It is rather dramatic music, with a combination of traditional and non traditional
instruments. Middle Eastern Rhythms, and modes, but influences of Classical,
Rock and Roll, and Jazz. The compositions are arranged on the recording more
or less as Suites - with several pieces arranged to provide a dancer the opportunity
for contrast in a performance.
The “Carmen Suite” (opus 2) uses themes from Bizet’s opera
“Carmen” in the style of a Middle Eastern orchestra, including the
Habenera, famous for it’s “Gypsy”
dancer on a table with a rose clutched in her teeth. Aragonaise
begins and Danse Bohemienne ends, both fast exciting
pieces. After Habenera the music sneaks into the famous March of
the Toreadors theme, like an Egyptian Festival street parade.
Toreador Song is a smoky nightclub with Fez-adorned
musicians, which slips into Tanbor y Guitarra- an
afterhours Flamenco drum solo with guitar.
Following the first six pieces from the “Carmen Suite” are the pieces
of opus 1 including Seven/Eight a dancer's vague and
distorted recollection of the music he has danced to, from an over-the-top parody
of a Greek belly dance band (on steroids, with orchestra)- 15/8, to a heartfelt
tribute to simple yet emotionally poignant music, with many twists in between.
Though having some sort of common thread throughout, the individual compositions
are quite diverse.
The essential components of the traditional cabaret dance form of Fast - Slow
- Drum Solo (with additional fast and slow thrown in at various places- but
generally alternating) may provide a structure upon which an art form hangs,
somewhat like in European classical music sonata or concerto or Rondo form (it
was originally Rondo a la Turk, was it not?). Then again Egyptian dance music
has sudden changes of tempo and meter occurring rapidly in one piece of music
-- for that listen to Quasi Satur-- which, because
it is substantially medium-fast, and then is followed by a slow lyrical bolero,
and, serving the place of drum solo, then a drum/instrument duet (Sitar/Dum
Duet (actually a trio, but who’s counting? (can you expect
musicians to count?) Certainly not whoever dropped the 4th beat of a bar, every
4 bars, most of the time, in 15/8!)). Those pieces are followed by the fast
15/8 (which may not be like you know 15/8 meter to be, aside from the fact the
piece randomly changes meter to suit the melody-- just keep dancing!), then
comes a subsequent slow piece then drum solo, which makes a flexible assortment
of pieces, i.e. a 3-part dance Fast/Slow/DrumDuet; or a 5-part dance Fast/Slow/DumDuet/Fast
(ethnic odd-metered rhythm for variety) /Slow, with a drum solo available to
finish; or just use the last three pieces - 15/8, slow piece, and drum solo
- for a different dance routine.
Experiments in Araby (opus 1) consists
of the following compositions:
Seven/eight = (3:26) Fast, with
dramatic breaks, cheesy keyboards, power guitars,
Slow Beledi = (3:12) Power Guitars and lyrical Nyes= dramatic
Deep Dumbek =(0:54) Deeper than your average drum solo-listen on big speakers
Two/Four = (3:01) Dramatic slow intro, into fast with an ethereal bridge
DulcChifti =(6:03) Slow Hypnotic electrotribal- turns computer mice into snakes
Drum Solo = Big finish
Quasi Santur =(3:57) Medium fast with dramatic stops and changes
Bolero = (4:25) Slow lyrical folkish - transforms to European Renaissance
Fifteen/eight = (3:58) Wild night (Fast) Greek Band with orchestra
Behind the Garden Walls = Like from a movie or ballet- has sections wistful and rousing (but slow drums)
Sitar Dum Duet = (3:17) Drum solo with sitar/violin
-fast then faster
The original "Dancer's Version" (1.01)had a slow hypnotic
Chifti Telli presented twice- in a long version and a short version, to provide
flexibility for a dancer wishing to use the music for performance. To make the
album less redundant, for listening to it straight through, another slow piece
now replaces the short version of Chifti Telli.
Much of the music has a cinematic quality to it. So make a movie dancing to
it and send it to me! If you need a special version of a piece for a performance
- if the performance is going to be seen by enough people, as my time allows
I may be able to shorten or lengthen, or take out some parts, even speed up
or slow down some pieces. If the performance is going to have a significantly
great audience, or world class dancers, I might consider composing specifically
for your choreographic requirements (I’ve been infatuated with the idea
of collaborating with a ballet company - or a group of dancers with comparable
skills and dedication in their field).
© 1987-2006 G. Olerich
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