Urban Nocturno-for Clarinet, Trombone, and Cello

This is the first movement of a three movement piece I'm working on the other two are 90% but not quite presentable yet.

This first movement is a personification of the daily activities of a city, and what its like from the city's perspective. The instrumentation is unique and I was attempting a unique timbrel identity for this piece.

Any comments, good or bad are more than welcome.

MP3
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Nice. I like the rhythmic scheme a lot. Some parts remind me of Stravinsky's Histoire du Soldat.

Just one thing: the trombone in measure 100 is going to have a hell of a time with that. Do you want a clean gliss there?

Woah, was that 22/8. You just blew my mind. I honestly have no negative comments about this peice. Good job.

Originally Posted by robinjessome

Just one thing: the trombone in measure 100 is going to have a hell of a time with that. Do you want a clean gliss there?

yeah I can see the confusion, I'm a french horn player by training, so I just want a big string of notes. or a trombone with a 20ft. slide.

Originally Posted by Engineered Composer

yeah I can see the confusion, I'm a french horn player by training, so I just want a big string of notes. or a trombone with a 20ft. slide.

That might work...as long as you don't want it clean, or accurate. He'll have to cross 5 partials to get up there...it might not be pretty!

Originally Posted by robinjessome

That might work...as long as you don't want it clean, or accurate. He'll have to cross 5 partials to get up there...it might not be pretty!

I may rewrite it starting an octave or so higher, I'll need to hear it attempted before i'm certain.

Originally Posted by Fermion

Woah, was that 22/8. You just blew my mind. I honestly have no negative comments about this peice. Good job.

lol...no, it was actually a little simpler than that, it was just 6/8-7/8-5/8-4/8. The score showed it fairly clearly, but it's no big deal.

I definitely envy your rhythmic ideas, that weird but steady pulse that's like heartbeating when you are uneasy. And great you can get it both in a plain 4/4 and in that 6+7+5+4/8 thing... May I ask you about the music you listen to? I would have a try.

So, when are we getting the other movements?

Originally Posted by all the things you are

I definitely envy your rhythmic ideas, that weird but steady pulse that's like heartbeating when you are uneasy. And great you can get it both in a plain 4/4 and in that 6+7+5+4/8 thing... May I ask you about the music you listen to? I would have a try.

So, when are we getting the other movements?

Thank you for your kind comment, I have always enjoyed odd rhythmic schemes. As to the music I listen to...well I really don't listen to much, possibly to my detriment, but i find myself emulating things I hear. this may sound very strange but when I do listen to "classical" music I usually play two symphonies of different keys and periods over top of one another, and I force my ear to follow a single melodic fragment, another thing I'll do, is to go to a very crowded cafe or outdoor bar, and try to hear to collective voices, not as a crowd, but as fifty or sixty individuals.

And as to the next movements they're forthcoming. I've nearly buttoned up the third and the second is not far behind.