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I concur! I’ve done it many times. the original key change was just taking the last chord in movement 1 (Ab Minor) and modulating to Ab Major, which also worked, but I think I like the sound overall of the F Major key better, in all honesty. It fits well with the notation. Very little adjustment was needed to keep everyone in range, and the timbre is much richer, with a more powerful “uhmph” at the large Tutti sections of that movement. Bass Clarinet and Horns really pack a driving punch! I’ll update the score and audio shortly

I think it works! Would certainly be an easier key for the musicians to read. Tertiary shifts (i.e. modulating key up or down by a major or minor third) are quite a common device I think.

Hi @piajo, I know I love the beginning section of "I don't know"! I am less in liking of the contrasting sentence in 1:10 but I like the later section. I like the ending as well. For "I got it wrong" I don't think you got ot wrong! I love those quartal chords. Thx for sharing! Henry

Quasi un santo (Almost a Saint) is by original symphonic composition characterized by a simple melody and straightforward harmony. The piece showcases an interplay of solo instruments, weaving together to create a unique and intriguing tonal color. This is an excerpt from the composition, which is still a work in progress. I would be very interested in hearing any feedback or thoughts—do you think I should continue developing it further?

It is a rare treat to read such detailed analysis. Thanks for your comment.

Hehe 😅I suppose I favor flats, due to my background as a trumpet player. I always found flats easier to read than sharps, personally. And transposition was done with Musescore's built in transpose function, for all of my scoring. For this one in particular, I originally scored it out as 1 key throughout both movements. 1st movement was in Bb Minor, and Movement 2 was in G Major. I simply selected the sections that I wanted key changes in, and using the circle of fifths, in conjunction with the leading tones of the measure preceding the key changes to make a determination on modulation. I will admit, having never completed my bachelors degree in music theory and trumpet performance, and having been a mechanic since I left school, my literacy with notation is a bit lacking. It was always the part that confused me the most. However, I was most proficient with knowing what to play and when, with my horn, how to express intended emotions through my instrument, and when it came to scores, I could easily identify parallel fifths and 7ths, though, if I'm honest, I likely don't share the same capability as 19 year old me... I appreciate you taking a look at my score, even with its terrible literacy 🤣 I certainly enjoyed writing it, and will make improvements such as what you suggest, as I am made aware of areas that are in need of them, or whenever I notice them myself. (You should've seen how bad my beaming was, in the beginning 🫣) Thank you, Alex 🙂

Hi Kyle. This is a nicely scored piece! One thing I'd suggest, is you consider using G# minor instead of Ab minor for the second movement (and late first movement). Five sharps are much easier to read than seven flats! There are also a few enharmonic spelling errors. E.g. In trumpet 1 Bar 37, Db would make more sense than C#. Bar 21 oboes should have a Gb instead of F#. Bar 25 clarinets have a diminished 7th built on F#. Think this should be built on C natural, since the transposed key signature is C minor. That means the correct spelling has a Gb instead of F#, and Bbb instead of A natural. The way to think of this, is that a diminished 7th is a series of minor thirds stacked on top of each other: so in C minor, you would have: C, Eb, Gb, Bbb. Hope that helps.

Hello everyone, Here is my last little composition, this time for piano and singing. Text full of bitterness by Jules Laforgue, whom I love so much, for this very particular language, a mixture of strangeness and almost ridiculous simplicity. Do not hesitate for any remarks or criticisms. I know I'm not very in tune with my time... And that I still cultivate the impressionist nostalgia somewhat... But well... ok.

Thank you for your attentive listening. I admit that I have moved on to other occupations since the writing of this piece and you are grateful that you can bring me back a little to the time of this composition. I am very happy that my little harmonic tricks win your support. You must have noticed that when you walk on the edge of the tone, you can get trapped by ease and convention, and soon also make big beginner mistakes that are then understood as writing clumsiness. It is therefore a little challenge to play on these lines while trying not to fall into the traps. There is sometimes some left (you must have heard something that crumples me: on the words "plaquant un dernier accord", I left the delay and the note delayed at the same time, telling myself that I was going to correct this later to make the line clearer. Especially since it is the evocation of the "dernier accord, last chord", so a certain furtive dissonance was my goal, Because this last chord could only be slightly dissonant, but here, I find afterwards that the idea lacks precision of execution and is understood as a clumsiness rather than as a will. That's how it is ; I have to accept to leave failed things according to my own criteria (others will find that the whole thing is failed Haha). You are also right about the possible use of unacorda, which I generally love Because I consider it a very important piano timbre game, especially in chamber music. It is also something that could have been done easily. And there was a card to play just as you emphasize between the sound and the meaning on the cotton in the ears. The reason is very trivial: I don't have a unacorda on my master keyboard. I didn't recorded the piano not on my digital piano (a clavinova) which is to the right of my desk, not very easy, but on the Komplete keyboard that is just under my hands when I am sitting in front of my machines, and there is only one midi pedal for the sostenuto. That's what I can say. And thank you again! Your opinion is precious to me!

I have actually! While I still stuck with the general 3/3/3/2 pattern, I believe I've made it work well, at the end of it. As Stated, it was my first time writing with this time signature. I was inspired by one of my favorite driving-music artists I listen to while I'm traveling. Band named "Plini", their song "11 Nights". It took me like 3 listen-through's to figure out it was in 11/8, since I'd never heard it before, and figured I'd mess with it in the orchestral genre. But if you would like to see the most up to date version of this piece, click here! It's in the forum 🙂 Comment there on the finished product, and lemme know if that's any better for ya

Hey Peter, As I have said before, the polytonal variation is wierdly wonderful like a sweet with a salty coating which makes the sweet sweeter. I would love the piano accompaniment to continue after the intro! Thx for sharing! Henry

Hey @Alex Weidmann, It sounds grand and promising! I don't think it's from other music! For me I would leave the D major ending at the very end of the piece like the ending of a Dorian Mode piece in a Renaissance setting. But other than that, it's up to you! It depends on how you conceive your piece's structure, like you can have a climactic opening, and anti-climactic middle section and an even more climactic ending, or just a quieter opening with climax after it! Thx for sharing! Henry

I do tend to approach pieces more like soundtrack to a film or TV show. So yes, definitely more of an atmosphere setting piece with recurring motifs. And, I have actually been working on something faster paced! Hoping to share it soon. But have been sidetracked this weekend with a piece I posted today as an experiment using live recorded vocals for parts. Thank you for your continued help and feedback, and it's great to hear that there are signs of growth in this skill.

Hi @Layne! I like how you're exploring more unusual scales/modes. You start out in C minor with a #4. And you use lots of unresolved dissonance to create tension. You venture outside of your original tonality into C# minor even. Then you go into a section that mixes major and minor seamlessly creating a very unique sound that I'd describe as "yearning". You're growing and your harmonic choices are becoming more daring and extended. What I perceive as some weak points of your approach is that most of your stuff is slow and the melodies extended over a long period of time. Have you written anything fast and exhilarating like a scherzo? This approach allows you to easily write pieces of considerable length because your melodic material is so stretched out over time that it's diffuse and dissolved. I can't for example easily whistle or hum any of your melodies after listening to your music because your melodies aren't happening rapidly enough to be "catchy". Maybe you intend this to be more background cinematic-style music with a set mood that has to be sustained for a long time? Those are my thoughts - thanks for sharing!

Pleasant to listen to. The consonant nature of your piece was a delight and enjoyable. Well done 🙂

Hi @Symphonic Part I - there's lots of motion and overlapping ostinati with occasional changes in harmony that provide interest and a sense of slow progression/fruition. Part II - presents a very tranquil and delicate atmosphere with a steady pace of descending harp arpeggios. A pause and suddenly the same pace returns with slightly different harmony, this time extended by the marimba in place of the harp. Oboe and clarinet provide some ascending melodic fragments that generate interest with some counterpoint in the high solo violin. The descending harp ostinato returns with strings. The glockenspiel provides some glimmering 4ths at the top of the texture. Part III - I perceive this one as starting out as a call-back to part I. I like 11:05 when the Flutes and oboes take over the ostinato, imitating each other - kinda like a rhythmic hocket. I love the expressiveness and intense orchestration and sudden grand pause. I perceive the end as being a kind of lament. Thanks for sharing!

Hi all! Just thought I'd post a link to a recent concert performance of my piano piece "The Feast Of Cheese". It's been beautifully interpreted I think by Alison Doubleday, and sounds completely different from my original computer rendition. Almost like it's a different piece!

Thanks Henry. Good to have you back! 😀