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Oh wow. This is how I like my orchestras to sound like.
I liked this, a great deal. It shows specially clear that you play horn, and I don't know if it was intentional or not but you even did the horn 5th thing near the beginning, and in other parts. There's also some rather interesting quasi-functional-harmony areas which I found were rather nice in between.
About the score and the instrument handling, I think that as it is it's pretty OK. In the recording. However, sure, the flute for example is very difficult to hear substantially, but that doesn't mean it's badly written or anythin'. If you changed a lot of stuff, then I hope you get to test the changes soon to see if they indeed make the thing more to your liking.
I quite liked that you tried to be very precise with the score, even signaling bow technique and such other things which is usually helpful if you want to get an X or Y effect. I do think the horns are REALLY prominent, but you know what? I like it that way. The Oboes stand out also, and I liked the cluster-like moments precisely because the horn/string combination thing, and the woodwind almost in the background.
One thing I liked about this was that the overall texture of the orchestra wasn't really dense, and it had a lot of movement contrasted by many moments where you'd just slowly work tiny motives into an overall cluster-texture. I like that, reminds me of Ligeti.
On the other hand, sorta because of that, save for the moment with the quasi-tonal chord movement, it does sound very 60s.
But curiously, I sort of see you're using the instruments in groups more than combinations, save for the clusters (or tuttis) and such, it sort of seems like there are clear divisions between the groups. Though, it would be silly to say that applies for the entire piece, but I just get that feeling of groups.
And as far as the rhythms, well. Dunno. Some of this I think would've been better off in a sort of half-graphic notation system, like Penderecki's Threnody, though I suppose it would maybe sacrifice a little of the exactitude. But, I suppose you already figured this was the only way to get the effects you wanted, so I won't question that.
But before going into more detail, I'd rather ask if you're happy with what you did, concerning the concept applied in practice? I mean, I saw you tried to use a specific composition method/technique, do you think it worked for the effect? Would you do it again, since you said this was also done in an electronic piece before (the one you posted here perhaps??)
Despite your explanation, the piece to me sounds almost unrelated to it, maybe I don't see how you did it well enough. Like, it'd be nice if you clarified how your explanation fits into the music itself.
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