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Hi, Bryan. Please see my evaluation of your submission below. Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste Overall 7 6 7 8 6 7 8 7 7 Melodies/Themes/Motives: Haunting and beautiful, the themes and motives presented here I found to be delightful. The melodic writing, however, was somewhat troublesome as new rhythms were constantly introduced. Harmony/Chords/Textures: This is probably where the submission struggled the most. The piece never strayed from d minor (aeolian/natural), rendering the harmonic progression repetitive and predictable, and leaving my ear wanting for something a little more adventurous. Form/Development/Structure/Time: The development was done satisfactorily, with the eerie opening slowly becoming more driving, and then finally returning at the end of the piece. Originality/Creativity: Excellent choice of two double-reeded instruments paired with the lilting harp. Score Presenation: The score is adequate. It could stand to be "beefed up," with more articulations, hairpins, and cleaner notation (especially in the harp part) added. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability: The piece is relatively easy to perform, though the bassoon will find the soft, high passages a bit challenging. The harp part is sparse and repetitive; I think more attention should be given to that instrument. Execution of Given Challenge: I found this beautifully evocative of a lake in the morning. Great job! Taste: This pentatonic-adjacent, lyrical piece was quite enjoyable, even though (or maybe because) it was simple and straightforward. Thanks for submitting, and happy composing! Jordan

Hi, L.P. Please see my evaluation of your submission below. Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste Overall 5 2 5 8 6 7 3 3 4.9 Melodies/Themes/Motives: As this submission contained roughly three instruments capable of producing controlled pitches, use of melody was sparse (but not nonexistent); however, melodic writing was underdeveloped. Some themes and motives were noted. Harmony/Chords/Textures: There were very few chords or polyphony throughout, but there was ample texture. Unfortunately, the lack of harmonic progression was a significant detriment to the piece's overall musicality. Form/Development/Structure/Time: The structure was sporadic and a little random, though some patterns were discernible. Originality/Creativity: Regardless of the musicality, this submission was highly original! Score Presenation: The score was acceptable. I noted a few places where hairpins were used but no dynamics supplied, and the score overall was too crowded for my tastes. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability: I'm no percussionist, but this seemed playable. Perhaps a little challenging with all of the quick instrument switches. Execution of Given Challenge: I mean, this had a great driving rhythm but it in no way evoked a sense of being lost in the wilderness. Taste: Obviously a personal thing: I'm not much for percussion-heavy works of music. I'm sure the percussionists of the world would thank you for this piece, though! Thanks for submitting, and happy composing! Jordan

Hi, Elle. Please see my evaluation of your submission below. Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste Overall 5 7 5 8 10 6 4 5 6.25 Melodies/Themes/Motives: The melodic writing was almost nonexistent, instead replaced with chordal columns that seemed to go nowhere. There was motivic or thematic development; however, in my opinion, not enough was done to clearly distinguish such themes, and the result was rather muddied and obfuscated. Harmony/Chords/Textures: Not much triadic/diatonic harmony (which is fine by me), and the tonal palette employed was used quite effectively. In my opinion, the harmonic structure could have been improved if the harmonic progressions were more consistent rather than seemingly random. Form/Development/Structure/Time: The piece was beautifully textured but the long, sustained notes (often in harmonics and/or stops) were frequently syncopated and combined into rapidly altering time signatures. The structural ambiguity is not helped by the lack of discernible musical patterns (I can tell there are patterns from looking at the score, but not by listening or playing). Originality/Creativity: I found this to be exotic and refreshing, and very much unlike other submissions. Score Presenation: The score was flawless. Excellent job! Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability: The piece was chock full of stops and harmonics, had nebulous time signatures, maintained no clear rhythm, and possessed copious amounts of syncopation. The detailed score helps a great deal with interpretation, but the piece still emerged as agonizingly difficult to perform. Execution of Given Challenge: While beautiful and evocative, this piece brings to mind etherealness and aimless wandering - not the grandeur of the Zhangjiajie mountains (nor the flora sprinkled at their peaks). Taste: I enjoy non-diatonic harmonies, which your submission employed. However, I felt that the musical effects were too "on-the-nose"; i.e., you overused harmonics to evoke a sense of floating in the clouds and the "going-nowhere" harmonies made the piece a bit too stagnant - at least for my tastes. Still, your submission was very impressive and I think you're someone the music world should keep their eye on! Thanks for submitting, and happy composing! Jordan

Hi, Luckas. Please see my evaluation of your submission below. Melodies Themes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste Overall 7 9 7 5 6 N/A 6 7 6.7 Melodies/Themes/Motives: Satisfactory in my opinion. You maintained a cohesive rhythmic structure throughout the Pavane and into the Galliard. Harmony/Chords/Textures: Truly the shining glory of this submission. You perfectly evoked the Renaissance style and harmonic movement. Form/Development/Structure/Time: The contrasting sections were nicely done and helped to bring balance to the piece. Originality/Creativity: While a beautifully rendered Renaissance-style dance suite, this was, in my opinion, neither original nor creative. Score Presenation: The score met the barest minimum requirements; there were no dynamics markings or tempo indications. If I were to conduct the piece based on the provided score, it would very likely sound nothing like the submitted recording. Instrumentation/Orchestration/Playability: I'm not even the slightest bit familiar with Renaissance-era instruments, hence I don't feel equipped to evaluate this aspect of the submission. Execution of Given Challenge: Unfortunately, this wonderfully crafted Renaissance dance suite did not remind of me of the Lombardy region aside from the historical possibility that pavanes and galliards were performed there at some point. Taste: To be frank, I liked the piece. It was well constructed and cohesive, with enough substance to maintain my curiosity throughout. Good job! Thanks for submitting, and happy composing! Jordan

Read Beethoven piano sonatas on the toilet instead of People magazine, and that is part of it.

There's many different ways to analyze pieces, so really, that's entirely up to you. For example, find a piece of music that you absolutely love. One of your favorites. Listen along with a score of the music. You could ask yourself any of the following questions: "What is it about this piece I love so much? Why did the composer/song writer choose this chord, or voice the chord this way? Why did the composer develop their material this way? The composer changed direction here -- why, and to what effect? What kind of thing(s) is the composer trying to express?" My word here, "analyze," sounds like dissecting a frog in a lab to understand its biological function. And you can literally analyze a piece, and assign all the chords and progressions, "this is the tonic, the dominant, subdominant, here's a lydian scale, etc." But simply mindful listening and meditating on what you're hearing, along with experimentation to see what works and what doesn't, goes a long way.

One piano sonata in 38 years of writing music. I am such a dumb Esel! 🤣 Ou en français, si vous préférez; what is the French for a donkey or Arsch? 🤣 I only write music when I feel like it. This is my major work of this Spring. At least it is a decent piano sonata. The ledger lines stay, no 8va. it is not a difficult sonata.

I've developed a free web app https://erhythm.org/ (disclosure: I'm the developer), it's a visual, interactive rhythm composer inspired by Godfried Toussaint's "The Geometry of Musical Rhythm". The core idea is simple: rhythm is represented as geometry. You place beats on a circle, the active beats connect to form a polygon, and you can immediately hear the pattern. Euclidean rhythms, polyrhythms, and world rhythms all become visually intuitive this way. As music educators or experienced musicians, do you think a geometry-based visual approach like this has real pedagogical value for beginners who haven't yet learned to read notation? Specifically I'm wondering: Can seeing rhythm as a polygon on a circle help a pre-notation learner feel and internalize rhythm more naturally? Would you consider integrating something like this into early lessons? Are there risks or limitations to this approach compared to starting with traditional notation? As a live example, here is a Bembé Afro-Cuban rhythm you can play and interact with directly: 👉 Try it here — https://erhythm.org/composer/r/bembe-afro-cuban?utm_source=youngcomposers.com I'd appreciate honest, critical feedback from anyone with teaching or learning experience.

This is a well-written and playful piano piece! I really liked the modulations — they add harmonic interest to the music. They are so smooth that I didn't even notice the beginning of the recapitulation at the four-minute mark when I listened to it. Very well done! Inspired by Schubert, perhaps? I always admire composers here who write sonatas. Nice autograph, but I had trouble keeping track of the score, maybe because I am not used to seeing tiny notes.😅

this sounds very outgoing. it does sound like going on a hike on a big mountainous region. i imagined those accented chords in the beginning as one seeing the big trees and gets a little overwhelmed by them. loooooove the harmonic color in this, very distinct and pretty. the chaotic contrapuntalness of this reminds me of richard strauss a bit ngl lol the 16th notes flourish on b.5 and scattered throughout is a bit questionable. i have seen those figures before and heard that its awkward to play. the inclusion of flute amongst the string quartet is unique, but i do think is buried against the quartet sometimes with those low register notes clashing against the loud dynamic strings. moreover, as @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu have said, i do think it couldve had the spotlights in more sections. with contrasts, i do notice them! they're not very stark but appropriate for a ~5 mins piece. score is Melodies Themes Motives 8 Harmony Chords Textures 10 Form Development Structure Time 8 Originality Creativity 10 Score Presentation 9 Instrumentation Orchestration Playability 8.5 Execution of Given Challenge 10 Taste 9 Average Score: 9.0625 end note: when i accidentally point at the top of a mountain but im just describing this piece

thank you for your comment! im glad u find it fun! may i ask how should i be analyzing other's work?

thank you for your comment! im glad you enjoyed it. i actually did play the piano before as well but stopped cuz i switched focus to the violin, lol!

i definitely can paint a landscape with this piece!! from the mechanical movements of the historical train to a stroll along a garden complex, it encapsulates the journey effectively. i like the depiction of the moving train itself using the tremolos and the wandering upward melody line. that upward melody line here signifies a "progress" i think? the B section is about taking a stroll through a garden complex and i notice it being used there but slowed down. the contrast between machines and nature is very clear: the mechanical dissonant of the old train and railway machinery is contrasted against the light wandering melody of the B section. the nightingale depiction with the trills is also neat. i wish the strings got a more prominent presence here!! theyre mainly used as a doubling with a piano and overshadowed by the two pianos imo. those low thirds on the cello (b8) might be difficult. its fun to read the score because how the programme is woven into it. i like reading what one passage is supposed to represent. and lastly, the story is just so simple yet warm. you take an old historical train in the evening to a garden and notice some nightingales, d'awwwww how cozy and nice i love itttt Melodies Themes Motives 8 Harmony Chords Textures 8 Form Development Structure Time 10 Originality Creativity 9 Score Presentation 8 Instrumentation Orchestration Playability 10 Execution of Given Challenge 10 Taste 8 Average Score: 8.9 end note: how i feel when describing the story

Most Classic Lovers dislike pop music Most Pop Lovers dislike Classic music I say : N-JOY !........................Years ago i had an old Television set.........................It only had 1 Channel.

Thank you very much, my friend. I’m glad you enjoyed it and appreciated it. Beethoven’s autographs, and especially his sketchbooks, always fill me with awe. They reveal just what an extraordinary composer he was. For me, studying his sketches is one of the most fascinating experiences, even though most of the time I don’t really understand what I’m looking at 😅. Still, being able to witness his creative process unfolding on the page is something truly unique.

I always feel smarter after I listen to your pieces, like I've learned something, or just feel inspired. What a gift! A prelude with all sorts of "gem" moments, some rather subtle. Measure 4 beats 3 and 4 are smooth as butter (props to Henry, of course). Ms. 14 2nd and 3rd beat are so clever. And it's so weird to hear a contrapuntal-heavy piece sound so ... homey and warmly nostalgic. The vibes are right. Thank you for sharing!

I like the sparse atmosphere, and I think you developed the material in a creative way on the 4th page, cranking up the dissonance a bit. This has an exotic flair to it. It's got a chill vibe, but a potent flavor. Cool! Thanks for sharing!

I think you have a lot of natural talent and creativity. Attending a class for something is nice, and can be really helpful, but there's really no substitute for just doing something and seeing and hearing for yourself what works, and what doesn't. Listening to and analyzing what other composers have done is an incredible education in and of itself. It's impressive that you wrote this in such a playable and natural way! I hope you hold on to this colorful whimsy, too. Thanks for sharing! This was a lot of fun to listen to.

Just a little update on reviewers and their reviews: @TristanTheTristan you've done 6 reviews - you need 2 more to get the Welterweight Reviewer badge, otherwise you will be a Featherweight Reviewer @ferrum.wav you've also done 6 and need 2 more for Welterweight @HoYin Cheung you've done 5 and need 3 more for Welterweight @Fruit hunter you've done 7 and need 1 more for Welterweight @UncleRed99 you've done 4 and qualify for Featherweight Reviewer

I love this, particularly since I'm a sucker for heavy reverb, The harmonies are quirky, in a good way. The only thing that really sticks out to me is specifically ms. 10. I'm craving some kind of descending bass there, to offset the parallel motion, especially since that mirrors mss. 33-34. Maybe L.H. E-Eb-D-C#, and last chord is A/C#? Keeps the chromatic flavor. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing this, this is really lovely.

This is a project I have slowly worked on for about a year. Thoughts/comments/criticisms welcome. (The scores are messy at many parts, I will clean it up later!) Prelude No 1.mp3Prelude No 2.mp3Prelude No 3.mp3Prelude No 4.mp3Prelude No 5.mp3Prelude No 6.mp3Prelude No 7.mp3Prelude No 8.mp3Prelude No 9.mp3Prelude No 10.mp3 Prelude No. 1.pdf Prelude No. 2.pdf Prelude No. 3.pdf Prelude No. 4.pdf Prelude No. 5.pdf Prelude No. 6.pdf Prelude No. 7.pdf Prelude No. 8.pdf Prelude No. 9.pdf Prelude No. 10.pdf

hey this is pretty great! I've never really had concrete composition classes, so I can't give any specific tips but I do play a bit of piano and enjoyed this quite a bit. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your creativity!

MelodiesThemes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of GivenChallenge Taste 8.7 7 9 9.5 9.8 9.5 10 5.8 Avg.. 8.66 Everything is well, but this wasn’t really my cup of tea, though I can you should really take the taste category with a grain of salt as again, that is very arbitrary Anyways, you did a really good job exploring the wide range of mood and emotion

Title MelodiesThemes Motives Harmony Chords Textures Form Development Structure Time Originality Creativity Score Presentation Instrumentation Orchestration Playability Execution of Given Challenge Taste AVG The Voyage of a Lone Ship 9 9 7.8 9.8 9.5 7.8 4.5 9.6 8.37 Overall, you did a really good job with the piece the one gripe I only have though is just some of the double stops in quadruple stops could be impossible. You did a really good job of storytelling. The reason why i tanked your execution score Just like all the other responses, this exceeds the eight minute maximum however though I must give where credit credit is due as I think that the nine minutes was all enjoyable and wasn’t a huge problem musically This is a good story, but it doesn’t correspond to a specific landscape strongly but anyways good work

thank you so much for your comment!