Synthonic Offerings

Swan-Cross is pleased to offer this collection of music that has been composed and performed entirely on electro-acoustic instruments (also known loosely as “synthesizers” or “virtual instruments”).

These recordings are currently made available for free download, for a variety of reasons. All I ask is that you copy them only for your own listening pleasure and not copy them for others. Instead, direct your friends and family to this website, where they can check the music out for themselves. If you would like CD-quality recordings, many of the pieces listed below are available on CD.

Of course, making and distributing copies of this music for your own personal gain is a violation of copyright and moral law. Please don't do it.

Title	Description	Published:
Kaleidoscopes 1. Trinity 4.5 Mb 2. Humankind 5.1 Mb 3. trinity 2.5 Mb 4. The Corners 8.8 Mb 5. Metamorphosis 9.1 Mb 6. Abalica 3.2 Mb 7. Dance of the Great Spheres 7.2 Mb 10. Covenental Clockwork 6.0 Mb 11. Lost, but Not Forsaken 2.3 Mb	This collection was inspired by a very special gift. It was the first anniversary of our marriage. For some time previous, I had been creatively log-jammed, totally unable to produce any new music at all. I was ready to give it all up. But then, a very special friend of ours presented us with a very special anniversary gift: It was a hand-made kaleidoscope, crafted from stained glass, that she had made for us. One look through this marvelous and incredible kaleidoscope took away my breath with its beauty and wonder. It also broke the log jam. All of a sudden, I had a totally new sense of direction as a composer! That was the inspiration for this collection of pieces. Before the week was out, I had conceived a collection of pieces that would attempt to convey, in musical terms, something of the experience of gazing through a kaleidoscope like that wonderful gift. Each one of these pieces, in its own way, makes that attempt—obviously, with varying degrees of success. The collection was conceived to consist of twelve individual pieces. As you can see, the project is not yet complete, even 30-some years later. That does not mean I have given it up.

1. Trinity
             4.5 Mb

2. Humankind
             5.1 Mb

3. trinity
             2.5 Mb

4. The Corners
             8.8 Mb

5. Metamorphosis
             9.1 Mb

6. Abalica
             3.2 Mb

7. Dance of the Great Spheres
             7.2 Mb

10. Covenental Clockwork
             6.0 Mb

11. Lost, but Not Forsaken
             2.3 Mb

This collection was inspired by a very special gift.

It was the first anniversary of our marriage. For some time previous, I had been creatively log-jammed, totally unable to produce any new music at all. I was ready to give it all up.

But then, a very special friend of ours presented us with a very special anniversary gift: It was a hand-made kaleidoscope, crafted from stained glass, that she had made for us.

One look through this marvelous and incredible kaleidoscope took away my breath with its beauty and wonder. It also broke the log jam. All of a sudden, I had a totally new sense of direction as a composer!

That was the inspiration for this collection of pieces. Before the week was out, I had conceived a collection of pieces that would attempt to convey, in musical terms, something of the experience of gazing through a kaleidoscope like that wonderful gift. Each one of these pieces, in its own way, makes that attempt—obviously, with varying degrees of success.

The collection was conceived to consist of twelve individual pieces. As you can see, the project is not yet complete, even 30-some years later.

That does not mean I have given it up.

Title	Description	Published:
May Jesus Christ Be Praised 3.5 Mb	This is the first in what was originally intended to be a series, a CD-length collection of like-minded works titled I Sing the Hymn Electronique. So far, the intention remains just that—though... ...like the Kaleidoscope collection, that does not mean I have given it up. Someday... This is also available as an piano-organ duet.

Title

Description

Published:

May Jesus Christ Be Praised

3.5 Mb

This is the first in what was originally intended to be a series, a CD-length collection of like-minded works titled I Sing the Hymn Electronique. So far, the intention remains just that—though...

...like the Kaleidoscope collection, that does not mean I have given it up. Someday...

This is also available as an piano-organ duet.

Title	Description	Published:
Epiphany Suite 1. A Piece of Epiphany 6.2 Mb 2. L2:40 2.3 Mb 3. Proclamation 0.3 Mb 4. In the Wilderness 12.2 Mb 5. March deLion 2.3 Mb 6. Fanfare 1.0 Mb 7. Passion's 'our 8. Dawnsong/Sonrise 20.8 Mb	This is one of my earliest synthonic works—a programmatic piece depicting the life of Jesus from beginning to end (at least here on earth). A Piece of Epiphany — Started as a very early attempt to write a Christmas carol. Eventually, it was expanded to include quotes from other Christmas season music. L2:40 — Shorthand for Luke 2:40. Proclamation — Depicts the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. In the Wilderness — Portrays Jesus's 40 days in the wilderness following His baptism. March deLion — Illustrates, in a rather light-hearted way, the circus-like atmosphere that must have surrounded much of Jesus's public ministry. This one is dedicated to my mother's memory, because of her love of marches. Fanfare — Announces the coming of the King into His own city, Jerusalem, on the day we now call Palm Sunday. Passion's 'our and Dawnsong/Sonrise — Flows as one movement, representing the arrest, trial, conviction, and crucifixion of Jesus. Then, after a long dark night of the soul, the morning dawns and with it, the resurrection of the Lord! Excitement on His victory over death and His return to the Father! Written for and performed on: • The Casio CZ-5000 synthesizer • The Roland TR-505 drum machine • An old, out-of-tune, rented, upright piano Recorded and mixed on a Tascam 246 Portastudio 4-channel cassette recorder in the spring and summer of 1988, in Kaiserslautern, West Germany. More recently, recovered from old cassettes and digitally remastered for this collection.

Title

Description

Published:

Epiphany Suite

1. A Piece of Epiphany
             6.2 Mb

2. L2:40
             2.3 Mb

3. Proclamation
             0.3 Mb

4. In the Wilderness
             12.2 Mb

5. March deLion
             2.3 Mb

6. Fanfare
             1.0 Mb

7. Passion's 'our
8. Dawnsong/Sonrise
             20.8 Mb

This is one of my earliest synthonic works—a programmatic piece depicting the life of Jesus from beginning to end (at least here on earth).

A Piece of Epiphany — Started as a very early attempt to write a Christmas carol. Eventually, it was expanded to include quotes from other Christmas season music.
L2:40 — Shorthand for Luke 2:40.
Proclamation — Depicts the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.
In the Wilderness — Portrays Jesus's 40 days in the wilderness following His baptism.
March deLion — Illustrates, in a rather light-hearted way, the circus-like atmosphere that must have surrounded much of Jesus's public ministry.
This one is dedicated to my mother's memory, because of her love of marches.
Fanfare — Announces the coming of the King into His own city, Jerusalem, on the day we now call Palm Sunday.
Passion's 'our and Dawnsong/Sonrise — Flows as one movement, representing the arrest, trial, conviction, and crucifixion of Jesus. Then, after a long dark night of the soul, the morning dawns and with it, the resurrection of the Lord! Excitement on His victory over death and His return to the Father!

Written for and performed on:

• The Casio CZ-5000 synthesizer

• The Roland TR-505 drum machine

• An old, out-of-tune, rented, upright piano

Recorded and mixed on a Tascam 246 Portastudio 4-channel cassette recorder in the spring and summer of 1988, in Kaiserslautern, West Germany.

More recently, recovered from old cassettes and digitally remastered for this collection.

Synthonic Offerings

On this page: