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Hi Everyone, here's a piano piece I composed about walking in the woods. Let me know what you think. Thanks!

(I'm reposting here because I do not consider this a draft, though I will consider changing it after I'll get feedback) This is the first movement to my first symphony. Drafts have been posted here: Symphony in F minor.pdf Symphony in F minor.mp3

This was one of my first orchestral pieces. It was inspired by the tales of Marco Polo’s journey to China. It’s split into 3 parts, with part 1 being the journey to the east, part 2 being life among the Mongols, and part 3 being the Khan’s court at Xanadu. As many historians believe that Marco Polo embellished or even completely fabricated his tales of China. I wanted the music to have a very fake Chinese music feel to it.

A fun piece, by all means @Samuel_vangogh! I'm not exactly an expert on chamber music (let alone the viola), but I personally find the viola occupies an almost uncanny middle-ground between the violin and the cello in this piece. I suppose this relays my biases towards the violin and cello, but I think it'd definitely benefit if you stuck with playing around on either the higher or the lower register that either instrument provides (I think it kind of sounds like you're playing around middle C on the piano sometimes). On the other hand (aside from the incomplete piano in the first theme), I think the themes blend with each other reasonably well: it makes for an interesting slow-fast-slow-type movement throughout the piece, like what Schubert did in some of his lieder. I'll say, though, that developing the ideas more would really take it that extra mile (there's obviously that abrupt end, which I believe was intentional). I am aware this is still a sketch, but those are my thoughts on how you might want to complete the piece. Keep at it! 💪

I will definitely stay tuned to this very promising work. Beethoven did go for a Turkish march version of the Ode to Joy before the most famous version of it. Having something lighter can be in terms of mood (tragic vs less tragic), texture (thick vs thin, polyphonic vs homophonic), style (marching vs dancing), and it doesn't necessarily have to be a dance for me, and maybe you can have a newer version of themes, instead of a new theme. Henry

Thank you very much

Hi, My authority is ten years of experience playing in multiple orchestras, musical ensembles and doing socre studies of many famous violin concertos. Those arpeggios are not playable on a violin, i've not encountered them in any violin music or any string music for that matter. Why? Because their not physically playable. We can't pull stuff like that of using a bow. Its like trying to arpeggiate on a piano with a hammer instead of a hand. Also the most tremolo on a violin that is usually done is three strokes above the note, never four. We can't play that fast. thanks, Expert21

Yes, it sounds very nice and dreamy. Just a bit saturated at times (at least on my speakers).

Sounds great. Just a note about the harmony. As an example, in measure 4 this happens: G - D - G - G - D... and then G - D.... Although there is the necessary dominant - tonic tension, the repetition of the same chords takes away a bit of interest. Other variations can be used, such as introducing the ii: Am - D - G - D... and in the following measure the iii: Em.... I also think that adding expression marks would help to make it sound better, even if it is digital.

Hello everyone. To end this time in which I have been trying to go a little deeper into the Fugue, I have written one for the little baroque orchestra that I have defined myself. It is a 4-voice fugue in B flat major. Bringing the Fugue to the orchestral level has its difficulties, because in addition to the relevant voices, often doubled, you have to add the continuo, and also at certain times a harmonic support. Someday I will try with a large orchestra. But for the moment this is what I did and I want to comment beforehand that some harmonies are more modern than baroque, that's why there are chains of dominants, and some sevenths as if they were principal notes. Also note that as the subject is so lively, the counter-subjects are made with long notes, otherwise the mess was guaranteed. The episodes are more subdued, but their material comes out of the previous. I hope that, at least, you enjoy it.

Planning to write a simple set of 6 short pieces for flute and harp. Starting with this lonely melody. Planning to write a simple set of 6 short pieces for flute and harp. Starting with this lonely melody.

Tēnā koe Sam, This is a very beautiful duet for Flute and Harp. It reminds me a lot of Debussy, particularly with the flute work which is reminiscent of Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune and Syrinx. I really love ur harmony, its so colourful and pleasant on the ears. The only real crticism I have is that the harp part could be more varied and interesting, but otherwise, really good job, I enjoyed it. Nga Mihi, Arjuna

Hi @Aled Edwards, This is a very expressive song without words. This one is beautiful to the point that I just throw away my "critic's lenses" and just enjoy this. What use is the comments for simplistic beauty like this? In 0:51 very nice harmony to go to F maj7. Very enjoyable piece and thx for sharing! Henry

Hey @Awsumerguy, I'm not going to repeat my comments for the introductory materials. So I will start on b.47. The 1st subject(b.47) immediately reminds me the opening of Mahler's Second: Having strings first, focusing on the G and C pedal, tremolo strings underneath and then woodwinds (esp. that oboe with flute accompanying) come out on top like a funeral march. For me, you don't just copy his orchestration and structure, but also immerse in his spirits, and that's the hardest thing to achieve. Really well done here. The sustained dissonant chord in b.69 immediately reminds that dissonant chord before the retransition of the same Mahler movement. So beautiful there. That theme in b.73 is fxxingly beautiful (sorry for my implied foul language but your theme is too beautiful for me to say that). That viola entry in b.73 is so powerful and emotional, the strings sing so well to each other, that Aeolian feeling is so down to earth and so full of vicissitudes. Speechless. Again that woodwind interaction in b.88 is so Goddamn great. That is a great transition to the next section, but maybe it's better not to be a dance movement for me since the passages you have done now is so powerful and a dance movement may reduce its tragic power. I think you may go for something more lyrical instead of light. But ofc this is personal and you have the final say haha. Thx for sharing this amazing update!!!!!!!!!!!! Henry

Hi @ComposedBySam, This one is beautiful as usual from you! I particularly like those Db and Cb coloring and looks like you have some Indian influence there, and the F# in b.19 for me it's quite Indian too. Thx for sharing! Henry

Beautiful piece. You should split the harp notation in the two hands.

Tēnā Koe Luderart, Ok, I'm going to be very blunt. This is not convincing at all. I got about a minute into the piece and stopped listening. The violin writing is shabby and shows a clear lack of understanding of how to write for the violin. I'll try and help you fix this. First of all, you cannot arpegiate chords on a violin the way you do in Bar 10. It's impossible, we dont have the mechanics to do that. That entire two bar section is unplayable on a violin and should be removed. Secondly, the four bar tremolos should be there, they cannot be played. If your going to do tremolo on a violin, do three line tremolos, as that is the fastest or bows can go at most speeds. Finally, I'm going to comment on the music itself. Where's the double bar line at the end. Please fix this. I know I was blunt but it was need to be said. Nga Mihi, Arjuna

Tēnā Koe Aaron, Wow, this is really good. It put a smile on my face as I listened to it. A few comments/caveats: Your melody lack design and clear melodic phrases. I think a good next step for you would be to study phrasing in music, phrase structure and melodic design as these are all essental things to composition. Otherwise, your melodies are getting much better. The piano left hand was a bit boring in the A-section, maybe try vary it up a bit. Other than a few odd criticisms, this is good. You're definitely improving Aaron, keep it up! Nga Mihi, Arjuna

It's taken me a while to get some things done on this symphony. My plan for writing (that is, sketching on the two-piano score and working my way up) fell through a bit, as the direction of the symphony deviated massively from what I had written on the reduction, and I am (unfortunately) too lazy to alter all of my existing work on the sketch. That being said, I've gotten through to the development of the first theme, and will plan a fast dance-movement on the woodwinds and brass or something like that before I quote the introduction again. I am worried somewhat, though: I feel as though I might be moving too quickly and rushing the thematic growth of the piece. School starts in a week, and I want to get to the first callback to the introduction before then. Let me know what you think!

Hey @Beethoven is God, I'm not going to repeat what I've said in the post of your draft version! I love your enriched orchestration comparing to your draft. The addition of b.61-69 for me is more balanced within the structure of the exposition. -For me maybe adding a short transitional chord to modulate to A minor after the C major completion of the exposition will make it smoother, like what Bee did in his fifth symphony with a V/F introduced first after the Eb major completion of the exposition to get into F minor at the start of the development. But this can be personal. -I think the development is too short, probably its staying in A minor without many modulations give me the impression. Maybe you can modulate to more distant key areas before going back to the F minor introduction in b.123. The materials for me is well developed. -Personally I may just delete the introduction section in b.123 to make the pacing much tighter, since I think here we are having a Macbeth-like or Beethoven-Fifth-Symphony-First_movement like movement here with the quick pacing and urgency of drama. Having a slow introduction reintroduced seems not quite probable for me. Again this is of course personal. -I like your modifying the major sections to a minor mode in the recapitulation's 2nd subject, since it's not always to do but it's reasonable and fluent here for me. The ending is ambiguous though with a loud dominant chord followed by a weak unison of F. I'm sure that's intentional pave-away to later movements. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hi Aaron, I like you are really developing your materials and taking progress. Your bass writing is definitely improving with move movements added, great job! I agree with @Guardian25 that you can venture to different keys other than G major in the second half, since that key is already established near the end of the first half. For the voice leading, you may go for a Bb in the last B natural in b.1, add a top C in the last chord of b.2, 4, 18 &20 (since it's right after a tritone F-B, a E-C resolution will be great), b.7 add a G on top of the last chord. Thx for sharing! Henry

Ambitiousness is no flaw, if one has a teacher or mentor to approach for help. When I wrote my first orchestral work, I was definitely not ready. I used a lot of doubling, messed up registers, had no idea how to write to brass (which is still one of my weaknesses), etc. But my teacher helped me understand whatever I did wrong and fix it, then started teaching me orchestration from the basics - chamber ensembles, string orchestra, etc. It really helped me a lot. So, what I'm trying to say, is that taking on a task too difficult will lead to failure that's for sure - until someone helps you finding flaws and the such - but it will also lead to improvement (unless one believes he knows better, in that case - well, in that case calm down and go slow as you said).

Indeed, being totally self-taught is dangerous. I am self-taught, but at certain times and for certain things I have taken guided courses because otherwise you can get lost.

woah this is incredible! Adding this to my playlist for sure. Your voice is incredible

Hi all, It's been a while since I posted. A Soldier's Dairy is a work composed over the last 4 months. It is a very long piece - 9 minutes. The work is in narrative form, in that - the structure is a bit free flowing; although, I worked hard to maintain balance with the relative rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic motifs integrated throughout the work. I worked on this composition with a new Mentor (finally found one). So this is the first complete draft - 95% or so done. The engraving still needs work as does polishing off chord note placement etc. My objective here is too create a work that flows with interesting and effective transitions. Each segment represents a moment/time in a day for the Soldier. For me - the work is best experienced as a "Movie Score". I would appreciate al comments.

A simple Chopin-esque waltz inspired by Chopin's Op.70 No.3 and Op.69 No.2.Lemme know what you think! Waltz_Simplex_in_C_minor.mid

One day in spring when first awoken to sunlight I was immediately struck with melodies of a tune I made 3 years ago. I decided to give it an update in wait for the sunlight weather that has now arrived! is it time for breakfast already orchestrated score pdf.pdf is it time for breakfast already orchestrated.mp3

I hate purely atonal music resolutely simply because they never seems to embrace the basic principle of going between tension and resolution. YouTube recently recommended Ives' music but all i hear is scream scream scream (sorry if there are any fans out there). But I think you showed me it is possible to achieve the drama between tension and resolution with atonality (somewhat). I'm still nowhere nearly fully convinced, but great job!

It finally happened, yall! Huge deal for me and a really really important passion piece about my thankfulness for being able to study music in college. There are a lot of things I want to improve moving forward, but I hope everyone enjoys. Lots of passion between every collaborator in this premiere. I hope to hear it played again / have this lead to some things, but this was pretty special for me. Let me know your thoughts! Perusal Score: https://www.dropbox.com/s/c90o8gsfxu7xgsg/Desert Tales - Full Score.pdf?dl=0 Recording: