Symphony No. 3: Ode to College

This piece is made up mostly of old material that I came up with 5+ years ago but never did anything with. I have worked on this since mid-April. The title... I guess I probably shouldn't have called this a symphony, but I did anyway. This is an ode to college. For the past three years, I have attended Harrisburg Area Community College, majoring in Computer Networking Technology. I have had ups and downs, including countless moments of uncertainty and procrastination. I recall thinking several times, "Should I change my major?" and "Am I wasting my time?" In fact, right up until the end, I wasn't even sure if I was going to graduate at all. But I did. And so, this piece is intended to reflect my college experience. This piece is organized in a similar way to my other two "symphonies," and has the same instruments with the addition of a drumset. This piece was created in Musescore 2 using the Compifont Soundfont and the GeneralUser Soundfont. It lasts almost a half hour.

The first movement is exuberant and jazzy. The second movement is panicky, uncertain, and contemplative. The third movement is recuperative and celebratory; it is also mostly the first movement backwards.

I'm pretty sure I heard bar 22 before.

I don't think that I'm going to listen to the whole thing.

Until now it's very cute and interesting but I don't think that I'd be able to give you a good feedback for a half an hour long piece.

So I'll listen and write what I think meanwhile, and then when I won't be able to concentrate anymore I'll tell you where I stopped.

Ok I got to bar 80, it got a bit repetitive.

Here's the Japanese theme again that start a bit like the Heart of the Mountain theme from Celeste.

I'm now at 105, we came back to the exact same music that... doesn't really have a melody in it.

Could be a good background music but a s a standalone symphony... I don't really like it.

In my opinion, in general, you repeat yourself too much.

I don't believe that repeating yourself endlessly, therefore making your piece very long, actually makes your piece good.

Maybe your musical background is... idk rock or pop maybe jazz songs.

It's fine to repeat yourself alot, it's just not what I believe in.

Ok I got to the second movement now.

This part around bar 40 could be really interesting if you didn't repeat it that much.

Bar 58: I really feel that it could be a wonderful piece if you didn't repeat yourself so much. 

Right now it's good, but it could be great if you didn't repeat yourself so many times.

Bar 86: We're still hearing almost, maybe the exact! same thing...

I want to stop listening but I'll keep listening because I want to hear if you have anything else to offer.

I think I got to part three, the bars started from one again.

I like the beginning here, it's more interesting, more alive.

I really do hope that you won't start repeating this one so much as well.

Bar 144: why is the celesta written in one line and not in two? Also, is there any particular reason you didn't write there "trill"?

Ok that's too much Cabara. It got really annoying. Please cut it out at some places.

*Just want to note that I hope I'm not being too hard on you, you have some really nice tunes in there, it's just that super repetitive pieces tend to really piss me off.

Guess that's why I can't listen to pop music?

Ok I think I'll stop here (21:30).

@kylebnjmnross

I like your piece very much. I joined this forum in order to give you this feedback.

I like the intense energy and the soundscape of your music. I like your musical ideas. I like some of the risks you take.

Unlike the comment from a few weeks ago, I like your use of repetition, and of near repetition: I am very keen on the music of Philip Glass, John Adams.and Mike Oldfield.

If I were to offer some constructive criticism (on the basis of development, not carping), I think that the inclusion of a little 'slow, soft and gentle' would serve to emphasise the 'driving, loud and bold' (both Mike Oldfield and Yes (Tales from Topographic Oceans) use this kind of contrast).

Like you, I am using Musescore 2, but then maybe a great many people do.

Good luck with future compositions.

The first part is repetitive but I don't think that's the question. It develops all the time vertically, with no countermelodies, no counterpoint. the second theme is more interesting (when the durms enter). he third part (7:15...) is harmonically good. It is repeated in 13:15... Well, in fact, I don't think either that somany repetitions is necessary. Until 14:50 the music seemb a bit "lost".

I think there is nice material here. I would "compress it" in a shorter piece, but it's up to you, of course.