WOODWIND QUARTET

Woodwind Quartet


I wrote this for my friend who likes the flute (also happens to be the same guy I am crushing on ).

Quartet for 3 Flutes and a Piccolo.

Estimated time it took to compose: about 5 or 6 hours over 3 days.

MP3
http://www.bigfilez.com/o.php?file=j..._mp3fluter.mp3

(the MP3 can also be heard in my myspace account - http://www.myspace.com/jlmcdaniel )

MIDI
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Tell me what you think please

- Jen

Jenny Jen Jen Jen Jenny Jen Jen......ok now that i feel i said your name enough, let's talk about your piece!

This is quite, quite nice, my friend. The accompanying counterpoint with the flute melody on the top makes for an excellent theme. I like how you change keys later in the piece to, just kind of randomly with a new melody...it somehow works, making it sound impressionistic! I like the accents you use too, it really brings out the syncopation.

Now, this piece seems almost incomplete. The long chord at the end sounds more like it should be a fermata, and then take the piece in a new direction. Maybe lose the bumpy contrapuntal accompaniment, and do something purely smooth melodically, contrapuntally and harmonically. This sounds like a good idea to me. Also, it seems like this piece dives in too soon. Maybe a nice, suspenseful introduction leading into the faster relief of the piece.

As good as this is, It seems like you only have the middle of a piece done .


~Nico

Thanks Nico

I actually meant to post this in the video game section, which I just moved it to (from Chamber). I was intending to write this as a game piece. I was in a bit of a hurry this morning when I posted it....oops

Anyway, thanks for the comment, and yes I am probably going to expand on it...which I will post as soon as I do

- Jen

I like the actual music, if that is a way to describe a feeling; however, there may be a problem with the performablity of the piece. You have lots of low Ds and while D is well with in the range of the flute, it often sounds muddy and very soft. Those notes may draw back from the piece. However, it is good to listen to through a computer speakers. If you intend to perform the piece something may not fit.

Is the mp3 you postes an actual recording? If it is you know some good fluatists(sp?).

This recording was made by finale software, not live. No, I have no intention of getting it performed, it is supposed to be gamer music, meaning the only way this would be marketable is as an electronic recording for a game. I did not write it for any specific game, just for practice/fun. I am aware that thoses low D's are soft/muddy, but that is ok because the flute that plays them is just the accompaniment anyway, the melody is in the high notes and I wanted the piece to span over the whole range of playable notes.

- Jen

Okay, that makes sense. I should have read your other post. Lol.

Oh Jolly Jendle Junglebump...whatever shall we do with this piece?

*Sigh*

It is a nice one, it simply lacks...you know, a beginning and end. The rest is very nice though, I have to agree with Nico about it being impressionistic and with you about it being appropriate for a video game. The mood stays consistent and there are glimmers of great melodies within it which you've woven around into obscurity; perhaps too much.

You use the ensemble well, which is very refreshing to hear; all of the instruments you used have fairly good parts, no one instrument really "takes over". I think you may have tried to have something akin to sections within this piece but they weren't very well defined and the transitions seemed a little hazy and weak; though it's hard to judge since the piece just flows together in one big shluff (yeah I made it up, so sue me ) anyways.

Overall, good work; getting a lot better at this style. You've produced a successful, pleasant sounding middle of a piece. If you were to revisit it, I'd try to give it a little more definition.

Keep it up !

Jen i really love this piece.
It is impressionistic and defintely evokes a certain mood, almost like angels at play or something.
The key change is also a welcome response to the expository material. The counterpoint and textures you incorporate are unique and diverse. I think that instead of focusing so much on the density of the texture in the lower part you should use more flourishes/florid rhythms and textures in the upper part towards the middle of the piece. You stray from the main theme a bit which while its not bad, it could use a bit of fine polish.

Otherwise I have to say that out of all the pieces i've heard this is really fantastic.
Well done!

Cheers,

Rob.

No, I have no intention of getting it performed, it is supposed to be gamer music,[/b]

Actually, this really brought to mind some of my favorite music from the Zelda series when I heard it. The scales and key changes you use give it a really fresh sound imo, and the harmony parts come across mystically. I love that sound.

I can look at it one way, and see the form of the piece as a kind of abstract extension to the mysterious sound of the piece, and so artistically not a problem at all. In fact, I probably wouldn't be listening to it over and over again if it didn't come across as so enigmatic to me. But at the same time, I wish there was another version that was more drawn out and developed, just for musical entertainment, outside of games.

Not necessarily more traditionally ordered, with a more traditional form and all that, because I don't think that could be easily accomplished without compromising the feel of the form you have now -- I'm starting to LOVE that. But if there were just more to listen to, I guess. :-/

Also, I think decreasing dynamics at the end would make that more effective, rather than a swelling of sound as if at the end of a dramatic symphony or opera. As a listener, I'd rather it be more like the voices had suddenly had their attention captured and quietly slipped off into another realm just as easily as they had entered at the start of the piece, if that makes any sense, lol.

Awesome job! XD

Thanks I actually hadn't noticed this piece had been reviewed in a while because I forgot to check on it. Came here to see if I had posted the Finale file....which I didn't, grrrrr....because this was the last thing I wrote before my computer crashed and I didn't get a chance to save the backup for it, so now I have lost the score. Damn it. And I can't make corrections on it now either. If anyone reading this knows how to change an midi into sheet music PLEASE tell me!!! (if that's even possible....)

Thanks again!

- Jen