 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Iacuras
Date: 2007-10-14 08:15
So, I know this isn't completely clarinet related, but... I just finished composing a suite for woodwind quintet, and would love to get some comments and constructive criticism of the piece. This is my first original composition. It can be found here. Thanks.
Steve
"If a pretty poster and a cute saying are all it takes to motivate you, you probably have a very easy job. The kind robots will be doing soon."
"If you can't learn to do something well, learn to enjoy doing it poorly."
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2007-10-14 18:21
I liked some of your quintet. However, I did find the 1st and 2nd movements somewhat disjointed. Perhaps you could find some way to overlap the phrases or have transitions between the different phrases/sections, rather than constantly starting and stopping. It could be that this stop/start effect is made worse by the rather "unmusical" playing of MIDI instruments though!
I found the 3rd movement better in this regard. Perhaps you could find a more quirky ending than the slightly "cliché" tierce de Picardie?
But all in all a good first effort. Keep up the good work!
Post Edited (2007-10-14 18:23)
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Author: stevensfo
Date: 2007-10-14 19:19
A strange website. Where is that web site based?
"cc lisense"?
" vote hot flop"?
"lo-fi"
"hi-fi"?
"tell-a-friend"? ;-)
"add to MY. sound click"?
Why can't you just provide a simple link to an mp3 file?
Steve
Post Edited (2007-10-14 19:53)
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-10-15 00:01
First off, I agree with Liquorice about the end of the third movement.
Instrumentation-wise, a lot of the piece, especially the third movement, seems like a trio where the voices are just exchanged in and out. That's fine if that's what you're going for, but I'd recommend at least exploring some doubling unisons or octaves, and definitely some denser accompaniment.
There are a lot of good ideas in the piece that go undeveloped. You present an idea, then you present the same idea again and again with only slight variation. Density of instrumentation, complexity of accompaniment, dynamic range, registration, rhythmic complexity... varying these concepts can go far in keeping the listener interested, and varying the rate at which you vary these concepts will go even further.
Keep it up!
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2007-10-15 00:09
One more thing... I'm guessing you composed this at the computer. I say this because it has one of the hallmarks of click-and-listen composition: The piece, especially in the first and third movements, often has a very some very present, yet not particularly captivating, "filler" lines. It's an easy trap to fall into, and usually comes about while "fishing" for the correct pitch to fill out your harmonies. It's especially noticeable when it's in an outer voice, like the bassoon in the first movement. It's a trap I've fallen into on many an occasion.
If that is indeed what happened, I can't recomment highly enough the value of composing away from the computer. Plonking away at a piano (even if slowly) with staff paper at hand, is invaluable in making something sound more interesting. It also helps provide a bigger picture than what's visible on the screen.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Koo Young Chung
Date: 2007-10-15 00:22
Tell us more about yourself.
Are you studying composition?
Or just writing for fun.
It is brutally difficult to write something worth playing and listening even once.
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Author: rgames
Date: 2007-10-15 01:20
It's always tough to judge the merit of a composition on the basis of a computer-generated mock-up, but there are a few things I think you could address.
First, the music has too much of a classic structure for a modern concert piece, both in terms of form and harmonic structure. Try to explore some relationships outside of the standard tonic-dominant and related structures - it'll make the music more interesting.
Second, there are no dynamics in the piece! Maybe that's just the mock-up.
Third, I often felt like I was listening to music with the melody removed. It sounds too much like accompaniament, not something with the complexity of a concert work.
Finally, and most importantly, there's not enough tension in the piece. Try to structure the piece so that it moves between tension and resolution without relying too much on the tonic-dominant crutch.
Having said all that, there is music out there that attempts to achieve the effects I mentioned. So if that was your aim, you got it!
In short, I think you have some seeds for further develpoment but the development has yet to be done.
Good luck!
rgames
____________________________
Richard G. Ames
Composer - Arranger - Producer
www.rgamesmusic.com
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