Nelson Music» Brian J. Nelson – Composer

Vocalise CD featured recently on Kansas Public Radio

bjncomposer — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:20:44 +0000

Vocalise was featured on Kansas Public Radio as CD of the Week from 7/26-8/2 . The CD is available locally at Signs of Life Books and Beautiful Music and everywhere at iTunes, CD Baby & Amazon (see links below). A big congratulations to all the outstanding performers and others who worked to make this disk worthy of airplay on KPR:

Matthew Herren, cello; Ellen Bottorff, piano; Sharon O’Connell Campbell, mezzo soprano; Jason Parr, solo tenor; Tami Lee Hughes, violin; Ruth Kuefler, violin; Leigh Miller Munoz, bassoon.

Choir: Melanie Melcher Cuthbertson and Amy Waldron, sopranos; Paula Brekken and Leah Jenkins, altos; Jay Van Blaricum and Jason Parr, tenors; Brady Shepherd and Benjamin Winters, basses; Brian J. Nelson, director; Krista Lang Blackwood, producer.

Colin Mahoney, recording engineer; David Gnojek, graphic design; Ultra Entertainment, CD Replication

If you don’t already own a copy of Vocalise, register to win a free disc at the KPR website starting on Monday or purchase a copy through iTunes, CDBaby or Amazon (see links below).

Do take care and have a wonderful week!

Brian

Vocalise on iTunes (Digital download)

Vocalise on CD Baby (Physical CD or download)

Vocalise on Amazon (Physical CD or download)

Vocalise now available on iTunes!

bjncomposer — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:07:14 +0000

Vocalise now available on CDBaby!

bjncomposer — Tue, 25 May 2010 17:36:36 +0000

Click for a full description, samples and to purchase.

Why people hate atonal music

bjncomposer — Tue, 11 May 2010 21:13:40 +0000

Recently I read a very good article regarding atonal music and why it tend to be incomprehensible to many if not most people. You can read it here. Among other things, its very much a confirmation the wisdom of the authentic development of modern music as it has continued to be embodied in the Parisian & Russian branches of 20th century music moving forward (Ravel, Shostakovitch, Copland, Vaughan Williams, etc.). This as opposed to the 2nd Viennese School and its successors (Schoenberg, Berg, Boulez, Carter, etc.).

The basic thesis of the article and the research upon which it is based is this: The mind seeks patterns in music and takes pleasure from successfully predicting these patterns. The great music of past ages fulfilled this desire for patterns very beautifully (although by no means pandering, indeed delightfully thwarting expectations many times, only to fulfill them later). Atonal music, however, deliberately thwarts this desire for patterns and thus frustrates the brain.

This also gets me thinking about the moral and relational aspects of being a composer. That is, there is also in all of this an aspect of love and respect for the listener that the composer ought to have. So much of what I sense from Schoenberg and his descendants (both in their writings and especially in their music) is disdain for the listener, summed up in the pithy, slightly horrifying title of Babbitt’s (in)famous essay “Who cares if you listen?” (an editor’s title, admittedly, but apt for the content of the piece).

Can you imagine such a sentiment from Vaughan Williams, Barber, or even Shostakovitch? To love and respect the listener is not to pander, but to elevate and ennoble; to, with God’s help, offer something for the nourishment of the soul and, if this research is sound (pardon the pun), for the body as well, by way of the brain soothed by patterns found and enjoyed.

All this being said, the listener also needs to be more active than simply waiting to be entertained. A constant diet of pop, rock and movie music quickly leads to a dulled musical-aesthetic sensibility. The result is not really being capable of enjoying even the best tonal classical music absent a lack of constant stimulation.

Food for thought for composer and audience alike.

Brian J. Nelson - Composer

Recent Reviews of Responsorial Psalms CD

bjncomposer — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 20:51:57 +0000

Here are links to two reviews of Responsorial Psalms for Advent and Christmas CD:

http://www.gvonline.net/reviews-cd.html#nelson-advent

http://www.faitharts.ie/cdreviews.html

Click below to hear samples and purchase:

bjncomposer — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:52:37 +0000

Recent concert write up in University Daily Kansan

March 7 Concert Acknowledgements

bjncomposer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:13:36 +0000

Hi Friends, I saw belatedly that my acknowledgements page for the March 7 concert program was left off somewhere during the printing process. Here it is (including the remaining personnel of the KU Chamber choir which were also cut off). To all those who sang, played or otherwise helped with this event, I thank you profusely!

Peace,

Brian N.

====

Tenors

Ryan H. Fox, Justin Kelly, Jeremy Manternach, Brent L. Stull, Harry Swartz, Tobias Wright

Basses

Michael Austin, Joe Bearden, Christopher Bohling, Chris Krampe, Casey Williams

Thanks To: James Barnes, Kip Haaheim, Deron McGee, Charles Freeman, Michael Murray, Forrest Pierce, Michael Podrebarac, Fr. Steve Beseau, Colin Mahoney, Lisa Neher, Jason Cress, Laura Mckorkill, Grace DelNero, Mary Ackerly, Charlotte Ostermann, Maureen Brogren, Erin Curtis-Dierks, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center Mikell Burr Lapin and SAI Lawrence for the reception. This concert is presented in partial fulfillment of the Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Composition at the University of Kansas. BJN

Vocalise CD Available Here!

bjncomposer — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 14:02:59 +0000

Vocalise – Instrumental and Vocal Music of Brian J. Nelson

Listen to a sample below!

Vocalise for Solo Cello

Matthew Herren, violoncello

Psalm 100

Sopranos: Melanie Melcher Cuthbertson, Amy Waldron

Altos: Paula Brekken, Leah Jenkins,

Tenors: Jay Van Blaricum, Jason Parr,

Basses: Brady Shepherd, Ben Winters

Brian J. Nelson, Director

Vocalise CD Availability Update

bjncomposer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 17:06:59 +0000

Hi All,

My new CD is available at Signs of Life in Lawrence as promised. However, I’m having some technical issues with my website/Paypal link. Hopefully by Thursday, March 11.

Thanks for your patience!