All Activity

It is a pretty nice soundfont, eh? Well done, with some nice dynamics peaks and valleys that sound very justified. I think I'm with @PeterthePapercomPoser on a lot of my feelings; it sounds like there's a little bit of inconsistent energy throughout the work. You set up, for instance, a really compelling idea starting at m. 12, and it grows from there, but over time it feels like the energy dissipates even though my brain wants it to go further. I remember feeling like the slow stuff after the faster notes was in some sort of alla breve and it was really cool, but it stayed there, and it felt like it died out a bit. I think letting one or two of your instruments have some contrapuntal rhythmic drive would go a long way, even if it's just some generic "have more notes here" kinda writing. m. 32–33 is a prime example of this for me; what a cool little entrance figure—it'd be awesome if that rhythmic profile continued! But it just kind of stops, in my opinion. Like this passage from Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream "Overture" is just a bunch of half notes with one note being repeated a bunch under it and it does the job (timestamped) : https://youtu.be/qU0d0zuNn7k?t=92 Basically, give yourself the time to build! It ain't an ice sculpture 🙂 Nitpicks: 1. m. 17, better to have the dotted quarter as a quarter tied to an eighth. 2. m. 14 and all bars like it in T2, you might consider having things beamed by the beat for easier reading. 3. The triplet figure in mm. 3 and 7 feel a little inconclusive ending on different notes for some reason. Not sure why, that's pretty common. Maybe something to do with the support in the rest of the ensemble. Nice little work!

This popped up in my sidebar. I'm 5 years late to this conversation, but I have to add in an OST I don't think is being mentioned in this thread (as far as I've read anyhow). ALL time favorite video game OST has to be, hands down, The Halo Trilogy (+ODST and Reach OSTs) Soundtracks. Or rather, the original Bungie soundtracks composed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori. One of their tracks also featured Steve Vai (😎) which is too epic to ignore. Here's a couple of my favorite tracks throughout the years of my childhood playing Halo and now in my adulthood, can much better appreciate the artistic work that went behind these, in their totality. (I have a transcription feat. Halo: Reach tracks, in my pocket that I don't think I've shared here that I will share soon 🙂 This is the first track in that Medley) This one has always struck a chord in my heart. It's the piece you hear at the end of Halo 3: the end of the trilogy. We all thought this would be the last game in the Bungie saga. So for the credits to roll with this piece being the sound that walked us into that slow fade to black, is nostalgic as all h3ll 😞 Here's probably one of my all time favorite tracks from O'Donnell and Salvatori. Just allowing that backing track to take you on a journey, with the subtle sound of Rain, and the amount of space given for the sounds from the Piano & Saxophone to just resonate in your memory for a bit, was just genius. Just a few examples... Much much more work in those games that just strike a chord. An Honorable mention, from the 343 Industries team when they took over for Halo 4 and beyond, would be the Halo 4 track; Kazuma Jinnouchi did very very well to pay homage to O'Donnell and Salvatori here. Really allowed me to respect what the Composers did for this game's track, well. I was afraid I wouldn't like this title entry. But the music saved it for sure, in my eyes.

Hi, there. Most of this looks pretty good. I echo a lot of @JorgeDavid's notes, particularly: I also noticed that m. 23 has both voices move above the highest note of m. 22 (voice overlap). m. 32 also has a repeated note going into m. 33. One of these things that is, like, not really wrong, but feels like an augmentated second-species counterpoint, so we try to avoid them. There's a 3-6 linear intervallic pattern (sequence) in the first exercise, which is one of those things that feels like it should be fine because it's not parallel imperfect consonances, but falls short in feeling like the voices are moving independently (the historical point of these exercises, arguably). Keep it up!

Wonderful little work. The <sol, fa, me> imitation at the end is one of those little things that make me smile when I hear them. Not sure if you're a stickler for conventions. It's entirely possible you know better than me; I'm sure they're likely one of those things that you see in the repertoire and you teach students not to do it anyway (happens a lot), but: 1. I notice an augmented second in m. 3. Odder still is that it's followed by a leap. 2. In m. 7, the second beat has one of two potential issues: either it's a iv chord without a third (!!!) or it's a iiø6/5 without the fifth, which students are taught that when you have an inverted seventh chord, all the chord tones should be present. It sounds great so who cares—and like I said, it looks like you probably know more than I do about the actual Baroque conventions—but they're just things that popped out. I'd be interested to know if they are just stylistic norms that I don't know!

Haha thx Vince, you are right that the 16 year old Henry couldn't play this at all, nor could he finish the whole piece! I just feel somewhat bored while having no output for several months despite lots of input, so I chose this one to rework! Henry

Thank you Sam! I don't know why the 16 year old Henry decided to modulate to F major at that time but looks like it work! I do like the climactic section, it's the section I revise a bit since the 16 year old Henry only left drafts in it lol!! Henry

Found this in a SMW rom hack race level with the help of some kind YouTuber commenters! Beyond the Hill - Kirby Return to Dreamland:

Ah, hahaha! How could I have forgotten about the "Three Blind Mice" song? Yeah I can definitely hear the resemblance now. You didn't come across as too critical at all! I think we need more reviewers and string aficionados like you to be more active here giving the members some really great and much needed advice! Thanks for your input!

Ah, I meant the children's song, "Three Blind Mice." Surely you've heard it (attached)? Anyway, it was fun to come back and see what's up. I mean, that's totally fair; the arco would definitely give it a sharper bite. And nah, wouldn't be too quick; they player would keep the hand in the bow position while plucking it (though they may complain about it). Obviously, up to you. I realize I may have come across as too negative with all the criticism—I think this piece is super cool and I'd love to hear the version with the expanded middle section if you ever get to it.

Thanks! It's been a hot minute since you've been here! Glad to see you reviewing again! As mentioned in the description - the piece is inspired by the show "Wednesday" as in Wednesday Addams from the Addams Family. I haven't seen Three Blind Mice either. Ah, yes. I haven't thought about how the roll suddenly includes more notes and in that regard, contradicts the decrescendo. Perhaps in a performance the number of notes in the stop could be reduced, maybe all the way down to only two notes as you suggested. I kind of like them arco. Besides, wouldn't it be too much switching between arco and pizzicato too quickly? Perhaps you're right there. I had planned for the middle contrasting section to be longer giving the key change more utility/necessity. Your nit-picks are also duly noted. Thanks again for your detailed review!

Cool stuff. I'm gonna guess you were quoting Three Blind Mice; I haven't seen the show. If not—well, you might have reinvented the wheel. A couple things: 1. I'm not sure how I like the quiet rolls at the ends of phrases. I know they're possible, but they're gonna be a little awkward and take time, delaying the nice quiet resolution. If I were to suggest a change, I'd maybe consider doing a two note thing (like a grace note + final note kinda thing), with some rolled figure in the keyboard to supplement the effect. 2. I'm guessing you want your many grace notes to connect to the triplet figure that come after them? I'd suggest being really explicit about that if so; string players are literal (e.g., don't bother giving string players phrasing slurs). 3. mm. 23–24 and 72–73: My brain kind of wants to hear some of these plucked for some timbral variety, especially since the keyboard takes over there. Something like the first note is arco, the others are plucked, until the anacrusis to the next bar. 4. I don't think your slow section needs a key signature change, personally, especially because I don't hear your key centers as the implied I–bVI–IV of A-flat major. Think of it like musical theater: you change keys so goddamn much that sometimes it ain't worth it. (Also F-flat major is kinda obnoxious to read). Nitpicks: a. Could use some more courtesy accidentals, when used in succession. For instance, throw a courtesy in m. 41 just for funsies. b. D/C double stop is kinda annoying, and very sad that it moves to Eb/A, which can't use the open A. I see the voice leading, it could maybe be a little more practical, though. c. Make sure dynamics are on the notes played. I think we really only put dynamics if it's "n" at the end of the note's duration. Maybe it's for the playback. d. Last measure: take out the rests in the right hand, since it's written like the right hand is doing a register transfer to a lower octave. Really fun stuff. Congrats.

For your interested ..... improved harmony, better support for the singers, removed parallel motion, some tweaks in the piano score. Here's the finished version .... Sing It Loud 9-25-25.mp3

Uton mid blisse dancian! Lovely work ... Mark

In measure 4, over the Bb chord you have parallel 5ths between Horn (concert G and Ab) and Bassoon (C and Db). Also in measure 6, beat 3 you have the Horn on concert C while the Bassoon plays Bb - is that intentional? Looks great so far!

Awesome Henry! I bet 16 year old Henry couldn't play like this recording 😄 Well done, it's good to hear music from you again!

Wow! The piece unfolds and reaches climax quite effectively. I can totally see how the music itself demanded a modulation to F major there lol—and it works great! The fugato section was a nice touch with theme A as the episode and theme B as the subject. I like how the climactic section cools down with plagal harmonies iv—I, gives a bittersweet aftertaste to all the previous agitation. That’s why the decision to end it on the major version of the tonic was a good choice. Such a competent and fluent work!

Oh my, that's definitely it. 😮 Wrote this melody for the French horn to play as a prelude-esque intro. I tried to give nods to the main melody,but I also don't want to make it too redundant. Any feedback there? I struggle a bit with melody writing, especially when I've already written some material that I just love lol.

Thx Vasilis! Henry

This is incredible. So inspired and perfect structured. Well done my dear Henry. 👏

I'll quote for you another passage from Chapter 32 of Gabor Mate's "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts" - a book about addictions. The author talks about his addiction to buying CDs of orchestral and classical music:

Hi long time for no posting! I decided to post an old work of mine.This Nocturne in C-sharp minor is a juvenile work of me as a 16 year old. I didn't think much at the time of composing, but I did write in the style of Chopin Nocturne then. And then a sudden thought caused me to have a 1st try in fugue in 2:35! I revised the work recently to improve on some voice leadings and transitions except passages after the fugato, but retained as much the original intention as I can as a 16 year old then. The work, even though as immature as it is, does reflect some of my feelings then. Here is the Youtube video and the score of the piece: (Final Draft) Nocturne in C sharp minor.pdf This work can be regarded as in a rondo structure: 0:00 1st part(A), typical Chopin Nocturne texture. Don't know why I modulated the music to F major but the music did so himself... 0:58 2nd part(B) Main melody in F major, but with a new b motive in b.31-32 1:35 3rd part (A') The main melody in the original key can't wait to enter... Gets more agitated and cools down. 2:35 4th part (B'). A fugato using motive b as subject and main melody as episode, modulates once more to F major 3:57 Last part and coda (A''): The A section returns with some registeral change, then gets more agitated. 4:29 is the climax of the piece which is my favourite too, I like the agitation in it. 4:47 starts the coda and finally the mood cools down and ends in tonic major. I played the recording myself. I do make one major slip in 3:22 but the recording is otherwise good enough for me. Feel free to leave comment below! Henry

I find it hard to parse what you want the harmony to be in this measure. And there is a parallel 4th between Violin I and Contrabass across the measure line (C to Eb in Contrabass, F to Ab in Violin I). Maybe that might also be a source of your dissatisfaction?

@PeterthePapercomPoser thank you! I agree, I already look back at it and cringe a litle bit, though I like it quite a bit for a attempt. honestly I agree with you on when the piece should have finished, I just had this last phrase as an idea in my head for a while and I kind of wanted an exuse to use it

I listened to the opening movement, and loved it! It's sparse and haunting, then shifts halfway through to become mysterious and tense, like a Film Noir. Congrats on completing this major work. Will try to listen to the other movements when I have time.