Corey replies: Thanks, Molly!

I wonder if the insistence that the chorus develops explains some of your doubts about the ending. The rit. abruptly defuses the nervousness of the rhythm, but the lyrics suggest that there’s no quick fix for the problem. Could be a nice tension there, but I’m with Trevor in thinking that there’s something not quite clicking in the current incarnation.

Corey replies: Thanks, Lanier. I really like the 3/8 breaks, if I do say so myself! Yes, I think the ending should probably be changed, but it would also be nice not to end triumphantly.

The E-G-D triple stops are also problematic. Are you wanting the cellist to try to play all three strings simultaneously? I know some books say it can be done, but in my opinion the amount of pressure necessary and its unpredictability mean it should only be used as a special effect. If you want the cellist to roll it, I prefer actually notating it as the two bottom notes (E-G) as grace notes slurred into the top two notes (G-D). That’s kind of a personal peccadillo though.

The vocal line doesn’t bother me at all.

Why piccolo? Are you wanting a thinner sound?

Corey replies: I don’t think the third note in the triple-stop will be missed. Too bad I can’t do my natural-harmonic + artificial harmonic + natural harmonic + artificial harmonic quadruple stop!

At some point I had a reason for choosing piccolo, but now that you mention it… I suppose I could use flute instead. But the piccolo does sort of function as a shadow instrument, so to speak. So maybe the thin sound will work better. Hmm…

Also, something that hasn’t bothered me on any one song but I can see as being bothersome when stretched out over a whole suite (so don’t take this as a commentary on this particular song so much as a sort of meta-commentary that had to be put somewhere un-meta), is the way the instruments are used fairly similarly song to song. Strings are arco, lots of woodwind turns, left hand block piano chords, no score directions for tone changes (pont, tasto, &c), things like that.

I know you’re good about thinking about sounds from your signature electro-pop efforts. Just think about like during the NOW Ensemble concert you had at LPR, it was v. effective when Darcy and Nick had their own arrangements, as it colored the overall sound world in a noticeably different and interesting way. Just something to think about.

Corey replies: Definitely something to think about and address. The danger with working in such small nuggets (songs) is that I might lose track of the overall trajectory of the piece. Usually I address this after the songs are all complete, and go back and make revisions, or even drastic changes. I understand the need to treat the humans like humans, not compooooters. Something to address in rehearsals with the players.

And, yes, I was having doubts about the ending of this song. Thanks for mentioning your take on that.

Corey replies: But drinking is the only way to cope with acne!

Corey replies: Thanks, Bill. Mr. Bojangles has plenty of songs that I sing to him every day. I don’t think he wants a song about his acne out in the world…