Two instrumental tracks from my CD

[Andrew Roussak]

Hi community,

here 2 instrumental tracks from my recent CD No Trespassing:

Prelude.mp3( originally Präludium c moll #2 from Das Wohltemperierte Klavier , J.S.Bach ) , here slightly arranged;

Wartime Chronicles.mp3 - the piece of my own.

The whole stuff is a little bit progressive. I played here keyboards / pianos etc. and made a whole lot of programming .The rest ( drums, git ) was played by the guest musicians.

I will appreciate any feedback .

Many thanks in advance,
Andrew
www.andrew-roussak.com

[Krummhorn]

These are wonderful tracks. Nice instrumentation and superbly done. Look forward to more compositions from you, Andrew.

[Jeffrey Hall]

Andrew,

Your control at the keyboard is superb. Great work in Wartime Chronicles at the texture shift at 2:06 and toward the end. (I now believe you could easily take Maple Leaf at 2:00! ) The whole thing is mixed beautifully, and you've got a long enough musical span for some really interesting developments. Good martial character throughout; lots of fun for your drummer no doubt. Quite the cataclysm with all the tritones near the end!

WTC 2 is a grand work. "Slightly arranged" indeed! I enjoy progressive arrangements like this one a great deal, so this one has made it into my MP3 folder!

Excellent work! Sorry I took so long to get back to MIMF and find it...

[Andrew Roussak]

Thank you, guys!!!

All the best
Andrew

[protos]

Andrew,

Listening to Wartime Chronicles at the moment. As a whole, I think this is a much stronger piece that Prelude. Given it is your own, I hope you'll take that as the compliment it is intended to be.

Now for the critical review (this is like going back to university....)

Effective opening: very dark and evocative and it leads into the guitar part convincingly. Strings could perhaps be stronger once the track gets fully underway.

Great harmonies and rhythmically interesting. Piano part is effective but a bit 4-square perhaps (i.e. make it slightly less predictable, or use melody to break up the pattern and surprise the listener, perhaps). I do, however, like the way it gradually builds up and up and the harmonies can't be faulted. The arrangements are interesting and varied and carry the piece throughout.

Overall, I guess some people have a bias towards melody or an improvisatory that is technically challenging. In a 'Wartime' piece your choices are probably justified, but some dark melodies over the building harmonies (particularly the part underpinned by piano parts) could be effective.

Your music does appear to err towards the latter (my own the former, perhaps). There is a place for both types and I've posted a new piece (called 'Travels' to get your feedback...)

Best wishes
Rory

[Andrew Roussak]

Hi Rory,

first of all thank you for your comments. That's what I call a friendly and constructive critic!!!

Prelude - your opinion is even more positive as you may think - there were and are many people who generally don't accept any "covers" of the classical music. I 've heard that some earlier reviews on ELP's famous remakes were rather killing. ( My opinion on the subject - all the greatest musical pieces were written long before we were born, and now they are ALL public domain . Let us guys use it!!! ).

Wartime Chronicles - yep, I agree with you. Cool idea (about the time variation) for the piano part! The only objection could be the following. When I'm listening to Rick Wakeman, I just enjoy the flow. And when I'm listening to, say, Gentle Giant or Dream Theather, I begin at once to analyse the structure - to count the beats etc., you know. These bands do have ( or did have ) a steady fan base, i.e. the people, who expect them to be that difficult. And how many non-musicians will have fun to do this, listening to my music? I still have no idea about it - it is my first solo project. I was just trying to take it into consideration and not to "overload" my pieces - i.e. to stay somehow "commercial", if you like. Maybe it's a wrong tactics...

Much thanks for your feedback anyway.

Now about The Travels - I've just listened to it and have to listen a couple more times to describe my impressions - so I will be there for you once again after a little while...

...and many greetings for now,
Andrew

[magic_production]

I Think I Realy Like It!
Keep Up The Good Work