Film Music Competition

Johann, just listened to the mp3.

Fucking beautiful.

For my piece I mixed an older work (not that old) and a newer one into two scenes. Thomas said the work could be one composed previously and being I wanted this performed (and the arrangement provided wasnt to bad) I arranged, changed and added a few things. I am pleased I did for I made the work more larger than it was previously.

Adagietto - 10 minutes long. (I also patched the sax with a horn)

About the scenes: The first scene would have to be set to a movie about Peter the Disciple of Jesus.
The first scene is where Peter denies Christ and the theme/subject seems to say three times, "Give me
my Jesus back" for the three times he denied. The flute passages are a bit more feminine, so I at times
picture Mary Magdalene finding him crying and then crys with him showing that her heart relates and desires the same. This scene is set at night a few hours before dawn, but by the end of it I think you can see the sun just breaking the horizen.

The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

The second scene is where Jesus restores Peter as found in John 21. I picture a beach with the sun sitting above the water, like at sunset or dawn. The theme/subject seems to ask three times, "Peter, do you love me?", and followed by that is a shorter melody that answers everytime, "Lord, you know that I love you." Its not a very happy piece, but it isnt supposed to be. At 7:30 it starts to get joyous because Christ redeems him, but that is soon tempered by Peter's mix of joy and shame. So the work avoids a large climax. I hope you can picture all these things as you listen and even more.

Peter was hurt hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love Me?" He said, "Lord you know all things; you know that I love you."

Adagietto - Peter's Lament & Redemption

Jeremy

RE: Howie's Piece

I thought it was fantastic as a scene. It was simple and streamlined which is what you want from a film score, and it also had tons of emotion and energy, which is something else you want! I share some of the same concerns with Nick about orchestration in the trumpets, but if you were writing this for an actual movie score, it would be fantastic. I would suggest, if doing that, that you actually replace the saxes with horns. I think it sounds much better that way. Basically, I'm suggesting you keep this one in your portfolio so that you might use it later on.

Whoa, that's a ton of reverb! Doesn't sound like a concert hall... more like a cathedral! Also, the clarinets seemed a bit too strong and I thought I heard oboes, though that could have been the trumpets.

A very nice, hymn-like feel. I love the slow transformations from chord to chord, and the melodies you use are very distinctive and memorable. However, I got the feeling that it was rambling just a little bit. This felt like it should have been a bit shorter, like it was strung out too long. Part of this, I think, was that there weren't really any contrasting sections - no tempo changes, major textural shifts, or even a great deal of dynamic contrast. While it got the ideas across, I thought it could have done so more effectively; the shifts in events were cued by subtle changes in harmonic language, and thus they were very hard to detect. It would work well as background, but as a concert piece it seems a little repetitive and too subtle.

A few of the chords right at the end seemed out of place from what had just been laid down for ten minutes, and the instrument on the 3rd at the very end (perhaps violas or something, I couldn't tell) was quite glaring. I think you'd want to stick to a perfect authentic cadence after such a piece, putting the root in the top voice and providing a more conclusive ending. If you're going to end on the 3rd like that, you probably need to ritard a bit and anticipate the ending a bit more in advance, then get around to the actual end gradually. What might work is just to take that final chord and have most or all of the ensemble fade out, then back in slowly, maybe with just a timpanum roll carrying over the break.

Nice work... very sentimental and convincing, considering the scenes you were using. Relaxing, too - I think this was the musical equivalent of a good back rub!

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Thanks, Sean; I do plan to keep this in my portfolio, and I too like it better with horns. However, considering the "desert" theme of the piece, saxophones would provide a kind of raspy edge to those parts that could add to the feel like the muted trumpets already do.

I did email Thomas saying that if that high D is too much for the first trumpet, he can take both trumpet parts there down an octave. I think that was just a lapse in attention on my part, from being excited about finishing the piece. I play the trumpet and am well aware of what is difficult for me.

Jon, about the creativity issue, I think what it is is that you tend to get caught up with what you are trying to do with the piece, rather than what the piece is actually doing, or where the piece wants to go. See what I'm trying to say? It's almost like you are trying to pull and tug the piece in a certain direction, when sometimes, it really wants to go somewhere else. I've found this in my older music, it was something I would struggle with constantly. But through doing it over and over again, I've realized that being a composer, you're working with your material, and notes and rhythms, not commanding them or forcing them.

I really wanted the piece to go somewhere outside of the desert landscape, maybe inside the man's mind for a second, maybe he dreamt of his home or his family or something, but it seemed that you got stuck in the whole desert thing. Oh well.

Ok...here is my piece. It is simply called: 'Superhero Movie Suite'. The mp3 is only 8'20" long(the real thing probably closer to 9), and follows scenes just like a regular, big-budget Superman movie would. Here are the program notes that would accompany the piece in the concert program:

---The music is based loosely off of a John Williams movie score, like Superman and Raiders of the Lost Ark. There are three total themes, that of the Villain, the Hero, and the Love Interest. Scenes are depicted by the music. Here is a summary of the music, and what scenes are implied.


At his secluded desert lair, the Villain is presented, in his ugly and evil countenance, and his theme is twisting, dissonant, yet surprisingly regal and military. He must have been a general or a leader in war. He is rallying troops together, and then gives a word to attack! The troops attack a group of unsuspecting visitors who have no way to fight back. The battle climaxes to a dissonant fury, then stops! Suddenly, the Hero bursts onto the scene, with his triumphant fanfare. His theme is rooted with a perfect fifth, then gets a little dissonant, as he battles the Villain’s men in defense of the people. The music gets a little silly here and there, as the Hero’s humor shows through how he fights. But more troops show up, as the music brings us back the Villain’s theme. The Hero is over-powered, succumbs to the many troops, and is taken captive. Meanwhile, at the General Workplace, Love Interest works and misses her beau, who is secretly the Hero. She ponders his absence and is suddenly disturbed, as the Villain breaks in, injuring co-workers and creating a mess, only to whisk Love Interest off to his lair, keeping in mind that Hero is in love with her. The music takes us back to the lair, with the signature single bass notes, then the Villain’s theme, crescendoing to the final battle, where the Hero has broken from his chains and delivers some final blows to the Villain, who escapes badly wounded. As we hear the string section twirl us into a fanfare, the Hero and the Love Interest are reunited. They whisk off into the sunset, both victorious and happy.---


And, here is the mp3 and the pdf score to my Superhero Movie Suite! (the quality is pretty cheesy...)

Superhero Movie Suite mp3

Hm, that's really good. Very you, and very evocative of the scenes it's set to, though listening to it the first time without reading what you posted in italics (on purpose), I was pretty lost.

You know, I remember you telling me that you were using the same single melody over and over, but this is the furthest thing from. You have a couple melodies, some of which are only heard once, and after listening twice I can't say I remember any of them, though I do remember they were definitely your style. Perhaps the piece attempts to cram too much musical material into too short a timespan? I realize you've essentially summarized a plot, so you're going breakneck through the whole movie's themes, and certainly with video this would fit wonderfully. It just seemed rather disjointed by itself. Great figurations and technical exhibition, though. I was not in the least disappointed on that end, I expected no less from you!

Looks like it's a close race after all!

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About my music, yes, I know I need to get more "fluid" with my writing - since that's what you were meaning, I agree with you completely. On the bright side, I can see looking back at what I wrote in the past that I have been getting gradually more fluid, so I guess I just need to keep writing and it'll work itself out, huh?

I wasn't using the same melody over and over...there are 3!

Yes, which is why I said it's the furthest thing from.

RE: Nick's Piece

I enjoyed listening to this piece, but it presents kind of an inner-conflict in the hero theme. I didn't read through the analysis of the plot purposely to see if I could figure out what was going on. Sometimes it was clear, I knew there was a battle sequence and a love theme in there, but the villains theme seemed much stronger and supported than the heros theme. This does not paint a picture of the typical superhero. Superheros always come out on top and triumph in the face of adversity and strife. They are dependable and easy to look up to. This guy seemed like he just couldn't pull it together. I think it was mostly due to the glassandi and polytonality of the accompaniment. It was as if he was trying to go in one direction, but was consistantly being swiped in a different one.

However, there were certain things that I did enjoy about this. I liked the battle sequence, though i would have hoped it to have been longer. Typically, most composers set a recognizable theme for both the hero and the villain, and in a battle sequence, they splice the two together. Whoever has the upper hand at any given point, his theme comes out and it tells us he's winning. Although the battle sequence did use some of the hero theme, I couldn't tell if he was in conflict with the villain or not. I assumed he was, but it wasn't made clear to me.

A lot of composers set the themes in very specific instruments. For instance, the hero theme may be in major in the trumpets and horns, and the villain theme may be present in the trombones and low strings. But let's say the villain tricks the hero, often times you'll hear the hero theme being played in minor by the trombones and low strings, or whatever instrumentation the villains theme is orchestrated in. Also, often times, if the Villain's theme appears in the instrumentation of the Hero's theme, it usually means the villain has been vanquished.

Sorry... I listen to soundtracks and read comic books all the time. These are just some things I notice after awhile. They work, on a psychological level. If you consider reworking this or expanding it in the future, I would suggest taking those comments into consideration.

PS- I just plain don't like saxes!

Journey to the Oasis

The first flute melody sees a man waking up in the middle of a desert. He begins walking forward, and the first trumpet entrance shows the grandeur and vastness of the desert as he reaches the top of the first dune and it's spread out before him. The next section has him plodding forward, step by step, as the sun blazes above. He eventually stops, as he sees a couple of vultures begin to circle over him - the descending tremolo chords - and as the viola solo begins, he sinks to his knees and begins sobbing into the heels of his hands.

The strings pick up the melody next, and he sees what he thinks is an oasis, far off. It is only a mirage, however, and our hero is back to his long, tired walk. He hasn't long to wait. He reaches the top of another dune, and to his great pleasure (as well as a triumphant brass melody backed up by violin arpeggios), there is a real oasis in the valley beyond the dune! He relaxes in the shade for a short time, drinking the cool water, but he can't stay in the oasis for the rest of his life, so his march begins again, more adventurous this time. His spirits have been lifted, and the camera pans slowly back and up, as the final chords sound and the man continues into the horizon.

For an MP3 using the Garritan Personal Orchestra, go here. Note that the GPO doesn't contain saxophones, so I used horn patches instead.

I listened to about half of the piece and what I heard sounded really good. Very filmish and it painted the
scene very nicely. I didn't listen to it all being on I am on the slowest dial-up in the entire universe, but I hope to later tonight.

Whoa, that's a ton of reverb! Doesn't sound like a concert hall... more like a cathedral! Also, the clarinets seemed a bit too strong and I thought I heard oboes, though that could have been the trumpets.

A very nice, hymn-like feel. I love the slow transformations from chord to chord, and the melodies you use are very distinctive and memorable. However, I got the feeling that it was rambling just a little bit. This felt like it should have been a bit shorter, like it was strung out too long. Part of this, I think, was that there weren't really any contrasting sections - no tempo changes, major textural shifts, or even a great deal of dynamic contrast. While it got the ideas across, I thought it could have done so more effectively; the shifts in events were cued by subtle changes in harmonic language, and thus they were very hard to detect. It would work well as background, but as a concert piece it seems a little repetitive and too subtle.

A few of the chords right at the end seemed out of place from what had just been laid down for ten minutes, and the instrument on the 3rd at the very end (perhaps violas or something, I couldn't tell) was quite glaring. I think you'd want to stick to a perfect authentic cadence after such a piece, putting the root in the top voice and providing a more conclusive ending. If you're going to end on the 3rd like that, you probably need to ritard a bit and anticipate the ending a bit more in advance, then get around to the actual end gradually. What might work is just to take that final chord and have most or all of the ensemble fade out, then back in slowly, maybe with just a timpanum roll carrying over the break.

Nice work... very sentimental and convincing, considering the scenes you were using. Relaxing, too - I think this was the musical equivalent of a good back rub!

Ah, well... I tried.

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As I said I am on the slowest dial-up in the universe. Is there anyway you guys could private message me a
midi? If so I will respond here about them. I don't mind how good the midi sound is, I just want an idea.