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 AllenMar 14, 2019Good writers write...alwaysI retired from a 30+ year professional playing career in May 2018. Retire is a funny word because I hardly feel retired. Since before...
Michael AllenMar 14, 2019One on a part follow upI'm working on a large brass ensemble transcription (gasp) of highlights from a Puccini opera. I always immensely enjoyed playing...
Michael AllenSep 23, 2018Another possible approachI might have tried to transcribe something as awesome as the first movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony decades ago - I might have even...
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.