the Schecher Quintet - for brass

Here is a recent composition of mine, called the Schecher Quintet. It is dedicated to my high school band director and music teacher, Mr. D. Schecher. I attribute my love of composition to him, as he guided me through my first couple of large pieces, and gave me my first couple of premieres while finishing up my days in high school.

Active as a performer, he was in a brass sextet. I sought out to write a piece for his group, and did so, however it was never played. That was in 2004. Now, after my couple of years in conservatory life, I have revamped that original piece, and wrote a new one in a starkly contrasting style, and created a 2 movement quintet.

The first movement is a sort of dark lullabye, almost like a lullabye you would sing to a child that is about to have a nightmare. The second movement uses the material from my original sextet, and is a lively dance. The two movements have no connection whatsoever.

This piece will have its premiere in early March.

Any comments are welcome.

I really enjoyed this peice, with one minor quibble: it would have felt more satisfying if it had a final movement. There's something... incomplete with it as it stands. I think if you added a more bravura finale, not necessarily long, it would really bring the whole together. It could even be thematically linked to the two preceding movements.

Yes! My thoughts exactly! I had started a third piece, one inspired by a wind ensemble piece I never wrote, but then I had Christmas and now I'm writing an opera and a chamber piece and aaaahhhhh not enough time! But yes, I will try to write another movement eventually! Thanks for listening.

I think it's a shame not more people are taking the time to listen to your piece, and at least comment a little on it.

I guess I'm not that well known on here quite yet...! But thanks for the bump!

I listened to it a while back, but I'll just say a few comments, seeing as the thread's been a bit inactive.

First movement/section, I quite liked, however I felt it needed a little work to be more coherent. I reckon the midi has a bit to do with this, but I found some sections slightly disjointed. The big dissonant chords I liked, but I felt you should have integrated them more into the movement.

Second movement: a nice, fun contrast to the first movement. I enjoyed most of what you did in this movement.. I was a little uneasy with the rhythms and some of the style being derived from jazz/popular music, but I guess that's part of your style, so nothing else to say.
Overall I liked it. I agree with QC - it definitely needs another movement!
(And of course, I'd like to see you develop with this style)

Btw,

I guess I'm not that well known on here quite yet

this seems to conflict with the name on the score.

Ooh sorry I haven't posted back in a while!!

Thank you for your comments Daniel. The first movement was quite a stretch for me compositionally. I had no plan, no real concrete idea or figure to base the piece on. But I feel the piece is cohesive due to being structurally limited because of the way I wrote it - with little diversions here and there. But the big chords come out of it harmonically - not in any concrete way, but merely the sounds of the harmonies. It's very dark and dissonant, so I felt these big pushing chords would help. Perhaps it is the MIDI - I've barely listened to it, only really to check that it was playing everything correctly. But in performance, I think it'll come off. I'd be interested to hear your comments on a live performance of this, when I can get it.

Another movement? Yes, but not now, I'm too busy with my beastly opera! Thanks for listening.

I really liked it, but that's probably 'cause I'm a sucker for "crunchy" chords and good syncopation. My favorite part was the use of the split thirds at the end of the 2nd mvt. Nice.

I have now listened to both of your movements

Mvt 1: I loved the crunch, it came a bit unsuspectedly. I do agree with Daniel, it needs a bit more work to get it slightly more coherent. Maybe it is just be, but I felt that the piece needs a small slightly more tonal part just to shaken up the ear. I felt that after awhile my ear became indifferent to the music, but my mind whilst reading it did not. I liked the part that begins at measure 35 - The lovely entrance you give the second trumpet

I may be wrong since no one else has pointed this out, but on measure 41 the Horn I is playing a C5. And since I see no accidentals on both the Horns and the Trumpets my conclusions is that this is in concert pitch. [Looking at the .midi, cannot open the .pdf] Maybe I am terribly wrong, I am sorry if it is so. Another thing to comment on is the fact that the first movement is not a quintet but a sextet. I see 6 staffs, two horns. I thought first that it was an aid for your writing but when I looked closer I noticed that they played simultaneously.

Mvt II: I found this the best out of the two. A great contrast to the first one, as Daniel mentioned earlier. I simply love the rhythm you created. The themes are divine, reminds me of a piece from a game, cannot recall what it is called. As in the first movement there are some notes that are a bit too high on the horn, but they are just minor details.

Thank you for sharing, very lovely pieces

Thank you for your comments, grainger! I like those thirds at the end as well.

Saiming - thanks for taking the time to listen. You were reading along with MIDI, not the score? Well, a MIDI representation read into Sibelius or Finale I think usually is in concert pitch, so when you saw a C5 it actually sounded as a C5, which would mean I wrote a written G for the horn, which is a perfectly fine note in terms of range. If you take a look at the Pdf, this is all cleared up. I usually go maybe a little 'too' conservative when writing for brass, range-wise.

That'll explain the 2 horn staffs as well, as I didn't write it that way. Stupid midi!

Thanks a bunch!