I hired half the Cape Cod Symphony to record some 15 pieces of mine, most under 5 minutes. It was one hell of a period, I was working round the clock to send each musician corrections to everything, it seemed. Some of it was computer idiocy, the rest was mine. Then there was this long month where I paced and twiddled my thumbs while the groups practiced. Next was the day we recorded at the Cultural Center of Cape Cod.
Beautiful place, lousy sound and piano, but we didn't know, it just worked out that way. The recordist moved everyone into an el where the ceilings were lower therby giving him and the instruments some containment. It sounded better. I mostly stayed in the green room, my copd had me breathing like a train.
Some of the pieces are just plain trash, some are acceptable and maybe next year I'll even think they are good. When I hear my own work for the first time I simply loath it. Since I know this, I pass no real jugement. I wait.
But out of this near miss came Roxana, the pianist, wanting to play a concertwith only my piano music!!! Was I surprized? You bet. This is a first. I'm terribly pleased. October 27, a Sunday, I have them putting up the tables and chairs, I'm bringing a bunch of finger food and drink to augment the Center's own spred. Relax, even Bartok can sound calm in such an astmosphere. My music ought to be fine. I am going to just sit and listen, I've never had that pleasure, I'm using handling tickets, or unrapping food or something.