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Just a simple piano romance for my girlfriend Julia (for her birthday). Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think! A Romance.mp3 A Romance.pdf

There is one other option I forgot to mention, which would be lighter on the business/personality requirements. Library music composition. What that is, is that you compose for a company who licenses music out to television and advertising. So you write an album of music, they get the distribution rights and you get the writer's share for royalties. Some of these companies, like Atom Music Audio, Warner-Chappell etc. provide a lot of music to things like commercials, trailers, TV spots for shows, reality TV, etc. Competition is fierce and there are never any guarantees that your music will get placed in anything, however, a number of composers do make a decent living after years of building up a collection of albums and licensed tracks. How this works depends on whether you're writing for a European company or American one. In America, companies like Warner-Chappell will pay you an upfront amount of money for the album. This is very often 10s of thousands of dollars. HOWEVER, the trade off is that these companies do not offer you any amount of the license fee when some company licenses a track. You do, however get your writer's share of royalties when it airs. So pros: Upfront money can be enough to live on. You still get royalties until the day you die as long as your music is airing somewhere in the world. Cons: Licensing fees, especially if a track is for a big movie trailer or something, can be worth anywhere from tens of thousands to even millions of dollars in the very best cases. You don't get a dime from that. Plus, a few types of placements don't count as a "public performance" and don't have to pay any royalties, such as movie trailers that don't air on TV. European companies offer a different deal and my understanding is this deal is legally-mandated in many countries. Usually, there is no upfront money, but it is the case that you not only get your writer's share from royalties, but also 50% of licensing fees. So if you had a track that they licensed out for a lot of money, half that is yours. This means that you can potentially make more money if you release albums with a European library, BUT as they tend to have little to no financial skin in the game, they don't really have any incentive on their end to aggressively pitch your music. So this could be another option for you if you just want to focus on composing and not have to worry really about networking and deadlines. However, you have to be able to deliver professional quality, broadcast-ready mockups or recordings, and the tradeoff there is that you have little control over your own career; it's a roll of the dice. With enough albums you could make good money or nothing at all, but it is less involved than being a dedicated film composer and doesn't really involve much risk.

Well, I am a composer, professionally for films. Used to do games the better part of 20 years ago, now I am currently working on films that will be doing festival tours in North America this year before going to streaming and such. Some of my current projects have actors from TV series like "Billy The Kid", "The Last of Us", and more as well as Emmy-winning special effects teams who have worked on films like "Sonic The Hedgehog" and "Child's Play". The reason I preface with that is to say: I don't have the career of John Williams (yet), but I'm not entirely a nobody either, so I am probably qualified enough to give you some honest advice and feedback. I could write you an entire essay, but I will try to keep this as short as possible: Firstly, if you want to be a professional concert composer, then no matter how good you are, that is extremely rare in today's world and to be honest: It kind of always has been. Historically, most works were commissioned by the church, aristocracy, etc. for some reason or another. So, if you were aspiring to simply write music for live performance or albums of orchestral music and make a living on that...I'm sorry to say the odds are astronomically small. Some will suggest you compose for video games, but speaking from experience only a handful of composers have that entire industry locked down. Getting a job that pays ANYTHING in video games is hard to come, the games take years to develop now, everything is a buyout deal, cancellations of entire projects are normal, and this all translates into relatively low annual income even on "AAA" games. Where the real money is in being a composer today, and for the last 40 or so years, is in television and film. Especially long-tail income in the form of royalties and licensing fees that accumulate over decades. Now, to the meat of your question: My brutally-honest answer based on the piece you have shared is "No". If you wanted to compose for films, especially if you have no DAW or MIDI mockup skills, I'm sorry to say it would not cut the mustard for even lower-level indie shorts. Very few musicians to be honest have what it takes to be a film composer, even a middling one. There is a massive list of skills, that take decades to build up, just regarding music and its production before one could confidently score a film. I can honestly say that even 8 years ago, I don't think I would've made much of a film composer, and I had already been writing music for bands or games for years by that point. Not only must you be able to write memorable themes, which this piece does not demonstrate, but you must have a thorough knowledge of orchestration, mixing, MIDI mockups and recording; advanced composition theory that involves: counterpoint, various unusual scales and harmonic progressions that are not typically found in popular music (or even a lot of older orchestral music for that matter), experience with synthesizers, creating realistic mockups, structure that works with a clear emotional arc, writing effective short pieces, writing effective long-form pieces, etc. And this is before we even get into: You have to understand how all these musical devices can relate to linear story-telling and emotion. You have to understand "film" at least as much as you understand "music". There's "composing music" and then there is "composing music that tells a story". You also must be able to be an effective business man. You have to get out there and make friends with directors, producers and editors. Attend festivals and build genuine working relationships with people and be very easy to work with. 99% of composers stumble big time on this one. And one of the hardest things of all is that you have to be extremely-reliable. On a film, and god knows on a TV show, you do not have time for things like writer's block. You need to know theory, composition, orchestration etc. like the back of your hand to be able to write on average 2 minutes of finished music per day to get the job done on time. Not being on time on a film or TV show would be absolutely catastrophic for that studio and I'm not joking when I say that being late would ruin your entire career and cost people potentially millions of dollars. Now bear in mind, on a film you might have just two or three months to write the score. On a TV show a matter of days or weeks per episode. You must be absolutely certain you could deliver on that. The composer is often the very last major person involved with a film aside from the sound mixer and maybe colorist. It is generally the case that the score has been recorded and finished just weeks before a film hits theaters. It is for all of the aforementioned reasons that age 44 is considered "young" to be working as a professional composer in film and tv. Studios and directors are placing an enormous amount of trust on the composer. So most film composers started composing at very young ages, and spent decades in music, honing their craft, making connections and essentially "proving" themselves before anyone trusts them enough to score a film and pay them good money to do it. John Williams, the most successful and iconic film composer (and probably just composer of the 20th century tbh) was already just about 50 years old when he did Jaws and Star Wars. So unfortunately, in the most profitable avenues that I am aware of for being a composer, I don't think you presently have the skills, musically, yet. That is of course fixable, but what you must ask yourself is if everything else that goes with it is something you can do and your personality is a good fit for. Another thing is, I'm not sure how old you are right now, but age is also a factor. Deciding you want to become a professional composer in your 20s is more practical than starting in your mid 30s, for example. Hope this has been of some help. Good luck.

Wow even more attractive haha!

Can be Fattening.................................If you have more that 10 Packets a day

Hello I’ll share my experiences as an amateur ‘composer’, though I do have extensive training (both self-taught and formal) in harmony, counterpoint, fugue, etc... and I’m currently working on orchestration. At first glance, it might seem that a concerto for a solo instrument and orchestra is easier than writing for an orchestra on its own. Because you think: “Ah, as there’s a soloist, it’s easy for them to take the lead and develop everything, etc.” But I believe the opposite is true. With a solo instrument and orchestra, the compositional difficulty multiplies, unless you want to limit yourself to a soloist and a few instruments playing chords. I think a good progression for composing is: 1) Write for piano. Even if it isn’t your main instrument, get hold of a MIDI piano, study how the classical composers wrote, and keep practising until your piano writing sounds natural (like proper piano music, not just a series of chord blocks). I see it this way because the piano is polyphonic and allows you to sketch out anything. 2) Write for small ensembles: string orchestra, small early classical-style orchestra. 3) Expand your palette by thoughtfully enlarging the orchestra. More instruments doesn’t necessarily make it better. 4) I always study the orchestration. Know about each instrument, its origin (which explains a lot about why an instrument is the way it is), what dynamics, ranges and articulations are possible, and at a ‘normal’ orchestral level. It makes no sense to write extremely difficult parts for orchestral sections. 5) And finally. Add a solo instrument. You can write short pieces. That’s what I’ve done so far with soloists. You need to understand very, very well how an instrument works to develop it as a solo part. Even Brahms consulted the violinist J. Joachim on his violin concerto.

The YCF chocolate looks really yummy!

@BipolarComposer Hello, perhaps I didn’t explain myself clearly. I didn’t mean that the register is too high for the bassoon in that passage, but rather that in such high passages, the part is usually written in tenor clef.

Also for @Luis Hernández bringing up the instrumental issue, I think Stravinsky intentionally used the high register of Bassoon for that nasal timbre, which works really well for being the “Augurs” of spring in the introduction and for later movement. I think Stravinsky works really well there. I don't think it's hard for Bassoonist to play mp in high register, since in the high register it’s easier for them to play mp than f, given the nature of double reed instruments (same for oboe and cor anglais.) Henry

For the Bassoon, I get your point, however, in the Rite of Spring, Stravinsky has the Bassoon start on a high F at mezzo-piano and in the “Kiss of the Earth” section, he has it hold a high E for three measures at piano. So, it is possible.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 9 9 9.5 10 10 6 8.5 9 Avg: 8.9 Your Melody, Theme, Motive is wonderful. Right away I could hear what you were doing in the bass. Extremely clear and intentional, and it's a beautiful entry. Also in the intro I like how you seem to interweave the theme while modulating upwards. I can see this representing a sunset in an old western movie perhaps. The biggest criticism here would be playability. Is it playable? Sure, but the way it's written, its for a larger ensemble. This most likely could be formatted for a proper quintent and not lose too much of its texture.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8 6.5 9 7 10 10 7.5 7.5 Avg: 8.2 I think your scene is incredibly difficult to portray, but I hear the cultural influence of your piece. It brings me back to perhaps the 1500s. Definitely a solid melody, and fugue-like parts (perhaps more like a hybrid fugue - invention maybe?) Nevertheless, even though your harmony is simple, I do like that you changed keys halfway through.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8.5 5 10 8.5 10 10 10 8.5 Avg: 8.8 I think you nailed the challenge with this, the mood in my view really captures the image / scene. I know I marked you down for harmony, and normally for a mood piece like this it wouldn't be a big deal. However perhaps you could have implemented even just 1 transition (from early morning to mid morning), especially on a 5 minute piece. Other than that though, this is a very beautiful musical scene!

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 7.5 6 9 10 10 10? 9 8 Avg: 8.67 Really good job on portraying the scene, which is the whole point of this challenge. And executed with custom percussion sounds nonetheless! While the score is hard to follow, clearly you needed that setup to execute the musical output. I gave you a 10 anyway because you communicated your intent, and you clearly cared about the musical output, which is important to me as a listener. I have no idea if this is playable, but assuming yes, so you get a 10 with a question mark. This reminded me of a jungle scene which is close enough to your image! And I even hear what sounds like water in your music which I would imagine represents the reservoir. VERY well done!

I like your theme here very much. It would give you lots of interesting room for development. As for the voice software, I do think it can really help people understand how a piece will sound all put together. Even among professionals working in the arts, not everyone is good at visualizing a finished product, so anything that pushes a demo towards accurate representation of the performed work can be helpful for people checking out your work. How much work and expense is it to put this extra layer into the recording? For something like this, where you have orchestra plus soloists and choir, it may be more worth it than for smaller works, because if you didn't, it might be hard to choose an instrument to represent the voices that would stand out in the mix, particularly for someone who was trying to read across the full orchestral score and pay attention to everything at once. Looking forward to seeing the development of this project!

Honestly, very stupid question if not a much more stupider idea. But is it possible if someone for a competition brings in a piece of music that they have already written prior to the competition, and if it coincidentally fits the criteria they could enter it. This sort of makes sense if they want that piece of music if they’re confident in it to get it judged in a different way.

Hello, I listen to this a few days ago in the car so my memory may not be as fresh, but I didn’t have time to actually review anything. From what I could remember, the composition technique was good and the piece itself was good. It’s just good to keep note that you’re using multiple string instruments per section. At most, this is supposed to be a quintet. You’re calling for multiple violins, violas, and cellos as well with the samples corresponding to such. Anyways, I’m going to be listening to your piece again and I’ll give feedback there. Score presentation is also kind of interesting. A lot of the notation you use isn’t usually found in modern string Orchestra stuff for example like those repetition things that you put into the following measure in a lot of octave lines that’s usually used only for piano stuff. Also, some of the stuff that you may have presented may be difficult for some string players along with some double stops you have presented Your score average is 7.45 Like always keep up the good work MelodiesThemes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8.7 9 8.5 7.9 6.5 6.8 5 7.2

Happy Birthday Julia ....................and what a lovely Birthday Present from Peter.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8 6.5 8 9 7.5 6.5 8 8 Average Score: 7.6 Review: Melodies/Themes/Motives - The piece is rich in melodies and interwoven motifs. Harmony/Chords/Textures - The polyphonic texture is consistent. I think it would have been better if the three instruments hadn’t been playing all the time. Form/Development/Structure/Time - I think the structure is fine, and the length too; I prefer shorter pieces. Originality/Creativity - Of course, the choice of these chimes—which sound familiar yet are different—is a key point. I also think that oriental sound has been recreated very well. Score Presentation - The score is correct and easy to read. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability In this respect, I think the dynamics and accents are missing, which makes it sound a bit flat. It would have been nice to have a brief explanation of what each instrument is. Execution of Given Challenge - I think the author has succeeded in achieving his aim. Taste - Although I think it would sound better with those instructions, I like this piece because of its exotic character.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 7.5 8 8 8 8 8 8 7 Average Score: 7.8 Review: Melodies/Themes/Motives - The motifs are pleasant, although one in particular dominates the entire piece and could perhaps have been explored or varied a little more. However, in the second movement there seems to be more variation, and the result is effective and satisfying. Harmony/Chords/Textures - The harmony is straightforward and seamless; it comes across as complete even when carried by horizontal melodic lines, which is a real plus. The texture is very clean. Form/Development/Structure/Time - Good. Originality/Creativity - The combination is very well balanced, featuring a bass instrument, a polyphonic instrument and a melodic instrument. All three have a melancholic character. It is a classic combination within a post-Romantic or Impressionist context. Score Presentation - There were a few moments that could have been improved, such as the bassoon’s entry in that very high register, by using the tenor clef. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability Here, once again, there are a few moments where I think it’s worth reviewing the characteristics of the instruments. The bassoon’s entry in that very high register will be quite difficult to play at mp (mezzo-piano). The same goes for the flute; in those registers, it either sounds forte…. Execution of Given Challenge - I think the composition captures it very well. Taste - It’s not surprising, but it’s entirely appropriate and pleasant.

Thank you all very much for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully. I was not fully aware that, as a professional concert composer, it is extremely difficult to sustain a full-time composing career with only mediocre skills. Considering my strong preference for stability, I also came to realize that game music is not a field that suits me well. I would like to be honest about myself: I am not particularly strong at understanding films subjectively or independently, without discussion or exchange of ideas with others. I also have very pronounced weaknesses as a businessman. In particular, the likelihood that I could personally meet directors, producers, and editors, build relationships with them, attend film festivals, and form genuine collaborative partnerships is almost nonexistent. In addition, my knowledge of orchestration is extremely limited, especially when it comes to balance-related issues. On top of that, I had not fully anticipated that the time given to write an entire film score could be as short as two or three months. When I reflect on these points, it seems clear to me that all of the accompanying factors—the lifestyle, personality requirements, and workload—are fundamentally misaligned with my own disposition. I am currently in my thirties, and I realistically believe that there is very little room for me to meaningfully overcome these weaknesses at this stage. Your response has been extremely helpful in guiding my decision, and I am sincerely grateful for your honesty and insight. Thank you very much.

lol

I am trying to write a cello concerto but I do not know how to play the cello

I remember it's high B?

Mozart also did it in the Marriage of Figaro overture. Around measure 217 (my score of that doesn’t have measure numbers so I might have missed counted) with the Bassoon playing the melody, up to a high G at piano.

Hi @Mango , Welcome to the forum! Why don't you write a concerto for an instrument you are familiar with? Writing a concerto requires a more thorough understanding of the solo instrument to allow an idiomatic and virtuosic display of the instrument. Maybe you can start with a cello sonata first? That would really help you know more about the instrument before using it in a more virtuosic setting with an orchestral background. Henry

Dear fellow composers, I’m pleased to present you today my submission to the YCF 2026 Spring Competition! Here is the picture showing a historic city rail (S-Bahn) train and a nightingale capturing the sounds of spring in Berlin. The idea behind the piece is to describe the contrast between the noise of the big city and the tranquility of nature. I know that some of you, especially if you’re from Asia or the U.S. will smile when I refer to a city with not even 4 million inhabitants as a “big city.” And yes, that’s actually the case: Berlin is indeed a “huge village” with a surprising number of green and quiet areas. The piece tells the story of a journey with the city rail from the crowded city center to a suburb where are allotment garden communities are located. Since modern trains are more or less „sterile“ and lack their unique sound, I imagined taking this trip on a historic train, like the ones that ran in Berlin from the 1920s through the 1990s and were known for their characteristic noises, such as the slamming of doors and the typical hissing sound when compressed air escapes. Once you’ve arrived in the suburbs—so the story goes—you leave the station and head to the allotment garden complex. As you stroll along the garden paths, you’re surprised to notice nightingales giving their evening concert. And yes, it’s actually true that throughout Berlin, from April through June, you can hear many nightingales every evening and every night. The nightingales are really loud and have a distinctive song, so I’m very surprised that there are so many people who tell me they’ve never heard a nightingale before. The piece is a string quintet featuring a violin, a viola, and a cello, accompanied by two pianos. I have decided to use two pianos so that they can share the extensive tremolo and trill passages, which improves playability. It has an A–B–A form, with the A sections representing the S-Bahn ride. I’ve chosen the unusual 13/16 time signature—initially as a challenge to myself— but while working on it, I realized that the 13/16 time signature can be considered as a compound meter of 3 + 4 + 6, which evokes the idea of acceleration (of the train), and, when reversed to 6 + 4 + 3, that of deceleration (as the train enters the station). The B-part is in 12/8 time signature with a lovely, lulling siciliano rhythm, thus emphasizing the calm scenario while walking through the gardens. I hope you’ll enjoy the piece as much as I enjoyed working on it (although I somewhat underestimated the effort needed …). The YouTube video is coming soon. Thus, stay tuned! Praeludium-XVII-A-flat-major-quintet-mix.mp3 Praeludium-XVII-A-flat-major-quintet-with-coversheet.pdf

As promised yesterday, here is the YouTube-video of the piece which I suggest to watch, since it automatically pages thru the score (sorry for the advertisement). For more background, here are a few YouTube-links with scenes from the Berlin S-Bahn in the 1980s which are characteristic for that time and have inspired me for the A-part of the piece: Scene on the platform, closing the doors and departure of the train: https://youtu.be/F-oexAoylmI?t=1461 „With a jolt, the train starts moving.“ … „The train is passing a railroad crossing.“ https://youtu.be/F-oexAoylmI?t=736 „The train stops and makes its typical hissing sound when the compressed air escapes.“ https://youtu.be/F-oexAoylmI?t=486 As a kind of „non-AI proof“ I also attached my „working score“ from which the MIDI is generated. It is nearly unreadable and of cause not intended for playing but shows in detail all dynamics, articulations, agogics etc. I applied to achieve the final recording. Finally, there is an audio of the „concerto“ by a number of nightingales in a park I recorded in April 2025. Nightingales-in-Berlin.mp3 WORKING-SCORE-P17.pdf

Entry: City rail and Nightingale Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8 9 10 10 5 6 8 8 Average Score: 8 Review: I definitely could hear the imagine you were trying to capture in this piece.

@Luis Hernández is historically correct. the romantics drew from the previous composers and reinvited it.

Wow, a really moving piece with some lovely harmonic twists.

I do Apologize.................You are Correct................. I got STAR-WARS mixed up with STAR-TREK It was Jerry Goldsmith

Hiihiiii!!! This is my submission for the Spring 2026 Landscapes Competition :) For my landscape, I've chosen the mountains of Zhangjiajie, China. The first time that I saw these mountains, I was awestruck by just the sheer scale of them. Massive peaks and towers, overgrown with centuries-old moss, reaching beyond the clouds. Really just gorgeous. I wanted to try to write about them. The piece starts off zoomed outwards, depicting the sparseness of the clouds, until eventually, a melody begins to creep towards the first real theme--which I call the garden theme. The focus is on the garden now, zoomed in, it's a sort of natural oasis along the side of one of the tall mountainous pillar. It's beautiful, lush, full, until the garden begins to die as winter comes. The harmony because sparse and vague again, with large spontaneous gusts of wind... just very dry sounding overall. That is, until months later, the clouds darken, promising a heavy storm. Anticipation builds, until eventually, rain comes pouring down, so densely that it's almost like a wall. It's the first rain of spring!!! After the rain settles down, the garden comes to life again with the re-entry of the garden theme!! The piece ends as the focus zooms back out onto the clouds, and the tension finally resolves again. My goal with the piece was to try to represent the life cycle of the plant life out in the setting of Zhangjiajie. I hope you all like it !!!! AmidstTheCloudsAndFlowers.mp3 AmidstTheCloudsAndFlowers.pdf

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 4 10 7 10 10 10 6.5 8 Avg: 8.2 This is gorgeous and very cinematic. A very well done mood piece. I feel a much greater sense of tension. There is a great deal of tension with this piece, and it makes me wary about being on or near this mountain! Or perhaps the area around this mountain has a deep secret. A perfect score for a mystery movie. Overall, I love the harmony and the mood.

Please don't forget to suggest badges in the List of Manually-Awardable Badges thread! We are going to try to institute a new policy for this competition. Besides the members voting for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, there will also be specially created dedicated badges that qualifying entries will be able to win. If you submitted an entry that qualifies under the contest rules (having a duration of between 3 to 7 minutes and being for 3 to 5 individual monophonic or polyphonic instruments/voices) then we will try to create a dedicated badge for you to win. So far we're thinking of the following awards: Padovana et Gagliarda “Detta la Lombarda” by @L.S Barros - "A Rustic Mood" award Amidst the Clouds & Flowers by @InstrumentalistElle - "Nature's Garden" award Morning On Whidbey Island by @BipolarComposer - "The Peace of Nature" award Let us know what kind of award you would like to win if you qualify under the given rules!

Hello, I just looked at your piece “war born”. Just to get the bad news out of the way the score was presented kind of messy with a bunch of overlapping symbols. Honestly, this isn’t a huge problem musically. Anyways, orchestration wise, there was a bunch of very interesting textures and a lot of other cool things happening. One thing I noticed that there was a use of some synthesizer. You may want to turn those down a bit as that they were kind of burying everything underneath them. You can hear this is a very loud piece of music, especially with the distortion that sometimes is achieved with this (my own work “ sonic diarrhea” actually ran into this problem, but this was just because of having the master mixer on max, which could easily be fixed by making it back to normal). Anyways, awesome work well done.

You interestingly shift between galant cliches (i.e. the do-re-mi schema as identified by Gjeridgen) and something more modern. I would be interested to hear about your approach to composition (e.g. your inspiration, conceptual approach) Some constructive feedback: you should try to utilize better sound sets in the MuseScore environment. It sounds like a generic MIDI quality which detracts from listenability At the end of musical phrases, you quite often pause before the next one. You should try to connect phrases with the baseline that will essentially fuse together your ideas. For otherwise they sound detached and this detracts from the overall flow. Try to experiment beyond homophony. You have some conversational exchanges but is limited to static ideas moving in thirds against each other. Thanks for sharing

Here is a little work revised from several years ago. It was originally made for wind quintet but much prefer this version. It is meant to be a reflective, wondering work with lots of feigned cadences to create that sense of longing... anticipation for what is to come. Here is the Youtube link. Will also upload the PDF should that be clearer to follow. I do take great care with dynamics but if anyone has any complaints or suggested improvements please let me know. PS - Please feel free to subscribe to my channel! The Shape of Longing.pdf

Obviously, if I were to set a couple more Keats poems, and have say a set of three, I can assure you that the other two songs will not have the same block chord texture!

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 7.5 8 8 10 9 9 8 8 Average Score: 8.4 Review: Melodies/Themes/Motives - There is a wealth of rhythmic and melodic motifs. The truth is that the piece unfolds with absolute ease, without any abrupt breaks or clumsy transitions. Harmony/Chords/Textures - The textures are really well done; I particularly like the fact that the sound never feels overloaded, even with so many instruments. Form/Development/Structure/Time - The overall structure has a somewhat rhapsodic feel to it. Yet it feels like a self-contained entity that needs no explanation. Originality/Creativity - The sheer array of tuned and untuned, traditional and invented or improvised percussion instruments is fantastic, and is utilised with great flair and skill. Score Presentation - The score is very well written, easy to follow and a pleasure to look at as a whole. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability As for the instrumentation, this has already been discussed. The orchestration is excellent; although one might think that a large ensemble of percussion instruments would be unable to carry off something of this nature, that is not the case here. The timbres blend and unfold, and there is scope for melodic accents to emerge from the rhythmic foundation. I’m no expert on percussion, but judging by the way the score is arranged, it seems clear that each section can be played by a single musician. Execution of Given Challenge - The description of the “soundscape” is a real bonus. And I think the composition captures it very well. Taste - I quite like the piece. I’ve always been fascinated by percussive works, ever since John Cage… provided they convey something to me.

Sorry, I am currently entering the ratings for everyone who has taken part so far.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8 9 8 9 9 9 9 10 Average Score: 8.8 Review: Melodies/Themes/Motives - Rather than melodies, what I perceive are sound structures that follow one another and sometimes echo one another. It’s an approach reminiscent of the work of the great John Cage. Harmony/Chords/Textures - In this respect, I think the piece is outstanding. The textures are very rich; at times they are homophonic, or almost so, whilst at others they take on a polyphonic character, with transitions that feel very natural. The combination of harmonics with more basic sounds is also very effective. At times, it feels as though the soul of the piece is breaking free and soaring... Form/Development/Structure/Time - I think the length is just right for conveying what it sets out to do. I believe that, once again drawing inspiration from those composers who created their own forms, the piece is a format in its own right that unfolds primarily through its textures. Originality/Creativity - It is truly creative thanks to the originality of its form, the judicious use of harmonics (which reveals a clear understanding of the subject) and the freedom with which it unfolds – all of which, I feel, capture this landscape very well. Score Presentation - The score is understated, yet very precise, clear and elegant. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability The string quartet is well suited to the requirements. The piece does not display any great apparent virtuosity, although the execution of natural and artificial harmonics requires a certain degree of mastery. Execution of Given Challenge – It fully meets expectations in terms of duration, the spirit of the challenge and implementation. Taste - It’s exactly the sort of piece I like. I love its originality and freedom of expression; the virtual sound is excellent, the presentation of the score is flawless, and the use of techniques such as harmonics is incredibly fluid. And I find it quite moving.

Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 8 7 9 8 8.5 9 8 8 Average Score: 8.2 Review: Melodies/Themes/Motives - The piece makes effective use of motifs. On the one hand, there is a recognizable melody; on the other, the motifs intertwine among the voices, as this style requires. The melodies are sufficiently expansive and musical. The inclusion of the galliard adds variety. Harmony/Chords/Textures - The texture oscillates between heterophony and uncluttered polyphony. It is well suited to the sound. This texture serves as a unifying thread throughout the entire piece. One might expect something more contrapuntal from this period. The harmony is straightforward, with no changes or surprises. Form/Development/Structure/Time - The structure is very well defined, with appropriate repetitions, a contrasting middle section, and a recapitulation at the end. Originality/Creativity - The piece is highly original, as it draws on a Renaissance style and evokes a rural, bucolic atmosphere that seems to call out to that beautiful landscape. When we think of the concept of a soundscape, we often expect works with a contemporary or minimalist style. Here, I found that to be a positive aspect. Score Presentation - The score is beautifully presented. There are no indications of articulation or dynamics, which is quite consistent with the style. However, since instruments from that period are not used, it might have been enhanced with such elements. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability I had to look up what a sackbut is. I see it’s a predecessor of the trombone. Although the instruments blend together quite well, perhaps the score should specify which actual instruments are being played. The piece sounds sufficiently “human.” Execution of Given Challenge - I think the challenge has been successfully met. Perhaps a slightly more detailed description of what was intended would be helpful. Taste - I really like this piece, since I'm very curious about Renaissance music—and earlier periods as well—and I've delved into it a bit as a foundation for understanding what came later.

The truth is that in this style, where the forms aren't the classic ones where you already have a pretty good idea of what's going to happen, it's more difficult to outline a general plan for the work. It's easy to get carried away by what's happening in the moment and put that planning on the back burner.

Im surprised to see you say No ?.........As your composition as Several of the Hallmarks that Sound like a HAMMER-FILM sound which will always be in demand......................Wish i could create stuff like that.

Hi @BipolarComposer ! I really really enjoy the serene atmosphere portrayed by traditionally pastoral double reed instruments. The combination of them with harp definitely enhances the pastoral mood. The sparse spacing, rests and register really gives peace and thoughtfulness to the piece. One strange throught: I imagine the piece would be even more serene by having the bassoon played a Chinese Dong Xiao and oboe by an alto flute, as there are many lower register for the oboe which would sound unnecessarily strong with a low register oboe. Another thought is that, even I enjoy the serene mood very well, maybe you can invite some contrast in between, For example like @Kvothe suggests, you may write some passages with harp playing wider and stronger chords. Also to my observation, the bassoon never really plays its strong lower register which would make some more powerful passages. With more contrast the serene mood will sound more treasured to me. Thx for sharing! Henry

Minuet in C for String Quartet.mp3Minuet in C for String Quartet.pdfHi all, A professional string quartet is visiting my home island and are wonderfully taking compositions from local artists to perform. It is such a rare opportunity for me, as someone who has never had my work performed in public. For this I adapted several pieces I have composed over the years for string quartet and to which I have made extensive revisions. Overall I am pleased with the music. One interesting thing I have been doing recently is utilizing AI to provide perspectives around the rule based system on which tonal music rests. I recognize that some of my understanding around certain rules could benefit from more flexibility and AI can really challenge my thinking. Although where it is terrible is in actual advice on voice leading in practice. For example, if you give it a passage to harmonize - even with a well crafted prompt with necessary context - it will often fail. I hope you all find the pieces enjoyable and please feel free to provide any comments as usual. A bit of baroque Fun!.mp3Staccatisimo.mp3A bit of baroque Fun!.pdfStaccatisimo.pdf

@Colenbacher Hello I understand your question very well. And I also understand that the answers aren't exactly what you're looking for. Although I agree with them as well. I believe that rather than learning harmony from the Romantic period, what matters is learning the compositional techniques that the composers of this period introduced and used (not just in terms of harmony). It’s absolutely true that to understand this, you need to start by knowing what happened in earlier periods, at least from the Baroque through the Style Galant and Classicism. Because many Romantic techniques are reinventions (“recycled”) of all those earlier styles. I don’t think you’ll find specific sections on Romantic harmony in general treatises and books. I’ve had that curiosity, and interest as well. But I studied the Baroque and the Galant period quite extensively, above all. I even started much earlier with the cantus firmus. And that historical and chronological perspective has helped me immensely in understanding even contemporary music. With this, you’ll see that everything is a continuum; even periods that broke quite sharply with what came before (Impressionism, dodecaphonism) are the result of an evolution. So, just as I did with other periods, I sought out the sources myself and compiled a lot of information on this topic on my blog. First, I provided a general overview, which I’ve transcribed here, and then I analyzed techniques such as augmented chords and modulation, secondary subdominants, dominant chains, chromatic thirds, (traditional) linear techniques, irregular resolutions, and so on. Not to mention that Romanticism is a vast genre and that each composer, moreover, has their own peculiarities. Brahms has nothing in common with Chopin. And let’s not even get started on late Romanticism. Some words from my blog: CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROMANTIC PERIOD *New forms: symphonic poem, song cycle, music drama, *Study of the folk-heritage in music and imitation of folk-like melodic simplicity, *Predilection for exotic effects through employment of foreign national coloring or the folkloristic heritage (Chopin, Tchaikovsky, the Russians) [Chopin's more than 50 mazurkas represent one of the earliest examples of overt nationalistic sentiments in music], *Break-up of stylistic unity but more individualism, *Higher interest in melody and color rather than harmony and form, longer melodies *Higher dissonances and a freer employment of them, * More use of dynamics and articulations, * Rubato, *A more innovative treatment of chromatic harmony, *Extensive use of diminished seventh chords, *Modulation to distant tonalities, *Use of relations by thirds, *Greater interest in modal techniques (flat seventh [common to many modes], flat second [Phrygian], augmented fourth [Lydian]), *Assimilation of older elements, especially the revival of polyphony and Baroque forms under the influence of JS Bach [Mendelssohn, Brahms], *Thematicism plays a more important role in a sonata movement than tonality, *Thematic metamorphosis: A programmatic approach to composition often associated thematic material with a character or idea. Changing circumstances or emotional states were represented by the transformation of the thematic material (as in Faust Symphony or Symphony Fantastique), *Cell development technique in nationalist music, (music cell = small and melodioc design that can be isolated) *Use of a cyclic device: Material from one movement recurs in another (a technique related to thematic metamorphosis, idee fixe and leitmotive) (Serenade for Strings by Tchaikovsky; Mendelssohn's Eb string quartet; Beethoven's Symphony No.9), *Manipulation of sonata form, including mosaic and additive structures. More organic treatment of the form, *Postludes in the Lieder (especially by Schumann), *Unity on a large scale: merging of separate movements into a single span (Liszt's Sonata in B minor), larger instrumentations, *Finishing a minor mode piece in major (from darkness to light): Egmont overture, Symphony No.5 & 9 , Piano Sonatas Opp.90 & 111, and the second act of Fidelio by Beethoven; Schumann's Fourth Symphony; Franck's Symphony in D minor; Brahms' s First Symphony. *Intense energy and passion, dramatic opera,

Time for the actually score of you entry! Entry: Morning on Windby Island Review: My above comments remain! I took those in affect when I scored this! However, I will add something about the harp. The rolled chord in the left hand are too small for the harp. Usually rolled chords are played by both hands. Nothing major. That is why is only .5 off in the score and playability sections. other than...Kudos Total: 9.75 Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste 10 10 9 10 9.5 9.5 10 10