J Joe Townley: Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor Opus 2

[J Joe Townley]

Cast in the late Romantic tradition of Rachmaninoff.

This is a video link to the orchestral score to follow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zf0_Jl_aM38

and this is a link to just an audio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLhzuCJ4LLQ

J Joe Townley

[Mark Thomas]

First impressions, Joe, are that it is very reminiscent of Rachmaninov, and brim full of melody. Being like Rachmaninov is not a criticism in my book, by the way, but it's fair to say that he's probably the most imitated of composers in the 20th century and, what with so much film music coming from the same sound world, I wonder whether it is individual enough to be noticed in the wider world. Of course, the electronic realisation makes it difficult to get a secure grasp on the orchestral sound. I don't mean that to be discouragement, you understand, but you did ask.

In any event, good luck!

[Alan Howe]

Well, I for one was captivated throughout - I listened through to it at one sitting and am full of admiration for anyone who can write such marvellously tuneful stuff in 2014. OK, it's reminiscent of Rachmaninov, especially the opening, but I thought it sufficiently fresh to avoid any charge of mere epigonism. I'd certainly encourage you, Joe, to proceed with the piece and get it performed. And why not try crowdfunding to raise finances - e.g. via Kickstarter?
My very best wishes - and keep in touch!

[J Joe Townley]

Thank you very much, Alan and Mark for your very honest feedback. It's a tough decision to make these days to invest money in one's own music. I liken it to a small garage band trying to get a recording contract with Sony and bookings in the Hollywood Bowl and Kodak Theater, except that in the classical world it's much harder. 

The music industry has fairly exiled contemporary romantic music, neo-romantic I suppose it's called. They feel it's a dangerous regression back 200 years and I certainly understand their concerns. Music must be ever progressing. The question is, "Where do we progress from here?" What I have heard at the outermost fringe of contemporary ultra avant-gard makes me thing there is nothing more that can be done creatively. I mean, from a technical POV we have totally advanced beyond tonality and music is now mostly written in computer schemes and blueprints rather than conventional notation. I've seen some schemes I would not begin to know how to put together without a degree in computer science and programming. But these are the compositions that get the commissions and funding for premieres today and the foundations that sponsor classical music have a choke-hold on what gets played by major orchestras. I had one semi-famous conductor listen to the concerto about a year ago shortly after I completed it and commented, "Yes, it's very nice, but do we really need a Rachmaninoff Fifth Concerto?" He may have a  legitimate point.

I occasionally google "J Joe Townley: Piano Concerto No 2 in C Minor" and notice that the video of the score has been picked up by roughly fifty Mp3 listening websites, which may or may not be significant, but what I notice is that nobody has contacted me to inquire about the concerto, which may indicate that most serious musicians would not feel it was worth their time to learn, even for a fee. So I remain stuck in this Twilight Zone of indecision about what to do with it.

But again, thanks much for your opinions Alan and Mark. They certainly help me to work my way to a final decision about whether to continue with pushing the concerto or just leave it to its fate. One thing working against me is that I am an amateur. The two concertos are the only things I have ever composed and I started late in life for a composer. I was in the business world for many years after giving up piano at 19 when I seriously injured a finger, but somehow retained knowledge of music notation and to make harmonic progressions.   

[Mark Thomas]

Joe, It's only fair to you that I make it clear that I do agree with Alan's more positive response. I too really enjoyed your piece and it's clearly a substantial achievement, but I'm just conscious that it's written in a style which has become something of a approachable classical "lingua franca". To be sure the average concert goer would probably love it if they got the chance to hear it, but our experience here at UC is that you'll likely face an uphill struggle against the musical establishment, which seems to have set its face against promoting anything from outside the existing current, shrinking concert repertoire, unless it is written by a living composer who writes in what they regard as a modern idiom.

One thought to add to Alan's: have you tried contacting Classic FM in the UK? It's a very successful radio station which plays quite a narrowly focussed spectrum of romantic and late 18th century music. They might be interested in sponsorship.

[Gareth Vaughan]

It's a great piece, Joe. I really like it. (What's your first PC like?)
I'll see what I can do about interesting people in performing it.
Don't give up.

[Alan Howe]

"Yes, it's very nice, but do we really need a Rachmaninoff Fifth Concerto?"

I wouldn't let that put you off. In any case, this sort of thing has been said about all manner of good unsung music that reminds people of much more familiar music. Should we summarily dismiss Gernsheim because he sounds a bit like Brahms, or Bortkiewicz because he sounds like Rachmaninov? Of course not. If the music's good enough, that's all that matters. So, stick with your creation. It'd be a tragedy if you gave up on it. And remember that all unsung music needs advocacy - and the internet may accomplish that in a manner previously thought impossible.

An aside: the Chandos recording of Rufinatscha's 6th (now renumbered 5th) Symphony came about because I drew their attention to the efforts being made on the composer's behalf in Austria. As I said, if the music's good enough...

[Gareth Vaughan]

I totally endorse Alan's comments.  Schmidt-Kowalski was a neo-Romantic and he got his music performed and recorded - and jolly grateful we all are that it happened.

[jerfilm]

I listened to the entire concerto and enjoyed it very much.  At times I felt the piano part got drowned out by the orchestra but perhaps that's just my ancient ears playing tricks on me.

Don't give up.  I liked the Alan's suggestion of trying a kickstart campaign.  I think quite a few UC members contributed to the upcoming Reinecke Cello Concerto recording.  The release of which we all eagerly await......

Jerry

[J Joe Townley]

Thank you so much, gentlemen (and lady, if jerfilm is a female  ) for your wonderful encouragement.

Re Mark: yes, the 'establishment'    Not that i have such a wonderful achievement on my hands but I truly believe that if the Rachmaninoff Second Concerto were to come along now it would be squashed by the "establishment" even if Lang Lang had composed it. That uphill fight you mention: I approached USC about maybe just doing a rehearsal to give the orchestra practice sight-reading a new work and the professor (didn't get his name) said that rehearsal time is so valuable that it was unlikely any time could be made; exact same reason with Colburn Music School Los Angeles. I think it's a legitimate reason--time is so valuable when trying to reserve a concert hall that likely only pull from a noted musician could get it done. I admire Valentina Lisitsa for having the brass...er..."knuckles" to mortgage her home to get money to do her Rachmaninoff recording of the 5 concertos with the London Phil. That had to be a very expensive undertaking, but she has a real chance to make it back now that Decca has become its distributor. And her busy concert schedule will help finance the project.

Re Gareth: the First Concerto, well I haven't much confidence in it. It was the first thing I ever composed since a was a kid writing goofy piano pieces. It is considerably shorter at about 18 minutes like the Liszt 1st, more pyrotechnical and cyclical than this one. Oddly enough, I get lots of feedback saying they like the 1st much more than the 2nd. I don't get it; it reeks amateurish to me which is why I wrote the 2nd--it goes back to this obsession I had as a kid piano student to want to write and premiere a piano concerto. Anyway, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IzqIv9tAes

re Alan and Gareth: Yes, I listened to the Thomas Schmidt-Kowalski Violin Concerto No. 2 while writing this and what a gorgeous stately work it is. I thought of Elgar in some spots and Korngold in others. I noticed he just passed away last year--what a tragic loss. He probably ran into the same roadblocks I am now, but he was much more influential, I'm sure so it still remains evident how powerful the classical music lobby is in determining what makes it to the top and what doesn't.

re jerfilm: yes, the orchestra does overpower the soloist. The mixing panel is a more crude type that doesn't effectively allow for proper balancing between orchestra and soloist, which is why the piano gets drowned out often.

Re all this: I note that about 99% of avant gard works get a gorgeous premiere in the best music hall by the finest orchestras, soloists and conductors and then rarely, if at all, are they heard again. I thing Lowell Liebermann's Piano Concrto No 2 is that rare exception that has taken on the stature of a Khachaturian Piano Concerto with multiple performances. Very talented guy, that Liebermann. His concerto is one that really deserves the accolades.

[jerfilm]

Thanks for your comments.  Sorry about the inability to better balance the instrument mix......

Oh, jerfilm is a very senior old guy.

Jerry

[JimL]

Don't underestimate any of your children, J. Joe.  Busoni disowned his Violin Concerto for a long time, but ultimately welcomed it back into his canon.

[J Joe Townley]

@jerfilm Nice to meet you, Jer. From one "old guy" to another 

@Jim I wonder why Busoni would disown such a wonderful composition. I just had a listen to the Busch recording with Walter and it's gorgeous.

[JimL]

Busoni apparently didn't feel that his violin concerto met his standard of what a concerto should be, and that it was too naive in its material.  He only reconsidered its stature later on in life.

[YankeeMusic]

I, for one, would be interested to know more of Mr. Townley's credentials.  In other words, what experience does he have and how has he been able to produce not one, but two, full-blown scores for piano concertos?  How long did it take him to compose these?  How long has he been writing music?  When were they written and who produced the professionally-printed score? 

No doubt they are appealing works, but one has to realize what background in music is necessary to do this.  It simply does not equate.

And the comments about "avant gard" (sic) and our "advance" beyond tonality are not what this collector is encountering.  More and more contemporary composers are returning to lyrical forms.  I could list a batch, but will not bore this intelligent audience with that.

Hmmm....Samuragochi.

And, PS - there actually is a "Rachmaninoff Fifth."  If you're into this sort of stuff, one has been done by Alexander Warenberg - a transcription of the Second Symphony.  Quite lovely.