MJFOBOE

Charming ... a pleasure to hear. I love the dialogue among the instruments. The rhythms are captivating and the major theme quite inviting! Mark

A lovely, expressive little piece. It reminds me of those solo instrumental phrases that Messiaen would suddenly write into his works. I think it makes excellent use of the oboe’s most effective range, bringing out the expression in some of the high and low notes as well. Thank you for taking the time to listen. I am so pleased you found the work appealing. Mark

Hi again, Congrats on finishing the Tone Poem. I am going to listen and examine the score once more. You are correct I only wanted to highlight the last part of the quote in regards to the leitmotif. As you highlighted ... English horns are not the same as Oboes. During a rehearsal the conductor most probably will balance the piano against the English Horn. As per me I see the English Horn as a solo instrument within the ensemble because of its tonal/projection/character. In a larger context its uniqueness can be lost as a line in a full orchestration. Mark PS: I enjoyed your pun about my criticism not being fully developed! Okay, I reviewed the work again. I am curious to know the feedback you have received from your mentor"s? I still feel the ideas move about too quickly in a thick orchestration .... I feel there needs to be room for the music to breathe to lead and give the listener a moment to connect. For me this didn't happen.

I would give it to the bassoon ... you may have to adjust the other lines. By the way - why the contrabassoon? The timbre to support the melody is not the same as a String Bass or bassoon in resonance. Mark

Alex, A lovely orchestration, though, I have some questions in the selection of the English Horn; especially in the lower register ... the actual projection may be more covered in the ensemble. Mark

I find the music very easy to listen to in this "Jazzy" work. It's quite charming and I do find quite lyrical too! The interplay among the instruments work quite well and tell a very interesting story. Have you had musicians play the work. It sounds (without a score) technically challenging. Mark

I re-listened to the (entire) work. "A tone poem (also called a symphonic poem) is a single-movement piece of orchestral music that tells a story, depicts a landscape, or illustrates a non-musical idea. Pioneered in the 19th-century Romantic era, it freed composers from traditional symphonic structures, allowing them to follow a narrative's mood and flow. [1, 2, 3] Key Characteristics Programmatic Nature: Tone poems are a type of program music, meaning they are explicitly designed to evoke an extra-musical idea, such as a poem, short story, painting, or historical event. [1, 2] Single Movement: Unlike traditional symphonies, which are divided into distinct, shorter movements, tone poems are typically played in one continuous stretch where the music evolves with the story. [1, 2] Thematic Transformation: Composers often use a technique called thematic transformation or leitmotifs—where a specific, recurring musical theme morphs in tempo, key, or orchestration to reflect changes in a character's emotions or the progression of the plot. [1, 2]" I feel the material could be integrated more, as per the leitmotifs. Each story to me feel too distinct isolated. It reminds me of the music used in telling stories/scenes in a adventure type video game. Now having said this, the orchestration is interesting and creative. In one section you have the English Horn playing against the piano ... maybe the dynamic of the piano should be softer since it overpowers the English Horn which has a softer projection ... Ravel has a piano duet with The English Horn where the piano is ethereal and supports the lush English Horn melodic line. Take a listen below: Listen at the 6 minute interval. https://www.facebook.com/reel/2867905410232600

A very successful orchestration 😊. I enjoyed listening to it. Great balance and color! Mark

Alex, I corrected the post ... you can delete yours .......... Mark

Not nitpicks at all. I did think about the notation(s). Thank you for comments ... they are most welcome! Mark

Hi all, Here's short lament I composed for solo Oboe .... when some notes during my warm up tweaked my interest. As always comments always appreciated. Mark (Oboe is computer generated...although I have played it 😉) Oboe Lament6-30-26.mp3 Oboe Lament6-30-26.pdf

Lovely!

I'm sorry there hasn't been more comments on this very ambitious project. The orchestration is quite overwhelming. I wonder if more could have been accomplished with less. When I listened to the work mostly straight through .... I was looking/listening for a central prominent integrative theme(s) to guide me.... Did I miss something here? Mark

Wieland, thank you for taking the time to comment on my work. Your interest is much appreciated. Mark

Hi all, Here's a short work for string trio. All comments welcome. Mark New String Trio.mp3 New String Trio.pdf