music Music Is Magic - Naturematthe tries to compose

[Naturematthe 51]

Hallo, dear mlpforums users,

I have no idea if anyone here (except a few persons I have played roleplay with) knows my name yet, but if anyone does, he or she might know I am a composer and maybe even have listened to some of my pieces. This thread shall give users who don't know my music yet the opportunity to get to know it as well as giving a chance (especially, but not only) to people who know my music already to learn more about it. Every piece will gain an informational text that becomes more concrete and scientific over time, so readers that aren't much into music theories can just read like the first half of it and readers who are more familiar with that topic have a chance to find out even more.

I created one topic for all my music since thetre isn't really much I composed that really is related to MLP.

Most of my music comes closest to classic or romantic music, which means my style is a lot different from other brony musicians' ones. Just that you're warned

I am always happy to read constructively critic comments or answer your questions regarding any of the pieces of music.
 

Contents

1. Music not being related to MLP

1.1. 12 fugues for piano
-1.1.04 Fugue in E flat major
-1.1.05 Fugue in E minor
-1.1.07 Fugue in G flat major
-1.1.12 Fugue in B minor


2. Music with a loose connection to MLP

2.1. Music for "The Reason Why"
-2.1.01 Intro
-2.1.02 Reaching Ponyville
-2.1.03 Final Ceremony
-2.1.04 Outro

2.2. Music for MLP-based RPGs and scenarios
-2.2.01 Luna Republik

2.3. Fansong arrangements
-2.3.01 Anthropology


3. Music directly connected to MLP

3.1. Instrumental pieces using music from MLP
-3.1.01 Music Is Magic
-3.1.02 A Circle Of Friends - Arrangement for organ

3.2.Vocal pieces using music from MLP
-3.2.01 At The Gala - Cover (Piano and voice)

 

1. Music not being related to MLP

This category contains all music I composed before becoming a brony or without having any relation to MLP in mind. Sadly the list is incomplete as some old pieces got lost when my old laptop started working and I haven't had time yet to find them again.



1.1. 12 fugues for piano

I started the project named "12 fugues for piano on all pitches" quite a while ago already. As I use all twelve tones form the chromatic scale, the numbers for them are a little strange. A few fugues don't exist yet, so there are holes inbetween.
In music a fugue is a piece with a subject that first is introduced in all voices and is later being spread all over the fugue. The subject's melody or rythm can be slightly changed, or you reverse or even mirror it. The other voices are mostly independent from the subject playing.



1.1.04 Fugue in E flat major
Fugue in E flat major (SoundCloud)

This fugue's history is a quite interesting and strange one. I composed the first thirteen bars more than one year before I finished the piece because I wrote them down in a notebook I coincidentially found again one year later. The eventful and happy subject creates the basis for a serene and festive piece for piano. Around the middle of the piece a change in harmony from E falt major to C minor puts some tension into it, but the prevailing mood isn't really affected by that short paragraph.
Not long after the piece started, a second subject semms to be established, but right after it found its way through all three voices it vanishes again. Maybe it got angry when it bumped into its counterpoint, who knows?

Subject:

1.1.05 Fugue in E minor
Fugue in E minor (SoundCloud)

The contrast between this fugue and the one before is quite huge. The subject introduces itself slowly, even melancholic, this time starting in the lowest voice. After shortly rising in the beginning, the subject sinks again a little before stolidlyly climbing up one full octave without any real target ahead. When it seems to have reached a target tone, the next voice takes over and disquietingly pulls it further forward. Through all the piece this stolidness can be heard, but even the end isn't a real one. Even the short close-to-happy moment in the middle of the piece feels surreal and fake and doesn't stay long.

Subject:

1.1.07 Fuge in G flat major
Fugue in G flat major (SoundCloud)

The fugue in G flat major is kinda special, as actually it is two fugues in one. First one dancing subject is being established and presented in all voices before the second one debuts after a short point of rest. The first one dancingly moves in a quite narrow pitch range, the second one weightily starts on a low pitch before airly enjoying its freedom one octave higer. The second point of rest does not lead to a third subject, however.
The fugue is severely affected by long roulades pushing the piece forward, as if they wanted its happiness to never end.

Subjects:

1.1.12 Fugue in B minor
Fugue in B minor (SoundCloud)

The last one of the twelve fugues actually was the one I composed first of all when a friend asked me to write something for him to play.
It seems like this fugue's subject wants to tell us something, it tries to gain our attention. But it isn't curtain how to express what it wants to tell us. Not even the second voice is successful, and slowing the subject down doesn't help either. Later the voices start to overlap, they all want to tell the story, even if one voice isn't done yet. Will the end clarify what they wanted?

Subject:

2. Musik with a loose connection to MLP

This category contains music I composed with something MLP-related in mind that might not be visible on first glance as well as music that is based on other pieces of brony music.



2.1. Music for "The Reason Why"

"The Reason Why" is a scenario I created for a fan fiction. To point some settings up a little, I composed pieces of music for them.

About the scenario: Because of a virus all ponies start losing their powers - magic, physical strength, the ability to fly. Medicating already born ponies is impossible, and over time the ponies got unable to find the virus' origin. Because of that Celestia restarts a project she had cancelled years ago on moral grounds: cloned ponies growing into adults within a few weeks and then aging normally. They are supposed to rescue Equestria from going down.

Now the music.



2.1.01 Intro
The Reason Why: Intro (pony.fm)

A sad and depressing melody played by the harp is the first thing we hear, and like a heartbeat it stays through the whole piece. The French horn that follows shortly after joins the harp with a measured and slow melody that is defined by long notes. A violin soon repeats the horn's melody over a sound carpet coming from the string section, heightening the melancholy even more. Suddenly a change of events: The horns jump in like fanfares, the string section's sounds get stronger and stronger, a glockenspiel keeps the heart beating...


2.1.02 Reaching Ponyville
The Reason Why: Reaching Ponyville (pony.fm)

After a long and dangerous journey over the mountains of Canterlot the little group finally reaches their first destination: Ponyville. After all the stresses and strains, this place seems to fulfill their hopes and wishes. But the first ppearances are deceiving, the virsu threatens Ponyville as well. It is their first target though, even if the idyll they expected is hardly existant...
(The ending is provisional and may be edited.)


2.1.03 Final Ceremony
The Reason Why: Final Ceremony (pony.fm)

Our heroes successfully returned from theit mission and are dignified with a proper ceremony: The new instrument you can hear is named the "Queen of instruments" - which instrument would be even more dignified for such a celebration than the organ? A careful listener however can not miss that two of our characters are not really concentrating on the celebration. Since now everything has turned out well, they finally find some time for another...


2.1.04 Outro
The Reason Why: Outro (Pony.fm)

Harp, French horn and violin immediately take the intro on, but now everything sounds a lot more positive. The final ceremony also has a brief appearance before the intro's adaption is repeated. The piece ends with the main theme from the final ceremony.
All's well that ends well.



2.2. Music for MLP-based RPGs and scenarios

This categorie's title is loosely verbalised on purpose so a lot of uncertain pieces find a place here.



2.2.01 Luna Republik
Luna Republik remastered (pony.fm)

"Luna Republik" was written for a correspondent role play that is dictated by corruption, suffering, civil war and omnipresent fear. The piece of music has four parts, while the ending just refers to the beginning. First the string section starts off with melancholic harmonies, then a lonely flute plays a melody that reflects all the suffering caused by corruption and war. The first part permanently rises to a beseeching exclaimation, just before the world of Luna Republik shows an other side: the war and the omnipresent fear. Not many words are necessary to express the horror, but instead there is a change again... maybe there is something positive left?
A secluded melody draws a different image of this world, even though the apparent idyll in the middle of chaos does not survive long before being overtaken by suffering and the piece slowly vanishing into silence...



2.3. Fansong arrangements

Together with a fellow student who is singing I worked on a few fan songs - only for voice and piano. Not many words, here we go.



2.3.01 Anthropology
Anthropology (YouTube)

A song written by AwkwardMarina about Lyra Heartstring's faith in humans.




3. Music directly connected to MLP

This category contains all pieces of music and arrangements that are based on music from the series.



3.1. Instrumental pieces using music from MLP

Pieces of music without any vocals find their place here.



3.1.01 Music Is Magic (Finished)

Music Is Magic 2011-2014 (pony.fm)

"Music Is Magic" is a medley for classic orchestra that unites all songs from MLP Season 1 and 2. I could tell a lot about that, but I am afraid that would become too much text as Music Is Magic has a duration of 34 minutes. Just try to recognise all the songs!


3.1.02 A Circle Of Friends - Arrangement for organ
A Circle Of Friends - Arrangement for organ (YouTube)

Quite self-explanatory: I had the idea, tried it and eventually had someone record me. I even wrote down the sheets somewhen.



3.2.Vocal pieces using music from MLP



3.2.01 At The Gala - Cover (piano and voice)
At The Gala - Cover (YouTube)

My fellow student sung the vocals in this popular song from My Little Pony, but I also had to sing for the choir. (Of course this is not a live performance, since we had to sing the choir with two persons only.)

Edited May 19, 2014 by Naturematthe

[Naturematthe 51]

I know, it has been quite a while since I updated this thread, but I think it is time to do so.

 

A few weeks ago I finally finished Music Is Magic. If you read the last post, you know what I mean, and if not, you find everything up there or following this link:

https://pony.fm/tracks/2190-music-is-magic-2011-2014

 

 

(I also deleted the link to the old "Luna Republik" since it no longer exists.)