Скачать или смотреть Elgar, Symphony No 1, Sibelius/Noteperformer virtual performance video score

Created using Sibelius music notation software (Version 7.1.3 First) and the Noteperformer 3 sounds engine. I made a separate .sib file and .wmv video for each movement, then combined them as a single MP4.

The Sibelius Mixer allows only one setting per file, so I did the best I could to obtain a reasonable balance between instrument volumes in each movement. In addition I used hidden dynamics (~ff, ~pp etc) to increase or decrease volume, and also the midi ensemble message to increase the notional number of solo instruments for example, ~C104,3 on the Trumpet stave should sound like 3 trumpets. Even so, it's sometimes difficult to get it right everywhere, for example woodwinds sometimes don't punch through as much as I would like.

This version of Sibelius only allows a maximum of 16 staves, so in order to include all instruments, I have merged divisi parts onto single staves using Sibelius' Voices, including sometimes strings (to cope with Elgar's frequent splitting-off of string parts into 'last desk only'). In the second movement, I included the 'Piatti e Gran Cassa' (Cymbal and Bass Drum), and snare drum on the single Drum Set stave. Where possible, I moved bass clarinet and contrabassoon parts to their 'ordinary' equivalents.

I found the third (adagio) movement particularly challenging, with its complex rhythms: lots of 16th, 32nd and 64th notes, often dotted and triplets, I nearly went cross-eyed. I stuck to Elgar's metronome markings, giving a total duration of 48 minutes, perhaps rather faster than most recordings. Elgar frequently mixes tempii simultaneously (for example 6/4 and 2/2 - I think it's called a 'hemiola'), which I effected using triplets.

The final page of the score is a glorious mash-up: too many notes, not enough space.

All notes - many thousands of them - were entered 'by hand', so please forgive any errors.

For many more pieces (Rachmaninov, Beethoven, Mahler, Strauss and more) see my playlist    • Classical pieces realised using Sibelius a...  

00:00 Mvt I
16:20 Mvt II
23:09 Mvt III
34:03: Mvt IV