Leaderboard

I decided to write for trio plus voice using a poem by Sarah Mangold. The poem at first seems quite bizarre. The list of observations ("celestial winds", "rainbows", "kidneys", "gesture of remembrance") highlights the randomness and diversity of things we might notice in life. Each has its own significance but it's unclear which will ultimately matter. So as a result the poem makes little sense, until some thought is put into it. "Perishing the keeper" might refer to the inevitability of death and the loss of those who hold or keep memories, knowledge, or roles. "Footless birds of paradise" combines a paradoxical image with a symbol of exotic beauty. Birds of paradise are known for their stunning appearance and unique behaviors. The term "footless" might suggest something unattainable or ethereal, enhancing the sense of mystery and beauty. I decided to put this poem to music by having a feeling of indeterminacy. There's a home, it's all tonal, by it is all unstable. You'll notice a lack of slurs and articulation, instead just the word "dry"; there is in general supposed to be lack of 'emotion', in a unuseful placidity. Let me know if this is effective or what I could do better.

Hey all! Sorry I've been gone for a bit...life was very busy. But here's a little piece I started this morning in FL Studio. The idea for the main recurring motif popped into my head and I had free time, so...I went to work! In this specific project I used my usuals, BBCSO Discover, Intimate Strings, Epic Choirs...but also Amadeus Symphonic for the brass this time around. I took the feedback I've gained here of varying my works and making them more engaging...hoping this one is doing that so far! (I've only had a couple hours at it so far). One thing I tried in this was to add a little variation on the main theme in there, which was fun. In my mind this song, or the main theme at least, represents a wide open unknown...and that within it that is "Beyond Our Sight". Hence the title. But as always, I'd love to know what imagery this brings about for you! Looking forward to your feedback and compositions and hope you enjoy the listen!

Old Macdonald in the style of Tchaikovsky's 'Trepak' from his Nutcracker ballet. Trepak - Old McDonald.mid

A very enigmatic work .... in the most positive way. Hard to pinpoint the style ... it has a turn of the century operatic feel to it. There were a few moments I felt the piano accompaniment could have been a bit lighter to let the clarinet sine a bit more. I liked it very much. 😃 Mark

I listened to it again, with the 6 voice fugue afterwards, and it's a really beautiful diptych. My impressions are very... impressionistic and un-technical. First of all, I dig the two pieces together so much more than individually (and I like them individually as well!). The fragmented character of the lamentoso comes to unity in the fugue, providing balance and, in a sense, closure. I vaguely remembered the pentatonic theme/atmosphere from the first movement, and I was happy to hear it resurface in the perhaps most beautiful episode of the lamentoso at 170-196, but I forgot that it becomes the first theme of the fugue! and I forgot that towards the end the fugue also transitions into pentatonic territory, so seamlessly and beautifully. Wonderful. Given that I seem to remember that the first movement has a lot of pentatonic elements, I feel that this gives such a strong narrative force to the sextett and I can't wait to have the time to listen to first and second movement consecutively in one session. Also, forgot that the Razumowsky-esque "sighs" reappear in the fugue as well. Other observations: it's remarkable how you keep very tightly together a movement that not only has many themes but also many "souls". For instance, I like very much that (it might be my own feeling, unintended by the composer, of course) at the beginning (around 34ff) and then later on (147-155), the music and the singing of the voices become somewhat operatic. I really like how the triplets at the beginning are unexpected and really create sudden tension, drama, and darken a mood already dark. I like the high cello register at 47 and the dialogue with the other voices that follows it. However at 61-67 maybe it would be possible to have less intensity, fewer voices conversing, and then, as it is, have them all join together in the 74ff episode. I really like the powerfully expressive, late-beethovenian trills at around 110 (also appearing in a similar fashion in the fugue, though more regimented there). So to me there is the general sturm-und-drang tension and drama, but also opera-like singing and recitativi, there's the dialogue between classical harmony and pentatonic episodes (again so beautifully and seamlessly driving one into the other, esp in the fugue), and other things I'm surely forgetting now, or I didn't even realize they're there... and although all this wealth sometimes does feel a bit like a bunch of siblings fighting for attention (but they're all so cool and beautiful and well behaved), in the end they all coalesce and are elevated in the magisterial 6 part counterpoint. Can't wait to listen to the next chapter of this beautiful journey!

This is so cool, creative and fun, retaining both styles honestly while weaving into something new altogether! Interesting modulations towards the end!

The wacky adventures of Inspector Looso - New Fetchflix TV Show soundcloud.com/user-461764443/sets/the-wacky-adventures-of Mr. Wong is this famous Chinese virtuoso pianist that was invited at the Gaveau Hall in Paris to play Syrel’s 69th piano concerto in A-flat Minor Opus 666, also called “The Brain Miner” Concerto. The Brain Miner, Piano Concerto 13th movement falls in a crack of the piano repertoire and has a bad reputation among the pianist community. Indeed, it is considered unplayable by the Young Composers and most pianists that try to play it. Not because it is difficult, even though it requires large hands, but because of some special evil and dissonant chords that makes the pianist fall into a depression when reading the score. Usually after reading this score a pianist would start to enjoy Salieri’s music or even worst reading over and over John Cage 4’33” score believing he would learn something from it (Yes! this brutally silent masterpiece is called 4’33”). Just after the concert Mr.Wong was supposed to meet his future and lovely bride, Som Ting, at the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur de Montmartre for his wedding but he never showed up. Young Inspector Looso was assigned the investigation by his boss hoping that this time he would not gently caress up. Som Ting Wong is waiting for Inspector Looso at the “Le Con” Restaurant near the Basilica. Will young Inspector Looso be there to meet Som Ting and will he be able to find Mr. Wong. Let’s hope Mr. Wong will not be found with A-Sharp knife stabbed in the chest? Music: Syrel Photography: Syrel, Paris 2016 For your Health & Safety the score was not made available for reading. Your call is important for us but we prefer that you listen to the music instead of looking and copying my score. LOL Musical Notes: The chord progression is partially based on the “Étude de sonorités #2” by the great Canadian composer François Morel and you young pianist/composers should try to play that at more than 104 bpm before saying it’s unplayable because there are many pianist who can.

Hi @Nazariy! Wonderful piece! It reminds me of a peaceful village or town music from a role-playing game although it also clearly has concert-piece potential. I love how you linger on certain notes in the melody of the Clarinet like at meas. 9 & 55 where you stay on the B even though the previous melodic contour makes the listener expect another resolution of a descending whole step. That's the kind of thing that makes the melody very memorable, unique and more interesting, rather than cookie-cutter (if you had also done a descending whole step there it would definitely be a predictable move). On a side note, have you considered having this played by an A Clarinet instead of Bb? Since this piece is in A major it would be in C major for an A Clarinet (and hence, much easier than the Bb Clarinet's key of B major). Thanks for sharing this beautiful piece!

Hi, Nazariy! This is a beautiful piece of work. I really enjoyed all the dynamic contrast in the B section. There are moments like 2:25 where I wish I could hear the clarinet just a bit more, but perhaps it was your choice to have it so closely intertwined with the piano. Thank you for sharing! I can hear the joy.

The clarinet and piano complements one another very well, whether it is the give and take, question or answer, or use of chords and arpeggios for the piano, or runs in the melodies for the Clarinet. the feeling of general ease is well-balanced with the slightly more mysterious phrases. This works nicely as both as a piece in itself, a background music piece or even a programmatic piece. Have you thought of modulating this to A maj or any other key for contrasts?

Apologies for the (very) delayed reply. My past couple weeks have been busy, and I've been a bit under the weather. I appreciate your feedback and am glad to hear you enjoy it! And I had wondered if it was okay to extend those sections, or if they needed to stay shorter. So I may work on extending and realizing them more. I really did want an adventurous feel for this, and wanted to establish that from the start...so I'm glad to know that it worked! And I love throwing some bassoon in there in those darker moments. It is such an evil sounding instrument! Always appreciate the feedback, Henry!

Hey @Layne, The opening is very wide open and grand with those brass chords and high strings. Then suddenly there’s an adventure going without those triangles, but the epic narrative comes back. I hope the adventure lasts longer! Then there’s the ominous dark power of bassoon (that freakingly evil bassoon!), and then some struggle between C major and minor! I like the piece very much. What I would like is a rondo structure. The opening theme is great, it’s only the contrasting episodes which you can extend each of them!! Thx for sharing! Henry