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Hello dear young composers, dear old too, dear in between, neither old nor young... New piece that I have just committed and whose first I am delivering to you, Autumn twilight, for piano and singing. As usual, use of a BBC SO pro piano sample (Spitfire audio), and my voice captured by a Schoeps MK4. Manuscript photographed for visual support. The poem is still by Stuart Merrill, which therefore represents a triptych, and ends a cycle for me. (I'm already digging my head to know where my steps can lead me next...) I hope you will like it despite the somewhat past tense side of the musical language (but I know you are used to it now). Good listening and see you very soon. K.

The title of this piece translates loosely to 'Trek on the Oregon Trail' and it refers to the wagon trains that were travelling across the continent America to find a new home sometime in the 19th century. It starts simple, not certain what is to come. While travelling through the prairies, deserts and mountains, the group comes upon different challenges and also beautiful passages. When they reach their destination, it gets calmer again and the last chord represents the group settling down in their new home. Der Oregon Trail-score.pdf.pdf Der Oregon Trail-audio.mp3.mp3

Hi @AM-Valkyrie, Welcome to the forum! Like @Quinn has said this is a delicious party of tone colour. The details are all really well made like what Quinn has said. What I would comment on is the form and flow of the piece, as I feel like this is the main weakness. I think the mood varies too quickly with not enough development of each section. You have five different moods and tempi in less than 4 minutes and to me it's too much variety that will reduce the coherence of the piece. For the thematic materials I cannot discern their relations except section F when the opening material recapitulates. Each section is wonderful in their own rights with beautiful, unique and distinctive, but combined together it's not too coherent and reasonable for me, even if the piece is based on the poem. You are young and with your talent I'm sure you can write even better piece in the future. Congrats on this and thx for sharing your piece and joining us! Remember to review some pieces too if you feel interested! Henry

Most pleasant. Atmospheric. I liked the changing moods and the way you handled them - nothing too intrusive - and you got a lot into a fairly short piece. Even so it sounds complete. The instrumentation is well balanced and rendered. It's colourful partly because of the way you touch in colours - like the muted horns in bar 14. I liked the way you spread the brass - example, bar 28. The ending (to me) is brilliant with those deep chords on the lower strings and brass. And you've clearly paid a lot of attention to detail in the score. Well done, a pleasant listen.