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Original Music by Robin Neihardt
What listeners are saying:
"Robin Neihardt's music takes the listener to a place of beauty and calm repose tinged with wonder." CH - Indiana.
"The music feels warm and filled with grace. I closed my eyes while listening and was taken to a place of sweet calm." BT - Michigan
"Amazing & beautiful! How did you do that?" KB - Great Britain
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I do so enjoy your music!" JB - Indiana
"Robins music is a masterpiece of expression and love in each and every note. His appreciation of the art is beyond words. It has allowed me moments of total disconnect from my day to day world, giving me the chance to re-energize. Whether you are a student of music, meditation or simply have a pure appreciation for music.... you will most certainly hear the passion in his creations. " AC - Michigan.
It seems a century ago (though in reality only 30 years) that I graduated from the Conservatory of Music with degrees in guitar performance, music theory, and composition. Over the years, I have done a good deal with the guitar performance part, but very little with theory and composition-that is, until recently.
Over the past couple of years, a steady stream of music thought has come to mind, and I have written it down in various instrumental combinations.
For all my composing, I use Finale 2011 which is created by Make Music, 7615 Golden Triangle Drive, Suite M Eden Prarie, MN 66344, and can be purchased directly from the company. This excellent program allows me input my music directly into the computer on staffs in the scores. I can listen to a playback of the music I compose and then when it is completed, print clear, legible copies of the scores and parts. In addition, I use Garritan Virtual Software Instruments, samples from actual recorded orchestral instruments and percussion. They are available from Garritan.Com Once the score is entered into Finale, I can assign these digital sounds from Garritan to the staffs of my score, a "virtual cello" to the cello part, a "virtual flute" to the flute part, etc. After assigning dynamics and types of attack and other treatments, I can reproduce my composition in a very realistic sounding audio track, and record these onto audio Compact Discs.
For recording, editing and production, I use Pro Tools LE 8.0, available from Avid.
As a result, I have completed eleven CDs and a twelfth is in the works. The first CD I compiled is titled: Back From the Ledge. My sister, Coralie, came up the name when she kindly told me that listening to this CD brought her "back from the ledge" after a stressful day at work. The second, Reflections of the Spirit, is a continuation of the first.
I composed music for the CD: The Broidered Garment of the Soul, in honor of my grandfather, John Neihardt. I created original music and combined it with lyrics recited and recorded by Neihardt in the early seventies. The favorite on this CD seems to be a setting of Black Elk's Prayer, although my personal favorite is the setting of When I Have gone Weird Ways.
Is it classical music? I suppose so, for wont of a better description, I am an American Composer. (I am classically trained and classical music is my love.)
I would enjoy sharing this music with you and I would welcome your comments.
My newest CD, Paw and Foot Prints in the Canyon was just released in January 2012.
The Tree of Life
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This piece of music is based on the names of the 10 Sephirah of the Tree of Life I composed this piece as a meditation, using ancient chants, beginning with Aheyeh (Kether) then descending to Adonai (Malkuth) and flowing back up the Tree to Kether. The piece is scored for SATB choir, String orchestra and percussion
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Total time: 22:45 Each: $8.95 |
A Path Through the Desert
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This is a collection of original music and a couple adaptations of pieces I enjoy. I took the melody lines and composed my own original versions. This CD is a potpourri of musical styles.
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Total time: 65:28 Each: $9.95 |
Meditations
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This CD is a collection of completative music that I joined together with any breaks to create one flowing meditative stream of music. I compiled it from my original compositions and like to play it when I want to just sit quietly and contemplate and meditate.
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Total time: 42:25p> Each: $8.95 |
Exerpts From The Cycle of the West
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This piece of music is based on the names of the 10 Sephirah of the Tree of Life The original intent of the recorded music was to share this music with friends and family. However, primarily through word of mouth, the CD is generating quite a bit of interest from folks who enjoy listening to the compositions digitally performed by "virtual musicans".
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Total time: 24:29 Each: $8.95 |
Intentions
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On this cd, tracks 2,4,6,8 and 13 are music accompaniments of spoken word text. The original intent of the recorded music was to share this music with friends and family. However, primarily through word of mouth, the CD is generating quite a bit of interest from folks who enjoy listening to the compositions digitally performed by "virtual musicans".
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Total time: 59:53 Each: $9.95 |
Back From the Ledge
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This CD is a collection of original compositions for various instruments and ensembles ranging from solo guitar, to brass ensemble, to string orchestra. The compositions were recorded in stereo using digitally sampled instrument sound files. The original intent of the recorded music was to share this music with friends and family. However, primarily through word of mouth, the CD is generating quite a bit of interest from folks who enjoy listening to the compositions digitally performed by "virtual musicans".
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Total time: 42:14 Each: $9.95 |
Reflections of the Spirit
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This CD is a collection of more original compositions for various instruments and ensembles ranging from solo guitar, to brass ensemble, to string orchestra. The compositions were recorded in stereo using digitally sampled instrument sound files. If you enjoyed the works presented on Back From the Ledge, please consider trying Reflections of the Spirit.
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Total time: Approx. 62:00 Each: $9.95 |
The Broidered Garment of the Soul
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A year or so ago, I found vinyl recordings my grandfather made nearly 40 years ago containing recitations of his lyric and dramatic poems. I remembered the recordings from earlier days, and wanted to make these recordings available in a more modern format. The first step was acquiring a record turntable, for I hadn’t owned one in years. The vinyl records were then played recorded into a digital format on the hard drive of my computer, saving them as wav files. Once in digital format, numerous hours were spent cleaning up the files by removing the “clicks” and “pops” so charateristic of vinyl records. The new digital audio files were then arranged on 4 CDs which are available at the website: www.neihardt.com. While listening to this new-found voice of my grandfather, I decided to compose original music for some of the lyric poems and, in the studio, digitally combine the music with the recorded voice of John Neihardt. As a music composer, and always looking for a new project, I felt if the desired effect could be achieved, this could be a way of honoring his legacy. On many of the pieces, I was able to reduce the dynamic rhythm of his recitation to music note values (half note, quarter note eighth note, etc.) which then became primary rhythms in the compositions; thus tying the music and the lyrics together. The result of these endeavors is this CD. I sincerely hope you enjoy listening. To hear a brief clip of one of them, Black Elk's Prayer, click here |
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Total time: Approx. 32:00 Each: $9.95 |
Out of the Darkness
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This CD is a collection of 14 original compositions for various instruments and ensembles. The compositions were recorded in stereo using digitally sampled instrument sound files.
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Total time: 54:58 Each: $9.95 |
Spirit Quest
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This CD is a collection of 11 original compositions for various instruments and ensembles. The compositions were recorded in stereo using digitally sampled instrument sound files.
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Total time: 57:52 Each: $9.95 |
Christmas Music
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This CD is a collection of 15 original settings of Traditional Christmas Music for various instruments and ensembles. I wrote all the scores using Finale 2010. The compositions were recorded in stereo using Garritan virtual instruments.
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Total time: 51:58 Each: $9.95 |