This...is the song stories page. Here you get a peek inside the mind of Mark Hatting, as well as his explanations for the songs he's written, so they are even more appreciated. Want to see one of these songs? E-mail him and request it, or go to the sheet music page; it might be there.
COLLECTIONS
"'Chopsticks' Variations"
����������� This is a work in progress, where I start out with the original blocked chords from Chopsticks, and ends up with a very, very complicated variation.
"'Godspell' Cues"
����������� This is the collection of underscore music used in the 2003 version of Godspell that I directed. �This includes the soliloquy at the beginning given by Jesus, various musical cues throughout the show, including the "Jeopardy! Theme" during the Charades illustration, as well as some original cues (particularly during the Temptation towards the end of the play).
"'It's A Wonderful Life' Cues"
����������� These are all listed here as well as individual titles, but this encompasses all of them, including "George's Theme," "Mary's Theme," "Potter's Theme," and "Miss Carter's Theme."� This also includes other cues during the play not listed here.� These cues were written in October of 2001.
"'Miracle Worker' Cues"
����������� These cues were for the drama "Miracle Worker" that I did for my high school in March of 2001 ("It's a Wonderful Life" followed in October).� The individually listed cues that are also on this list are "Annie's Theme," "Helen's Theme," and "Kate's Theme."� Like "It's A Wonderful Life," there are many cues not listed here.
"'Requital' Cues"
����������� My first student film.� This includes three cues: the theme (listed as an individual title), the Bathroom scene, and the End Credits.� These cues were registered in May of 2004.
"'Whodunit' Cues"
����������� These are still being written.� They're for a stageplay I'm writing based on the Clue characters.� Most of them are mysterious variations on a central theme at this point, but they will soon develop into their own themes.� This has taken more of a back seat right now while I concentrate on other projects.
INDIVIDUAL TITLES
------A------
"A Medieval Festival"
����������� This was my first orchestral composition that I submitted in 2001 for the ASCAP's Rudolf Nissim Prize.� I didn't win, but it was a landmark piece in my music & composition career.
"A Short Meditation"
����������� This is a short (1:30 or so) piece for reflection after a long day of work or school, whichever is more appropriate.� I wrote this in about 15 minutes after a very long day.
"A Study of Triplets"
����������� A part of my study collections, this plays off of Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier" in the respect that it includes pieces in every major and minor key.� The catch: nothing but triplets, quarter, and full notes (4/4 meter would have triplets and whole notes; 3/4 meter would have triplets and dotted-half notes).� I'm still not done yet, but it's coming along.
"Adagio"
����������� A piano and string quartet piece that is still being currently developed.� I have the main theme in my head, I just have to put it on paper now.
"All I Want"
����������� A contemporary Christian piece that I wrote at a youth retreat during a very spiritual moment.� I wrote this in about 10 minutes...words and music.� I just never performed it, which is the case of most of my compositions.
"Amanda's Theme"
����������� This one was never put on paper, but it was recorded.� I wrote this while I was looking at my now-ex-girlfriend Amanda.� A sort of romantic impromptu composition.� I've been known to do that: look at somebody (either by photo or in person) and compose a theme for them).
"An Attempt at Serialism"
����������� My first of two serial pieces utilizing the twelve-tone system developed by 20th-century composer Schoenberg.� It was not too difficult; the hard part was composing a semi-permanent melody.
"An Ode to the Classics"
����������� Still under development, this will eventually be a tribute to the classics of Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, and the like.
"Annie's
Theme"
����������� Annie Sullivan's theme from "The Miracle Worker," written in 2001.
"At the Name"
����������� I wrote this one with my good friend, Anna Widling, the worship leader at my former church.� We wrote this pretty quickly at the request of our pastor who was doing a series out of the book of Philippians.� This was performed for the first time on his last week on the study.
------B------
"Because of Love"
����������� Another song that Anna and I wrote.� This one took the juices out of both of us creatively, as it was the hardest song I think it was to write.� It started as a good idea, but as we moved on, it became more and more complicated, asking ourselves, "Why did Jesus die on the cross for us?"
"
����������� I'm not even sure I should include this, since this was written a long time ago, and was based on a very strong romantic inkling towards Anna's daughter, Bethany.� It was really well-done, but she (or anyone) never heard me perform it.� It's more literature than a performance piece...like part of a diary.
"Bless the Lord"
����������� This is a song I wrote for my Cleanse Me project, which never was released.� It stopped in post-production.� I wrote about 15 songs for that project, and I only registered the ones I liked the best with ASCAP.
------C------
"Children of Christ"
����������� Another piece for "
"Cleanse Me"
����������� This piece I received Honorable
Mention (and consequently received my first royalty check from this) for a
project with the
"Counting by Meter No. 1"
����������� This is another study piece.� Every measure is a different meter, starting at 2/4 and going up to 7/4, then going back to 1/4 for the last measure of the piece.� It's 1 page long, and the piece is quite random.
------E------
"Ecstasy"
����������� A new-age style piece still being developed.� Enya provided the inspiration on this piece.
------F------
"Fanfare for Woodwinds"
����������� Everybody seems to associate fanfares with lots of brass instruments and drums, but I think it's about time someone associated a fanfare with clarinets, flutes, and bassoons.� This piece is the result of that association.
"Footprints in the Sand"
����������� Boy, I haven't thought about this piece in a long, long time.� I wrote this in 2001 for a project that never got off the ground, kind of the prelude to my first project "Glory, Honor, Majesty," but it never made the cut.� This was basically written as a reflection of my life thus far.
"Funeral Ceremony"
����������� This is part of my Program Music Anthology, and is scored for strings only.� This really is a good piece, one I'm very proud of.� I actually used part of it in the "Godspell" cues for Jesus' soliloquy.
-----G------
"George's Theme"
����������� George Bailey's Theme from "It's A Wonderful Life"
------H------
"Helen's Theme"
����������� Helen Keller's Theme from "Miracle Worker"
------I------
"I Can't Believe"
����������� This was another one for "Cleanse Me' that never made it.� This was hard for me to write, though I wrote it in about 15 minutes.
"I Praise Your Name"
����������� Another piece that was the result of a collaboration with Anna and me.� This was performed once, but we didn't think that the congregation that we did it for caught the hang of it.� I have no idea whether it's been performed since.
"Intro!"
����������� A decent avant-garde piece that utilized tritones (augmented 4ths, diminished 5ths) as the main motif.� I played this for a friend of mine, and he really liked it.
"Invention in F#-minor"
����������� Just a miscellaneous piece that really doesn't fit in one particular place.
"Invention in G"
����������� This is a duet for two French horns that was written mainly for a slideshow that is done by a really good friend of mine at the end of the school year.� It didn't make it, but I kept it anyway.
"It is Finished"
����������� My longest piano/vocal piece (in excess of 6 minutes), but I'm not real happy with it, and it's just collected dust.� I was originally going to perform this one Sunday, but decided against it at the last second.
------J------
"Jazz Invention"
����������� A jazz style improv piece that is still being written.
------K------
"Kate's Theme"
����������� Kate Keller's Theme from "Miracle Worker."
------L------
"Life...After Amanda"
����������� So many songs are about turmoil and sadness, and this is no exception.� This was very difficult for me to write...so hard it took me over 6 months to complete.� It is filled with sadness, longing, anger, and despair.
"Like A Child"
����������� How many revisions did this go through, Anna?� Maybe 4 or so? �This started out as an 8-minute piece, but was condensed to a 4-minute song that was performed and well-received.� Has it been performed since?� I doubt it.
"Love Theme"
����������� Another addition to the Program Music Anthology, which showcases different movie moods.� This one is for piano and strings.
------M------
"Miss Carter's Theme"
����������� Miss Carter's Theme from "It's A Wonderful Life."
"My Lord and King"
����������� This was originally a segue from "I Praise Your Name" but it was never performed.� Truthfully, I don't even know where the original hard copies for this song are.
"My Pledge"
����������� Every good composer has to write a song for a wedding, and this is my contribution to society.� Never being married, I'm unable to capture the true emotion that hits an individual on their wedding day.� A noble attempt, nonetheless.
------N------
"Natalia's Theme"����������
This was written for a good friend of mine named Natasha, I just gave her the Italian name.
------O------
"O Love That Will Not Let Me Go"
����������� This is my best choral arrangement, in my opinion.� This has very difficult harmonies, but it's still pleasing to the ear.� It was adapted originally from a TTBB score, and I just turned into a SATB score.� It's not as easy as it sounds, though.� This one was a toughie.
"Of Octaves"
����������� Another study-style piece, this one features all octaves.� No chords really, just perfect octaves the entire 4 minutes.
------P------
"Poly(a)tonal Ear Test"
����������� My most favorite of my avant-garde pieces to date.� This one features bi-tonality (a C-major chord in the right hand and an F#-major chord in the left hand), which makes for a very interesting sound.� It later goes into a seemingly random series of notes, but each one is planned carefully.� Unlike most atonal pieces, however, this one actually resolves and ends on a cadence (a D-major chord, to be exact).
"Potter's Theme"
����������� Sidney Potter's Theme from "It's A Wonderful Life"
"Program Music Anthology"
����������� This collection includes a series of moods (two already aforementioned) written especially for a movie.
"Psalm 150"
����������� Another title that was part of the "Cleanse Me" project.
------R------
"Renew My Passion"
This was another title for"Cleanse Me" that never was performed nor released.
"Romance in D-Major"
This one is still being developed, and is being written for piano and cello.
"Romance in E-flat Major"
Another romantic title still being developed.
------S------
"Serialism II"
This is my second serial composition, which features a little more awareness. Like the first, it is mainly used for study rather than performance.
------T------
"Taste & See"
Yet another "Cleanse Me" song that never was performed.
"The One"
This is the result of a three-way collaboration. A friend of mine asked me to write him a song, and he provided some of the lyrics. I went to Anna to see what she would suggest. She made some notes and I ran with it. Too bad it was never performed. It really is something great.
"The Way God Moves"
We're seeing a lot of Cleanse Me stuff, aren't we? Here's another.
"The Word"
Two in a row...
"Theme from 'Requital'"
This is the student film that I wrote the "Requital Cues" for. This is the theme, which lasts about 30 seconds.
"Theme of the Wind"
Like "Invention in G," this was written for the slideshow, and almost got in. I didn't get the editing done for it in time, though, which really was not good. Ryan had to use another song. Maybe next year, eh?
"They That Wait"
For a long time, I said that my life verse from the Bible was Isaiah 40:31; this is an homage to that verse.
------U------
"Unrequited Love"
This is another romantic-style piece not really written for nor to anybody; just a piece about how one feels love and yet he knows it's not reciprocated.
"Unsung Heroes"
My contribution to the 9/11 tragedies, though mine centered around flight 93. Again, this was never performed.
------V------
"Victory!"
Part of the "Program Music Anthology." This lasts about a minute, but I really like it.
------W------
"We Lift Our Hands"
The best collaboration between Anna and me. This one we performed a lot in church, and it was well-received each time. I wonder if it's been performed since?
"Welcome Home"
A scratch-pad style collaboration between Anna and me that was never performed.
------Y------
"You Are the One"
A self-written contemporary style piece for church performance, again, never performed, though I wish it was.
"Your Steadfast Love"
Cleanse Me again...never showcased or performed.
"Your Works, Lord"
I really like this one, but it was never performed. Such a shame to see a good piece like this go to waste...
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Well, that's all for now. Check back for more...more song stories will be added as they are registered with ASCAP.