An Artistic Score Engraving update from August 2024

Dear all,

Welcome back to the monthly update. I hope you are all well and that you are enjoying the summer (or winter), wherever you are.

The original title of this instalment had to be “The Root of the Problem” because I wanted to connect a reflection you will now find at the end with a sneaky cavity that had stealthily found its way up to the root of a tooth. The chosen title, though, is more appropriate, as it represents my chosen productivity method, which was heavily (ab)used during the last month.

The Gratitude Corner

I am grateful to all those who have decided to trust me with their scores this month, allowing me to see the light of the surface approaching above me.

I am deeply grateful towards two dear friends who, in the last quarter, decided to help me get out of the quicksand I was sinking in.

Furthermore, I am grateful for having been contacted by someone in the direct line of succession with one of the researches I am conducting. This has been such a blessing, and a true honour!

Finally, I am grateful for this unbelievably hard period that the October ’23–April ’24 half-year has been. Hardship is there to make us stronger, to make us break through our limits, and to emerge as better people afterwards.

NEWS

Print

After more than one year since the previous attempt, I am back into printing scores. This time, though, instead of printing 100+ copies of each title, I am printing a dozen copies of each title at a time. I have found a printer who is great in quality and still affordable. As I write, the next 5 titles are being produced, and I will share links to them as they become available on the HNE Store.

Editions

There are no new editions for July, though I have certainly made progress on several fronts: the Dotzauer chamber piece is 95% over, but I was slowed down by something new I had to learn, that is, the rules of placement of pedal markings for the piano! Compare this picture:

With this:

Now try to understand why the second is much better than the first. When I understood it—even after 13 years in this business—it blew my mind!

So, what else is cooking in the oven? A previously unedited piano piece; an arrangement for 8 cellos of a piece by an always-frowning composer; a set of six pieces for cello choir dedicated to a great cellist who, sadly, is very ill; a massive set of duos for two cellos; and more…

Welcome to IKEA!

Recently, I have noticed how software updates from big companies rarely offer fully baked features, rather bits of them, about 50% functional. They are not polished, nor are they finished, and they often cause more troubles than the benefits they (should) bring. Thanks to their immense user base, though, they get tons of free feedback, and they can then fix things faster—or not. Most users, though, prefer to see new shiny features instead of a stable, quality-rich program. So, given their evident success, I have decided to try a similar thing.

Being unable to know in advance what editions will draw interest, any edition I bring to 100%, with musicological research and crazy detailed design, is basically a waste of time and resources. Drawn by an environmentally friendly urge, I am now going to try something different: introducing ASE Beta Scores or, as a person very dear to me would say, IKEA Scores!

Now, when you have stopped laughing at it, here is what this is all about: ASE Beta Scores are finished scores, with the same high-level design, but lacking the final proofreading process, the editorial/critical notes, and the cover design. They are perfectly playable and still better than most editions out there. If they get any kind of traction, they will be brought to 100%, printed and distributed. If they don’t, they will sit there until I have time to take care of them. Of course, not all editions will receive this treatment…

In their product description you will find a discount code to use at checkout to get them for 30% off. The only difference with Swedish furniture is that when I eventually bring them to Natuzzi level, you will get them upgraded for free. The first of such scores will land in a couple of days.

Realisation on programming

A few years ago, I dedicated a lot of time to learning how to code and, while I eventually decided that was not the life I wanted, what I learned was invaluable. In these last few days, I have learned of a crucial difference between indie and corporate developers: the former use their software, the latter just code them. This results in them being disconnected from their user base, far from being able to help them. I find tons of issues in my daily engraving journey, and I have always wondered why they had not been found by the developers already. Sadly, those issues are just a number in a log for them—if they even know of their existence. I believe that were they to task a Q&A Engineer to just use the program all day long, they would find so much more. But what do I know? I am only an engraver, and I have no idea how things really work.

One Year of Gifts!

It sounds unreal, but it has already been one year since I began offering free excerpts to my mailing list subscribers. As a celebration, to anyone following me for at least one year, I have sent a special message which will net them a complete score for free! To get that, they will have to do a simple thing—basically demonstrate they are not a bot. Let’s see how this goes!

Bottom Line

The non-philosophical part of the newsletter is over. If you feel like staying for more, below you will find my personal reflection on an issue that has given me much thought lately, and that, I believe, should be addressed on a global educational and social level. Otherwise, thank you for reading so far.

You can join my mailing list here, browse my editions here, and check what’s available for print in the HNE Store. My YouTube channel, finally, contains video renditions of most of my editions.

See you next month for the September update, and I would love to hear from you about what you are doing and where your more or less musical endeavours are bringing you.

Michele

Bonus Content

Silence or… “The Root of the Problem”!

There is something I wanted to share with you and that stems from last month’s request for a reaction—be it positive or negative—to what I do from you, and it is a reflection on silence. In this bonus section, I explore a few recent events, trying to find what brings people to avoid giving an answer when prompted.

The Italian game

The Piatti Festival, happening every year in Bergamo, recently published a request for donations to support its creation. Since I run the Piatti Opera Omnia publishing project, I thought it appropriate to propose a collaboration. I reached out to them to suggest a deal: they would place links to my Piatti editions on their website, and we would split the revenues. Very simple, very clean. The only answer I got was:

You can make a tax-deductible donation here.

I tried to inquire into the reason of this reaction. Nothing, all I got was silence.

A due endnote: in previous editions, they got a logo from a local steel industry on their marketing material. So, steel industry money is good for supporting the Piatti Festival, Piatti scores are not. Understood.

A nice try

A few weeks ago it was the anniversary of Piatti’s death and, as usual, I posted a 2-day sale on all of his scores. An Italian guy, composer, conductor, artistic director and more, sent a PM on the ASE page asking:

How can I receive those scores?

As a fellow Italian, I replied in Italian, asking what did he mean by “receive” and explaining how things were supposed to work. I never received any reply. See the irony?!

My rules or nothing!

I recently contacted a new distributor to expand my reach into retail stores. Before giving out any detail about a possible collaboration, I would have had to send them a free copy of any score I wanted to distribute with them. I replied asking if a PDF copy was enough, and that I would need to know something (anything, really!) before committing. I have never heard from them since.

They surely didn’t have time

In my job it usually works like this:

Composer / arranger / publisher contacts me explaining their needs and asking how it works
I reply in great detail, usually offering (as an option) a video call to get acquainted as I always prefer to put my face on the plate
I usually receive a reply in either direction and we both continue with our respective lives, together or not, but usually in peace!

It has happened more often than not in the last year that people would not reply after the first contact, nor would they react to a follow-up.

Example: a choir director from the UK asked me for a quote, which I gave. He replied that it was good and that he would contact me again to get started. Then, I saw him post on a notational software’s forum asking for guidance on how to do things on those same pieces I had to do. I wrote him, asking for a clarification. Never heard back from him.

For the records: I always reply, to everyone, and I am very busy! To reinforce this, I can assure you that I’ve got answers in less than 30 minutes from world stars that are hundreds of times more busy than I am. So, basically, if you care, you will take action; if you don’t, you will not. It is as simple as that.

Is it a France vs Italy thing? I hope not…

Looking at the Olympic Games these days, I wonder if there may be some France-Italy thing going on because last month, another edition by Piatti was premiered in Paris and none of the musicians had bought the score. There was only one person who could have given it to them, another “dear friend”. I wrote him and asked if he had given it to them (really, no problem, just say it, or ask it beforehand). He never replied. Silence is all I got.

At the very least, the organisers contacted me to get their copyright clearance, which—from my perspective—was only to have them use the original score. In the end, the organiser himself bought 2 copies, not the musicians.

Protect your friendships!

It has already been one year since Sol Gabetta played from my edition of the first Bach Suite in its version with piano accompaniment by Piatti. We had a deal: I would create editions of new repertoire exclusively for her, she would play/record them, and send me promotional material to use. Easy, lean, clean, a clear win for everyone. The deal was struck between me and luthier Balthazar Soulier, someone I considered a dear friend since our collaboration in the Cappa Festival (2010-15). As friends, it was a handshake, and that was a big mistake from my part. Especially with friends and family, get everything written down and signed. This is the only thing that will save you!

She played the piece (July 2nd, 2023), I sent the newsletter saying she did so (July 4th), then I received a message from Mr. Soulier saying that I may not use Sol’s name ever again. I asked what happened, why was this? Nothing… just… silence. To this day, August 2nd, 2024, I still do not know what all this was about. All I know is that she got all my scores of Piatti for free (my part of the deal), and I got nothing in return—even if I have a written email from her stating she would send me the promotional material after the concert.

One could say I should just be happy that Sol Gabetta played my score. Well, yeah, if anyone had ever known about it.

Same thing with Giovanni Sollima: I was “encouraged” to give him a free score in 2018 by the Piatti Festival, to pay for my trip and lodging in Bergamo, and even to pay for the entrance ticket to the concert. They said it would have been good for me. After 6 years, I can ensure you nothing has blossomed from that gift.

In all honestly, I have nothing against her, she is a good person. This is all over and well in the past for me and, if you can believe me, I am grateful for this, as I have learned immensely from it. The backstabbing from a friend may not be something that’s easy to heal, or forget, but know this, dear Balthazar: your utter betrayal has made me a much better professional, and a much stronger person, than I could ever imagine. For the rest, I will limit myself to do as a wise, old lady once told me:

Just multiply him by zero!

Endnote

I will leave you to crunch all this information and, as always, I would be glad to hear what you think about all this. My honest opinion is that this kind of people just don’t have the guts to face those they wronged with honour and humility, and that it is better, and easier, for them to leave things to fall into the void.

Of one thing I am certain: this attitude will come back to bite them, and if silence is all they can give, silence is all they will get in the end.

Thank you for your extra time.

Yours