Quest for my musical 'identity' / Period instruments

spotty

New member
So...I really like early music: medieval, rennaisance, etc.
But the pipe organ kind of grates on me after a while though. (at least the big pull out all stops sound). Harpsichord kind of gets to me after a while too.
So, really, what the heck is wrong with using different sounds than that to play early music. If I want to use a hammond organ or nice fat analogue synth sound to play that kind of music, what's wrong with that. I know this is hardly original, Wendy Carlos did it with 'Switched on Bach'. And I thought it was really cool. Of course I'm not talking about adding drums and such to Bach! But whats wrong with working to play it well on 'Modern instruments?'
I didn't like 'Switched on Bach II' at all. Seems to me she loaded the whole thing into a sequencer and tried to make it 'perfect' which just sterilized it into flat lifeless computer music.
And hey, I know to truely capture what the composer intended etc. its probably best to play on the instrument he/she composed for. But I'm just trying to have fun.
Thoughts?
 

rojo

(Ret)
Go for it, spotty. There`s no law against it. Think of all the music that has been written for one (or more) instruments, and then been transcribed for others. Sometimes the transcriptions work really well. (Other times not, but you won`t know until you try.)

Besides, Hammond organ is cool...

Btw, I think any sound has the possibility of becoming grating if you`ve heard it for too long a period of time. (Perhaps some more than others though.)

Have fun!
 

Andrew Roussak

New member
Well, spotty, I don't see any problem about it.

First of all, how could Bach write the music for any other instrument as clavicembalo ( I mean his piano works ) ? Would he prefer piano to a clavicembalo if he was only given an opportunity ? I believe, yes - Mozart did it anyway in his later period.

Yep, the baroque music played with viola d'amore sounds more authentic as when being played with the violin. But does it sound thus better? For me , not necessary.

If so, why not use Hammond or any other modern instrument playing classics? You are NOT talking about adding drums and such to Bach - and why not? I guess the whole buzz about the classical remakes is not about the wrong choice of instruments, but about bad interpretations. Never mind and do what you want.

best regards
Andrew
 

spotty

New member
Cool. As for the 'drums' I suppose an exception might be made for Emerson Lake and Palmer. It didn't always 'work' (in my opinion) but occaisionally with works like Tocatta, or Fanfare for the Common man, they made something that kinda works in its own right.

I have been trying all kinds of voices on my synth for older keyboard music and I'm having a great time with it!
 

Bawbee

New member
Name this percussion piece

Hi I have a unique percussion piece that I bought some years ago in an art exhibition in Santa Monica California. I’ve never been able to find anything on it would anybody hear have an idea of the name of my percussion piece please?

3302e2de-f9b6-49a9-8d6e-c3528c474956
 

Krummhorn

Administrator
Staff member
ADMINISTRATOR
Hi I have a unique percussion piece that I bought some years ago in an art exhibition in Santa Monica California. I’ve never been able to find anything on it would anybody hear have an idea of the name of my percussion piece please?

3302e2de-f9b6-49a9-8d6e-c3528c474956

Give us an example, sound clip, picture, something to go on, please.
 
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