My compositions

Hi all, here is my humble contribution to this forum. I would classify myself as an amateur composer, though I was a music major in college (however my day job is in health care). I dabble in alot of retro styles (neo-baroque, neo-classical, neo-romantic) and am not really into atonal stuff or serial music. My favorite composers are Beethoven Dvorak and Brahms.

Because of the demands of my real job, it takes me quite awhile to finish a piece (like probably many of you, I have piles of unfinished works). Here are just a few of my completed stuff and I welcome any feedback. I look forward to discussing music with the rest of you!

Bryan

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Brian,

There is a lot to tackle here, so I am going to have to generalise a bit.

Overall, of the pieces that I listened to, I was extremely impressed (and that's an understatement)! Despite your time-consuming job it is quite apparent that your education in Music served you very very well. It's truly ashame that a great composer such as yourself can't find work in a field that he is obviously passionate about.

A couple more directed comments:

Scherzo_for_Violin_and_Orchestra
Really liked this piece! The intro is catchy and it kept me wanted more. This is one piece that I will be saving onto my PC and listening to more often! Great work!

Fantasy_for_Viola_and_Chamber_Orchestra
I liked it, especially the first 30 seconds... I can't say that I was thrilled to hear the sounded mood jump at ~32 seconds... however, such a small thing won't stop me from once again saving your work and adding it to my folder of music!

Requiem___Lacrimosa
The mood of this piece is fantastic. I have to say, I have heard many requiems in my time, professional and amateur, and this ranks among the top I've heard. Outstanding piece of music.

Fugue_in_D_minor
Okay, why are you not composing for a living? To think that there could be more from where this and the Lacrimose came from is a sad thought to me. This and the Lacrimose were easily my favorite works of yours.


I apologise, but I didn't have time to listen to the other pieces yet. I have to ask, do oyu have a web site to promote your music? I really did enjoy it and would love to stay current on a weekly basis. If you wouldn't mind I would also be willing to record some of these pieces for you using a MIDI keyboard and send them to you... so that we can all have higher quality renditions of these marvels! Let me know, either on here, or preferrably by email at:
info@jbelelieu.com

What a pleasure it was to listen to your music! Besides for the above, I'm speechless!!!! (Cheap joke).

I've only had a chance to listen to two of them so far. I hope you weren't looking for any advice since I'm an inexperienced newbie composer (~3 months) but your stuff is amazing.

Requiem, Dies Irae -- First, wow! Incredible energy and beautiful harmonies flowing together. You did an incredible job of building suspension throughout... which I've been trying to do, unsuccessfully . This was amazing and kept my attention 100% throughout. And I like strong, definite endings. However, it made me wonder about the title 'requiem' because (and I'm not too sure) but isn't that a song for the dead that's supposed more of a hymn-like dirge??

Wanderers Nachtlied -- A beautiful soothing little song. The melody was good. However, I was mostly impressed by how you were able to have a piano accompaniment which was both consistent throughout but still interesting. Whenever I use a consistent piano accompaniment and I later try to change it up a bit it ends up suddenly sounding strange; so great job. My only possible suggestion: I would lengthen out the ending and, possibly, add a ritard (which you might likely use in an actual performance rather than a midi) so one could be fully pulled in by its beauty at the end.

Amazing stuff and I"m definitely going to listen to the rest when I have time! Keep composing!! *squirms in jealousy* ... ... Amazing compositions!!!

You'll forgive me of taking the liberty in listening to only some of you compositions as i lack the time now.

Fantasy for Viola and chamber orchestra - Excellent work! Seems almost flawless, very beautiful melody and not to hard to play. I detect a Bach influence...... or maybe Beethoven.... Doesn't matter cause it is very cool!

Violin sonata in E minor 1st mvt - Well first of let me just say THAT THIS IS AWSOME!!! This is surely a work of a genius! The only petty remark i could make is for richer piano part around 2:00 and 3:24 (or so).

Requiem Lacrimosa - Really nice work! Great mood (as someone else said), didn't get boring even for a second, and always elevating, bringing something new. Outstanding!

Requiem Dies Iare - Again Incredible! I admire your use of percussion and brass. The only remark i may make is that maybe its too short (even though i know its supposed to be short)

Sonata Movement in A minor - This one really reminds me of Bach or Scarlatti. And even though in into atonal and romantic stuff, I still must say that this is really a divine work. No remarks at all.

I don't have the time to listen to other stuff, but rest assure i will not have peace until i listen to every single work written by a talent like you!

I really appreciate the kind words from all of you so far. Just like everyone here, I 'm also striving to improve my skills and hearing such positive feedback from other talents composers like you all means a lot and I hope my feedback in the future can be of some value to you as well.

I guess it might be worthwhile for me to give some context to some of the pieces here.

The Sonata Movement and the Wanderer's Nachtlied were both for a music theory class in college. The Sonata Movement was meant to emulate the style of C.P.E. Bach and Domenico Scarlatti and is a typical tight sonata form. The Wanderer's Nachtlied was an attempt to emulate Schubert's style and is set to a text by Goethe.

The Violin Sonata is heavily inspired by Brahms. I finished that movement quite awhile ago and have a second and third movement in the works but unfortunately I've been stuck on them for awhile. I'll probably put them up in the other forum for some advice.

The Requiem is, in part, my way of trying to come to terms with the unfortunate events going on in the world today since 9/11. The Dies Irae and the Lacrimosa are the only finished movements right now but this is the piece I'm most actively working on.

The Fugue in D minor, Double Violin Sonata mvts 1 and 3 come from an early period when I was just totally in love with Bach when I was in my early years in college. The first movement is heavily influenced by the Bach double violin concerto. The String Suite piece was also during this time, more an attempt to write a set of movement similar to Dvorak's Slavonic dances (of course I only managed to finish one).

The Scherzo I wrote extremely quickly which is very rare for me; I wrote it in 2 days, just as a virtuosic show piece. I was fortunate to have a friend of mine who is an accomplished violinist read through it one time with the university orchestra... unfortunately it apparently is almost unplayable at that tempo so I'll probably have to edit the solo violin part at some point. I wrote the Fantasy for Viola around the same time (I was a violist in the orchestra); kind of my humble attempt to add to the limited viola repetoire. I've always felt that the viola is an exceedingly underrated instrument.

CAN I PLEASE HAVE THE SHEETMUSIC TO THE SCHERZO!!! that is just awesome and I want to play it! please.

I agree that the viola is sadly underrated. I plan to feature it much in my own music!

I'm going to comment on some of the pieces that haven't been mentioned so far.

String Suite in G minor -

This is a catchy little thing. I found myself tapping my foot along to it. It sounds a lot like an elegant ballroom scene or dance of some sort. However, I found the middle to be dragging a bit repetitive. Perhaps a modulation (even to major perhaps) or a different rhythmic drive might help here? The changes in mood towards the end were refreshing and the ending was effective (a sort of sarcastic gesture, with the pizzicatos).

Sonata movement in a minor -

I was expecting piano, but the harpischord was an interesting and effective choice considering the style of the music. This had a very playful feel, and reminded me of some of Scarlatti's sonatas for harpsichord. All of the figurations in the accompaniment worked together to create this "playful", vigorous mood. Good job! I liked the shift to a more serious character around 2:30. I think could perhaps be even more effective if the tempo were slowed just slightly for this section (actually, a performer would probably do that anyway.)

I agree that the viola is sadly underrated.* I plan to feature it much in my own music!

I'm going to comment on some of the pieces that haven't been mentioned so far.

String Suite in G minor -

This is a catchy little thing.* I found myself tapping my foot along to it.* It sounds a lot like an elegant ballroom scene or dance of some sort.* However, I found the middle to be dragging a bit repetitive.* Perhaps a modulation (even to major perhaps) or a different rhythmic drive might help here?* The changes in mood towards the end were refreshing and the ending was effective (a sort of sarcastic gesture, with the pizzicatos).

Sonata movement in a minor -

I was expecting piano, but the harpischord was an interesting and effective choice considering the style of the music.* This had a very playful feel, and reminded me of some of Scarlatti's sonatas for harpsichord.* All of the figurations in the accompaniment worked together to create this "playful", vigorous mood.* Good job!* I liked the shift to a more serious character around 2:30.* I think could perhaps be even more effective if the tempo were slowed just slightly for this section (actually, a performer would probably do that anyway.)

Thanks for the input!

You're dead-on about the Sonata movement; there actually is supposed to be a slower tempo change at 2:30 but I couldn't do it effectively with the computer so I just left it alone but a performer would have the tempo change indicated.

Same idea for my feedback; I haven't had a chance to listen to everything here yet, but what I have heard I really like! My favourites so far are the Fantasy and the Violin Sonata in E minor. Hoping to get to the rest of these later on.

However, it made me wonder about the title 'requiem' because (and I'm not too sure) but isn't that a song for the dead that's supposed more of a hymn-like dirge??
ctual performance rather than a midi) so one could be fully pulled in by its beauty at the end.*

You obviously haven't heard Verdi's Dies Irae . But these are nice pieces, though I haven't had the time to look through them thoroughly (some of them like the Dies Irae are overly loud on the MS-GS, so you might want to turn it down just a notch.). I'm hearing a lot of Romantic influences, but it's nice that you also add a bit of a modern touch to them. I also quite like how your counterpoint progress very smoothly, yet still quite interestingly. Good stuff - keep up the good work!