February/March 2008 Nominations Thread.

[Morivou]

O.K.,

I am REALLLLLYYYY stupid ;) . I forgot that if we are to have a competition starting in February, we have to know what it is BY February. And, I was thinking, why not have a two month long competition??? I mean, this could be the chance to do something a LITTLE bigger, but not long enough to start a real competition. So, keep that in mind when putting in your nominations.

Now, understand here, the competition WILL NOT begin until Feb. 14th at 12:00. I will not post the competition we are doing or the rules before then. THAT way (if you haven't noticed, it is leap year), you have a month and a HALF. Which narrows it down even more. So yeah, like last time... 5 nominations, nothing too big like a symphony, but nothing small enough that a month and a half will be not enough of a challenge. Something like a Sonata is good for this because you could have 14 days to plan, REALLY plan, and then writing for an entire month!

Alright, NOMINATE!!!

-Mori-

[James H.]

I suggest AGAINST a symphony, sonata, or other long work. Maybe, at most we could do one movement of a symphony or sonata per month, and by the end, all participants should have a brand new 3-4 movement symphony or sonata. If we are working for a month and a half, should that be enough time for a 3-8 minute symphony movement for full orchestra? How about concert band? I've never heard of a symphony for concert band...

How about an original traditional song? You know how they have traditional Spanish music, and Gypsy music, and Celtic music? Maybe we could write our own tune based on cultural ideas. Maybe one person will write an original Hungarian gypsy dance, and another will end up writing a traditional style Scottish pipe tune.

How about a march? American style, or British style.

These are just suggestions, of course. Again:

* Opening movement to a symphony for full orchestra OR concert band.

* Original tune based on any cultural style (preferably Western culture)

* British or American traditional march.

[XxCransworthxX]

I have heard of many symphonies/suites for wind ensemble. 1.5 months would be enough time for me to compose an orchestral or a concert band movement.

English/Irish folk songs are amazing. Anything involving those would be amazing.

[Dev]

I like the idea of a composition for concert band - it's the complete opposite of the January one, where you were challenged by writing for so few instruments, now you are challenged by writing for so many.

The required instrumentation shouldn't fall too far out of very standard like high school ensembles, though - like, no required bass trombone or anything.

[Morivou]

OK! We got two solid nominations I like:

1. A Movement of a Large Work for Concert Band.

2. An original tune based off of a culture.

[Dirk Gently]

A fugue for a chamber ensemble.

That's my suggestion

[ram]

Now, understand here, the competition WILL NOT begin until Feb. 14th at 12:00. I will not post the competition we are doing or the rules before then. THAT way (if you haven't noticed, it is leap year), you have a month and a HALF. Which narrows it down even more. So yeah, like last time... 5 nominations, nothing too big like a symphony, but nothing small enough that a month and a half will be not enough of a challenge.

I would personally love to participate to a challenge, but unfortunately I don't have a LOT of time to devote to it. Writing for instance a 16-bar long theme and 3 variations on it is about the maximum I can do in a month.

If you request too large pieces, then of course it is more interesting for the people who have time to invest in this, but otherwise this is discriminating against a more useful form of "competition" which would be trying to do something on the basis of an imposed framework.

A short fugue with an imposed subject is acceptable for instance, or a string quartet (not too long, like a pair of menuets). Or harmonization contests, where a melody is given (e.g. violin 1) and one has to realize the 3 other parts to make a quartet.

Saying one has to compose a symphony movement is not acceptable (to me) because it is too demanding.

[jujimufu]

How about a duo for specified families of instruments? Like two winds, two brass, two strings or two percussion instruments? (no pianos, it's a whole new category, piano duos :P)? It's small, nothing too hard to write as most people play at least one instrument, and it can be more easily done in 14 days than a symphony movement... Plus, people who haven't studied orchestration could write a piece :P

[Mark]

I agree with Juji, great idea :)

Also, maybe a small monothematic piano piece that doesn't exceed a certain number of measures or something, then the challenge would be to have variation, without the option of two contrasting themes that is afforded by sonata form or similar :D

[Morivou]

How about a duo for specified families of instruments? Like two winds, two brass, two strings or two percussion instruments? (no pianos, it's a whole new category, piano duos :P)? It's small, nothing too hard to write as most people play at least one instrument, and it can be more easily done in 14 days than a symphony movement... Plus, people who haven't studied orchestration could write a piece :P

3rd nomination!!!!!!

[jujimufu]

Also, maybe a small monothematic piano piece that doesn't exceed a certain number of measures or something, then the challenge would be to have variation, without the option of two contrasting themes that is afforded by sonata form or similar

What about a non-thematic piano piece, without barlines? That would be more of a challenge, and something most people from here haven't tried before :P

[James H.]

An interesting idea. I would suggest that that could be done for not just piano, but a chamber group, but that would be very hard to play... without bar lines and all. I like the no barlines idea, I've never tried that. And I like the non-thematic idea too, too many a time do I come up with great material but I can't fit it into a piece, this would be a great opportunity to compose this 'musical melting pot'.

[Morivou]

What about a non-thematic piano piece, without barlines? That would be more of a challenge, and something most people from here haven't tried before :P

An interesting idea. I would suggest that that could be done for not just piano, but a chamber group, but that would be very hard to play... without bar lines and all. I like the no barlines idea, I've never tried that. And I like the non-thematic idea too, too many a time do I come up with great material but I can't fit it into a piece, this would be a great opportunity to compose this 'musical melting pot'.

Wonderful idea, 4th Nomination. ONE MORE!!

[jujimufu]

An interesting idea. I would suggest that that could be done for not just piano, but a chamber group

Why do you guys have to enlarge the ensembles all the time? I think it's going to be more of a challenge if for once you're trying out something that's more difficult for you to write, or if you don't find it more difficult, at least stick with the smaller ensembles for the competitions. They are more fair as more people can attempt to write them, while not everyone will be so prone to write a symphony or a chamber piece.

[virtualshock]

free form piece for a instrument of choosing and paino, this could leave many possibilities and possible increase participation.......

just an idea:)

I like the 2 month deal also, it will probably increase participation as well

[Morivou]

k, that's five nominations!!! I will post the voting thread soon!

[James H.]

Why do you guys have to enlarge the ensembles all the time? I think it's going to be more of a challenge if for once you're trying out something that's more difficult for you to write, or if you don't find it more difficult, at least stick with the smaller ensembles for the competitions. They are more fair as more people can attempt to write them, while not everyone will be so prone to write a symphony or a chamber piece.

Not to argue, but I find myself on the contrary... I have a hard time writing for small ensembles, I have a hard time overcoming the limitations. I tend to gravitate to much larger ensembles which open my mind with endless possibilities. Just thought I'd stick my two cents in. ;)

[Morivou]

All composers are different, that is why we started the Monthly competitions: so we could have many different options for different types of composers to try and compete (in a friendly manner) and learn from each other. There is no point in doing 2 competitions a year and having both HUGE pieces, therefore cutting out a WHOLE genre and experience level of composers.

[jujimufu]

Not to argue, but I find myself on the contrary... I have a hard time writing for small ensembles, I have a hard time overcoming the limitations. I tend to gravitate to much larger ensembles which open my mind with endless possibilities. Just thought I'd stick my two cents in.

Exactly, you can't write pieces for just a few instruments, which is the reason you should be writing them. Writing pieces for bigger ensembles doesn't make you a better composer, and what's more, if you're writing pieces for small ensembles or even solo/duets you have more chances of getting them performed. Don't forget that some composers never composed symphonies, like Debussy. He composed a few orchestral works, but no symphonies. Bartok didn't write any symphonies. He wrote a concerto for orchestra, but no symphonies. Schoenberg wrote two chamber symphonies, but no orchestral ones. Birtwistle hasn't written any symphonies, and he is considered to be one of the biggest figures in contemporary british music. So why would you want to write a symphony? You think it's easier to write a symphony, but in fact it's not, because to write for a small ensemble you really have to know a lot of things about all the instruments involved, and that is the same case with the symphony, but you don't care about the individual techniques, characteristics, playing of each instrument, you just care about what you hear in finale and that's it. This is why you think writing for a smaller ensemble is more difficult, but you should start from there working your way to bigger ensembles, just like you wouldn't start writing a novel in 2nd grade, or you wouldn't design a 100-floor skyscraper as your first building were you an architect.

[Alan]

On a different note... can I enter as a participant...?:whistling:

[Morivou]

That thread will be open five days before the competition begins.