Hello, fellow MIDI musicians. In this archive, you should have the following files: Divert_1.MID gesualdo.MID greatlove.MID Silver_Swan.MID UbiCaritas.MID Divert_1.ALL gesualdo.ALL greatlove.ALL Silver_Swan.ALL UbiCaritas.ALL The .MID files, obviously, are meant for anyone who wants to use a MIDI application that supports the generic .MID format (.MID1 to be precise.. these are multiple-track files). The .ALL files are meant for those using Dr. T's KCS. I've been a fairly dedicated user of the Dr. T line of products. It's really quite a pity they have given up on the Amiga market. It would seem to suggest that, perhaps, as a batch of users, we are not prone to pay for decent programs, because I KNOW there are tons of Amiga musicians out there, and Dr. T's KCS is an excellent program, if a little cumbersome because of their assinine MS-DOS feel. When will a software company learn to stick to a system's specifications, and USE WHAT IS AVAILABLE!? But enough bitter woe concerning the Amiga and Commodore's astrological approach to marketing. These files represent a bit of work that I've put in over time for some excellent music that will culturally stimulate your mind, if it doesn't put you to sleep. Contrary to popular belief, not ALL Americans are culturally illiterate. Those who are are not always as sarcastic as I am, either. * Divert_1.MID : Mozart's "Divertimento #1" for Strings. You should recognize it. It represents perhaps the most work I've put into a MID file. It is huge. It will eat your mother. Unfortunately, I consider it unfinished, as I couldn't put in all the repeats (for which you should thank me), and various other details I like to commit to MID files were left undone (dynamics, phrasing, etc). My apologies for the slop job, but I didn't get to keep the music I was borrowing long enough to finish these details. Perhaps another time I'll finish it, or perhaps someone else will do the detail work. * gesualdo.MID : Carlo Gesualdo's "Morro Lasso Al Mio Duolo" for voices. In this case, however, I'd suggest using a nice pipe-organ. Unfortunately, you will miss every bit of text-painting that you would otherwise have, but at least you can listen to the beautiful (if bizarre) chordwork he didn't use. I say that he didn't use it, because he wrote this madrigal in 1611, when composers didn't use functional harmony. Gesualdo was definately before his time. Be advised: if you cheat on your husband while listening to this song, you and your lover will be killed, and your naked bodies left on your husband's front porch. This is some powerful music. Unfortunately, I have not yet put in phrasings in this piece. * greatlove.MID : "No Greater Love Hath Man" for organ and voices. For the most part, I've been extremely careful to stick to the music on this piece, however, I've made the mistake of not making the organ's pedals staccato in various parts throughout the music (the music calls for staccato, but again, I didn't get to it before I had to return the music). I've mapped the voices for strings on a Yamaha TG-33, and the solo voices are set for individual instruments.. you may wish to edit them to your own tastes and instrumentation. Phrases, dynamics, tempo, and all kinds of other nonsense have been painstakingly attended to in order to make up for the lack of staccato in the pedals. If you don't enjoy this piece of music, get better equipment. I apologize for forgetting the composor's name. * Silver_Swan.MID : "The Silver Swan" for voices. I would suggest using a very nice, ethericalish (note: newly created word.. I claim credit for this one) instrument for this.. or experiment a little with your own tastes. This is a beautiful madrigal that should be sung to be fully appreciated.. but you'll have to do with this .MID file instead. I've taken pains to put crescendoes and decrescendoes in strategic places, although I don't think I was careful about phrasing. Again, I forgot the composor's name. * UbiCaritas.MID : Durofle`'s "Ubi Caritas et Amor" for voices. Once more, a soft, ethericalish instrument would probably apply to this work. I programmed it EXACTLY as the score would have a group perform it.. although, personally, I feel it should be taken slower. This is a sacred work, full of reverence and awe of God.. enough to make an atheist become Christian. The work is based on a Gregorian chant, but the chord progressions and voice leading adds a new dimension to a wondrous work. This five part sacred work blew me away when our little church choir sang it for the congregation; it is truly an amazing work of art. I have taken great pains to include phrasings, dynamics, and temp changes. If one has trouble with the .MID format generated by Dr. T's, please don't blame me. I understand they do some very naughty things to the format, and it may not work quite as well as it should, but it is the only way I have right now of generating .MID format files. This is why I've included the .ALL format, in case someone should find a program that can convert from the KCS .ALL format to .MID better than KCS can handle it, and for those individuals who happen to have KCS or MRS. For those who are wondering how I managed to create these files, I painstakingly typed in the information using DeluxeMusic Construction Set (which will NEVER be improved.. since Electronic Arts doesn't feel it's worth their effort and time.. and the programmer who worked on the project ran out on them anyway), then saved the works in .SMUS format. I then used SMUS2MID to convert the files over to MID format, loaded them into KCS, and used Tiger to do the finer editing. In earlier days (that is, with Divert_1.MID) I loaded the file into The Copyist, went through all kinds of nasty hoopla and conversion thingamabobs, only to come up with a very nasty .ALL format file that had to be worked on with KCS (since Tiger didn't exist back then). For those wondering WHY I went to so much trouble to generate these files, I can only say that I'm not entirely sane. In at least two cases, I put the works in the computer for other people to hear, and so I could keep them on file for my own malevolent purposes. In a sense, I'm just expanding the audience from the single people who requested the work be done to all of you. I also have a sort of dream of being able to borrow bits of music information stored in .MID or .ALL format, and using them in other works of music.. maybe slightly altered or whatever. It'll probably never come to fruition, but it's nice to dream. If you would like the words to the madrigals, I can only suggest that you do a little research in the library. I didn't feel like typing out all the text (although it wouldn't take much time)... especially since most of the text would be lost in the translation, since you can't tell when what comes where without a score, and I don't have all the scores available to me anymore anyway. I will, however, type out the Latin to "Ubi Caritas" since I have most of it memorized anyway: Ubi caritas et amor, deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exultemus et in ipso, iucundemur. Timeamus et amemus deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. Ubi caritas et amor, deus ibi est. Amen. I apologize for any mispellings, but I memorized the sounds more than the spellings, and I'm still learning my Latin. Unfortunately, I can only translate some of the Latin, so if you are REALLY interested in the meaning, seek a Latin scholar more educated than I. My guess is the following: Where is there love and caring? God is here. We gather together in Christ's love. We worship, and in Him, we are purified. We fear and love the life of God. And from our hearts, we care (for our own?). Where is there love and caring? God is here. Amen. I'm asking for no money whatsoever for these works. All of them were written by men who are long since dead and buried (and busy de-composing now). I only offer them to the public, so they may share in some of the beautiful music I've had the opportunity to enjoy. I hope that more people will take pieces of music they find and enjoy, and carefully put them into .MID files for people like me to share. Any gripes, moans, or compliments can be directed to me at my E-mail address: jvanriper@uncavx.unca.edu Joseph E. Van Riper III (aka: Trey or Machine) Notes regarding the "performer:" Trey is working towards a BA in Music, emphasis on composition. He is only in his sophmore year, but is 25 years old. He spent five years in the US Army, originally as a journalist, and later as a bandsman playing euphonium. He spent two years in Japan. He is now singing in an Episcopal Choir, playing valve trombone in a jazz band, singing in a jazz choir in University of North Carolina, Asheville, and doing a very tiny bit of computer programming (C++) when he has the time. Future plans include writing some major compositions, learning more about audio engineering, finishing Quip 0.07 (a "fortune"-like program), and working in some creative field that will accept a hyperactive artist with decent music and computer experience. Bon Appetit!