The Frustrations of a Modern Day Composer

Robin put his new pieces on a disc yesterday and we sat back and listened.
For him this is a frustrating process, as what you hear from any computer generated programme, is not as it sounds in his head.
Sibelius is a fantastic tool, and the orchestral sounds are pretty realistic, but nothing can replace real musicians.
An orchestra brings a piece to life, and allows it to breathe at the appropriate moments, interpreting the composers intention under the guidance of a skilled conductor.
But as we have neither orchestra or conductor stashed away under the stairs, for now, we'll have to make do.
However, today, Robin did have a play around with the programme, and managed to add more expression, so we are another step nearer to what he is trying to achieve.
It did prompt a discussion on the advantage/disadvantage modern composers have compared to their predecessors.
Until recently the technology just wasn't available for them to hear their scores played back.
For me as the non-musician, I felt it must make life easier for the modern day composer.
Robin, as the musician, wasn't as sure. It certainly is nice to hear your work, but, he already knows in his own mind what it is going to sound like, and until that is achieved by real orchestral musicians, he will always be disappointed.
However, as Frank Zappa once said, even when your music is recorded by a real orchestra, there will still always be parts you're not happy with.
I guess that for musicians, as they evolve, so does their music. It's part of the artistic process.