All Activity

Hello @Luis Hernández , Thank you for the score! Yes, I’m interested in it and did download it, because it is such a small but great example. Since I’m usually focused on piano pieces, I’m not familiar with orchestration – especially with large ensembles. I only did some arrangements/orchestrations of my preludes and fugues, for example during the last two YCF competitions – which I very enjoyed. So, if there is the next such event, I think I’ll come back to your exercise using it as an inspiration how I could make my piano pieces sound in a larger ensemble. And since my preludes just have some more notes than only two – or better to say more than three, as our beloved Tristan correctly pointed out – it will be very helpful!

Hallo @PeterthePapercomPoser ! Thank you. I always highlight the subject entries in the „colored score“ which I use for the videos and even for myself when composing, since it helps me recognizing the subject and I enjoy if it is helpful for the visitors, too. I’m not quite sure which exact subject entry you meant, the first one (of the original, non-diminished subject) is in bar 46 in inversion as accompaniment in the transition section to the anthem (and from there on, the subject appears several times with that shift). While analyzing the fugue (which I’ve composed four years ago), I found out a few more interesting „shifts“ (which I did not remember furthermore). For example, in the exposition there is a recurring countersubject which starts together with the first subject entry as Comes, but is than shifted a half bar (for the second) and a whole bar (for the third occurence). Astonishingly, it seems to work and those „shifts“ help that the fugue is not repetitive in its rhythmic texture, but has a continuous flow – which is required to resolve the dissonances I use heavily in this fugue (somewhat contradicting the consonant style of Palestrina) but which I find appropriate given the serious programmatic backdrop of war. As far as I remember, a ricercar is an „older ancestor“ of a fugue, dating back to the Renaissance; while it is “close” to the fugue, its structure is perhaps less rigid. I have chosen the slow note values to be reminiscent on the style of Palestrina and not thought at a ricercar which also employs long note values as the „stile antico“. But yes, one could call it ricercar, especially since due to the introduction of the Ukrainian national anthem in the second part, the piece became „multithematic“ as early ricercars are.

Hallo @TristanTheTristan , Haha, F-flat major, a key with a double flat in its key signature … But thanks for the link; interestingly, it included some examples where composers actually used F-flat major, at least in certain passages or movements of their works. So you brought me to an idea: Since I have not yet composed my E-major fugue, there might be a spot where I could use F-flat major in a passage with a mood that calls for flats rather than sharps (I associate the mood of flats with „darker“ and „somber“, but also „warmer“ and „mellow“.) But to take it a step further, I should not use F-flat major, but F-flat lydian, so that I could make a key signature change in the score to seven flats in order to stay within the common range of usable accidentals. And the mood of F-flat lydian must be completely confusing: As „dark“ as possible due to the seven flats and „luminous“ at the same time, from the Lydian mode.

Here's the SoundCloud version: https://soundcloud.com/olivercomposer/violin-cello-duet-original

I would argue sharps are more brilliant, flats are more ambient, and c major... is just nursery rhymes basically.

The cellist is really talented. I like her performances. Nice music, hats off!

Nice mysterious, atmospheric intro. I really like it!

Hey Guys, Here's my original composition featuring cello and violin. I've been working on this piece for 3 days. It's very hard to write for only two instruments, because it's not that easy to form harmonies with two solo instruments. Technically it's possible, but they play broken chords and arpeggios. (Of course, both cello and violin can play double stops, but I deliberately didn't add double stops to the piece.) So, it was challenging to create the illusion of harmonies without real harmonies. What's your opinion? Feel free to share it with me in a comment!

I appreciate your comment! I agree with you, repetitiveness is a huge risk in game music, and it's hard to avoid it.

Listenable? Very much so - I'd say a beautiful work indeed.

Hello friends, I have released a piano album this week (a home recording). It consists of 19 pieces I've composed in the last three months. I've tried to space around different kinds of harmonies, especially modal and with lots of incursions into the hexatonic. Piano album After a couple introductory pieces, there is a 6-part suite which very loosely follows the forms of the Baroque suite. Then a short sonatina, and finally some longer pieces of freer form and broader inspiration. ---- I've tried to embed the link but I am just not capable of.

I had this doubt long time ago for tying around 16 times or so and all lost lol.... Later just figure out the seniority rule myself haha Henry

Thanks! It was definitely fun to do. I actually been meaning to update this post. After some chat with @UncleRed99 about Cello playability, I simplified the cello part in the third movement for ease. Overall, a good result for at the time was a silly little project. 🙂

I like this „petite“ piece for just four instruments (which is not for a large orchestra). It doesn’t require sophisticated orchestration skills to achieve the desired effect; instead, it works well with its “simple” four parts. Starting already in the first three bars, all four instruments have the equal right and equal importance in playing the melody. None is the soloist, while the others are „degraded“ to accompany only. Although I would not call it „counterpoint“ in the academic sense, it works. Sharing the melody or the various motifs among the voices creates an atmosphere of „dialogue“ between the instruments that captivates the listener.

I very enjoyed this dreamy prelude with its nocturne-like charm. What I was especially excited for is the tonality, e.g the use of both F-sharp major and G-flat major. (I mention this because my last recently posted composition is in G-flat major/F-sharp major, too, while not a prelude but a fugue …). I guess you’ve chosen that key change to emphasize the different nuances of mood in the piece, the sharps for the brighter passages and the flats for the melancholic ones. The texture is well balanced and I like that you decided to present the score with revealing the five-part movement. As you yourself noted, there are some large chords which are playable with arpeggiating only. When I’m looking at the score at the first glance, there are – beside the large chords – some intervals that seem to be uncomfortable to be played. However, many of them are playable when taking a note in the other hand. I would appreciate, if such situations would be written out or marked in the score (even if it would look somewhat cluttered) for an easier sight-reading experience.

*Sad face*

Ties between members for the day won are broken by seniority. So that means that Luis won the day because he's been a member the longest - Henry has been a member 2nd longest and you have been a member here for the shortest amount of time which is why you didn't win the day that day.

I didn't win that day. The rest is just common sense.

Just saying, I want a new competition soon. Thx!

Nice stuff. F Sharp?! Why? So many sharps! Anyways, taking a guess, the next thing you compose is in F Flat Major.

As he himself said, new simplicity.

I agree! I have to get used to it, but that us fine. I love that you can see the profile without entering their page!

Thanks! I’ll be honest, there was no real plan with this one 😅 It happened out of a test of boredom and I did it for fun rather than be sophisticated with the ensemble balance. Thanks for the comments! (The 2nd Mvt is my favorite too)

It seems to me a very beautiful work. What stands out to me is that it’s conceived more as melody with accompaniment—sometimes quite elaborate—rather than in a contrapuntal style. The second movement is gorgeous.

Thank you very much :). My latin jazz chord hyperfixation from many years back is clearly showing itself xd