4 Pieces for Woodwind Quintet

This is a piece I've been writing over the past month or two and just finished. I debated writing a 5th movement which brought all 4 of the other movements together but I think the 4th piece is a good ending.

This piece is writen for the Category 5 Winds at The University of Southern Mississippi. They are the faculty woodwind quintet. They are all amazing musicians and I tried to pushed them a bit, some more then others.

Inspired by Gyorgy Ligeti, I looked to write to push the performers in many different ways. His pieces were of great inspiration for me over the past couple months and I owe my thanks to him for his influence and for his style which makes me want to continue pushing my limits.

I. Rubato. Largo. Mesto. - This movement is base around dissonance. I liked using a lot of major 2nds and minor 2nds through in order to give a uneasy feeling

II. Adagio addolorato. Allegro maestoso. - The opening melody in the oboe is to give a feeling of longing. Again I explored dissonaces throughout. ABA form.

III. Andantino. - This movement is to give a laid back feel. I love the tritone and used often on top of a drone line. I'm thinking about adding/changing somethings about this movement since it is real short and gets to be boring to myself.

IV. Prestissimo con spirito. - I really enjoyed writing this movement. The eight note pulse gives a driving rhythm while the accents are the theme. After introducing both themes and I put the first theme into a 3 part fugue and theme augment the theme and also use it in diminution ontop of the augmentation. Later on I do the same thing but include the second theme.

I hope you enjoy. I'm still making correction and modification on this piece.

I realized that the 4th movement, the bassoon line is in the wrong clef...should be tenor not alto, I will fix that.

*The 4th movement bassoon line will be in bass clef. I would post the revised version but the internet on my personal computer is down.

I'm in class presently. I will review them later. Just letting you know that I'm on it.

Okay, just so you know, the First movement wont' p lay.

Second movement: Your bassoonist is probalby going to want to breath in these first few bars somewhere. I would also suggest putting a breath mark or a grand pause or something before the tempo change, so everyone breathes together. I would also recommend putting in a lot of slurs and some more articulations. If you don't, they will tongue EVERYTHING. Unless that's the sound you want

Third Movement: This one has better development, I feel. Also, more articulations, that's nice. It would be beneficial probably to have starting and ending dynamics for your crescendos. I think there could be more dynamic specification overall probably.

Fourth Movement: Those are some fast notes for the Bassoon and the Horn. I'm not sure if they're impractical or not; have you checked this piece with a performer of each instrument? When the Flute, Oboe, and Clarinet are playing in 45, it might be hard to get that totally in tune. I would think about the passage from 59 to 71. Do you need everyone playing eighth notes all the time? It might be better and less tiring for the players to stagger those parts.

Just some things to consider.

Originally Posted by Jamie Whitmarsh

Okay, just so you know, the First movement wont' p lay.

Second movement: Your bassoonist is probalby going to want to breath in these first few bars somewhere. I would also suggest putting a breath mark or a grand pause or something before the tempo change, so everyone breathes together. I would also recommend putting in a lot of slurs and some more articulations. If you don't, they will tongue EVERYTHING. Unless that's the sound you want

Third Movement: This one has better development, I feel. Also, more articulations, that's nice. It would be beneficial probably to have starting and ending dynamics for your crescendos. I think there could be more dynamic specification overall probably.

Fourth Movement: Those are some fast notes for the Bassoon and the Horn. I'm not sure if they're impractical or not; have you checked this piece with a performer of each instrument? When the Flute, Oboe, and Clarinet are playing in 45, it might be hard to get that totally in tune. I would think about the passage from 59 to 71. Do you need everyone playing eighth notes all the time? It might be better and less tiring for the players to stagger those parts.

Just some things to consider.

The 2nd movement I was considering moving the held notes around to give the bassoonist a break and also changing colors too. The articulations I wasn't really thinking about at the time, thanks for saying that. I'll add in what I wanted in there. The third movement does need more dynamics, I agree with you 100%. The fourth movement, the bassoon line is possible for the bassoonist I wrote it for, I've heard her rip Ligeti's ten pieces. I put the eigth notes going all the time for a more driving effect, give it a nice contrast to the other movements, as for staggering the parts on the eight notes, I completely agree again. Thanks for the comments, I always get worried when I post and nobody replies for a few days. I'm just starting off composing so I really do appreciate the suggestions. I will upload the first movement midi again once my internet is running.

Movement I: Oboe & Horn, m.34-35, the beat is obscured. In m.35 on beats 5 & 6 (oboe) and beats 3-6 (horn), you've written a confusing figure and you should change the way you notate it to be more readable. I guarantee that it will be played wrong and waste plenty of rehearsal time with the way you've notated it. Also, on page 2 & 3, the 5/8 measures are beamed incorrectly and are confusing.

Movement II: Horn, m.15-17, no need to have the indication "gestopft", that's why you have the '+' signs. Instead of "offen" in m.18, just put the '°' sign on the first open note. Same thing in m.35, no need to have both "gestopft" and '+'.

Movement III: Bassoon, m.12-13 and m.21-22, you either need to respell the B-double flat or put a courtesy accidental on the following Bb's.

Originally Posted by Jamie Whitmarsh

Fourth Movement: Those are some fast notes for the Bassoon and the Horn. I'm not sure if they're impractical or not; have you checked this piece with a performer of each instrument?

Should be no problem for a good high school level or higher performer.

Originally Posted by flint-wwrr

Movement I: Oboe & Horn, m.34-35, the beat is obscured. In m.35 on beats 5 & 6 (oboe) and beats 3-6 (horn), you've written a confusing figure and you should change the way you notate it to be more readable. I guarantee that it will be played wrong and waste plenty of rehearsal time with the way you've notated it. Also, on page 2 & 3, the 5/8 measures are beamed incorrectly and are confusing.

I don't have the score infront of me but I'm assuming you talking about when I put all five voice in a eight note canon? That's one thing that was really bugging me actually. I will fix that. You should of saw the way I had it the first time...it confused the crap out of myself. I'm not sure how to changing beamings in finale yet. But once I figure it out I'll change that right away. Thanks for looking at my piece flint.

The passage from 59-71 is what the bassoon line has starting in measure 9. I put it in for a to give some seperation to the main theme. It's basically there to other parts. The tuning won't be a problem for the quintet I wrote the piece for.

Again thanks for the comments, it really helps and gets me thinking.

Originally Posted by ClarinetMicheal

I'm not sure how to changing beamings in finale yet. But once I figure it out I'll change that right away.

The quick and dirty way to beam things together is to use the Speedy Entry tool, place the cursor on the note you want to beam, and hit the / key on the numeric keypad. That key in Speedy Entry breaks/creates beams.

For future reference, to get Finale to do your beaming automatically, you have to use the Change Meter tool and set up a "use other time signature for display" so that the beat is actually 3+2/8 but displays as 5/8. That way it should beam the notes according to the beat divisions automatically.

(note that I'm not at home and this is from memory... the procedure may be slightly different)