I. Twelve years of symphony
composition has revealed never before known or
realized facts about Beethoven's, Tchaikovsky's or
Mozart's incredible accomplishments! For most of us,
their works come from an earlier century, far and
away from today. The cost of composing is
surprisingly minimal. The time in hours, days and
years is unbelievable. Our dollars expended for the
performance and production of two CDs will exceed
$100,000.
While creative artistry seldom is paid
for time required for the "work of art", it is a highly
ponderable question as to the value of a composer's
time in developing a symphony. One CD will typically
require more than two years of preparation or
composition time and dedication. Two CDs; nearly
four years of devotion.
Twelve years ago, as I began my first
of nine symphonies, one could not anticipate or even
imagine what the labor of love, requirements or
devotion would be. One did not dare to imagine the
cost of production.
Having completed the creative works
required for the production two CDs we could
reasonably project a cost of over $200,000.,
including a nominal remuneration for the composer's
time. We begin to understand why the magnificent
music of Stravinsky is so much more expensive than
the music of Beethoven or Mozart, from previous
centuries.
A 20th Century composer of
symphonies does not come from a previous century.
Such a composer must contend with two hundred
years of inflation and the absence of benefactors,
kings and queens or others who in previous centuries
made possible the presentation of the classical music
we hear today.
Contemporary compositions range
from a romantic paradigm to neo-classical. From
other composers, I hear beautiful music composed in
the 20th Century. That amazing fact brings me to the
conclusion of this article. Both conductors and the
media must be alert and qualified to discern beautiful
music from the 20th or 21st Century. If I placed
before you the architectural drawings for a fifty or
sixty story office building, you would be breathless
and amazed at the work required. If I handed you a
voluminous conductors score and all instrumental
parts scores for a four part symphony, I can assure
you that you would have the same reaction. You
would know the music to have not the redundancy of
the architectural drawings from floor to floor.
Each "room and floor" would be vastly different in the
composer's scores; intrinsically different. Which
brings me to the closing statement.
There are no words to explain nor time
to tell the immense labor of love required to produce
or compose a symphony. It is beyond one's
imagination. And that is the problem, precisely. There
are very few conductors or members of the media
who know the reality of what we are speaking about.
Perhaps this article will bring light to a very dimly lit
subject which seems to elicit thoughts of "long ago".
It was my respect for Tchaikovsky that brought me
to a career in composing that has endured for twelve
years and the production of nine symphonies.
Personally, from my position as a composer, I fondly
hope Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Mozart will greet
me in Paradise with a handshake and smile while
saying "Well done!"
Englefield Symphonies
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Interesting Quick Links...
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Many people think of symphony as eminating from
a previous century. A composition composed in this
century has a very fascinating, nearly unbelievable
story to tell. You will be surprised at what
follows:
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II. An Inspiration Spawns A Majestic
Symphonic Poem - "A Sail at Sea" -
From the composer's edifying
autobiography "Englefields
Enchanted Encore"-I learned a great deal
from the voyage. As I climbed onto my bunk and
relaxed, I pondered my first sailing experience. I could
not know at that time but sailing was to be a rather
large part of my life in the years to come. I would
eventually own two sailboats and sail in the Gulf of
Mexico; later on Lake Lanier a beautiful lake
approximately 40 miles from Atlanta, Ga.
Sailing was different than I expected. It was also far
more wonderful than I ever dreamed. After 34 years
of hustle and bustle, meeting deadlines, pressure
packed days, the exactitude required of engineering
surveys, commuting and working in a New York office
for ten years I was amazed that, at long last, there
was no reason to be in a hurry. The magnificent
billowing sails were carrying us at the pace of the
wind.
The currents were strong, thus the knowledge of
heading was vitally important. Maps had to be
studied which showed the currents direction and
magnitude. Sailing required a most excellent degree
of planning. Decisions were consistently required
when making passage through the channels when
either heading out or on return. Sails had to be raised
at the correct time, usually when free of the inlet or
channel; similarly lowered when approaching land.
One could not tack in the direction of land or jetties
and often we motored to a safe and open place
before going under sail. Wind directions would change
and therefore our tack (heading) would change to
benefit from the wind direction. Our course had to be
plotted and adjusted periodically. On our voyage we
fortunately did not experience "dead calm" but one
can imagine the peaceful serenity of such an
experience. In contrast, a ten-twelve knot wind
usually accompanied by large waves can make the
boat heave to such that the wake and lurches can
make one think the speed is by far much greater. We
experienced such winds occasionally and this sailor
held on quite securely until becoming accustomed to
the exciting thrusts.
Thereafter, I loved every minute
of the challenging adventure; the breeze, spray mist
of salt water and the head-clearing aroma of salt in
the air. I knew with certainty I would sail again in the
future. There was something about cruising
inexpensively, with the wind at your back, to far off
places with huge billowing sails overhead that was
captivating beyond belief. I began to dream of far
off places.
Twenty years later, I composed A Sail at Sea,
a majestic symphonic poem performed and recorded
by the London Symphony Orchestra. London was one
of many far off places I had not dreamed of, at the
time. Sailing and symphony has indeed taken me to
many far off places.
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III. Englefield Avails Lively Twelve Piano Sonata Collection |
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New Classics Productions has recently
published Richard Englefield's Twelve Piano Sonata
Collection. Spanning 12 years, the repertoire
includes piano arrangements from his symphonic
poems, his Concerto for Violin, Viola, Piano and
Orchestra and a piano concerto movemnet
(Winter Nights). from his Winterland
Symphonic Suite. Op. No. 2 Streaming samples of
the sonatas are available at the Englefield
Symphonies web site. A printout is also available of
the opening page score of his smooth and delightful
Piano Sonata No. 12.
Other News: Composer Richard Englefield
formerly published a newspaper and has written many
editorial columns before turning to symphony
composition. Having composed his ninth and possibly
his final symphony, he has launched an Editorial
Column on the web that is drawing a crowd in very
large numbers. Mr. Englefield writes on many and
varied subjects from politics to music and even
delightful stories about his Dalmatian and Golden
Retriever. His Editorial Journal has been read by
nearly 3,000 visitors. The popular and very
interesting editorials may be viewed at
the "Interesting Quick Links" at the left of
this page.
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Englefield Symphonies |
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