5 Orchestral Dances

5 Orchestral Dances
Composed during the last year 2022 and finally finished in a "suite". It was kind of a way of evading myself from trying doing something more dificult or "serious" but still really satisfied with the work. There's inspiration from (obviously) Brahms, Strauss, some Mahler among other composers.
Orchestration:
2 Flutes +Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassons
4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 2 Tenor + Bass Trombone, Tuba
Percussion
Strings

Youtube Video

merged.pdf

Hi @Nazariy,

The first dance's ending is quite similar to Brahms's Hungarian Dance! I love your usage of celesta and piccolo there!

The second is very joyous! The lovely waltz has great winds usage in it!

The third dance is grander and I like you middle section in D minor! Your usage of brass at the end of the middle section does have the effect of Stauss!

The fourth dance has a great middle Ab major section. The ending is grand as well.

The fifth dance has great dynamic contrast as well as contrast of modality. Great fugato in 9:50. The ending is quite exotic but ends greatly with the Picardy D major.

Thanks for sharing!

Henry

When I first saw your title I naturally thought it was a traditional Baroque Dance Suite (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, Gavotte/Bourree, Gigue) but for a full orchestra.  I couldn't have been more off!  LoL

On 3/11/2023 at 5:25 AM, Nazariy said:

There's inspiration from (obviously) Brahms, Strauss, some Mahler among other composers.

Are you sure you might not have to name Dvorak as a big influence in this list?  Speaking of which, I find it curious that Dvorak composed 16 dances in two sets during his lifetime instead of some more logical number as 12 or 24 (one or two for each key).  I hope you also continue with the trend of composing multiple sets of these dances.

I like the audible influence of Mahler in your 5th dance.  I think I hear some Mahler 5th Symphony in there?  Could be wrong.  Thanks for sharing!

You are totally right!

I think, unconsciously, there is some Dvorak too. A time ago I really liked listening his dances, but I think something actually stayed in my head since then.

And about Mahler "influence"... Time after composing it I noticed it is actually almost identical melody from the third movement of the 5th, but I decided to leave it as a unintended "quotation".

7 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Are you sure you might not have to name Dvorak as a big influence in this list?

I like the audible influence of Mahler in your 5th dance.  I think I hear some Mahler 5th Symphony in there? !

 

HI, I would locate this music in a middle romantic field. It's not important. Good music and a proper orchestration for the style.