Nostalgia for Strings

Here a piece I wrote this week. It has 6 parts for strings.

I did cello divisi, but not sure if that's the best option. I could split violin II, but I'm afraid the lows would be too prominent. Violas are the weakest of the strings instruments. If I divide violas, would be even weaker, so I decide to split Celli. Do you think that's the best option for a good balance? 

I have been exploring here a harmony rich in suspensions and apoyaturas. 

I like the harmony a lot, powerful. Unfortunately I am not listening with headphones, so I cannot pick up the melody very well.

Thanks for your feedback @accmacmusic!

I wouldn't say it has a clear melody...I mean the texture is not of a melody with accompaniment. Exept the basse all other parts have the own melodic line...That's true though from the crescendo at bar 33 there is a stronger feeling of melody with the change of register on violin I doubled by violin II to the octave, but even there Celli I and II are doing some "countermelody" below. 

Is very lovely, and certainly nostalgic! I love the chord progretion of minute 1 and how all its building until the climax by the end and then calms down. I would like to hear more of this "other side" of Guillem. I would love to hear somthing in the same style but in a larger scale (of time and instrumentation). I understand you are experimenting but if you ever feel confident enough I repeat myself, I would love to hear something similar but for full orchestra. :) 

is this somekind of a software you are using

2 hours ago, Hendrik Meniere said:

Is very lovely, and certainly nostalgic! I love the chord progretion of minute 1 and how all its building until the climax by the end and then calms down. I would like to hear more of this "other side" of Guillem. I would love to hear somthing in the same style but in a larger scale (of time and instrumentation). I understand you are experimenting but if you ever feel confident enough I repeat myself, I would love to hear something similar but for full orchestra. 🙂

 

Thanks Hendrik! Yes, that's indeed a small form piece Monothematic without any modulations. I could try with something larger with similar harmony.

you are right, that's not may main style. I'm used to write more classic or barroc stuff, that's a bit more romantic I would say. 

1 hour ago, BrotherVIOLA666 said:

is this somekind of a software you are using

 

 

I wrote the score on Notion 6 and used Vienna Instruments samplers: Appassionata strings sustain + Orchestral strings legato patches

Sounds good.

Very beautiful piece, and rich texture. Well done.

11 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

Very beautiful piece, and rich texture. Well done.

 

Thanks Luís, I'm happy you like that.

Saludos desde Barcelona!

A beautiful and stirring string texture, Guillem! The passing notes and dissonances were especially moving.

As to your question about splitting the cello section, I think you did fine. Violas may be the "weakest" strings (someone has to be the weakest) but that doesn't mean they'll be drowned out, by any means! Their alto voice means they're usually sandwiched between the high violins and low cellos, and the average listener doesn't usually hear them when the strings play in tutti. I think you've used them well here. They have their own distinct voice that thickens the texture of this piece.

Congratulations on a job well done! I look forward to hearing you work more on this kind of thing!

Hi @Tónskáld, thanks a lot for your comments!

I think celli have to play a bit louder here to balance the divisi. 

Really good work, I really liked how you used the suspensions to create tension and release. This reminded me a lot of Nimrod from Enigma Variations.

I wanted to ask technical question: I noticed m. 18-25 and m. 26-33 are almost identical, the only difference being the Seconds and the Violas delay all of their note changes by one beat. I was curious why you decided to do this? Was there a different contrapuntal effect you were using between the two statements? 

You have a lot of good independent lines between the different voices, but I noticed for the most part you left the bass to dotted half notes moving up a fourth or down a fifth. Was this your intention? I think giving the bass more melodic lines would add interest - a descending bass line is a good way to lead up to a climax. 

I enjoyed listening, thank you for sharing!

This would sound fantastic if played live. Perhaps you could look into Fauré if you want expand on this subject, you'll surely find plenty of inspiration on his works.

Hi there.  I'm a total newbie to the website and I just listened to your piece on headphones.  I must say that although mostly harmonic in nature there is definitely a melody leading this piece throughout.  It sounds very passionate and the dynamic changes are very well placed.  Despite the cello divisi it doesn't sound muddy at all!

On 7/7/2020 at 9:46 PM, gmm said:

Really good work, I really liked how you used the suspensions to create tension and release. This reminded me a lot of Nimrod from Enigma Variations.

I wanted to ask technical question: I noticed m. 18-25 and m. 26-33 are almost identical, the only difference being the Seconds and the Violas delay all of their note changes by one beat. I was curious why you decided to do this? Was there a different contrapuntal effect you were using between the two statements? 

You have a lot of good independent lines between the different voices, but I noticed for the most part you left the bass to dotted half notes moving up a fourth or down a fifth. Was this your intention? I think giving the bass more melodic lines would add interest - a descending bass line is a good way to lead up to a climax. 

I enjoyed listening, thank you for sharing!

 

Thanks a lot for you feedback @gmm!

I'm happy it reminds you of Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, because I love Elgar's music an Nimrod is one of my favorite movements 🙂. 

Yes, indeed m.18-25 and 26-33 are almost identical, only that violin I and violas resolve the suspension on the 2nd beat first and then they do on the 3rd beat in the repetition. Let's say I took advantage of the 3/4 mesure, where one can resolve the suspension on 2nd or 3th beat. I decide to resolve on the suspension on the 2nd beat first and then repeat it with the resolution on the 3rd beat to emphasize those dissonances and give some variety and I like the effect. 

You are right, DB are quite simple. Harmony is moving basically on a continuos fifths cycle all throught the piece, except the begining and the end moving Tonic-Subdominant. I like the fifths sequence here, because it allow me to create patterns I can replicate by descending the voices gratually by step along the scale giving the sense of smooth harmonic movement. I decided to use a very simple baseline, mainly with chords in it's rough position, because the other 5 voices move quite independently with dissonances and suspensions here and there and I feel it needs a simple base to sustain that thick harmony. I think, if I write a more complex baseline harmonic movement would be difficult to understand and less comprehensive. 

On 7/7/2020 at 10:02 PM, Jean Szulc said:

This would sound fantastic if played live. Perhaps you could look into Fauré if you want expand on this subject, you'll surely find plenty of inspiration on his works.

 

Thank's for the recomendation. You are right G. Fauré is a very interesting composer, I should hear more of his works. 

Some years ago in the choir I used to sing his "Cantique de Jean Racine". Though is one of his early works writen as a graduation work when he was only 19, I find it outstanding, it has a very delicate beautiful harmony with lots of suspensions.

I also know his Pavane and his Requiem. Can you recommend some additional works you like?

Sorry, I couldn't find a decent recording with score...😅 

On 7/8/2020 at 6:56 AM, PaperComposer said:

Hi there.  I'm a total newbie to the website and I just listened to your piece on headphones.  I must say that although mostly harmonic in nature there is definitely a melody leading this piece throughout.  It sounds very passionate and the dynamic changes are very well placed.  Despite the cello divisi it doesn't sound muddy at all!

 

Hi @PaperComposer, I'm happy you like that and wellcome to the forum 😉.

His "Cantique de Jean Racine" is my favourite.

A few other recommendations:

24 minutes ago, Jean Szulc said:

His "Cantique de Jean Racine" is my favourite.

A few other recommendations:

 

 

The first one is very passionate and emotive. Thanks for the recommendations!