Icescape

This is a piece I wrote to depict the feeling of standing alone in an icy field at night. I live in a very sparcely populated area, and it can get quite cold here in the winter. The second half of the piece, after the short episode in the strings, is almost identical to the first half, but it feels lighter in character due to all the minor chords being turned major and vice versa. This was also the first piece I've written using MuseScore 4 and the new sounds are pretty good! They've definitely helped my music feel more "real".

The piece is nominally in D major, but it very quickly modulates to D minor and then is further altered from there, until the string episode occurs and we end up back in D major, which is where the piece ends. Also, I've been listening to a lot of Bruckner lately, and there are traces of that influence in parts of this piece, I think.

Thank y'all for listening! If you have any feedback I'd greatly appreciate it as it really helps me improve! Happy Holidays!!

Hi, my overall impression is super +++.

I like the "nudity" of some phrases, the crescendo in the fine part of B, the melody of the horns in C, the sadness of the progression in D....

The drone in D works fine, even when there are other tones very close in the bottom of the register that clash.

Yes, it reminds me to Bruckner in the construction. But also to Rautavaara... ¿?

Thank you so much for your feedback!

I take the comparison to Rautavaara as a huge compliment. I love Rautavaara!

1 minute ago, mercurypickles said:

Thank you so much for your feedback!

I take the comparison to Rautavaara as a huge compliment. I love Rautavaara!

 

Yes, indeed, one of my all time favorites. For example, his piano concerto nº 3...... wow.

I gotta have to try myself those new sounds, but judging by the score alone, at least what I've read seems to be written with care, and guessing that muse sounds cares about that the sound you achieved is thus, more meritorious.

First of all, the atmosphere created by the timpani alone and the scarcity of instruments agglutination in A-B-C sections makes this piece very unique. I believe you succeeded in the purpose you had for this piece, I can imagine the scenes you picture very easily, specially in the first 3 sections (and F-G-H).


Near ~5:15 I listened to an abrupt change on the volume in media res which I'm not sure it was intended. I see the change on dynamics, but I don't think what MS4 is doing is what you are seeking for. Anyway, this is a software-related issue.


My only criticism would be that the D section, despite very beautiful, felt unconnected with the rest of the piece. I guess that was the intention, and I still maintain it's beautiful, just that it didn't convince me as a part of this anyways, solid, good-sounding, and accurate (regarding its purpose) piece.

Kind regards,
Daniel–Ømicrón.

I appreciate your feedback and I think I see what you mean about the string passage. It’s purpose is to be a bridge between be two halves of the piece, and I kind of wanted a sort of ethereal feel where it just sort of *happens* and the atmosphere resumes. I may have the timpani play underneath it to maintain the connection, I think that may help. 

I love the two contrasting sections alternating each other: one is in solicitude, unsure, other on thick texture and so beautiful. I actually like all the sections with strings. I like how you depict icescape: It's huge but at the same time can be easily ruined.

Henry

Thank you for your comment! I’m so glad you like the alternating textures. It’s so interesting how different people can look at something and come away with completely different opinions, and neither more or less valid than the other.

I appreciate that you took the time to listen to it and comment. Thank you!

This is a very evocative and well written piece.

Agree with Daniel that it seems to show some of the weaknesses of the new MuseScore (which I haven't used yet).

In Section E, the attack and release times for the strings are much too short, and consequently sound artificial and unrealistic.

Excellent score though, and the orchestration works really well.

Thank you!! I’ve been experimenting with my orchestration on various pieces quite a bit, and I’ve found I really like this kind of spare, transparent texture, especially when I can then contrast it with a more concentrated, rich color. It works very nicely, in my opinion, and I’m working on a couple of other projects in a similar style.

 Thank you for taking the time to listen and leave a comment!

Hello!

I love this piece. I appreciate the sense of mystery you created by starting with a single voice, and it made me smile when you brought it back later on. The tonality throughout is chilling and cinematic.

This is unrelated to composition, but I would suggest putting about a second of silence at the beginning of the track so the music doesn't start the moment we hit play -- a habit I've been practicing.

You create suspense very well. But, I felt somewhat disappointed when the clarinet at 2:43 was so much quieter than the previous instruments -- the sudden drop in dynamic undermines for me the effect of repeating the phrase three times, which is often a very strong musical device. I would either make the dynamic shift more gradual by making the oboe statement slightly softer, or bump up the clarinet's dynamic. 🙂

One more suggestion: When you bring that section back at 8:19, it might add even more interest to sustain the final note that each instrument plays even as the next instrument begins. For example, the flute could hold an Eь for the rest of bar 103, the oboe could have a tied half note in 104, and the clarinet's written F in 105 could be held slightly longer. Of course, it is your piece and you do establish a strong sense of return to familiarity, which I like a lot!

Thank you for sharing this lovely soundscape.

~ Gwendolyn

13 hours ago, MissCello said:

You create suspense very well. But, I felt somewhat disappointed when the clarinet at 2:43 was so much quieter than the previous instruments -- the sudden drop in dynamic undermines for me the effect of repeating the phrase three times, which is often a very strong musical device. I would either make the dynamic shift more gradual by making the oboe statement slightly softer, or bump up the clarinet's dynamic. 🙂

The purpose of those dynamics gradually decreasing is to produce the effect of a fading echo. The clarinet should be that quiet there, that motive needs to disappear, this is the intended effect.