("behind the eight ball" by eschipul)
The next segment of « Octoccata » is entitled « Reoctoverture. » Basically, this section is a reprise of the introduction, hence the name, as it restates the theme presented therein, albeit through new and generally heavier variations.
The beginning of this fifth movement is intended as a tribute to Gentle Giant as it mirrors the way in which various fragmentary parts progressively recreate the main theme after the middle section of « Proclamation » (from «
("8" by gui.tavares)
The fourth movement from « Octoccata » is entitled « Biorhythalead. » Its title came about from the markers I used to identify each of the sub-sections of the composition.
After a transition reminiscent of « Nothing To Lose » from UK's « Danger Money, » the music moves into a passage featuring contrasting lines that ascend and descend in alternation, thus making the partition (particularly the « Piano Roll » view in SONAR, the MIDI sequencing software I use) look like a bior
("Octoccata Freeway" by Christopher Stewart based on this Interstate Shield)
« Vibrastinato, » the third movement from « Octoccata, » gets its name from the combination of vibraphone and ostinato, and features an abundance of polyrhythms.
The section begins in « Modern Poligrafic Ensemble » mode featuring Christian taking the lead role on the vibraphone. When writing the piece I imagined that, in a live setting, he would be using a MIDI controller instead of a real vibraphone in order to enable h
("eight" by timlewisnm)
« Igorchestral, » the second movement of « Octoccata, » has been thus named because of the inspiration for the music, and the selected arrangement.
Igor Stravinsky is indubitably one of the composers I admire the most. The music he composed for the ballet « The Firebird » stands at the top of my list of favorites. One day while dabbling on the keyboards back in April 1999, I came across a figure somewhat reminiscent of the beginning of « The Augurs of Spring: Dances of th
("1898 New Zealand stamp 8 pence blue" by The Crown)
« Octoccata » is an instrumental suite clocking in at a little over 16 minutes. The title comes from the combination of octatonic and toccata, and is inspired by Emerson, Lake & Palmer‘s adaptation of the fourth movement of Alberto Ginastera‘s first piano concerto, which they published on their « Brain Salad Surgery » album under the title « Toccata. »
The intent here is simply to « make some noise. » In other words, the music is meant to be s
("Athletics tracks finish line" by Petey21)
« Marimbariation » takes its name from the brief passage featuring the marimba that leads this seventh movement of the « Symphony of Eights. »
Once the percussive instrument concludes its opening statement, the music returns to more traditional orchestrations as it explores a succession of quirky melodies supported by syncopated rhythms.
The section culminates on a repeated phrase wherein the main riff is a restatement of a previous figure which is now
("Label from a bottle of O·c·t·a·T·o·n·i·c" by Christopher Stewart, using a picture of William Henry Fox Talbot by Antoine Claudet)
The eighth and final movement of « Octoccata » is entitled « Multilethalead » and starts on a ostinato-based progression that slowly morphs into a relentless string of offbeat melodies harmonized by an increasing number of voices, building up to a climactic reprise of the « Lethal Lead » theme introduced in the fourth movement.
The « Multi » part of the section's ti
("Nixie eight" by L. Marie)
How on Earth can a musical movement be named « Progigoriation » you ask ? Well, obviously, because it's the prog rock variation of another similar movement entitled « Igorchestral » I emphatically reply. And so it is that the music of this sixth movement of « Octoccata » is closely related to that of the aforementioned second movement, with the noticeable difference that it is orchestrated for a 5-piece rock band comprising of drums, bass, guitar, organ, and synth.
If
