Catharsis - Three New YouTube Videos

In contrast to my last two YouTube posts I thought it might be nice to post some videos which feature music that explores emotions and states of mind other than those that naturally attend liturgical, theological, and/or philosophical contemplation.

Composed last fall, Lucian is one of the strangest little works I've composed.The title refers to the Greco-Roman satirist Lucian of Samosata (b 120 CE - d after 180 CE). Those who are familiar with Lucian's writings will immediately perceive the significance of the images of Atargatis, Glykon, and Epicurus which are featured throughout this video. Even if you are not familiar with Lucian's writings I am sure you can still appreciate this eccentric work on a purely musical level. The influences on this composition include ancient Arabic and Greek music, traditional Persian music - and the music of Frank Zappa!

Never Fall in Love Again (Song without Words) was composed in early September 2019.

Like virtually every other American during the present quarantine situation, I have a lot of time to reflect on things. I had forgotten about this little piece until recently. After listening to it again I thought I would share it because it's a nice track. This track was, like Lucian, realized using Cubase 10.

As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, themes of love, relationships, etc., and the inevitable and unique disappointments that attend these things when one experiences them as an adult - such themes were infused in virtually everything I composed between 2018 through 2019. Having a broken heart in one's thirties hurts infinitely worse than having a broken heart in one's teens (in my experience, at least), and this piece certainly is the emotive, rather than reflective, experience of a thirty-something guy with a broken heart. In this sense this music is the opposite of that of my clavichord suite, Love, Deception, Delusion, and Counterpoint.

LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST...

What this? Michael Calabris composing upbeat pop music?!?! Yes, indeed. Sweet is another song without words, but this one was composed as a popular-style piece. With the exception of the drums/drum loops, I played/overdubbed all the instruments in this piece. It took many "takes" to get things about as right as I thought they could be, but I was very pleased with the result - a result that sounded rather like early '90s R&B!

Why is this song without words so different from the others I've posted? Because I wrote this for/about my girlfriend.

Anyway, I hope you will check out (and enjoy) these videos.