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Anna's Lullaby was the culimation of an instrumentation challenge posed to me by @MK_Piano , and a Piano Chord Progression & Motif that I came up with during my down time. It elicited, to me, what felt like a lullaby, or, a loving embrace. Which reminded me of one of the Family dogs that we had, growing up. Her name was Anna. She passed, in recent years, due to her old age, and she was one of the most memorable parts of my childhood. So I've dedicated this score to her memory. I feel it lays her to rest, in a careful and loving way. Feedback is welcomed! -Unc Updated - Added Oboe part, adjusted Harmonies, fixed Piano Ped. Mark Engraving. AnnasLullaby.pdfAnnasLullaby.mp3 P.S. Here's the most recent photo I had of Anna. I wish it were a better one. It's a screenshot of a video I took of her giving me a "5" or, giving me her paw. You can see her age in this photo. She was 17 when she passed.

Hello again! I spent the last few days annotating the first movement. I did about 20 pages worth and you will find my written and explicit comments at the end. I will address any questions or concerns here or in a DM, good work! D. Chenfeng - Piano Concerto no.2 [ANNOTATED].Pdf

https://musescore.com/user/96214813/scores/28405348 This is my second concerto, written in e minor for piano and orchestra. It consists of three movements. Mov. 1 E Moll Mov. 2 B Dur-E Dur Mov. 3 E Moll. My Internet is low so I won't bother with the details. Thx! Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. -TristanTheTristan

Hello, TristanTheTristan. This is a wonderful piece! The atmosphere of the track shifts smoothly, drawing the listener in. The composition keeps things engaging from start to finish, and the use of fast passages (rapid note sequences) is truly impressive. Personally, I like the section starting at 2:44; it has a unique yet lovely vibe. The piano part is also fantastic. Given the high quality of the work, I think it would be even better if you cleaned up the rough spots, like the audio distortion (clipping) occurring at 4:01 and 7:44. Then again, if this is just a sketch intended for a live performance, perhaps strict correction isn't necessary. You have amazing talent for composition. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful piece! P.S. I agree with @gooberro. @MK_Piano, thank you for always providing such great reviews! That said, this piece is really great!!

For all my music needs, I use forScore. (I compose using MuseScore however.) I use forScore to read and perform my repertoire and to annotate PDFs. It cost around $25 USD as a one time purchase. You can annotate combine PDFs, rearrange documents, etc. The first one I used starting in college was called PiaScore and is free to use. It’s similar in features to forScore, however, in my opinion, has a lackluster user interface. I would recommend both in a heartbeat regardless!

What software do you use? Or just photo editor

God, I can only dream of giving advice like this and such good handwriting too! 😭 You need to teach us all, I just yapped about how you can change clefs.. 🫪

Hi everyone! I took a break from composing for a while. Recently, I started composing again, and I would like to present my latest composition, an Impromptu, written between May and July 2026. Writing this piece proved challenging – choosing the right material was an endeavor, and most of the effort was spent on completing the coda section. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, and I would love to hear your thoughts! Carl Koh Wei Hao

Hello dear UncleRed99, This is a wonderful piece. Since she lived to be 17, she certainly had a long life. Of course, I hadn't heard the piece before, but it has a lovely, nostalgic quality to it. It’s not nostalgia for a specific place or time, but rather the kind that comes from looking back on cherished memories. It has become a beautiful memory paired with a beautiful song. Your work is always so gentle and warm; it brings a sense of comfort. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful piece and your memories. Rest in peace, Anna. Best, Lithl.

Hi all! It's been since the first of the year that I posted here...so sorry for going dark for a while. Life got busy! But I wanted to share this piece I worked on in May and have since finalized. It's called..."The Duel". I leaned heavily into drums and keeping momentum going, trying to use some more articulations and varying techniques that are inspired by some of the music I was listening to at the time. I created this in FL Studio using a variety of VSTs...mostly from Native Instruments' Symphony Series. But including a cimbalom from Spitfire Audio in there also, as well as their Epic Choirs. Hope you enjoy the listen and can't wait to hear everyone's thoughts.

Hi @Vasilis Michael ! This one is wonderful! Recently I finally get more in touch with Scarlatti and your piece shows heavy influence of his Sonatas: echoing of passages, abrupt and wonderful modulations, all the m.d. and m.g., dexterity and touch required to play, abrupt changes of style or mood. Yours is no less wonderful than Scarlatti's Sonatas I can definitely say. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hey Kyle @UncleRed99 ! What a lovely piece which is clearly in your style: sentimental, refreshing and lovely. I like the tone color of the whole piece, and all the solo passages of the winds. Just some suggestion of mine: first the pianist isn't given a chance to play the melody at all except b.41-44. Since I've just reviewed @MK_Piano 's October piece it immediately reminds me of his piece where there is piano solo passages. I think here you can extend your piano solo passage as well and also have the winds accompanying the piano melody. Also whenever two winds are in pair, the upper instrument (in terms of score position, not range of the instrument) always have the melody. What if clarinet and oboe playing together and clarinet gets the melody? Or bassoon getting the melody over a flute countermelody? You can think of more varieties in the instrumentation as well! Also for the recurring figure in b.13: Seeing this figure immediately reminds myself of my own Clarinet Quintet 1st mov to advertise myself lol: Thx for your sharing, and my deepest condolences to you and your family for losing a family member, as Anna accompanies you for such long years as a lovely pet and family member. Henry

Hi @Lithl ! It's sad that you keep reviewing other members' posts while no one reviewing yours, so I will review this one first! I enjoy the ominous mood by playing only on the high register and the very precise rhythmic marking which creates the more random (in a positive way) effect to enhance the ghostly mood. My fav. is the no.7 one especially when there are repeating chords which is really exciting to me. I imagine the piece to be placed alongside celesta and harpsichord as in Schnittke's Symphony no.4: To me it will make the piece even more ominous! Thx for sharing! Henry

Hey Mason, I think the duration and the difficulty of the piece matches the wedding occasion: short enough, sincere enough and not overtly showy and virtuosic. It's great you have the piano playing the solo in b.30, as mostly it's doing the poor accompanying job haha. I imagine that if this piece is played in real life, you will be saying some congratulatory words and blessings to your sister in the fermata in b.29, playing the solo yourself, maybe improvising a bit, before getting back to tutti. Thx for sharing! Henry

The members have voted in the poll and decided upon a theme for the next competition - "From Nothing, to Something"! This competition has no monetary awards - only kudos and badges. We are inviting the members/competitors to review and to participate in the creation of the badge awards that will be dispersed at the end of the competition! So if you have any ideas for particular badges that would accord with the kind of music that will be submitted for this competition and the theme of this competition, let us know in the List of Manually-Awardable Badges thread and we will take your ideas into consideration! Please reply to this thread to declare your intent to participate in this competition! The winners will be determined by popular voting polls! The duration of each piece should once again be between 3 - 7 minutes. Reviewing the entries will once again be spearheaded by the members/competitors at large. You are free to use the Official Competition Reviewing Template or you can review the entries in any way you see fit or create a template of your own making! Thank you for whatever time and effort you are able or willing to give towards reviewing the competition entries! There will be tiered "Ardent Reviewer" badges given out for this event: Featherweight Reviewer - for reviewing 33% of the entries Welterweight Reviewer - for reviewing 66% of the entries Heavyweight Reviewer - for reviewing 100% of the entries We are instituting a policy of not allowing any AI generated works in the competition. Because of this you will be required to detail how you created your piece and submit a PDF score or midi file for the perusal of the staff and members at large. The musical entries to the competition are final once submitted. This is for the sake of consistency of reviewing (so that each reviewer reviews the same piece of music without any changes). Instrumentation: As per the poll, the competitors will be tasked with writing a piece for a mixed trio/quartet/quintet of individual instruments/players/singers. Deadline: As per the poll, this competition will take 2 months, so the deadline to participate will be Thursday, September 24th, 2026. @MK_Piano's theme for the competition can be found below: What greater challenge of a composer than to take nothing and turn it into something! Your goal is to take the text from Paul Verlaine’s summer poem “Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été,” (So, on a bright summer day it shall be) and turn it into a piece! This poem is short, but filled with evoking images of what summer can feel like. Attached is the poem in English: So, on a bright summer day it shall be: The great sun, my partner in joy, Shall make, amid the satin and the silk, Your dear beauty lovelier still; The sky, all blue, like a tall canopy, Shall quiver sumptuously in the long folds Above our two happy brows, grown pale With pleasure and expectancy; And when evening comes, the breeze shall be soft And play caressingly about your veils, And the peaceful stars looking down Shall smile benevolently on man and wife. The poem in French and English Entrants to the competition thus far: @MrBelegro @Fruit hunter @Ninja Nolan @Kvothe @TristanTheTristan Here is the submissions thread for the competition where participants are encouraged to post links to their composition (rather than posting their piece directly into the pre-existing topic - make your own dedicated topic so the members at large can review your music there):

Thanks! I want to be able to give feedback like you one day!

thx！dw i am not at home either. I will be back tomorrow. Please do check out all of it if possible! I will change the music asap as well, to make it more human and stuff.

I do not mind looking at the other movements; however, I need a day or two break lol. I’m currently on a vacation visiting my parents and there’s a lot of plans this weekend. If I do, it’ll be starting next week.

Bro Seriously thank you so so so much! Idk how to tell you how happy I am! Also, will you analyse other movements too? It's fine if you don't, I am already the happiest person in the world! Thx! -TristanTheTristan

Lovely sentimental work. I loved the bassoon solo in the beginning! Mark

With respect to tempo/breathing etc. - the oboe part is NOT well thought out at all. You really need to learn about the strengths and limitations of instruments and players; whether you write for woodwinds, brass, strings or percussion. Best to talk to players and show them the score and learn from them. <ark

Ohhhh.... The Double -Barrel Big Guns !...very nice.....no wonder it sounds so good.......That will create alot of Inspiration

Thank you, Lithl. :) I have a few thoughts of something I want to add to this piece, despite finalizing it. (I also noticed some engraving errors I'd like to correct.) Stay tuned, if interested :) -Unc

Regarding playback sound, I use Nucleus / Audio Imperia Flute & Clarinet, MuseSounds Bassoon, and Spitfire LABS Reverberant Ribbons Intimate Piano. It's just utilization of VST3 plugins to get that realistic playback sound :) Thank you for your kind words. I have more I have thought I want to add to this piece. Stay tuned, if interested. :) -Unc

Ah, thank you for teaching me a new concept @PeterthePapercomPoser . I always just thought of that chord in question as a special dominant chord that is just a half step above the actual dominant chord, so in my mind it was flat because I saw it as a C7 chord, if that makes sense :) I think I see the logic of having it as a A# now. It's kinda neat how depending on the genre, can be seen different ways. Sorry @Martynas123 !!

What a Lovely little Doggy, immediately made me cry. I think some doggy's have a spirit that can be seen beyond the Fur The love they possess can be seen in certain characteristics , wagging their tale when they greet you excited about being taken for a walk, and of course Dinner-Time That kind of spirit can't be embodied by a mere human because its Far to PURE. Regarding this composition , i did previously say that your " Best is yet to come" And this is the first one, and the start of many more... perhaps your getting Guidance from someone, with the letter "A" ? --- The whole composition sounds like its being played by REAL people Because every Instrument sounds so REAL ! I dont know how you did this, but its BEAUTIFUL , just like Anna x

Hello, It's so wonderful. I don't know why, but the part at 4:08 sort of feels off, like it should go on for a bit longer. It probably wouldn't be the case with an actual human performer vs MIDI file though. Maybe it's more of a performance thing vs compositional thing. In the Coda at 4:36, it sounds very familiar. I can't quite place it...probably a wonderfully sounding cliche that many greats have used before you? The ending has such a nice flair to it. That chord at measure 236. I wish I could give you a chef's kiss for that one. So elegant and wonderful and a bit bittersweet on top of it all. I like the choice to break with the RH pattern you did for most of the piece and just go at it hard with those wonderful consistent 16th notes in the RH. So whole piece feels like eating a lot of delicious sweets. It sounds/tastes so sweet, it can't be good for me if I listen to it too much right? ;) Anyways, those are my thoughts... I wonder what you had in mind when you were writing it? P.S. The notation looks beautifully done! So much attention to detail :).

I've just finished revising and completing my arrangement of Isaac Albéniz's España (6 Hojas de Álbum) for string orchestra. I hope you enjoy it! Any feedback is very welcome. 1. Preludio.pdf

Hey Tristan, I will admit that I had some reservations going in to this concerto. I recall commenting on previous piano works of yours and being critical of engraving and individual playability with the piano instrument. This time however, I was genuinely pleased with the musical content of this work. So much so, I wish to dissuade any critical notion I had and provide a comment and analysis beneficial to you. I like to annotate on PDFs and I wish to do so for the entirety of this work. However, I cannot do so in a quick manner and in the current state of this concerto. Here are my first thoughts and quick amends I wish for you to do: PAGE LAYOUT (using MuseScore Studio 4) Your overall page and score layout is... to be blunt, Bad. Only 1-3 measures per page (maybe four or five)... for almost 18 minutes? The page is too small for the ensemble size, or the measures are too big. In Musescore, you can fix this by going to the top of the editor and pressing Format>>Page Settings. Even if you do not expect this to be performed, there is ALWAYS a chance it will be one day. Thus, I think it best to always treat your music as practical versus theoretical. Specifically, think about how a conductor, someone who has NEVER seen your work, will see it and try to understand it. What about the players? Everything you write will have an effect on those who see it. Conductors. Conductors will have to control the score and turn the pages. You have 287 pages worth of music... This is very ineffective for a conductor and if a director was looking for music to program, even the length of the document can be a deciding factor. MUSESCORE Musescore has a feature to end movements properly. Go to your Palettes tab>>Layout>>Section Break. This will allow you to end a movement, have a pause, and redisplay the full instrument names for the next movement. It is essential to use this in multi-movement works. (In hindsight, I see you have done this, good job!) Use the Frames to create extra pages. Nowhere on the score does it state the size of the ensemble... aka how many performers. You can use vertical frames and page breaks to add extra pages. Front Matter. Use Frames and page breaks to create extra pages before the first page of music. (what is called the front matter) Then, to add text and custom text fields, click the frame you wish to add text, go to the top of your screen and hit Add>>Text>> Title, Subtitle, etc. I would like to do a proper analysis at another time, however I cannot promise when as it will be a large task for me. In the meantime, to make it easier for others, please amend the page layout and measure spacing. Good work!

Thank you very much for the detailed and extensive feedback! Cheers.

Hi Tristan! I really like this piece! There are definitely a variety of textures in the music and all instruments are utilised in their own unique way. The range also keeps the music flowing, which many pieces do not include (even I am sometimes a victim!!) Something to keep in mind is in the winds. There is a solo flute line of semiquavers which as a whole I really like. Just remember that real flutists would have to tongue very fast at that tempo to hit them accurately! Adding a few slurs can help immensely! You can leave some semiquavers, about two thirds, detached, but us fellow wind players’ tongues get tired when they are working that hard! Two more quick things: The viola plays an incredibly high note (relative to the normal range) at one point. Remember the alto clef is lower, so instead of placing a load of ledger lines, it’s no harm to change to treble! And near the beginning, the violin, again, plays a high note. I couldn’t exactly tell because of the ledger lines, so maybe edit this to an 8va? Overall, I really love this, although take my advice with a grain of salt. I’m no ensemble expert! gooberro

Hello, I tried to create a symphony from scratch again. Maybe this time I made a better version. It's only 1 movement, so it's quite short, 6:22 min. And I would like a review because I want to start a 2nd movement. Simfonija no 1 1 mov.mp3 Simfonija no 1 1 mov.pdf

Don't undersell yourself! This is quite a good attempt, and you've clearly put a lot of thought in the orchestration. I mentioned the slurs mostly because of the bowing/sound implications. With less bow to use for more notes, string player tend to play softer which in your case helps with the softer dynamics (in addition to the legato articulation). I know software can be finicky so totally understand your workaround. "...when Debussy orchestrated, he didn’t care about the number of instruments – it was all in the service of colour." I'm going to disagree with that somewhat. Yes, he wanted different colors, but he was very conscious about experimenting with different timbres/ranges of different instrument families. The harmonics issue: technically playable, yes...but writing 5th touch artificial harmonics is pretty rare in orchestral music. Unless those violinists have big hands, they'd have to stretch more than normal to play that. That's why 4th touch harmonics are better and the standard (I think you might be able to convert some of those)

Very Nice........ i really like the waltz style, and you've achieved a high level of professionalism the Melody is instantly recognized as a Melody, and stands above the rest of the composition well done.

Hi @danishali903 I appreciate your comments and will reply to a few in case anyone’s interested I don’t usually write expression slurs (legato) on the strings, except for very short groups of notes. Instead, if I want to do this, I specify ‘legato’ (as an articulation, which the software I use does recognise) and hide the text. Bear in mind that this is an exercise and that the economy of instrumentalists/instruments has not been the priority, although it was not intended to be used indiscriminately either. That is why there is a piccolo alongside the flute and the alto flute, because that line in bar 18 requires three instruments from the same family. The same applies to the four horns and the tuba. Another of the ideas is that, as far as possible, the families should sound harmonically complete, as in the chord in bar 9. As for the harmonics, they have all been checked and are feasible, though I may have made a mistake. I’ve had another look at the ones you mention and they’re fine. In this regard, I recommend this webpage, which lists all the natural and artificial harmonics that can be played (and those that are best avoided). https://conductit.eu/study-room/rehearsal/rehearsal-4/4-6-string-harmonics/ When it comes to orchestration, there are endless possibilities. Probably, by assigning a few lines to other instruments, I could have done without the piccolo or one of the two horns… But then again, let’s be realistic: when Debussy orchestrated, he didn’t care about the number of instruments – it was all in the service of colour. Best. Addendum The issue of legato slurs in the strings is something I’m going to consider writing about (always bearing in mind what they might do, as I understand it). It’s a more specific point. In fact, as I have a few final amendments to make to this orchestration, I’m going to include that point. Thank you. I’m still at 5% in my orchestration skills.

Here's a musical quote from Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's Flow - The Psychology of Optimal Experience: And if you've gotten this far, thanks for reading!

This is a very evocative and Debussy-like orchestration! Some minor things: I think you can add slurs in the third measure when strings come in. The articulation is suppose to be legato and smooth, and slurs will help with that. Continue the slurs in the viola/cello/bass melody in bar 5 onwards. Same thing in bar 28...and since the violins are PP, slurs would DEFINITELY help. Probably can consolidate the 3 flute parts to 2, with the 2nd player doubling on alto and piccolo. Probably can remove the tuba too since it's mostly doubling the double basses. You might also be able to consolidate the 4 horns to 2. Play around with mixing bassoons or clarinets with horns. Some of the violin harmonics look suspicious...measure 19 specifically in 1st violins.

Hello! As other people have mentioned, this is pretty darned good for a second composition ever. Not finished, but plenty of material to work with and plenty of places to go I think.... I read the title of the piece (Hansel and Gretel), I listen and close my eyes and I can imagine Hansel and Gretel. So, I mean, mission accomplished! I played along a bit on the keyboard and there are some nice chord changes that capture the mood changes. It all seems fairly smooth. Transitions seem pretty good to me. There is enough variation to keep things interested. It really tells a story...I'd be interested in hearing/seeing more!!!

Thank you! I will keep this in mind, I am used to a digital so I have little experience with these things! gooberro

Great job!! I really enjoyed your contrast - one thing I would maybe consider is adjusting some of the evil stepmother section. That register of the piano can be very muddy if not approached correctly. I think adding some pedal markings would help ensure a cleaner performance. I also appreciate how you transitioned between sections. They're not abrupt and are very smooth. I don't really have any critiques - thank you for sharing and happy composing!!

Hi layneleefilm! This piece is amazing. The impact of the percussion is powerful and captures the feel of "The Duel." You have wonderful skills in both composition and music production. The composition is excellent, the way it quiets down at 1:14 and creates an atmosphere of something looming. I like the melody lines, too. I’m curious about what kind of music you were listening to when you composed this. I’d love it if you could share that with me! Best, Lithl.

Thank you for your kindness, @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu. I'm so happy to receive a comment on this work from you. Personally, I only write reviews for works that fascinate me, so I will continue working to create something that might one day elicit that kind of reaction from others. By the way, I recently listened to some of your past work, and it was wonderful. I'm looking forward to seeing you upload new works. P.S. Thank you for telling me about Schnittke's Symphony no.4. I hadn't heard it before, so I really appreciate the recommendation. You seem to have amazing musical knowledge too! Best, Lithl.

Hi Jean @Krisp ! I have left a few words in Youtube, and I will reiterate here that I love your orchestration! To me it's more like an orchestra playing in a chamber setting which gives different contrasting mood in different passages. The use of harp definitely makes this one a lovely romantic lied. The subject of this lied really reminds of the film "Last Year at Marienbad" when the male protagonist insisted in recognizing the female protagonist, who always refuted it. All the harmonic progression in the piece well serves the narrative structure and mood change of the poem, and to me the most magical touch is the end-the narrator admits he never truly knew her and the chords ends on a suspended B minor chord, while the fantasy continues in the harp and other instruments. This heavily reminds me of the ending of Dichterliebe when the narrator and singer abruptly ended his singing by "sinking to the Rhine" and the music continues with the piano. Truly magical touch here. Thx for sharing! Henry

Hello! I come to you with yet another refurbished piece from over a decade ago. I welcome any of your comments, critiques, feedback or observations. Thanks for listening and I hope you enjoy! Edit: I've included a 2nd mp3 rendition of the piece normalized to get rid of clipping. A Scherzo in Bb.mp3 A Scherzo in Bb Print.pdf A Scherzo in Bb 2.mp3

I'd like to join thx!

I declare my intention as thus: I like idea of centering a piece around poem. Therefore, I will probably write a composition this round. I also want to review (excluding mine), too.

i really want to do this but im not sure if i'll have time.. we will see!!

Forsooth, I declareth my steadfast intent to partake in thy competition.

I declare my interest to join this competition

I declare my intent to participate this time. The previous time I couldn't come up with something decent, but now I will try my best to submit at least something.