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Topic: My Spanish Steel CD is now available |
Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 9 Aug 2008 8:37 pm |
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I'm happy to announce that after a series of delays, my Spanish Steel CD is finally available, or at least will be in 2 days.
The CD contains 5 pieces. It starts off with Manuel de Falla's "El Amor Brujo" ballet suite. this 22 minute suite consists of 11 short pieces, and while collectively they form one piece of music, some of them, the part knows as the Ritual Fire Dance in particular, are often played by themselves without the rest of the suite. (Note I called all the segments by their Spanish names.)
The 2nd piece is named "Asturias" but is also sometimes called "Leyenda." I don't know why. This piece by Isaac Albéniz has become a staple of the classical guitar repetoire. Rock and roll fans will recognize it as the opening theme from the song "Spanish Caravan" by the Doors.
Because the guitar is so important in Spanish music, the next piece gives the guitar and steel equal prominence. This is the 3rd movement of Joaquin Rodrtigo's "Conceirto (yes that is the correct spelling) Andeluz for four guitars. I played the guitar parts on guitars, as written, and used the steel to cover the brass and woodwind parts. Every time the guitars play a theme, the steels repeat it.
Rodrigo's hauntingly beautiful Conceirto de Aranjuez is so popular, that it has overshadowed his other compositions. This is one of his least known works. It is also in my opinion, one of his best.
The next piece is from Peru rather than Spain, but I learned it from a Sabicas record, so I guess I get a pass on that. it's called "Fantasia Inca" and was written by a man named J.M. Oyanguren. For some reason, all of Oyanguren's music seems to have disappeared. Normally I use a combination of sheet music and my imagination to come up with my arrangements, This time I was unable to find not just the music to this piece, but of any of Oyanguren's works. Moreover, I had some friends search the nations college and university music libraries nationwide, and nobody found even a single example of his music. This is the first time I ever recorded a pice of music with no written guide whatsoever. BTW this track is just steel and percussion. There are multiple steel tracks, but no guitar or bass.
Finally, the 15 minute "Capriccio Espagnol" by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. This was a mammoth production requiring 109 tracks at one point.
I think this is the happiest, most joyful piece of music I have ever heard. It just makes me smile every time I hear it.
Everybody who has heard this CD says it's the best thing I've ever done. I'm too close to it to know whether or not that's true. I can say that it is the biggest production I've ever attempted, and that I'm pleased with the results.
Making this album took a tremendous amount of work, I hope it was worth the effort.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin
Last edited by Mike Perlowin on 15 Aug 2008 2:40 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 10 Aug 2008 1:02 am
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Where, and how much?  |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 10 Aug 2008 2:05 am
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| David Mason wrote: |
| Where, and how much? |
At the moment, the CD is only available from me directly. Soon it will be available from Amazon and CD baby and some other retailers as well, but that's going to take a month or 2 to get together. Scotty will also be selling them at the convention.
b0b is not accepting any new CDs for sale so unless he will make an exception for this one it won't be available through the forum.
The price for forumites is 15 bucks. It will be 20 on the regular commercial online services.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Jody Sanders
From:
Magnolia,Texas, R.I.P.
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Posted 10 Aug 2008 7:15 pm
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| Bump for Mike. Jody. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 15 Aug 2008 1:03 pm
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b0b has agreed to carry the CD in the forum catalog. He is not accepting new CDs but is making an exception for this one because he is already selling my others.
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Susan Alcorn (deceased)
From:
Baltimore, MD, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2008 10:27 am
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Congratulations, Mike, on the release of your new album -- a monumental, and very musical, effort on your part that I hope will pay off with much success. I agree with those who say this is your best work.
My favorite pieces are the "Fantasía Inca" and "El Amor Brujo". |
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Roy Ayres
From:
Riverview, Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 19 Aug 2008 10:36 am
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I have a copy of Mike's Spanish Steel, and just finished listening to it all the way through. I would not have believed a steel guitar could have created such an authentic sound on musical works written primarily for the Spanish guitar. Every steel guitarist should have a copy, even if classical and Spanish music is not your bag. It's worth the price just to have around to play for the next person who calls our beloved instrument "hillbilly."
In my mind, it is highly doubtful that any other steel guitarist will come along who has the natural talent, knowledge of music and old-fashioned tenacity and patience to put together such an amazing album.
My copy will go on the same shelf with my vinyls of Andres Segovia and John Williams.
_________________
Pioneers of Western Swing HOF, Seattle 2005
Western Swing Music HOF, Sacramento 2006
International Steel Guitar HOF, St.Louis 2007
Visit my Web Site at RoysFootprints.com
Browse my Photo Album and be sure to sign my Guest Book. |
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