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Another little one-minute instrumental carol to add to the ones I've written previously.

Well I would say quite a number of people do this as they only post on forum but never review other members' works... So if this breaks rule a lot of members will be considered as breaking rules... Henry

This is my first submission (of two) to the YCF 2025 Christmas Event. We are all awaiting (or at least the children do wait for) Christmas Eve. Since there are still a few days to go, the time should be peaceful and quiet – despite the stress and noise as it is in reality. Thus, the idea behind this piece is to imagine the night before Christmas, the church where crowds of people will gather tomorrow to celebrate Christmas Eve. The church is empty, or seems to be empty, but there are three musicians playing a piece that is reminiscent of either night music or a final rehearsal before the upcoming concert.

I started this piece this morning and managed to finish it this evening! My inspiration was to write a fast Christmas piece as my pieces lately have all veered towards the same slow tempo. The form of the Scherzo is ternary and the overall form is Scherzo - Trio - Scherzo. Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any of your comments, suggestions, critiques or observations!

Here is my submission for this year's Christmas event, a through composed setting of the coventry carol. Enjoy, and let me know your thoughts! Coventry Carol.mp3

Hi @mercurypickles! I like the more antique mood in the carol and how you end each phrase in a Picardy 3rd! And I always love how calm and transcendental F# major is (even though you mark the key signature as F# minor). Thx for sharing! Henry

Hi @Luis Hernández! I love how peaceful this piece is. That bare A I don't know why, reminds me of the Veris leta facies in Carmina Burana: Thx for sharing! Henry

I totally forgot I created this on Christmas Eve of 2024 for my YouTube channel. I demonstrate 2 melodies in 1. It's only 9 seconds, but might as well demonstrate Music Jotter with a little Christmas fun.

Hi @Wieland Handke! I love how the three instruments blend together and honestly this is the first time I heard of the instrument Theorbo and it said it's somewhat like a lower register lute. Like Mike said this piece is really calm, especially with the lower volume organ and the Theorbo. Thx for sharing! Henry

Dear all, Happy Christmas for all of you! I used common Xmas tunes to create a cute mesh up! I can't remember how many times I wrote a piece for Christmas - but I gonna try sth new this year. A very short and casual piece by blending different genre - Chime playing Flamenco in triplets (3rd and 10th beats are strong beats) Marimba playing Salsa (Doted rhythm) Ukelele - in standard rhythms

March of the Snowflakes is an orchestral miniature written in a quasi march tempo, inspired by the playful motion of falling snow. This piece was composed as a small seasonal contribution to the Christmas Challenge 2025. I would be very grateful for any feedback, comments, or suggestions. Thank you for listening and sharing your thoughts.

Hi @Vavrinec! This is a really enjoyable festive little miniature! It's so joyful to listen to, and even if the mood sounds easy you still use technique to make it sound easy. The opening is already captivating with the 6/8 lively rhythm. The combination of the flute melody, high shivering tremolo strings, running notes for Clarinet and the triangle aleady set the festive tone really well, and then the oboe joins in which is a nice addition. I may repeat the whole section but this with the strings doing the melody and winds doing the accompaniment. For the trio section I like how you give lower register instrument like bassoon and cello to sing the melody, contrasting with the main section, plus in a warmer subdominant key. B.25-32 gives great depth to the melody and I really love how you add the sleigh bell ! Honestly I just want the passage to extend to infinity! And the end, what a nice random pause! It really creates a humorous effect that is well suited to the mood of the piece. Really nice piece, thx for sharing! Henry

Thank you, I'm glad you like it. To be honest, I have no idea how Suno works. But in that case, the basis of this piece, which is the tintinnabuli, would be broken.

I have no words, haha. I absolutely adore the style and the period you inspired yourself with. Plus, seeing all the details in the sheet music is a joy. And the music certainly lives up to it. Thanks!

Ohhh, one of my favorite pieces from this Christmas Event! The combination of the three keyboard instruments is very original yet effective at the same time. The presentation and the score are beautiful.

This was fantastic to listen to! Your first submission was fun, but I feel like this one offers a lot more color and character. Excellent usage of all the instruments. The piece moved along, was extremely focused and had good momentum. I also feel like every note served a purpose. Well done.

What a great piece, and very soothing. A perfect way to calm one's nerves during the stress of this holiday!

Among all the other previously published canons of its type, this one might as well have turned out to be the most demanding to perform, in no small part due to the choir's conventional maximum ranges being reached in at least three voices, including both soprano (C6) and bass (E2), making it no small feat to sing. The main lyrics would roughly translate from Latin to English as follows: "In the direst of circumstances the true heart of men shall sing with great hope of leaving behind a memorable life. Even death can conquer those whose memory lies in the glory of their good deeds." The coda, as per usual, reinforces the core message in a variety of ways. YouTube video link:

So, I shared this work in progress a few weeks ago... In the meantime between then and now, I discovered my best friend (my pet) lying in the back yard, unmoving... Tragically, I'd determined that he was killed by my neighbor's dogs... This has struck me very firmly in the chest, and has been difficult to cope with. The little guy was my shadow. Every time I would be composing music, working on a car, doing yard work, or simply sitting outside in the sun, he was always right there, in my lap or somewhere not too far off beside me, supervising or just simply exercising his need to exist in the same space with me. I don't have many people in my life, not anyone who I can physically spend any time with, anyway.. He filled that void. So.. I've decided that I'll dedicate this new score as a way to tell his short life's story instrumentally. The prologue section represents his life before I ever met him. Telling a story of confusion, misplacement, and abandonment, as he was a kitten on his own in the city streets without a family, without his siblings or his mother. My sister found him on a particularly wet and rainy afternoon in september of 2020, near her home, running across the road during heavy traffic. This prompted her to retrieve him in order to prevent him from being hurt, beginning his journey into my care. I don't have a name for the second section, quite yet, but the beginning of the section begins with a light, heartfelt, but careful explanation of the time that we first met, after I adopted him. At that time, I was a bit worse for wear, in the mental department due to the circumstances in my life at the time. He was a gift to me to assist in easing the pain of abandonment that I was feeling in that point in time. We were both careful of one another and learning who each other were. Later in that section, the orchestration demonstrates a bit of playfulness, representing when we became comfortable with one another. From there... I haven't gotten much further. I hope the back-story context is able to shed some light on the composition and the choices made, thus far, in it's writing. Please, let me know what you all think. I appreciate the feedback in advance, and I apologize for not being too conversational, as of late, as I am in the process of mourning his passing, especially given that it was so sudden and tragic... Please bear with me. 🙂

Hello! Here is the recording of two movements from my Sonatine in C. This piece was composed for two friends of mine in my theory class at conservatory, and we had a lot of fun putting the thing together. While not my largest or most important piece, it was an exercise in a kind of neoclassicist compositional style I've otherwise left behind. The middle movement of the piece wasn't performed due to time constraints on this recital, which is unfortunate because it forms the harmonic and metric hinge between the outer movements. Hopefully I will have a complete recording of the piece soon! In the mean time, I would love anyone's thoughts on the piece if y'all are willing to share! Score video

Hi @mercurypickles! For the 1st movement the 1st theme’s marching mood is well stood out, while the 2nd subject is more reflective and I like the accompaniment all the time. I love the brief passage to pathos in b.70 (the 2nd subject for recap right?). I do think the octave sign doesn’t need to be written there. I like the 3rd movement, the pathos reminds me of Shostakovich, and the modulation to tritone to F sharp minor is well prepared. The pizzicato passage which follows is very interesting, particularly when Bartok pizz. and normal pizz mix together. B.91 is especially expressive with all those exotic notes. Thx very much for sharing this, in particular with the wonderful performance by the violinist and cellist! Btw, will you also share the 2nd and potentially 4th movements to us? P.S. Is the violinist in your excerpt @Irene Huang? I remember she submitted a piece to one of our competition and played very beautifully! Henry

Hey Kyle @UncleRed99, That’s a very sad background story and I am sorry to hear this, hope you are better now. Speaking of the music, I like the sparseness of it with those chords which sounds reflective and therapeutic to me. I like the sul ponticello at the beginning, maybe at some point you can add some tremolos to it too. The whole first movement displays your sadness. For the 2nd movement to me it begins with a calmer but still sad mood, and then yo start recollecting the happy past. I like the pizzicato passages depicting those happy memories and how lively your pet was (and is in your memory of him). For the end of the movement, will you get back to the sad mood, maintain the lively mood or reach a new mood? Thx for sharing! Henry

I check out the new sections and I like the new voice samples more. I like the rhythm you introduce in b.221 throughout and my favourite passage is the celesta passage in b.221. I feel like you just need only a bit more passage to finish the whole piece! Henry

PROGRESS 2 i've changed the voice to a more softer one. hopefully it blends better. this progress will include stuff from the previous progress, skip to 07:23 for new stuff. new voice: Kumi (https://cubialpha.wixsite.com/kumivoice) updated analysis: -------------------------------------------------------- INTRODUCTION. (b. 1-121) > introduces the themes, containing three sections. we'll call the three intro sections 1', 2' and 3'. 1' (b. 1-44) and 3' (b. 97-121) sections are inherently the same. the 2' section (b. 45-96) is a variation/development of a motif from section 1' (the first three notes). i call it the "Look to the sky" motif, very important, appears everywhere. the oboe part of the 3rd section (b. 103) introduces the B section as a counterpoint. b. 88 piano introduces the first part of the real main theme of the piece, and b.103 oboe counter point is the second part, which appears in the B section later. basically, the whole piece is a journey to combining these parts together, just like in the OST. Furthermore, 1' and 3' are just rhythmically augmented versions of the first part (quarter notes instead of eights, added triplets), while 2' is created from the motif and exists as its own theme. TRANSITION (b. 122-136), variation of 1'. ======================================= A. (b. 137-204) > pretty much the combination of the intro's three sections. vocal entrance (b. 151). section 2' are thoroughly woven and augmented between the vocal melodies. sax part at b. 180 is the B section, again, as a counter point. the vocal part sings a lot of the motif's variation. the lyrics are repetitions of Look to the sky Don't contain me I'm not here TRANSITION (b. 205-219), same as the previous one, different instrumentation B. (b. 221-278) > b.221 is a slight variation from section 2' (b.63). pizzicatos from b. 227 onward is the motif. oboe at b.229 restates the the main theme's first part while the left hand piano keeps the same rhythm from b.221 throughout. b.232 is the same counter point as previously, albeit variated. b.237 strings and celesta form an ostinato from the main motif, leading up to the vocal entrance. on b. 238 onwards, the vocal sings the main theme with slight variation (repetition of "sky" and "me." the rest before "sky" was done to make it singable). viola scatters the motif everywhere while woodwinds variate the main theme's second part as counter point. from b. 247, a new rhythm is introduced on piano left hand, sax, and viola, depicting troubling wave-like upward motions. finally, the vocal introduces the second part of the main theme alongside a new stanza. In the dark I am free Out to sea I'm just drifting here floating the instruments try to restate the newly sung part (b.262) but immediately get interrupted on b.266 by the return of 2'. the section builds up into: TRANSITION (b. 280-292), another variation of 1', more epic. A*. (b. 293-???) > instead of the strings, the piano grandly introduces the section. the rest play out just like the previous A with different instrumentation. -------------------------------------------------------- hopefully you guys will still able to follow the piece without looking at the analyses stuff, but yeah, enjoyy

Very fun to listen to. Something like this would need an explanation, or a scene so we can get the context behind the Christmas spirit. But I love the bass, it helps create that mischievous tone. The A section of your ABA format could be the antagonist. And the B section (the slower part), maybe is a call to the protagonist. There's a lot of information in this short piece, but the ABA structure helps keep things logical.

HI, I have notice volume of uploads of rather short pieces from member. Some are old; some are new-ish. The issue I see he or she does not seem to provide active feedback on other members compositions. I want this member to flourish and learn, but...

@Wieland Handke I truly love the baroque instruments you have chosen for this trio. The counterpoint between them creates rich harmonies and melodies! I can see how this would be played with in a church.

Thanks for listening! I do think there's some Baroque influence in it, though the Hummel concerto was probably the model most present in my head. As I was writing the second movement, I did worry the style was veering too far toward Romanticism, but I liked the movement and didn't want to change it.

Thanks for listening! Yeah, I was going for an antique English sound with those C naturals. By the way, I've been intending to listen to your C sharp minor sonata in full (I listened to the first movement when you first posted it on YouTube) but want to do so when I have plenty of time to enjoy it and give you comments.

My zeroth submission:

It is a very enjoyable and coherent concerto. Discussing its style is complicated, even if we use it as a point of reference. For me, it evokes certain Baroque memories, but that is due to the solo instrument: the trumpet, given that there are hardly any concertos for it in the Classical period (aside from Haydn and Hummel) and even fewer in the Romantic era. I find the first movement to be more in line with a Classical approach, while the Adagio feels more Romantic. In any case, it is a great piece of work in terms of composition, orchestration, and editing.

Your replies make me believe more that you may be lobbyist or salesperson of Suno lol... Maybe you never write absolute music yourself... Tintinnabuli is a technique and compostional style, but I guess if I explain to you I will once again be stigmatized as "elitism" ,so, 😴. Henry

For this piece I made two versions. While inputting the piece with all its microtones into Musescore, it ended up sounding quite bad with all the microtones that I had included (probably owing to the fact that the piece is already quite dissonant without the microtones). So I removed all the microtones and made a version of it that's free of any microtones. That's the 1st version. Then, once I was done with that version of the piece, I went back and made a 2nd version with very light microtonal embellishments, mostly only in the melodic voices and only on minor chords (making them sub-minor in 24TET, meaning I brought the minor 3rd of minor chords down a quarter-step). My intent with using those particular microtones is to make the piece even darker than it would be if it was just a regular minor key piece. But let me know what you think about both versions and which one you like better! I welcome your comments, suggestions, critiques or just observations. Thanks for listening!

I like the microtonal version more than the normal D minor version this time, because it makes the theme even more haunting and grosteque. I really love the harmony here, and that piccolo is toxic to listen to. The timbre is very well created especially with the double bass to create the evil mood. The only thiing sounds slightly off to me is the recording's solo violin, which to me sound a bit too loud comparing to all other passages. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hi @Aiwendil! Just like @Luis Hernández said this one is very joyful and solemn to listen to. I love how you augur the theme by trumpet first and then followed by other instruments. That Lydian sounding C natural in b.16 and 20 hints at a more antique English style and I like it. The imitation section follows is nicely done as well, and very nice reprise as well, with the Amen cadence at the end! Thx for sharing! P.S. Thx for your comments on my youtube channel for my Violin Sonata! Henry

Mike this one is funny! The mashup doesn't sound too off together and well fitted to the Xmas mood haha. Henry

Hi @Wieland Handke! Of course this one is more colorful than your first submission, but both are good in their own ways. The first one in a chamber setting is more calm and serene in character, while this one is more "universal" and broader with an orchestral setting. Thx for sharing the second version and submission! Henry

Hi @HoYin Cheung! It sounds a lot like the interlocking structure of Gamelan but this time with chimes and marimba haha. Nice polyrhythm as well. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hi @Crescent Roulade! This Christmas piece gives me a Chinese feeling because of its use of pentatonic notes. I do enjoy this little piece! Like @PeterthePapercomPoser said I perceive the melody to begin rather on beat than in syncopation, and in 4/4 time than 8/4 time. Thx for joining the event! Henry

Beautiful, haunting theme. VERY dark sounding. I actually think the microtonal version sounds better because it gives off that "ruined castle vibe" a little more realistically in my opinion, and I feel like it accentuates your melody. The dynamics of your stringed instruments are well done.

My favorite musical key happens to be C# Minor. Soundcloud has evidently caught onto this as seen by the fact that half of the music it recommends to me happens to be in said key. C# Minor for me evokes spiritual depth and drama, and I experience it as generally having a softly glowing sunset orange coloration.

Thanks! Yeah, I think I would have a hard time writing an extended piece for brass ensemble too.

Here is my submission:

I always find it very difficult to compose for these types of ensembles. This piece sounds quite solemn, but it also stirs up certain emotions. Thank you.

Ohhh, so short but so expressive... I'm a huge fan of these mashups!

An incredibly interesting brief piece—I'm really hooked. I like the polyrhythm and how well it's put together. I'm not really catching the flamenco rhythm, though (haha... I come from the land of flamenco, so forgive me!).

Nice blending of styles, and a fun little catchy tune. Love the animated Santa graphic haha.

I think that the person behind the AI should receive a conduct. This. Anyways, here is my music. It is not quite done yet. I am going back to China, so I can't do it, because my laptop is also getting repaired. Refer to my status update.

Hi @UncleRed99 I can hear with this piece could lead to. Your A section is slow. You have homophonic textures and short piano section that creates interest. This is not half bad. Also, the percussion, chimes to add color. I feel that middle section (B) could be faster and have different thematic material and textures. Romeo and Juilet overture does this well: it starts with chorale section. Then slowly builds to A section that leads B section. ABA is the overal structure. 🙂