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HI @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu Thank so much for the review. 1. Bach would be rolling in his grave. He avoided direct octaves. I could edit that and make it more playable. 2. Great idea about adding dynamics. That was something I was trying to sort out, but, alas...couldn't. 3. Although the key is F min, I want the tonal focus on the piece to be v (C). And I wanted to use chromaticism to push the piece further away from I. I am glad to share my works, Kvothe. P.s. My musical style and taste is endless. 🙂

Thanks for the advice. I tried two different other ways of combining the two Carols together so that they would finish their stanzas at the same time. My first attempt was to use a 6/8 variation of "God Rest..." while having the "Jezuz Malusieńki" in 3/4. There were 3 trailing measures at the end of "God Rest..." solo without "Jezus...". In another variation I had both Carols in 3/4 and had 4 measures of "God Rest..." solo without "Jezus...". Also, "God Rest..." has a pick-up anacrusis note while "Jezus..." starts right on the beat. The staggered entrances I used in the mash-up were my solution to these problems with the goal being to have both Carols coincide and finish their stanzas at the same time. I don't think there's any other way of achieving that - I think I tried quite a few alternate ways.

I say lead because after the exposition of each of the carol melodies in section A, it's always the English melody beginning the passage before the Polish melody follows two beat later. This happens in the beginning of section B, C, D and E. Even though there is change of the voices which is assigned the melodiees, I still think there can be some variations on the order of the appearence of the melodies, i.e. have the Polish Melody appears first and followed by the English melody!

Hi @Kvothe! In normal pieces I will find those parallel fifths and octaves between the melody and the ground bass unsettling, but here it well fits the mood! I do think the mood is well portrayed! I like the thicker texture and motivic writing in section B. But beware of passages like b.32-34, as no piainist would be able to play a 11th interval on a piano, maybe only on a harpsichord. Also more details can be for sure added like the dynamics. I don't get what you mean; the piece is in F minor and the tonic is always heard! Thx for sharing! Henry

Both the English and the Polish melodies are tossed around the different registers of the choir, sometimes being in the Sopranos, sometimes in the Basses, Baritones or Tenors. Is that what you mean? I don't really think either Carol melody "leads" in this piece.

Maybe instead of having the English melody leading the Polish melody, make a new counterpoint with the Polish melody taking the lead? That will avoid the more boring repeititons!

Hey @HoYin Cheung! Sorry for reviewing a piece related to Double Ninth Fest even though it's almost Christmas now lol! I for certain the change of style in your new piece! The use of pentatonism is lovely. I love the contrast between the passage of a more ironic strings interlude with a more dissonant language and the passages with the voice which is more consonant and pentatonic. My fav. passage is in b.67 when you use that Eb major and followed by Gb major with great effect and matching the poetic line for broadening effects: "Living short as people always were, Why should we weep at the mountain like Duke Jing of Qi?" Thx for sharing! Henry

I felt like I had to find a way to include all 6 stanzas of each Carol in the piece! And the modulations are each prepared by a V chord right before each modulation (in bar 73 the F major chord prepares the modulation to Bb minor and in bar 113 the modulation to B minor is prepared with a Gb major chord). Thanks for your review!

Yo Peter, I find this mashup musically sound, despite they are in different keys! They don't sound in clash to me, even in passages like b.54. Except I don't like the cheap device of raising a semitone for repetition like many pop songs do, I think you can just stop in b.73! Thx for sharing! Henry

My 2nd submission to the event!

For my 2nd submission to this year's Christmas Music Event I come to you with yet another mash-up of two Christmas Carols! "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and "Jezus Malusieńki" ("Little Jesus" in Polish). I have input 6 stanzas of each Carol here into the score. I once again wish I had Cantamus as listening to both the English and Polish lyrics at the same time would really enhance the listening experience to those who speak both languages. The piece starts off with a 3/4 variation of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" and then follows a stanza of "Jezus Malusieńki" before the Carols are combined together at the same time in various different ways, some of which are slightly polytonal. I've been told that the harmony reminds of the English Renaissance in some parts, but let me know what you think! Thanks for listening and I'd appreciate any comments, suggestions, critiques or just observations! P.S.: Here is my first Christmas Mash-up that I submitted earlier for this years Christmas Music Event:

@PeterthePapercomPoser Below you will find my review for your chorale Taste: This piece seemingly uses two traditional Christmas chorales. We can hear how one lead into the other with no hiccups. The general audience might not notice the subtle transition, but those who perform it and the carols will. This will be great piece for concert. Instrumentation: The string accompaniment provides harmonic support for the vocal. We do not hear strings often. It is often an organ. But organs cliche. To answer if this playable? Playable is not correct word. Singable is. Yes a choir can and should. The score can easy to read and follow. No issues here. Others have mentioned: it reminds them of ET 3 or Mozart or Haydn. Those great choices, but homophonic texture with harmonic language reminds of Tchaikovsky; and maybe beethoven?

This is an accompanied recitative in the late Baroque style. The text is taken from Goethe's Unbregrenzt (unbounded). I have also attached the aria "Nun Töne Lied". These form a recit-aria pair, part of my WIP cantata.

Valid point. I thought, maybe, starting at species counterpoint might be easier. 😉

Unfortunately, I was not able to join this round. The holiday season is busy for me: traveling to see family. However, what I can do, is review member compositions that are not related to the competition. That way, my reviewing activity help in other means. I want to 1:1 ratio for me. I hope others will follow my example. 🙂

Hello Jonathon, A very passionate and stormy work, beautifully delivered with your well-executed playing. All those octaves, arpeggios and runs are quite impressive, I have to say. This sonata reminds me of the romantic era with it's programmatic nature; I can clearly hear the motifs inspired by your 5th sonata. My only gripe with the piece is that it seems to get a little bombastic from m. 201 -209, especially since you have a loud recapitulation. Perhaps, a contrasting section or build up maybe better, in order to lead to audience into the recap. Those are just my thoughts though. Great work on this, I can tell a lot of effort was put in, both in the composition and playing.

It's impossible to say where to start without knowing where you presently are.

It will be way too early to learn counterpoint if you cannot read score and know the basics of music theory first!

I have book recommendations: 1. You'll need solid ground in counterpoint: Getting Started with Species Counterpoint: Williams, Victoria: 9798296673176: Amazon.com: Books Convertible Counterpoint in the Strict Style (Classic Reprint): Serge Ivanovitch Taneiev: 9780332047874: Amazon.com: Books Counterpoint by Walter Piston (1947) Hardcover: unknown author: Amazon.com: Books Knowing counterpoint, will be your first stop. 🙂 After that, you can move on to harmony, form, and orchestration.

Hi @UncleRed99 I can hear with this piece could lead to. Your A section is slow. You have homophonic textures and short piano section that creates interest. This is not half bad. Also, the percussion, chimes to add color. I feel that middle section (B) could be faster and have different thematic material and textures. Romeo and Juilet overture does this well: it starts with chorale section. Then slowly builds to A section that leads B section. ABA is the overal structure. 🙂

Hello everyone! I know it has been a while since I have upload a piece of music. That's because I went to balance uploads with reviewing, and sometimes I might be busy with my own compositions. This piece I am sharing with you is a solo piece for piano. Here is my goals this piece: 1. A short piece no more than 1-2 minutes. 2. I want to a write a piece a minor; however, you do not hear tonic. 3. It uses dissonance to establish dark, foreboding mood 4. You may think...Mussorgsky? Maybe? 5. Uses a short motive through out the piece to create variations. I can not think anything. Let me know what you think. I used to Audacity to render the wav to a mp3.

I think that is possible: no one ever anyone seriously if they use AI. Midi mockups have to approved by studios before sessions musicians (if there is a budget) can see the score. In a concert works, professional score has to be delivered with parts to the director and the librarian. AI will not cut it.

I was just looking up the Cantai thing you've been talking about. I don't know that it's "AI" in the way that Suno and the others are AI. It seems like a more advanced version of Noteperformer and sample-based synthesis that allows for cloud rendering. But the main distinction is that it can actually play back the sheet music you give it. Music-generation platforms like Suno can't so as expected, OP was full of ѕhіt I do think that if AI stays around and gets to the point that it can actually realize an accurate orchestral (or other) mockup from MIDI/sheet music, it will be over for sample library developers. At least until AI collapses under its own weight, which I still think is probably inevitable.