Heya! I had an orchestral piece, Wandering Forest Spirits performed recently so I thought I'd at least post the performance recording and the sheet music here:
IMO. By far one of the most promising pieces I've heard on this forum. I'll leave the technical stuff to those so much better qualified than me. I think the performance doesn’t quite reveal the the true potential of your composition, which is frustrating, but despite this it remains evocative and satisfying. It caught, and held my attention and I enjoyed the journey.
Hi Kento - enjoyable. With shades of French impressionism throughout. A beautiful journey - both subtle and exciting. Have you heard the 3rd movement of Tippets second symphony - check it out for radical changes in dynamic which might drive your compositions forward.
Thanks for the comments Thomas! Here's my responses:
Trumpet: That's very true that the trumpet comes out prominently in the orchestra. How do you feel about the other brass instruments? Do you feel they're able to blend better with the rest of the orchestra if they want to? Or are there other brass instruments I should beware of using, especially in particular registers?
Themes: What do you think are good ways to stabilize themes, especially without using something too close to repetition? My teachers generally discourage me from literal repetition of melodies (although this can be nice for making the music more accessible, like in Faure's Pavane when the melody's kept but the accompaniment is changed a little). Because of this, I am trying to find creative ways to both create a sense of familiarity and novelty without repeating material too much. I've been struggling with how to satisfy both my New Music teachers and listeners on the first listening of a piece, since aesthetically they can conflict (for example, as much as I like Elliot Carter, I know his style is hopelessly dense for some audiences. I would love to do similar things but make it a little easier for audiences to understand the music quickly).
Pacing: I've also been thinking about how to create greater spaces, silences, held out chords, or just "mini-endings" for the end of phrases and sections without losing too much of the momentum of the piece (ie, so it doesn't sound like it just switched movements). I would love to hear more of your thoughts/insights on how to achieve this.
Hey Jack, thanks for the suggestions about Tippet; I will see if I can hear it on Youtube or access it anywhere else. Do you know any orchestral compositions with a lot of drive through dynamics which there are scores available on imslp.org ? I am used to using polyrhythms and rhythmic tension, however, I haven't really incorporated the orchestral vocabulary for dynamic contrasts yet. What are your favorite techniques for using dynamic contrast to drive compositions forward?
Hi Kento - here is that link for you: Tippets 2nd Symphony (mve 3) - I think a technique to be considered is to think of dynamics rhythmically as well as sonically - a change of pace accompanied by a change in the rhythmic structures.
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Replies
Trumpet: That's very true that the trumpet comes out prominently in the orchestra. How do you feel about the other brass instruments? Do you feel they're able to blend better with the rest of the orchestra if they want to? Or are there other brass instruments I should beware of using, especially in particular registers?
Themes: What do you think are good ways to stabilize themes, especially without using something too close to repetition? My teachers generally discourage me from literal repetition of melodies (although this can be nice for making the music more accessible, like in Faure's Pavane when the melody's kept but the accompaniment is changed a little). Because of this, I am trying to find creative ways to both create a sense of familiarity and novelty without repeating material too much. I've been struggling with how to satisfy both my New Music teachers and listeners on the first listening of a piece, since aesthetically they can conflict (for example, as much as I like Elliot Carter, I know his style is hopelessly dense for some audiences. I would love to do similar things but make it a little easier for audiences to understand the music quickly).
Pacing: I've also been thinking about how to create greater spaces, silences, held out chords, or just "mini-endings" for the end of phrases and sections without losing too much of the momentum of the piece (ie, so it doesn't sound like it just switched movements). I would love to hear more of your thoughts/insights on how to achieve this.