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The Masque Of The Red Death
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A song based on the short story of the same name by Edgar Allan Poe.
original song
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"...I too play a guitar- but sometimes I play the fool" -John Lennon
Mostly, I write originals songs and record/produce the material at home. I just play acoustic/electric guitar, sometimes bass. I'll fill out the songs with other "instruments". Lately I've been filming renditions of these songs, doing covers of pop/rock songs, and making music videos of my material.
Song Info
Genre
Rock • Progressive Rock
Charts
Peak #1
Peak in subgenre #1
Author
Geoffrey Orbegoso
Rights
2008
Uploaded
March 08, 2010
Track Files
MP3
MP3 5.9 MB • 128 kbps • 6:29
Story behind the song
I've always enjoyed reading works by Poe, and other New England authors from that period. Somehow "The Masque" seemed like the best fit for the song's ambience. The bridge is supposed to take the listener directly into the moment where the masquerade is taking place. I put in the string quartet section to add tension and to break up the lethargic verses, but also to continue with the orchestral theme. The second time the bridge comes around represents the fact that the Red Death has now infiltrated the palace. This is the part during which the grandfather clock ticking away in the black room has struck the midnight hour and an awkward hush falls over the party-goers.
Lyrics
based on the short story by Edgar Allan Poe; some passages are taken directly from the text Beyond the abbey's iron gates Long had raged the pestilence; A thousand hale and light-hearted friends Resolved to allow neither ingress or egress The Prince Prospero entertained his friends At a masked ball of the most unusual magnificence; There were bufoons, there were improvisitori, there were ballet dancers, There were musicians, there was beauty, there was wine The masque was held in a palace Befitting of the duke's love of the bizarre; The palace was comprised of seven chambers Each of a different hue A blue, a purple, a green, an orange, A white, a violet, and on to black; Gothic windows of stained glass Adorned the illumined suites Welcome my friends- or should I say refugees? To the security within these walls; The rest of the world can take care of itself, In the meantime it's folly to grieve! Prince Prospero: "Who dares? Who dares insult us with this blasphemous mockery? Seize him and unmask him, so that we may know whom we have to hang at sunrise." In the midst of revelry An uninvited guest appeared; At first they attempted to seize the intruder But all at once they shrank away Now the figure's identity was revealed Terror seized the Prince and he ran through each of the rooms; The Prince and his friends fell one by one The Red Death held dominion over all Welcome my friends- or should I say refugees? To the security within these walls; The rest of the world can take care of itself, In the meantime it's folly to grieve! music and arrangement: Geoff Orbegoso (c) 2010
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Drumnjon
Feb 20, 2016
GREAT PROduction here! VERY ENTERTAINING PIECE! JON:)
Astronomusic
Sep 05, 2008
Very nice!!! Beautiful the different atmospheres along the music!!! Keep your art alive, Geoffrey!!! Z&A