Lately, maybe because it’s a new year, I’ve been reflecting more on the past and the people who are no longer with us. Those melancholy memories haunt & taunt us throughout our lives – though we wouldn’t trade them for the world. Anyway, this was the mindset that created this music. I think without sadness, I never would have become a composer.


"Memories of You":
http://johnlarenceschick.com/home

HI John,


A wonderful piece of music.
I always like to close my eyes when I listen to your creations.
This one, allows you to float gently along on every note...THANKS.


Calvin


http://www.soundclick.com/bands/0/calvinstewart

Hi John,

Deliberate, thoughtful, Les Six-ish, and resignedly sad.

In a word--beautiful.

Mike

Wow, John...so wistful...just lovely!

Ricki

Hi John:

Life can be so hard... and then something beautiful like "Memories of You" reaches into the heart and soul of the listener... and takes away most of that pain. You are right... sad songs and compositions are capable of healing in their own way. Not that a "Happy Song" is incapable of the same result.

I can't say enough about the beauty of this composition. Thanks for sharing it with us... and, if it isn't already being aired somewhere in a film or TV series... it will be. You make us proud. ----Dave

B-T-W... this is the first time I've seen your "site" after your initial preview. Perfect layout. I think you covered all the bases.

Thanks everyone! Glad you liked my new site Dave. I'll probably add new sections when the ideas arrive.

Best, John

John,

The composition does seem to have the wistful yearning that your song title implies. I see that it is labeled as a soundtrack. Use as a musicbed for visual media would indeed seem fitting for it and I see where you have had good success in writing for that purpose.

The balancing of romanticism and songbook-style in the harmony as well as the production setting with piano lead and strings hearken back to the 70s and 80s a bit, bringing to mind composers like Marvin Hamlisch and soundtracks to movies like "Somewhere in Time".

The movement of your tonal center seems to float from F to Bb, to G minor, to G major, back to Bb, G minor, and Bb to end the piece. This journey seems to convey the impression of a roving trip down memory lane with various memories of good times and challenging ones, ending in peace. I could hear and see it being used in a funeral montage or after the breakup of a long relationship in the storyline as the two parties reflect, perhaps.

Even as a piece for use in video and film, I still find myself wanting to hear more of a solid melody line in parts of the song. There are areas such as around the 0:35, 2:15, and 2:50 marks where I can't tell if some notes are arpeggiated chords or part of the melody. Perhaps you could abbreviate the arpeggios and/ or use some block chords for harmony in areas where the melody reaches toward middle C and below. I also lose the melody in the section from 1:10 to 1:20 where arpeggios are interspersed with accent chords in the right hand octave. However, I do find the higher tessitura chords refreshing and a more modern touch somehow. Perhaps lose the broken chords here as well?

One other item of note is the lack of perceived rhythmic variety in the melody. The fact that the smallest subdivision of melody notes is eighth notes makes the melody feel somewhat ponderous and stilted at this slow tempo, even mechanical at times. Some occasional sixteenth notes would add some flavor and grace to melody lines, providing a more lyrical effect.

Or, if there were a string or wind instrument playing the melody, more variety may be perceptible through sustained half, whole, and dotted half notes, etc. that are already there. The nature of the piano's decay paired with the broken chords in the left hand give me the false sense that almost all melody notes are either quarter or eighth notes. In fact, a solo instrument may also solve the aforementioned concern regarding which notes are melody and which are accompaniment.

Thanks for sharing and best wishes on getting media placement for your song!

Maroon

Hey Maroon,

Thanks for the comprehensive review. I understand all your points and I agree with some of them. This music was composed only as a "mood" piece to be used as an underscore. My emotional template was "a lonely person sitting in a restaurant/ lounge reflecting on life and a failed romantic relationship".

Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" from Somewhere in Time is one of my favorite melodies.

Thanks again for taking the time for this review.

Best, John

Very welcome, John!

I'm glad that the remarks were coherent and that some of them resonated with you. I certainly appreciate that the piece is for purposes of mood, which it sets nicely. It's to your credit and evidence of your craft that you were able to convey to me as the listener through a titled piece of instrumental music almost precisely the real-world scenario you initially imagined when writing it!

Yes, that Rachmaninoff melody is special, isn't it? (As are other melodies of his!) My Dad, more of a Pop, Rock, and Soul guy, introduced me to that soundtrack among others. Just a testament to its universality.

Best wishes for continued success!

Maroon

Dear Mr. Schick,

Seeing that you are a professional musician and composer with credits all over national television, I can’t help but point out that I think you need to completely reverse the melody of your song to bring out more of what I like to call the emotional chiaroscuro of the piece, shifting the internal tonality more towards a Gregorian chant, and superimposing an arpeggiated left hand descending bass line with a flugelhorn dangling from your right elbow and a pan flute balanced on your nose.

In fact, I am afraid I am going to have to demand it. Also, there were some eighth notes at the end that I believe you meant to be dotted eighths so if you could fix that immediately on my behalf that would be great. Also, I don’t like the key, if you could lower the whole thing by five steps I would be more comfortable. Thanks!

No, I am just being super silly.

Man I really love this!! It is delicate and beautiful and I enjoyed every second of it. Great job—and congratulations on approaching this piece with all the professionalism and years of experience of a seasoned pro with decades of real world credentials and IMDb listings to your credit.

I am guessing, though I might be crazy, that your lifetime in the studio as a professional and PAID composer of published and commercialized songs in film and television MAY have influenced some of your artistic choices here.

Nah, that’s crazy talk, I know.

But hey, what do I know! I just love beautiful music composed by people who can actually do it and this was great.

Love your website too.

Wow! When I need a PR Man I'll be contacting you.

Best, John

Levity is such a great thing, David:

I know Maroon is only doing his best to assist so many of us Morons... but as you so cleverly surmised, most of his words of epic proportions are simply Airships floating remarkably in an almost levitating state... and drifting out into that vast "sea of air" to ethereal places we are incapable of imagining. Now Schick, on the other hand, eats often at Panera's and, as a result, is imparted with musical knowledge somewhat akin to wisdom. As if that were not enough, he's making money from his talented endeavors while the rest of us sit idly, gazing at our navels.

If only my mother had agreed to allow me to take piano lessons. Drat, life is so unfair. Woe is me... woe is me. LOL! (Guffaws as he rolls on the floor, pleased by actually attempting to say something humorous.)

Maroon, I know that John knows I'm much like the village idiot at times, by now, you probably have, as well. My fun poking is not meant to be snide or snarky. Your presence is clearly of great value here... I only hope you are not planting your seed on fallow ground! ----Dave

Great emotional piece John.
I was imagining the paintings of Edward Hopper floating by.

Vic

A poignant melody John quite moving, excellent composition
Best of luck with it
Travis

Never thought that about you Dave. I always enjoy reading your comments.

Best, John

Thanks Vic and Travis!

Best, John

Dave Rice,

Only the beautiful, soothing and intentional music of John Lawrence Schick is keeping me alive at this point.

Man, I wish I could follow you, but truthfully I am far too stupid to follow anything you have said and I am terrified of posting any more songs lest I forget to add an augmented sus9#11 flat5 with a double organ stop before a left handed arpeggio in a mixolydian scale using borrowed chords from the near minor dominant fourth.

Of course, I have put myself into mental health counseling so that I can properly understand what it was I wanted to say when I wrote a song because if that were not interpreted for me and explained back to me, I would have no idea what I was trying to do!

Anyway, I am in a strait jacket now and they say I may stop drooling on myself in about five years and will be able to start posting again.

Thanks for the cards and the flowers man. That was nice.

Only the music of John Lawrence Schick is helping me cope. Without it, I would be mainlining a horse tranquilizer.

Thanks again.

Hi David:

Beware "Greeks" bearing gifts... in the form of large Horses! The cake I'm sending contains a very small saw blade. It'll zip right through that jacket... unless you are enjoying spending time with Nurse Ratchet. No need to follow me... I've fallen and I can't get up! LOL!

On the serious side of things, David... I nearly fell out of my chair when I read your post... and then, "The Devil made me do it!" Like you, the Schickster's work is keeping me from going completely bonkers. I think we may be cut from the same cloth... probably from the same straight jacket. Things are better now... we have done our part to inject some humor into Brian's Music Emporium.

All the best... and thanks for the entertainment.

----Dave

Pppppppppppppppplllllllllllllhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Pills Please!!!

Love ya man!

David & Dave - you guys are busting me up. Now I'm in the mood for a cartoon track. Maybe I'll do one tomorrow.

David - you have a large variety of music on your website - NICE!

Best, John