My impressions of Ecce Cor Meum

I just got this, and have listened to it several times.
My first impression was that it was pretty impressive; in the sense
that it does sound like "real claasical music".

I am not a classical music expert, but I do listen to it quite a bit.
That is to say, I do not know a lot of technical things about it, as a
"classical snob" would. However, I do listen to it, mostly the well
known composers like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Handel.. but also some
lesser known composers like Part, Sibelius, and Revueltas. I listen a
lot but do not pay a lot of attention to the names of the movements,
etc. So that is my background as it pertains to "classical" type
music.

Lookingglass...

(snip)

Hey!!! I know a lot about the 'technical' side of Music...but I still pick
my nose... ;^)

I'm glad to read that you have an appreciation for what Paul is trying to
accomplish. I have NOT heard this piece, and I don't plan on searching it
out. I don't have high expectations about the work that Paul does in this
genre of music. He is not a trained musician...though he has a way with a
melody. That does not preclude his being able to write 'good' Art music. The
Russian composers that made up "the mighty handful"... Mussorgsky, Rimsky
Korsakov and others, were mostly self-taught. I am glad to see him try new
things...new projects...new goals to attain, and I wish him well. There is
so much good music already composed to listen to...but I do not object to
him taking a stab at it.

dancin' dave (...tuned a natural E...)

So... so far, I do like "Ecce...". Though I do not like it a LOT. I
see it as more of a "curiosity" than as something I will want to play
over and over again. I think I would be more likely to play something

Bernie Woodham...

Ain't never listened to, ain't never gonna. "curiosity" is exactly right.
McCartney is out of his depth. This classical music thing is just a fathead
being a fathead.

Just as Paul is anxious that he will be forgotten as a songwriter because
his name follows Lennon's, in the same way is he anxious that the future
will not take him seriously because he was just a writer of 'pop' music.
What he doesn't seem to realize is that classical music was the 'pop' music
of it's time.

These days I'm more prone to listen to Bach's Italian Piano Concertos than I
am Beatles music. (My one 'pop' music exception is Dylan's Hwy61Rev).

I guess I'm revealing a bit of my unreasonable side in not giving Paul's
Ecce a listen first; but I just find it difficult to believe that Paul is
doing anything more than creating a stereotype of what he thinks classical
music is supposed to be.

else in this genre if I am in the mood for this type of music; the
choral music of Palestrina, for example.

I think the first movement ("Spiritus") is quite good, but then the
2nd movement ("Gratia") leaves me cold. It seems too overly sacharrine
and pop-ish and does not fit with the rest of the piece. Seems to me
he missed the mark on this 2nd movement.

The interlude ("Lament") written for Linda is also quite good, perhaps
the best part of the album.

The 3rd part regains the promise of the 1st part but the 4th part
"Musica", begins to lose my interest again.

The final part, "Ecce Cor Meum", is by far the best, most complex
musically, and most worth listening to, in my humble opinion.

Overall, I think he did a pretty good job here, and maybe if he keeps
at it he'll really write something that can stand the test of time in
the genre of "classical music". I don't think this quite hits the
mark, but it's close. And I admire him for trying, especially after
the critically panned previous attempts (which, by the way, did not
even inspire me to acquire them).

Does anyone else feel the 2nd movement of this one is the weakest?

How do you all feel about this album, overall?