think Tree of Life's artistic camera work will impress voters more and will win the Cinematography prize. Harry Potter 7b was last year's highest-grossing movie, but I'm predicting that Planet of the Apes will best it for Visual Effects and The Iron Lady's prestige will vault it ahead of Potter for Best Makeup. I usually don't pick a Foreign Language film, but I'm taking a guarded chance this year with Iran's A Separation, which is the clear favorite.

We can all see how my predictions pan out on Sunday, February 26. Tune in to ABC at 7pm EST for the red carpet (or E! will have coverage all day if you want an early start).