Piano Sextet (Piano, Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bass flute, Contrabass)

Hello! This is my first time writing something for wind instruments. Do let me know if this is playable on those instruments, and any overall thoughts (on what this piece feels like and how it can be improves) will be very appreciated!

 Nice instrumentation!  I've never written for bass flute myself but it seems legit.  I am not sure if the treble ottava clef and the bass ottava clef are necessary.  Maybe they are, because you've (presumably) set your score up to be in concert pitch.  Did you make this in Musescore?  Usually the instruments are already preset to transpose properly without having to indicate that they're sounding an octave lower.  I think the contrabass will sound very muddy when it's playing anything but octaves.  And even with octaves, it doesn't resonate well and that is something that is discouraged in orchestration books.  There also might be breathing issues for the winds and especially the bass flute which expends air much faster than the rest of the winds.  And the tempo is so slow, there isn't much room to sneak a breath in there anywhere.  When the piano comes in it is almost inaudible.  Also, the piece doesn't sound finished.  But other than that, there is a tension throughout this piece with effective use of dissonance!  Thanks for sharing!

Hello @piajo,

I think you can try to develop the materials! You can change the rhythmic pattern of it and add more decorative notes, change the textures, change the instrument which plays the melody and accompaniment etc. 

I think the double bass can't play the opening double stops at all since it would be too wide. You should also add slurs for the winds to indicate the breathing.

Thx for sharing

Henry

5 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Nice instrumentation!  I've never written for bass flute myself but it seems legit.  I am not sure if the treble ottava clef and the bass ottava clef are necessary.  Maybe they are, because you've (presumably) set your score up to be in concert pitch.  Did you make this in Musescore?

Yes, I did use Musescore. 

6 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

I think the contrabass will sound very muddy when it's playing anything but octaves.  And even with octaves, it doesn't resonate well and that is something that is discouraged in orchestration books.

I see. Would it be better to remove the contrabass then?

6 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

There also might be breathing issues for the winds and especially the bass flute which expends air much faster than the rest of the winds.  And the tempo is so slow, there isn't much room to sneak a breath in there anywhere.

The breathing is something I was concerned about. I will take a look and change it so that it is playable.

6 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

When the piano comes in it is almost inaudible. 

That is intended! But perhaps I should make it a little more audible. I imagine a lot of my music to be following stories so the usage of instruments or something else has certain... symbolism, in a sense?

6 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

But other than that, there is a tension throughout this piece with effective use of dissonance!

Thank you very much for your insights! 

3 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I think you can try to develop the materials! You can change the rhythmic pattern of it and add more decorative notes, change the textures, change the instrument which plays the melody and accompaniment etc. 

Okay, I will give that a try!

3 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I think the double bass can't play the opening double stops at all since it would be too wide. You should also add slurs for the winds to indicate the breathing.

 

I was trying to figure out if octaves can be played. I'll change it to single notes or thirds or something like that then!

18 hours ago, piajo said:

Would it be better to remove the contrabass then?

I would just keep it on one note at a time.

18 hours ago, piajo said:

That is intended! But perhaps I should make it a little more audible. I imagine a lot of my music to be following stories so the usage of instruments or something else has certain... symbolism, in a sense?

 I guess the material that the piano is playing there is in the character of background material so that makes sense!