[classicalmusicfinder]

I came across this music, which I think is a new release. This music is extremely unique; I have never heard a person play or write piano like this, so incredibly detailed. It is deeply affecting, and speaks to the soul and mind in a very intimate way. The composer is Mark Iter. I'll link the Spotify but I'm sure you ca find it elsewhere if you want. The album I found is called "A Series of Compositions". Does anybody know this? Thank you guys

 

[NoCoPilot]

Two responses.

One, it sounds like player piano music. Who was it that worked with player pianos? Conlan Nancarrow?

Two, it sounds a bit like Sorabji. Check out Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, if you're not familiar.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

Two responses.

One, it sounds like player piano music. Who was it that worked with player pianos? Conlan Nancarrow?

Two, it sounds a bit like Sorabji. Check out Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, if you're not familiar.

That is fascinating. Did you have a specific piece by Sorabji in mind? I definitely see the comparison to be made in terms of the range, combination of tones, and complex rhythm. Though, I do think the emotional tone/depth/expression is quite different.

 

[NoCoPilot]

I have a theory. I think YOU are Mark Iter, and you've posted this thread here and here and on YouTube to try to drum up interest. When I said it sounds like player piano music, what I meant is that it sounds like MIDI piano, with very little dynamic expression. YouTube lists it as newly posted as of 4/10/2022.

But hey, it's just a guess.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

I have a theory. I think YOU are Mark Iter, and you've posted this thread here and here and on YouTube to try to drum up interest. When I said it sounds like player piano music, what I meant is that it sounds like MIDI piano, with very little dynamic expression. YouTube lists it as newly posted as of 4/10/2022.

But hey, it's just a guess.

Haha, I am certainly not Mark Iter, if you saw me try and play an instrument you'd see what I mean. Though, that IS me on reddit! I noticed that the pieces are brand new and that's kinda why I'm posting everywhere about it, I figure nobody knows them and I can't find any info online. If the real Mark Iter is seeing this, consider hiring me for PR.

Side note, can you tell for sure that this is MIDI? Are there circumstances where live instruments tend to sound how you've described? If this isn't really what you guys do here, I can take my posts down. I seriously am just trying to get more info because I am fascinated by these. Thanks

 

[Vasks]

can you tell for sure that this is MIDI?

Just the higher notes in first few seconds do not sound like a real piano.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

Just the higher notes in first few seconds do not sound like a real piano.

Of 60? I can hear a little glitch when I first hit play in the little preview thing here. Is that what you mean? On Spotify it doesn't have that, not sure if that changes something.

 

[Vasks]

I am not on Spotify. The piece's excerpt "60" starts at around the 29 second mark and counts down. So my reference is the first few seconds after "60" starts.

But on another note, it really doesn't matter if you actually were Mark Iter. Plenty of people promote their music here. But if you were, certainly there'd be no need to be deceptive.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

I am not on Spotify. The piece's excerpt "60" starts at around the 29 second mark and counts down. So my reference is the first few seconds after "60" starts.

But on another note, it really doesn't matter if you actually were Mark Iter. Plenty of people promote their music here. But if you were, certainly there'd be no need to be deceptive.

Oh yeah, thats what I mean. Also guys, I get it. I'm not him. I feel like I need to make sure people know I don't represent this person..

Do any of you have a favorite piece from the album?

Also, when somebody who doesn't listen to classical asks you for a recommendation, what do you say? Seems like a very telling question.

 

[Bernamej]

I have a theory. I think YOU are Mark Iter, and you've posted this thread here and here and on YouTube to try to drum up interest. When I said it sounds like player piano music, what I meant is that it sounds like MIDI piano, with very little dynamic expression. YouTube lists it as newly posted as of 4/10/2022.

But hey, it's just a guess.

Ahhaha Exactly what I thought.
Also sounds like crap, in all aspects.
Anyone today “writing” modern stuff should prove they can actually compose and WRITE A FUGUE before we grant them any sustained attention.
Even Gould have proven his abilities this way, and he was never considered a composer.
Write a fugue, a good one, and a sonata, and if it holds water, we’ll try the random stuff.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

Ahhaha Exactly what I thought.
Also sounds like crap, in all aspects.
Anyone today “writing” modern stuff should prove they can actually compose and WRITE A FUGUE before we grant them any sustained attention.
Even Gould have proven his abilities this way, and he was never considered a composer.
Write a fugue, a good one, and a sonata, and if it holds water, we’ll try the random stuff.

Well first of all, the term "composer" is a neutral one. It is not positive or negative. Anyone who composes music is a composer, its up to you if they are a good or bad one. Secondly, something as complex as classical music should never be simplified the way you've done. It is insane to say that someone needs to write in either one of two types of pieces to "prove themself". If you think that the style of music discussed is "random", then I have serious concerns for your taste. Whether or not you appreciate this kind of thing, its tones are universal. Your way of determining the worth of composers by suggesting that they have to write certain types of music to prove themself to you, as if that is the point or driving force of creating music, is something I'm sure Beethoven and your fugue writing composers would have loved. This is that typical classical music pretentiousness that isn't actually backed by any valuable musical insight or understanding. I mostly listen to the romantic, baroque, and classical periods, but I have an ever growing appreciation for music like this, which I'm finding has a lot in common with the great composers of the past musically. Okay I've made my case

 

[Forster]

Odd how an internet search for Mark Iter doesn't even bring up the usual FB links.

 

[Red Terror]

Not impressed.

 

[4chamberedklavier]

Oh yeah, thats what I mean. Also guys, I get it. I'm not him. I feel like I need to make sure people know I don't represent this person..

Do any of you have a favorite piece from the album?

Also, when somebody who doesn't listen to classical asks you for a recommendation, what do you say? Seems like a very telling question.

As NoCoPilot said, the timing of your posts & the Youtube videos makes this too suspicious for us to take your word that you aren't Mark Iter (notice how it sounds like 'marketer'. hmmmmm)

Also, It's far too easy to create poorly made music then pass it off as "modern" to escape from criticism. It's not pretentious to expect composers to at least be competent in the basics (like fugue-writing) if we intend to listen to their modernist-style pieces, just so there's some assurance that they know what they're doing & aren't taking us for a ride.

Bernamej didn't say that Mark Iter isn't a composer. S/he just used Glenn Gould as an example of how important it is to know how to write a fugue. It's important enough that people who weren't considered composers still took the time to study them.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

As NoCoPilot said, the timing of your posts & the Youtube videos makes this too suspicious for us to take your word that you aren't Mark Iter (notice how it sounds like 'marketer'. hmmmmm)

Also, It's far too easy to create poorly made music then pass it off as "modern" to escape from criticism. It's not pretentious to expect composers to at least be competent in the basics (like fugue-writing) if we intend to listen to their modernist-style pieces, just so there's some assurance that they know what they're doing & aren't taking us for a ride.

Bernamej didn't say that Mark Iter isn't a composer. S/he just used Glenn Gould as an example of how important it is to know how to write a fugue. It's important enough that people who weren't considered composers still took the time to study them.

Okay good lord, I found the music seemingly before anyone else right when it was published, which is kind of neat and has never happened to me before. But be warned, if you share music like that, everyone will assume that you are the musician (?). It actually really doesn't matter and at this point I am tempted just to say "sure, I am this guy", but it seems scummy to do that. But once again, whether or not you think I am the composer, you can just interpret the music for yourself. Also, I apologize that this man's name looks like marketer. That one seems like a stretch but I'll give you points for creativity lol. But also that's the actual guys name. Like that is his name on Spotify. Its not my name on here or something. Do you see what I'm saying. His own name that the music is posted under is Mark Iter, if it was a play on words for marketer, does that mean he is the marketer of his own music? Confusing stuff, riveting. On a serious note though;

When you say "taking us for a ride", do you mean making us think bad music is actually good? Oh boy. If you have to look at a composers track record to essentially determine your own opinion on if the music is "good" or not, and can't do that by, I don't know, listening to it, than this is also concerning. It is music. Its music. As for it being called "modern", I don't know if you are referring to a specific style or just the fact that this is clearly made in modern times, but I wasn't the one who called it that, and it says nowhere what style it is. So Mark Iter isn't claiming the term "modern" to uh "escape criticism". It is again, music. It doesn't have to fit a mold. Oftentimes the best pieces don't. Instead of saying "this is bad because it isn't a fugue, or a sonata, or made 140 years ago" or any amount of nonsense, I just listened to the music and thought "wow, this is special". Imagine that

Music is of course subjective, but there are still ways to measure it. The depth of the music, tonal maturity, etc. You guys are measuring music in truly one of the worst, most empty ways possible. Definitely disappointing. I like the music, you don't have to, but please have a point to make against it that is actually relevant to the music itself. Not the year it came out or the fact this composer didn't write a fugue, whatever it is.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

Odd how an internet search for Mark Iter doesn't even bring up the usual FB links.

Yeah it is strange. I looked around right after listening to the album once and couldn't find any website or anything for him.

 

[Bernamej]

As NoCoPilot said, the timing of your posts & the Youtube videos makes this too suspicious for us to take your word that you aren't Mark Iter (notice how it sounds like 'marketer'. hmmmmm)

Also, It's far too easy to create poorly made music then pass it off as "modern" to escape from criticism. It's not pretentious to expect composers to at least be competent in the basics (like fugue-writing) if we intend to listen to their modernist-style pieces, just so there's some assurance that they know what they're doing & aren't taking us for a ride.

Bernamej didn't say that Mark Iter isn't a composer. S/he just used Glenn Gould as an example of how important it is to know how to write a fugue. It's important enough that people who weren't considered composers still took the time to study them.

Exactly !

 

[4chamberedklavier]

When you say "taking us for a ride", do you mean making us think bad music is actually good? Oh boy. If you have to look at a composers track record to essentially determine your own opinion on if the music is "good" or not, and can't do that by, I don't know, listening to it, than this is also concerning. It is music. Its music. As for it being called "modern", I don't know if you are referring to a specific style or just the fact that this is clearly made in modern times, but I wasn't the one who called it that, and it says nowhere what style it is. So Mark Iter isn't claiming the term "modern" to uh "escape criticism". It is again, music. It doesn't have to fit a mold. Oftentimes the best pieces don't. Instead of saying "this is bad because it isn't a fugue, or a sonata, or made 140 years ago" or any amount of nonsense, I just listened to the music and thought "wow, this is special". Imagine that

Music is of course subjective, but there are still ways to measure it. The depth of the music, tonal maturity, etc. You guys are measuring music in truly one of the worst, most empty ways possible. Definitely disappointing. I like the music, you don't have to, but please have a point to make against it that is actually relevant to the music itself. Not the year it came out or the fact this composer didn't write a fugue, whatever.

If you're saying that we should ideally evaluate a musical work based on its own merits, I agree, but it's hard to blame people for wanting some sort of quality assurance before they take the time to listen.

It doesn't have to fit a mold. Oftentimes the best pieces don't. Instead of saying "this is bad because it isn't a fugue, or a sonata, or made 140 years ago" or any amount of nonsense, I just listened to the music and thought "wow, this is special".

Being able to write a fugue was just used as an example of how we're assured the composer has a solid grasp of music theory. Nobody said the piece should sound like a fugue.

 

[classicalmusicfinder]

If you're saying that we should ideally evaluate a musical work based on its own merits, I agree, but it's hard to blame people for wanting some sort of quality assurance before they take the time to listen.



Being able to write a fugue was just used as an example of how we're assured the composer has a solid grasp of music theory. Nobody said the piece should sound like a fugue.

You make good points, but I still have to disagree. I think it is absolutely crucial to give new music a chance, even if you don't have "quality assurance". Honestly, a lot of composers who have the sense to do their own thing end up producing some of the most incredible music. It also seems bad to structure what types of music anybody should write to pass some sort of test; that couldn't be further from the purpose of art. There is this weird sort of cold, removed, sciencey attitude in some classical music communities that really misses the whole point. Great artists usually have priorities outside of earning their stripes and going through what a community of listeners deem as rite of passage, so to speak.

I can't stress enough that listening to a piece and forming your own opinions from that process is what matters. I NEVER would have the appreciation that I do for Bach, Beethoven, or Mark Iter for that matter if I didn't evaluate things truthfully, objectively, deeply, and for myself. And you certainly shouldn't criticize something because it doesn't fit a mold. If anything, that can tell me a composer is onto something very original. You don't tell a modern painter to first create a traditional landscape. They would probably storm out of the room. You look at the art and determine its value to you. Within seconds of hearing the pieces I found, I could tell something. There have been times when I give music a chance and dislike it, which is quite often, but I don't feel like I lost some kind of time investment. My time isn't that valuable. I gave a piece of classical music a try, and now I can scratch that off.

Curiously, it is also intriguing that people say "prove yourself by writing something basic" when what is first presented, is incredibly complex to begin with. I'll use these pieces to make my point: I sent the Mark Iter stuff to a family friend who teaches piano, as i was hoping to get musical insight into why they are special. They essentially emailed that anyone familiar with playing piano or music theory can see the rich complexity in these pieces. Granted, it is one person's opinion, though they did attend Eastman. 😄

Side note: the original person who made that point against the music seemingly did listen to some of the music. They didn't like the fact that it wasn't traditional and disregarded it. I never heard a negative point that had to do with the quality of the music itself. It seems like a couple people are essentially saying "we can't tell if it is good, did the composer write a fugue?" So what if they did, the music could still be garbage! Though, that person's comments have also just been removed on some other forums and they don't have great track record so its possible they were just trying to be unpleasant.

But thanks for your thoughts, I think a lot of people would agree with you. I am curious what you think of the Mark Iter album. Do you have a favorite/least favorite piece?

 

[4chamberedklavier]

But thanks for your thoughts, I think a lot of people would agree with you. I am curious what you think of the Mark Iter album. Do you have a favorite/least favorite piece?

Thanks, your earnest attempt to discuss makes me less suspicious that you & Mark Iter are the same.

I've listened to the 30-second Spotify samples of the tracks. They're pleasant-sounding, but they all seem similar to one another (not necessarily a bad thing). Of course I'd have to listen to the whole thing before I can make a fair judgement. I'm not a good judge of music since I often come to like many of the things I didn't care for initially. Whether or not it's MIDI, I don't mind.