[Fmpro] A piece I wrote based on The Odyssey

Fri Mar 28 17:33:03 GMT 2008

I just listened to your track and here is my two cents.  I think the idea of 
scoring to an imaginary movie is a good one; it's hard (make that 
impossible) to find  versions of films with everything but the music to 
practice on. (Maybe somebody on the list is aware of those; I would like to 
know myself.)

Since you are the composer and in a sense also the director of your 
imaginary movie, you have to ask yourself: if I were the director would I be 
happy with the score.  You see, you (the director) have just spent a lot of 
time and effort to give an authentic impression of Odysseus' time: props, 
costumes, and what not. I further assume that you (the director) have good 
taste and that it is not one of those Hollywood-like classical 
reinterpretations.

So the film has a really contemporary feel (contemporary with The Odyssey) 
and you (the director) want the music to match; you would like it to be 
unique.  So here is what struck me: your score has no elements that indicate 
that I am dealing with ancient Greece.  It doesn't have to sound like 
ancient Greek music (although it is worth listening to; there are some 
recordings out there), but I would like to give the impression that I'm 
dealing with a different world.  Of course, this all depends on the 
director: maybe he/she wants to place The Odyssey in the present time as 
some directors have done.

I hope this was helpful.

Job van Zuijlen

--------------------------------------------------
From: <caseyedwards at comcast.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 11:27
To: <fmpro at nxport.com>
Subject: Re: [Fmpro] A piece I wrote based on The Odyssey

> Oh, there is not .com at the very end...silly mistake.
>
> Myspace.com/CaseyEdwardsMusic.
>
> Sorry guys.
> -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: James Ryan <jeryan at optonline.net>
>> The address, Myspace.com/CaseyEdwardsMusic.com, doesn't appear to
>> work.  Should it be different or longer?
>>
>> J
>>
>>
>> On Mar 26, 2008, at 11:50 PM, caseyedwards at comcast.net wrote:
>>
>> > Hi all, I'm just looking for some constructive criticism on a recent
>> > piece I wrote for a college English course.  It was a "creative
>> > extra credit" assignment so I composed music based on The Odyssey,
>> > which we read this semester.
>> >
>> > The piece is at :      Myspace.com/CaseyEdwardsMusic.com
>> >
>> > NOTE:  I'm a student composer at a university that doesn't teach
>> > film composition, but I'm being classically trained, which I'm sure
>> > isn't to far off from what being a film COMPOSER is.  I know this
>> > board is comprised of many professionals but I'm interested in
>> > everyone's opinion.  I've never been given the opportunity to score
>> > to picture so I just make it up in my head the best I can.
>> >
>> > Also, here is a little time-line to follow if anyone is interested.
>> >
>> > I. The first movement is a basic introduction of themes outside of a
>> > plot line. The first 2 themes stand for the love of home and family,
>> > and then for love of Penelope (a more romantic love).
>> > 0:00 - 0:26 is the love for home
>> > 0:26 - 0:51 is the love for Penelope
>> > 0:51 - 1:15 is the love for home reprised, just on a grander scale.
>> > 1:15 - 1:28 is Odysseus' theme standing alone without harmony. I
>> > used percussion and a war like chant undertone to create a more
>> > 'manly' and heroic feel to his character for an introduction.
>> >
>> > II. 1:28 - 2:06 is where mvt 2 begins. It carries a dark and
>> > mysterious tone for all the creepy things that happen in the
>> > Odyssey. This particular theme represents Circe, much more
>> > mysterious than frightening.
>> >
>> > 2:06 - 2:56 is the underworld scene. The end of this scene is a
>> > frantic run out of the underworld when Odysseus feels suddenly
>> > overwhelmed by the spirits surrounding him.
>> >
>> > 2:56 - 3:40 is his grand escape. Despite the fact he does get
>> > frightened I wanted to depict his heroicness of being great no
>> > matter what is happening. So immediately after returning to the ship
>> > he gives orders and off they sail to Ithaca. Also, Odysseus' theme
>> > is brought back, but with an 'epic travel ahead of us' feel to it.
>> >
>> > III. 3:40 - 4:33 Fast forward later in the journey to Odysseus'
>> > arrival. He see's Ithaca's shores and is glad to be home. The love
>> > for home reprises here but without the romantic theme following
>> > because he cannot interact with Penelope just yet.
>> >
>> > 4:33 - 5:33 after a brief musical interruption in the love for home
>> > theme, Odysseus remembers what he must do now that he is home. Kick
>> > some suitor ass
>> > and he does. (The suitors are the guys who took over his home while
>> > he was away at Troy)
>> >
>> > 5:33 - 6:15 is the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus with some added
>> > flavor of a quote from King Priam in the mix.
>> >
>> > 6:15 - END is the third coming of Odysseus theme which cuts off the
>> > love theme kind of at its climax. We know his journey's are not over
>> > yet, so I felt ending with his theme felt more appropriate.
>> > _______________________________________________
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>>
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>

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