Michael AllenAug 10, 2019PaletteI'll admit that I'm a movie music nerd and a fan of the usual suspects (Williams, Horner, Howard, Zimmer, etc.). Some others on the less...
Michael AllenApr 3, 2019AtmosphereIn early 1914, Holst heard a performance of Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra. This seminal experience along with a suggestion from...
Michael AllenJul 29, 2018Color SeparationA single yellow bloom will really pop in a bush of red ones, even though they are all roses.
Michael AllenMar 18, 2018Texture 1 - Writing for the whole ensembleA while back, I wrote an entry called 4 Dimensional Texture where I identified 4 basic ways to group instruments in a large ensemble.
Michael AllenMar 9, 2018Breaking my own rulesI usually have three or four arranging projects on the front burners and many more unfinished projects in my "work in progress" file....
Michael AllenSep 24, 2017Farnaby's ConceitThe Fitzwilliam Virginal Book comprises nearly 300 works composed for keyboard by notable English court composers from the time of Queen...