58 replies to this topic

[M. Dale Prins]

At least until Friday, when my handbell contest composition is done, and speaking of which, I need a title, by Friday, because that is when the contest is done, and speaking of which, I need a title. I am going for a post-WWII Soviet Bloc feel, and specifically I am trying to envoke workers in a socialist industrial plant needing to work quicker and quicker. (Think "Time, Forward!" -- the music underneath Maddin's "The Heart of the World" -- if you need a mental proxy.) My working title is "Faster, Comrades, to the Government-Run Steel Press!" or some very similar varation on that theme. I am sure someone here can do better.

Also, I need some ideas for percussion that sounds like an industrial plant but yet is readily available and cheap. Thank you. But only if you are the person who gives me the ideas.

Dale

[stu]

How about "Faster, Comrades, to the Government-Run Steel Press"? It just came to me. It's functional, if nothing else.

Or how about "Faster, Comrades, to the Socialist Steel Mill"?
Or, maybe this: "Faster to that there Steel Press, Comrades!"?
Or: "Comrades! Faster to the Socialist-Government-Run Steel Press/Mill!"
Better still: "Socialists! Comrades! Anyone! Faster to the "...etc

And finally:

"Read all about it: Government-Run-Steel-Press-In-Post-WWII-Handbell-Shocker!!!"







....sorry to be of no use

Edited by stu, 10 August 2004 - 12:52 PM.

[Clint M]

[SDG]

To some extent the variations on the first and second sentences in each version below could be mixed and matched, except the first variation of the first sentence does not go with the second variation of the second sentence.

Comrades, Faster! Increase Output!

Comrades, Haste! Faster the Steel Press!

Speed, Comrades! More Productivity to the People!

[M. Dale Prins]

Clint:

: Sounds like a Surfjan Stevens title.

Yes, because Stevens' songs often are titled like Soviet propaganda. Yay Sufjan.

: As for precussion... what about getting a couple of steel cans (the
: industral sized ones) and clanging some metal or steel pieces off of
: that?

Hmm. I may have to commandeer bell rehearsal tonight briefly to try this out.

SDG:

: Comrades, Haste! Faster the Steel Press!

That is currently the points leader, as it has both (a) slightly broken English and (b) the word "haste." However, I am not so confident that there is such a thing as a steel press, despite it figuring considerably in my original title. I will have to research this.

Dale

Edited by M. Dale Prins, 10 August 2004 - 01:27 PM.

[SDG]

[M. Dale Prins]

Somewhat more vaguely: "Comrades, Haste! Faster the Galvanneal Process!" Hmm.

Dale

[SDG]

Or maybe not! A deeper Google dive for "a steel press" turns up references to "condition-based maintenance on a steel press at Volvo in Olofström," "a UAW organizer and a steel press operator at the Dodge Main plant" who spoke no English, "A steel press that makes very cheap cooking pellets out of paper waste," "the remains of a body found in a steel press" in Bulgaria, etc.

So not only is there such a thing as a steel press, it is a global technology.

Your title question is solved. I look for Comrades, Haste! Faster the Steel Press! to appear on your IMDb.com page, and I expect an obscure credit line at the very end of the film.

[M. Dale Prins]

Yes. Except that this is a song. And songs are not generally allowed in the IMDB. And they do not generally have credits.

Do not cry too much. Perhaps I will dedicate one of the Mary songs I am handbell-arranging for GIA (on spec, but on the handbell editor's suggestion) to you. But probably instead to Kim.

Dale

[SDG]

Ah. I was over-interpreting the roundabout stylings of your opening graf. Well. But I think it is a good title, and you should make a movie to it anyway. You already have a score.

[Clint M]

[M. Dale Prins]

: I'd love to hear it when you are done.

I largely am -- or at least I better be, with the Friday deadline and all. I have a MIDI file which gives a vague notion of what's going on while not really giving the entire picture (there's no percussion, no bell techniques, dynamics and speed are kinda messed up, etc.).

: I had to take handbells in college for two semesters as part of my
: degree, and playing church anthems killed my interest in the
: instrument as a whole. (No offence, I hope.)

Hey, there's a lot of handbell stuff I don't like either. By becoming a handbell composer, I'm just trying to lessen that ratio.

Dale

Edited by M. Dale Prins, 11 August 2004 - 10:37 AM.

[Clint M]

So Dale, how was the final product?

(Liked the piece, BTW. I've listened to my friend's band/orchestra arrangements through MIDI, so I'm aware of how to fill in the proper sounds.)

[M. Dale Prins]

Nothing about the above contest entry yet -- I'll find out in about six weeks -- but I did receive contracts recently from GIA (the largest Catholic music publisher) for them to publish two of my handbell pieces: An original composition next summer, and an arrangement of "There is a Balm in Gilead" in probably early '06. Yay me.

Dale

[MattPage]

Congratulations - keep us posted.

Matt

[mrmando]

The bell tolls for someone else

[SDG]

Speaking of which, I thought of Dale (and would be surprised if Jeffrey didn't also) this past Sunday in Mass at the Church of the Good Shepherd in LA, where there was musical accompaniment by handbells, as well as (what sounded to me like) some rather accomplished vocalists.

[M. Dale Prins]

Mr. Mando:

: The bell tolls for someone else

People on my handbell discussion group out two or three eBay handbell sets every month that look suspicious, and I know at least a couple have turned into actual arrests or at least rightful-owner returns.

SDG:

: Keep Mass in Christmas.

Don't worry. I rarely lose any during the season.

Dale

[SDG]

grrrrrrrrr

(I shall let you get away with this, only because you actually do go to Mass.)

[M. Dale Prins]

In fact, I'm a faux Catholic virtually every Sunday, other than those I'm playing handbells at a Protestant church (once every month or two, and usually for two or three services those Sundays). I even make most Holy Days of Obligation, although I will admit I didn't attend the HDoO on Wednesday, since, you know, I don't actually believe in what the HDoO refers to. (Kim does, and she went.)

Dale