Lurking for Symphonic Orchestra

Hello reader,

This is my first real attempt at a large orchestral work. I took a long hiatus from composing as I stopped loving it for a while. However, I am back and continuously working on new pieces again. But let's talk about the piece.

Firstly, this is not a full version. This is where I'm leaving it off until I have returned from my summer and back to uni. However, I am immensely proud of this work thus far and would like to share it with you. I am excited to hear any criticisms you might have. This piece is an attempt to tell a story about having happiness in your life but the uncertainty of being able to hold onto that happiness because it causes you to lose your happiness. To show this idea, I have two main ideas to explore. The first theme is the happiness theme, which first appears at m. 58. It is thoroughly disguised by the sections before and after making it seem less important, which is a weakness that I wasn't sure I wanted to solve. This theme reappears at measure 232 again for the loud arrival points. The second theme, which is much more obvious, is the theme at m.116. This is the desperation theme, the desire to receive happiness. This constantly reoccurs after its first arrival, notably in 214. and 298. Many more themes repeat and overlap, usually concluding at a major resolution. One thing as I work on this in the future is smoothing out some transitions, but my work is done on this for a while until I have the time. 

Hi @Some Guy That writes Music,

I think this is beautiful! That's a freat attempt for your orchestral piece! Looks like you are loving composing again if you complete this beautiful work!

For the happiness part in C major, I think you can slightly extend it longer in order to make it more memorable. It's very beautiful in the next section, but here I feel like it's slightly less developed. But maybe this also gives the implication of a distant past and the details are yet to be remembered too.

I thinkt the desperate theme really reminds me of the slow movement of Dvorak's New World Symphony. So simple yet full of nostalgia and beauty. Sad you don't use a cor anglais here! The climax in b.203 is very powerful. Maybe you can invite more key changes here instead of staying in F Aeolian all over the section, since it can be montonous staying in the same key in several minutes even though it's beautiful!! 

I really love you invite a nostalgic version of that happiness theme in F Aeolian. That's cohesive with meaning instead of useless cohesion!!! Great musical device combines with real emotions and expressions and meanings for me.

I love the suspension in b.289. Maybe just let other voices move in quarter notes quoting the happiness theme simultaneously as in b.232 or 297 will be great.

On 6/16/2023 at 5:43 AM, Some Guy That writes Music said:

One thing as I work on this in the future is smoothing out some transitions, but my work is done on this for a while until I have the time. 

One thing you should definitely work on is the ending! I am really at shock of that inconclusive Ab-G in the strings haha!!!! Maybe just a serene and nostalgic ending will be enough for me. But this is certainly a beautiful work.

Maybe adding slurs for the strings will benefit much for the recording, since it's mostly smooth legato playing.

Thanks for sharing! Hopefully you will finish the work and present this to us!

Henry