November-December Competition 2012

Here are the results:

My reviews:

ChristianPerrota

SCORING:

15/10 - Score.

Dude, this score was phenomenal. Since it was the first one submitted, it also set a very high standard for the rest of the scores, which I am greatly impressed with. Thank you very much for putting so much effort into it, and I’ll bet you that your performer would thank you for it as well. You get the bonus points for the effort of making it “look” baroque.

14/20 - Form.

You know, I thought that the use of Invention in the Overture was epic! Great job. The Allemande was pretty good, but it left me unsatisfied, like it never went anywhere. Consider some other way to build tension throughout the piece, even if it is a dance piece. Haydn was adept at this, by the way. The Courante was fine and interesting. The Sarabande, though… you made it VERY harmonically dense. But, I’ve never seen one like it. You did some odd stuff. I think, though, you know what you’re doing. But, the harmonic rhythm of the piece SHOULD be beatwise: first SECOND third… But, I felt chord changes on the and of two and on three sometimes. Just a couple of points deducted for that. Your middle movements are grand! Your Gigue was also perfect. I was concerned and confused by the midi rendering. Listen to it again and figure out why the beats seem in a weird place to the ear…

15/20 - Instrumentation.

Your use of the harpsichord is extremely idiomatic and period, but it also shows a lack of originality in choice. I understand that it seems straightforward to do a keyboard suite and well within the rules, but I’m scoring based on outstanding choices. Of course, you have outstanding elements in every aspect of your piece, but this is not one of them. Nothing against your choice either, just bear in mind why I chose to score the way I did. On a lighter note, your harpsichord writing is pretty exquisite. The lowest notes on the harpsichord you use for cadential effect in the Allemande are… interesting. I would revise your use of them because it really sounds to me as though the midi rendering is tricking you. I don’t think those notes will resonate nearly as fully as they sound on the recording.

15/15 - Fugue analysis:.

Brilliant as expected. No criticism.

23/25 - Style.

I mean, what do you say? It’s very baroque. It follows many if not all the rules. A few interesting parallel octaves, but  I just nicked a couple of points off. ;)

10/10 – Melodic Theme

87/100 – Total.

Dostoprimo

SCORING:

10/10 - Score.

It’s handwritten! Very intimate quality. I like that a lot. I don’t have any “issues” with the manuscript look.

20/20 - Form.

I have no criticisms or qualms about how you handled your form. Very well done.

18/20 - Instrumentation.

I can tell you know how to play the cello. I took two points off for not being “creative” with the instrumentation. Nothing against you, but meant to give those who attempted larger ensembles more points.

0/15 - Fugue analysis:.

Well, I never saw one…

23/25 - Style.

I have to knick a couple of points for the rhythms in the Courante. You used a mix of 16^th 16^th 8^th and 8^th 16^th 16^th. Unfortunately, stylistically, the first combination is not idiomatic to the style.

10/10 – Melodic Theme

I could listen to this suite all day. Amazing work. :)

81/100 – Total.

quaoquarx

SCORING:

12/10 - Score.

You got the bonus points for neat and baroquey score… but it was difficult to deal with and read, so I docked three points. Excellent manuscripty feel!

19/20 - Form.

I only took a point off for presentation…

15/20 - Instrumentation.

Harpsichord, so unoriginal. But, you were EXPERT with it!

0/15 - Fugue analysis:.

No essay that I could find.

25/25 - Style.

No criticism here, this was very detailed and a great work! :D

10/10 – Melodic Theme

I wish I had more to say about this piece. But, it was either you did perfectly, or you did not perform at all. Great job overall!

81/100 – Total.

Michael Armstrong

SCORING:

5/10 - Score.

It was a poor attempt at baroque styling, which made you lose points, unfortunately. It looks not very neat.

10/20 - Form.

As Austenite said in his review, the suite begins VERY much unbaroque. It reminded me more of a Style Galante going into classical.

20/20 - Instrumentation.

Yay Orchestra! Not very baroque, but certainly stylized. I enjoyed this break from solo instruments. You handled each instrument well, and the combinations were fine.

15/15 - Fugue analysis:.

10/25 - Style.

The style was WAY off… even if the “form” was ok, the treatment of melodic and harmonic elements were very loosey goosey. Consistency is really what this piece needed.

9/10 – Melodic Theme

69/100 – Total.

TJS

SCORING:

10/10 - Score.

Pretty good. A little weird looking, but still no “mistakes”. I was most pleased with the way you separated voices and showed the melodic lines.

15/20 - Form.

The sarabande was not idiomatic to the style. The harmonic rhythm was misinterpreted.

18/20 - Instrumentation.

Excellent work with the harpsichord! See above scores as to why you got two points off.

9/15 - Fugue analysis:.

It wasn’t very detailed, but it did the job.

23/25 - Style.

10 to 11 in the Allemande had a parallel fifths hidden. :P haha. I’m pretty sure this happened elsewhere too.

10/10 – Melodic Theme

85/100 – Total.

“Teilnehmer Suite” review and scores:

Score: While ensuring not only that it is our task to create an authentic sounds from different that we will never get to travel to, but, and on the same side, to create score that is also that only J.S. Bach and his colleagues would have created is endeavor that task challenge in itself. Nonetheless, one has to be careful when writing these scores.  I noticed that, at times, there were awkward rests, that in the second voice. These should be hidden from viewed.  These loose rests loose the authenticity from score. Another oddity, the paraphenic marking crosses over into the score. Same reason as for the loose place rest! Because of these reasons, I am docking 3 points from the 10 points you could have. 7/10.

Form: Your composition reminds of the “French Overture” By Bach, for he was being creative within the formal bounds of the suites.  Just because there is blue print one has to follow, does not mean we have to follow it exactly. You were also creative with the overture. A very nice touch to bring in a fugal passage there. All of the movements are in the proper respectable order. The tonic end in the gigue is a sort of weak end is hard to hear. I would consider a rewrite, here. Perhaps, maybe, placing the tonic in a stronger beat. Here I am docking a point.  19/20 

Style: The Baroque style is so vast that one cannot simple say: you have written a Baroque period composition in this year. Nevertheless, it is my task in this area to judge rather or not that you have written a “Baroque style dance suite” and written in the idiom of that period.   By writing in such a large composition that has a predetermined form which exceptions, I can ensure that anyone who studies them will know they style. However there will be mistakes. Thematically, I have not seen mistakes in this suite. Harmonically, yes. In the gigue, last beat, the tonic should be stress more. And I would consider a rewrite there. Hence I am docking 5 points here. 20/25.

Fugue essay:  The gigue essay, with graphs, is well executed. The graphs shows how fugue works in four voices, and the counterpunctal methods used to create the fugue.  The essay shows how the motive was created. This is interesting essay for sure 15/15

Instrumentation: The Harpsichord is written in its idiom with clever ornaments that are well placed and marked above the notes.  20/20 

Themes:  Each movement presented new material and was creative. 10/10

Total: 91  /100

Keyboard suite In D minor:

1. Score:   In this area, each of the separate movements had their own score, which made a lot easier to read.  Although the complete score was not a score of the suite. IE it was missing the several movements that of the suites. I understand that they were not finished yet, but still the composer could still have posted them with set to make a complete set.  For this reason, I am docking three points out of the possible points. This will leave you: 7/10.
2. Form:  The baroque dances demand a certain form in which the composer must execute fully.  You followed the précised the of the suite as best as you as could. However, those missing movements will not cost, for they are optional.   Thus, no point deductions.  I am awarding you the full 20 points. 20/20.
3. Instrumentation: The choice of the harpsichord was a wise one, and it is written in its idiom.  Full points here.   20/20
4. The essay did not provide an in depth of subjects and the counter subjects or any other fugal related materal, but it did provide a small harmonic understanding of the fugue!  5/15
5. The composer did composed in the baroque period style,  and the harmonic structures were not elaborate for this period.  Furthermore, the counterpoint was nicely done and well handle. 25/25
6. The themes were not similar but familiar to the each movements.
7. total: 87

Suite in C for Solo Cello

1. Score:   The hand written score does, indeed, create an authentic baroque look.  The score contain no errors as far as I can tell. Bonus points are awarded for handwriting the score.  15 points.
2. Form:  This solo suite, for the cello, sticks to the basic form of the baroque dance suite, which is acceptable for this competition.  However, I do note a few minor metric flaws.  The coronate is in triple meter, but the wrong triple meter.  3/2 would work best in this dance than 3/4/.  Although any triple meter work, I suppose. So not important note there.  Usually in a sarabende, the second in third notes are tied. Here, I note they are not as much.  Not an important stress, but something to bring up.  Nothing to comment about the Allemande.  Because of these small metrical errors, I am going to dock off two points.  18/20
3. Fugue essay:  No essay, sorry 0/15
4. Instrumentation: The Cello part for this suite was in its range of the cello and demonstrated a vast of passage that very creative for the cello, but playable. Furthermore, it demonstrated how a composer could write for a baroque cello part.   This was well done.  15 points.
5. Style:   The suite in C for solo cello did in fact write a baroque style, and did write for the Cello: something that Bach would be proud of. Nevertheless, I am those minor metrical form errors earlier noted also affect style. Because they are not major errors, I am only docking 2 points here. 23/25
6. Themes:  yes, The themes were well written. 10/10
7. Total:81

Suite In the baroque style for orchestra

1. Score:  Yes, there was a score.   Although, the score lacked the professional mark and craftsmanship that was needed for this competition. The oraments that were in were in the basso continuo part were oddly placed.  For these strong reasons, I am only awarding the minimal points in this section.  1/10
2. Form:  I did not see this orchestral suite fitting with the correct forms of the baroque dances.  Nonetheless, I am awarding the composers a small form points for at least trying. 5/20
3. Instirmunation:  The baroque dances were typical written for a keyboard instrument (harpsichord or a clavichord); they were a soloist suite.  Your orchestral suite breaks this norm, however.  With this, I do not see this fitting in the baroque period at all for some of these musical instruments did not existed yet.  It would be advised to know musical history and know when they came to existence. Because of this reason you will lose points here, and  else were! 5/20
4. Fugue essay:  When written a essay on a essay on fugue, it would help or aid to show the motive in the music show we can where it starts, and also provide a diagram of the of the fugue S and CS and such! 1/15
5. Style:  The orchestral suite did not fit in with the correct baroque style period. I feel this more a classical period or modern orchestral piece because of the orchestrations.  10/25
6. Themes:  The themes were a bit off metrical wise and sort of weak.  7/10

Total:29 /100

Suite in D minor

1. Score:  The score was hard to read and did not exhibit characteristics of a baroque score. Because of this I am awarding a minimal score in this section.  1/10
2.  Form:   Each of the separate of movements had the character and exhibited the dances from the suite. Nonetheless, I could not fully analyze each of the movements without proper score.  Thus, my conclusion is solely base on what on what ears tell me. J  Therefore,  full points are awarding here:  20/20
3. Instrumentation:  The harpsichord was well written idiom, and there were ornaments used to carry out pedal notes. Full points.  20/20
4. No fugue essay 0/15
5. Style: This suite was in the baroque period style.  Full points.   25/25
6. Themes: The themes were well written 10/10

Total: 76/100

FINAL SCORES:

1. ChristianPerrota - 

87 + 91 = 178

2. TJS -

87 + 85 = 172

3. Dostoprimo -

81 + 81 = 162

4. quaoquarx - 

81 + 76 = 157

5. Michael Armstrong -

69 + 29 = 98

Congrats CP... see you guys later. :)

The scores show the competition was a lot closer than I initially expected. But that actually increases the merits of ChristianPerrota's first place finish, as he faced some stiff competition. Congrats to the winner and all the entrants!

Congrats to the winner of the competition.

Thanks everybody!!!! It's really significant for me to have the first place in a competition here, as this is my first^^

Congratulations to all the other participants too!

You're welcome. Hope this means that you're encourage to compete here.

Congratulations to Christian Perrotta