So, one song that I love but despise is Legend of the Phantom Pirates by Brian Balmages. It sounds pretty and all. Although, the dynamic changes in the piece are ridiculous for no reason. For example, there are a lot of up and down bows in both eighth and sixteenth notes. Thankfully, when I play the first violin part in the piece. There’s not a lot. Well, I lied. In the end, there are lots in the finale. Listening to the song makes me feel like I’m a part of the movie “Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Honestly, I sometimes play a little bit of Balmages music. For instance, this past April of 2021, I played, To Tame the Raging Rapids from him. I love the song, especially in the beginning, where the violas get the melody.
Now to talk About the Music:
Please listen to Legend of the Phantom Pirates while reading, About the Music.
About the Music:
This musical fantasy paints a vivid picture of ghosts patrolling the dark waters in the middle of a vast sea. It opens with a dissonant shriek before giving way to an eerie calm. As the melody develops, the harmonies become increasingly more unsettled, and a second shriek startles the listener once again. Finally, the music resolves and moves into a fast paced depiction of battle and life on the high seas. After a series of tonal shifts, the opening theme is juxtaposed with the rhythmic intensity of the second section. Eventually, the opening theme again takes commandas a third and final shriek brings the music to a grinding halt, signaling the return of despair and solitude. At the end of the piece, marks the very point where the phantom pirates accept their fate and embrace it solemnly. Once they are able todo that, they can then embark on their never ending journeys to the ends of the earth and back, terrorizing everyone who comes across their path. The ending of the piece marks this acceptance, and the phantom pirates embark on their eternal trip.