Diamond Music

Being Alice

BEING ALICE - Ver. 2.0 purports to be the recently discovered musical manuscript that was meant to accompany the adventures of Alice in Wonderland. It is a theme and variations arranged for electronic orchestra.

Diamond · Being Alice

Then, Now, and Again

Then , Now, and Again is a three movement fantasy.

Diamond · Then

SYRYNX

SYRYNX was inspired by the 2015 super "blood" moon. Set to an electronic work from the 1980's.

In classical mythology, Syrynx /ˈsɪrɪŋks/ (Greek Σύριγξ) was a nymph and a follower of Artemis, known for her chastity. Pursued by the amorous Greek god Pan, she ran to a river's edge and asked for assistance from the river nymphs. In answer, she was transformed into hollow water reeds that made a haunting sound when the god's frustrated breath blew across them. Pan cut the reeds to fashion the first set of pan pipes, which were thenceforth known as Syrynx.

BEAUTY BEAST
1980 to 1983

Beauty Beast was premiered live in 1980, scored for Soprano (Sally Jo Anderson as Beauty), Lyricon Wind Synthesizer (as the Beast), 2 Crumar keyboards (a modified organ that was a predecessor to today's modern polyphonic synths), and drums. James Roos of the Miami Herald, described the group as “among the first of the new generation to maximize rock in classical form.”

For its time quite out there - a classically based electro-acoustic group performing complex written scores (with many technical directions) - including challenging pounding poly-rhythmic passages - 7/8 against 7/4 at ferocious speeds. Was definitely pushing boundaries while hewing to the simple sentiments of the story. I can still remember Mike Lauren, our drummer, yelling out “ONE” and pounding out the downbeat trying to hold the ship together. Ultimately, it was a 30-minute, musical fantasy with grand operatic duets – Sally Jo Anderson’s Beauty matched against the Beast portrayed by my Lyricon. (The Christians Science Monitor described the work as “Music Tolkien might have written if he'd used a piano instead of a pen.”

This version is a studio recording I did a few years later on an analog 8 track tape recorder. The video was done in 2012-13, adding words and dance. One day perhaps we will resurrect “Beauty Beast” in live performance.

Impossible Music

1

Guinevere

Guinevere is 8 minute selection from an epic, 90 minute, dark and brooding music meditation on Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, Merlin, Morgan Le Fey, Maleagant and the many other characters of the Arthurian Romances. CIrca 1983.

This section features the March to Battle, The Conflict between the Forces of Good and Evil) and the Lament of the Dead. (All very Star Warish – though set in the early Middle Ages). A conglomeration of medieval music, electric rock and classical music. All done with my Teac 8 track tape recorder, Lyricon, Arp 2600, Oberheim, and Crumar synths, presynths and sequencers. All analog.

One day I may forge through the other 70 minutes to find out what is salvageable.

Painting by James Henry Draper

Theme and Variations

Theme and Variations (Circa 1982) was produced on a TEAC 8-track tape recorder. Instruments include Lyricon Wind Driver controlling either a classic Oberheim 1 and ARP 2500 synthesizer. A simple KORG polyphonic keyboard is used on occasion.

The Jester

Five Bagatelles is a multimedia performance work for multiple instruments and video. The work was premiered simultaneously at The Firehouse Space in Brooklyn and at the Koper Conservatory in Slovenia.

Sideways - Introducing the Istrian Coast
Sequencer - Patterns of the Sea
Koperian - Featuring the Bells of the Church of Koper
Burja - Burja are the Strong and Dangerous Winds from the Sea
Wolf Songs - Featuring a Chorale of Wolves

THE GREATEST HITS of 2150
1985

THE GREATEST HITS OF 2150 was originally conceived by Stuart Diamond and legendary producer Tom Frost (who produced the original "Switched-on-Bach" and "Greatest Hits of..." series for CBS Records). The music-video, one of the first of its kind, featured choreography by Liz Gottlieb and the remarkable real-time video effects of Don Slepian, using an analog Chromalizer video effects box. THE GREATEST HITS OF 2150 was originally conceived by Stuart Diamond and legendary producer Tom Frost (who produced the original "Switched-on-Bach" and "Greatest Hits of..." series for CBS Records). The music-video, one of the first of its kind, featured choreography by Liz Gottlieb and the remarkable real-time video effects of Don Slepian, using an analog Chromalizer video effects box.

The Premise: What would the classics sound like in the future when played by Aliens from different planets.

Diamond · The Greatest Hits of 2150

OVERSPEED
1987

OVERSPEED - Choreography by Martha Curtis; Music by Stuart Diamond

Performed by the students at Virginia Commonwealth University - Circa 1987

Created primarily eith a compact sequencer controlling ARP 2600 and perhaps an OB-1