The Long Arctic Midnight - Feat. Spitfire VST sounds, and fixes to issues in notation, beaming, and voicings!

I know, I've posted this one before. (This is the last one I promise)

Just trying to be 100% confident in being complete with this score. Been working hard on it, and anyone who points out a flaw, mistake, or concern with playability somewhere, especially in the piano part, I'll send you a crisp high five in the mail

The_Long_Arctic_Midnight_Suite__Kyle_Hilton_UncleRed99_With_Spitfire_VST_Audio (1).pdf

Changed mistakes in accidentals, and changed movement 2 starting key to F major

Hi @UncleRed99,

On 12/6/2024 at 5:52 AM, UncleRed99 said:

know, I've posted this one before. (This is the last one I promise)

Given my hiatus this one is new for me!

On 12/6/2024 at 5:52 AM, UncleRed99 said:

concern with playability somewhere, especially in the piano part, I'll order you a pizza.

The piano is playable throughout. Except b.68 for 2nd movement where you should add an arpeggio for the 11th chord. Although in some places the piano will be overshadowed by the full orchestra. Sad I have no pizza for it!

I enjoy the mood you portrayed in the music! However I think you can add more contrast to it, especially the key since it’s more or less in Bb minor! I think you modulate the music to other keys to add more harmonic instability to the music!

In the score I see you use tutti/ divisi for the winds. a2 would be used rather than tutti or divisi, since tutti/divisi are only for strings as there are numerous string players.

I enjoy the contemplative Ab major in the 2nd movement, and those brass really portray a broad spectrum of sound which sounds like dawn! It sounds cinematic for me. The ending woodwind passage sounds like one of the episodes in Beethoven’s 9th symphony’s slow movement for me, I don’t know why haha. 

I like it. Thx for sharing!

Henry

2 hours ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

*(Everything else you said)*

I like it. Thx for sharing!

Henry

 

I really appreciate you taking the time to look over the whole piece! I'm glad you enjoyed it! 

I'll take the suggestions into consideration! Where would you suggest mode modulations could occur? I've gone writer's bias "deaf" to anything like that, at this point lol
Where should I send the Pizza? 🤣

On 12/7/2024 at 11:18 PM, UncleRed99 said:

Where would you suggest mode modulations could occur? I've gone writer's bias "deaf" to anything like that, at this point lol

Maybe Section C or section E? There is tempo change there and with a key change would be great. Close keys would be enough like Eb minor or F minor. Now it sounds more like a chaconne to me!

36 minutes ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

There is tempo change there and with a key change would be great. Close keys would be enough like Eb minor or F minor.

Good idea 😉 

I usually consult the circle of fifths for modulations. Just makes life easier lol esp. because I can't and have never been able to memorize the dang thing as many times as I've tried to. (ADHD SUCKS lol) 

I may peer into that idea. I'll update the post and reply again, if I end up doing that (which I likely will) and you just tell me how it sounds to you then eh? 🙂

On 12/7/2024 at 7:24 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I think you can add more contrast to it, especially the key since it’s more or less in Bb minor!

Hello again Henry! 

I went through and tried to do a few things throughout it to add the contrast you mentioned. If you could, let me know whether or not I even did these changes correctly? lol I'm still very much intermediate in my skills with compositions. Any criticism is welcome

Hi Kyle.

This is a nicely scored piece!

One thing I'd suggest, is you consider using G# minor instead of Ab minor for the second movement (and late first movement).

Five sharps are much easier to read than seven flats!

There are also a few enharmonic spelling errors. E.g. In trumpet 1 Bar 37, Db would make more sense than C#.

Bar 21 oboes should have a Gb instead of F#.

Bar 25 clarinets have a diminished 7th built on F#. Think this should be built on C natural, since the transposed key signature is C minor. That means the correct spelling has a Gb instead of F#, and Bbb instead of A natural.
The way to think of this, is that a diminished 7th is a series of minor thirds stacked on top of each other: so in C minor, you would have: C, Eb, Gb, Bbb. 

Hope that helps.

56 minutes ago, Alex Weidmann said:

Five sharps are much easier to read than seven flats!

Hehe 😅I suppose I favor flats, due to my background as a trumpet player. I always found flats easier to read than sharps, personally. 

And transposition was done with Musescore's built in transpose function, for all of my scoring. For this one in particular, I originally scored it out as 1 key throughout both movements. 1st movement was in Bb Minor, and Movement 2 was in G Major. I simply selected the sections that I wanted key changes in, and using the circle of fifths, in conjunction with the leading tones of the measure preceding the key changes to make a determination on modulation. 

I will admit, having never completed my bachelors degree in music theory and trumpet performance, and having been a mechanic since I left school, my literacy with notation is a bit lacking. It was always the part that confused me the most. However, I was most proficient with knowing what to play and when, with my horn, how to express intended emotions through my instrument, and when it came to scores, I could easily identify parallel fifths and 7ths, though, if I'm honest, I likely don't share the same capability as 19 year old me... 

I appreciate you taking a look at my score, even with its terrible literacy 🤣 I certainly enjoyed writing it, and will make improvements such as what you suggest, as I am made aware of areas that are in need of them, or whenever I notice them myself. (You should've seen how bad my beaming was, in the beginning  🫣)

Thank you, Alex 🙂

@Alex Weidmann What do you think of a transition from Ab Minor, out of movement 1, to G F (typo) Major, into movement 2? Here's a sound byte.

I think it works! Would certainly be an easier key for the musicians to read.

Tertiary shifts (i.e. modulating key up or down by a major or minor third) are quite a common device I think.

3 hours ago, Alex Weidmann said:

modulating key up or down by a major or minor third) are quite a common device I think.

I concur! I’ve done it many times. 
 

the original key change was just taking the last chord in movement 1 (Ab Minor) and modulating to Ab Major, which also worked, but I think I like the sound overall of the F Major key better, in all honesty. It fits well with the notation. Very little adjustment was needed to keep everyone in range, and the timbre is much richer, with a more powerful “uhmph” at the large Tutti sections of that movement. Bass Clarinet and Horns really pack a driving punch! I’ll update the score and audio shortly 

@Alex Weidmann The Score and sound are updated