music Grim Tellings - An Orchestral Project

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,520]

https://pony.fm/tracks/1-grim-tellings

 

^ NEW! Listen to the track from Pony.fm!
 

Grim Tellings.mp3

Grim Tellings.flac

 

Although it is not directly related to MLP, I decided to publish the final version of Grim Tellings in Octavia's Hall seeing as it's full of nods to Daniel Ingram's and William Anderson's wonderful work on Friendship is Magic.

So, in case you missed the WIP thread, Grim Tellings is a piece of music I wrote for an English project. It's based on Shakespeare's play Macbeth, but has so many FiM references that it might as well be a piece of pony fan music. I hope you enjoy it.

I wrote up a short accompanying essay for the piece that explains its motifs and symbolism, which you can find within the spoiler.

Grim Tellings is a piece of music that aims to capture the essential elements of William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth in musical form. Key events from the play were chosen to represent larger, overarching themes in Shakespeare’s original work, and were abstracted into musical form. The music is written for a classical orchestra with the addition of several non-orchestral instruments – namely, three drum kits, two acoustic guitars, and a traditional church organ.

The first movement of Grim Tellings is based on the opening scenes of Macbeth. The development of the music from a carefree oboe solo to a cheerful “big band”-style section represents Macbeth’s almost childlike excitement when he becomes the thane of Cawdor, fulfilling the witches’ first prophecy. A fanfare follows, symbolizing Macbeth’s “moving up” in the world as he accepts and enjoys his new title. However, the witches’ next prophecy, predicting that he would become king, lingers in Macbeth’s mind and it isn’t long before greed begins to corrupt his once-innocent mind…

Macbeth’s thoughts gradually turn from primal lust to murderous intent as he plots to kill King Duncan. Egged on by his fearless wife, Macbeth hatches a plan to assassinate Duncan in his sleep during his visit to their residence. After the king goes to sleep, tension begins to build as Macbeth gathers his feelings together and takes his first victim’s life. The organ’s ominous, unmistakable timbre aurally illustrates the finality of Macbeth’s criminal act. A final, fleeing consideration to turn back to the “good” side comes in the form of a piano solo, but is quickly overpowered by darker plans for further murder as Macbeth takes Duncan’s place as king and accepts his new personality.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s people are not enjoying Macbeth’s tyrannical reign and begin meeting in secret to discuss ways to overthrow their new ruler and replace him with a better one. Leading the revolt is Malcolm, one of Duncan’s two sons. The situation escalates to the point where King Edward of England allows Malcolm to take his army back to Scotland to fight a full-scale war. The mounting intensity of the music matches the development of Malcolm’s efforts as he succeeds in driving Macbeth back to his castle. The orchestra suddenly goes silent, making way for a heated percussive solo through which Macbeth realizes his death is imminent and unavoidable despite his best efforts to circumvent fate. A final burst of sound erupts as Malcolm’s troops storm the castle and Macduff finally drives his sword into Macbeth’s heart.

 

Edited March 4, 2013 by Feld0
Added a Pony.fm embed.

[Nico 790]

You, sir, have just won. The entire forums.

 

Might I ask how you put this together? Finale, perhaps?

[Kurtiss 203]

Oh Celestia, those references. Beautiful work. :3

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,520]

You, sir, have just won. The entire forums.

 

Might I ask how you put this together? Finale, perhaps?

 

Yes, I used Finale 2011 to make it (posted a couple of screenshots in the WIP thread), along with a 32 GB library of instrument samples. Glad you like it, and thanks for posting a status about it.

[Nico 790]

Yes, I used Finale 2011 to make it (posted a couple of screenshots in the WIP thread), along with a 32 GB library of instrument samples. Glad you like it, and thanks for posting a status about it.

 

Yeesh, Finale 2011. The thought of that program scares me. I haven't used Finale since 2007, and I wasn't even good with it back then. XD

 

Excellent work, though. I posted a status about it because I really, really like it. It's fantastic and worth everyone listening to.

[Klopp 2,050]

Wonerfully done! You deserve about 30 A's for that one, and if you're teacher has the slightest bit of common sense you're gonna get 'em!

 

Are you gonna be making any more in the future? Cause if so I very much look forward to them

[FLARE 951]

Flare03 is now listening to Grim Tellings.

good work!

Edited November 16, 2011 by flare03

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

I absolutely love it <3

[Apple Bloom 2,915]

Great job! I could definitely hear part of the theme song and At the Gala in there. I'm afraid if I had been making it I would have went off into some kind of MLP medley or something.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,520]

Yeesh, Finale 2011. The thought of that program scares me. I haven't used Finale since 2007, and I wasn't even good with it back then. XD

 

Excellent work, though. I posted a status about it because I really, really like it. It's fantastic and worth everyone listening to.

 

My mother's a professional piano teacher. She took a course on Finale in university about 20 years ago, and passed what she learned on to me. The interface is a bit intimidating at first, but it's unbelievably powerful - there is nothing at all that my mother or I have run into that Finale couldn't pull off.

 

After I learned the basic ropes of the program, I went on to continue exploring it myself. Clicking through all its menus and experimenting with the options is fun, and I'm still discovering new things all the time. It's a wonderful software package, and the only reason it might scare you off is because it lets you tinker with everything.

 

Wonerfully done! You deserve about 30 A's for that one, and if you're teacher has the slightest bit of common sense you're gonna get 'em!

 

Are you gonna be making any more in the future? Cause if so I very much look forward to them

 

Yes, I do plan to write more music in the future, though due to my limited time, I cannot guarantee you'll see any more from me anytime soon. I was forced to rush Grim Tellings out from start to finish in just six days, which has honestly left me mentally exhausted.

[Jonke 3,742]

I knew the final result would turn out to be very good! ^^ Good work Twilight! (listening to it for the fifth time as we speak.)

 

*Like This pressed*

[Jeremy 128]

Hah! I can see it now. MacTwilight, the traitor of Queen Celestia. Awarded for her noble work of always submitting her reports, she becomes the Thane of Manehatten (already the Thane of Fillydelphia or something). Spike of course would take on the role of Lady Macbeth since he's always giving hindsight. Celestia has two royal guards that would be just like two Macbeth framed in the play after the murder. Maybe Luna would take on the role of Malcolm and flee after the murder of her sister. Banquo could be...hmm...Rarity? And Fleance could then be Sweetie Belle (I dunno, just trying to keep the families intact). Macduff and his family could become Applejack and her family. And I have no idea who the witches would be... maybe TGAP Trixie to start.

 

Eh, but I'm just spitting out nonsense - or the greatest fanfic of all time. Interesting instrumental you made though, heard a part of the intro theme about 3/4s in. Really awesome when you're good at using something you can take advantage of for school purposes.

[BizzarePony 199]

That was magnificent. I need not say more. I am totally amazed at your skill, feld0. Another item on the list of things that make you fantastic.

[Senn555 242]

VERY impressive work. Love it!

[Nico 790]

Ah, Grim Tellings. I dredged this up from the deep, unfathomable trenches of MLP Forums' search function after being reminded about it due to one of your blogs, and I have to say that I feel it's worth ripping out of the graveyard of buried posts now that this place is so much more popular just so that more ponies can listen to it. It's a simply fantastic piece, really. I'm still utterly amazed by your talents, Feld0, even more than a year later.