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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW What a piece. I've listened to it many times now. Movement 1 Part 1: I love all the pentatonic themes, they're extremely beautiful, especially the one at m. 35 derived from your clarinet quintet, I just wish the audio was a little clearer and brought them out over the texture better. The texture itself is great too. However, the idea that appears first at m. 19 I think is too textural for my taste, almost as if there should be something more melodious overtop of it. The sequencing at m. 111-114, I would include tenuto marks along with the slur which is the more standard way to notate it, and it's clearer to performers what to do. For example, we know with Beethoven's Grosse Fuga, some performers play the slurred quarter notes as half notes, and others play them as quarter notes in one bowing. you do similar things throughout the piece. Some more positive thoughts I had, at rehearsal mark F, it sounds like a call to action! And all the modulating and texture at the end of this first part makes me think of a violent river 🌊 Movement 1 Part 2: I think my favorite part of the movement. Provides a good contrast, but still sounds oriental, so it doesn't feel out of place to the soundscape you've thus far presented. The contrapuntally dense section immediately following the fugato is so powerful!! 🤯 The next part is almost too sparse after that, and not a whole lot really happens for me. My first listen I remember being tempted to skip ahead because I was kind of getting bored 😕 I'm glad for the lighter, simpler mood, and I think it's well earned, just maybe a little too sparse for my taste. The transition back to the beginning atmosphere is epic though 😎 Movement 1 Part 3: Similar thoughts to part 1. Great melodies that are hidden by the texture, not by your fault, but just the audio. The ending is satisfying enough to close the movement but still leaves enough for me to want to listen more. ~~~ Movement 2 Part 1: The sheer pain I hear in the first sections of this part. I think it's too raw for it to warrant or need any criticism. I once again wish the audio could bring out the melody clearer, but it's better here than in the last movement I suppose. I will say about notation this is not how you should notate this. 8th notes already have one tail, so it only needs 2 tremolo lines. Likewise, a 16th would only need 1 tremolo line, etc. The section starting at m. 92 makes me emotional. Well done. The following section is a good break, and was perfectly timed. Had the first section gone on any longer, I would have felt maybe that it was too long, but here it's the perfect length. m.179-182 is oddly very beautiful to me. Almost a taste of what the idea from m.92 would be in a better light. And immediately following, back to tragedy, AGH 😫 Movement 2 Part 2: THE 6 VOICE FUGUE 😮 I don't feel qualified to properly go over your counterpoint and I understand it's not supposed to be the strictest fugue. It sounds correct to me, and it certainly does a good job at expressing what it's meant to, which is the MOST important thing of course. Now, you're going to hate me for this, but I think the cellos being so close so often is really really muddy and creates extremely unpleasant overtones. It might be better with real cellos, probably not though, I wouldn't ride on it. Again, the counterpoint is really great to me, the modulations are smooth and so dramatic, and I love it. I don't want to hate on it, it's just really muddy 🙈 you fix the muddiness later in the fugue which is nice. Movement 2 Part 3: Final part!! The start really makes you feel like it's preparing for something. It makes me excited for the end every time!! As someone trained in singing gregorian chant, I think the chant section is VERY effective, and I love the beautiful passionate chords between 🥹 The turning point and the build to the original Tao material is wonderful too and definitely well-earned after all that! The themes are beautiful like before, and they feel freer almost. It's like a fireworks celebration!! A very good and satisfying and Chinesy ending xP Overall, I think it's definitely a masterpiece and deserves all the praise it's getting and more, (except maybe the deification of you from Fugax Contrapunctus xD). However, I'm sorry but I think I'm partial to your clarinet quintet because I still enjoy that more, or maybe I just like sad music 😛 Anyways thanks for sharing your wonderful music.

Here's a one movement symphonic overture, pseudo sonata form. I'll post the score when it becomes legible. I won't pretend, I haven't written for orchestra in a long time, and previous attempts were futile. Any of this is subject to change, so any recommendations from all ages are welcome. I wrote this off and on for months, and honestly haven't touched it in a while since the subject matter was pretty personal and heavy. But, I guess it's time to share the progress. I hope you enjoy

Hello Peter, Thank you for your quick reply to this. I do think your point is very valid, in that the child may need time to really absorb the harmonies and rhythms; I've also included a few unorthodox hand crossings which makes the technique trickier. Now that I think of it, the capybara piece would probably be a mid to late intermediate piece. As for the tempo, I just thought there should be a very subtle and gradual ritardando into the B section(measure 71) starting from measure 57. Perhaps, if I recorded my own piece, the quirky tempo change would be more clear. I'll try to work on learning it myself. very happy you enjoyed the capybara piece, though. It definitely took a while to conceive and the whole piece pretty much grew out of the idea at measure 101 - 104. I am also quite glad I am finding my own style with the piece, though perhaps the blend of styles could be a bit smoother in my subsequent numbers.

Thanks for listening and sharing! Yeah, I struggled with the form quite a bit. It's my first time ever writing a piece this long. I had sketched out all of those different ideas based on the opening motive, so then "the material dictates the form" Yes the piece is definitely tonal, but the note selection is a bit more modern. There is no tertiary harmony at all, for instance, except maybe incidental passing notes. I would describe it as "neotonal". I like tonality enough and will likely always write in that style.

An interesting piece. But my main quibble: a lot of material that follows one another and in the end doesn't create a sense of unity. Yes, I think that, partially, the goal you raise is achieved. There are a multitude of “modern” techniques here and there. Some things I think are excessive (like pizzicato chords, that has to sound like arpeggiated). But in many other moments, most of them, the piece sounds tonal. Not that I'm wrong..... But, believe me, knowing how to get out of the cage of tonal and functional music, successfully, is not easy at all. I think that, whatever you want to do, the overall structure of the work is essential, and it's something we must consider from the beginning.

Thank you so much for your writeup and listen! I hope you never have to feel the world crumble around you, especially alone. I don’t know your life, but I can relay that the removal of autonomy of your body really can make perception itself seem like it is melting. yes, annoying high winds are annoying. Perhaps childish of me. Luckily for you, I only like to toy with sounds instead of overly lean into them. So, done and away as quick as it came! I think it creates a cool juxtaposition, though, which is why I wrote high winds in the 3 sections I did. What do you want to steal? By all means, take it! I am especially proud of the celli melody split by quarter tones. And any quarter tone chords in the leadup to the end. Honestly the chords in this piece are just so hecking rad. Never heard anything like it.

Thanks @Luis Hernández- appreciate that. I didn't know Athenaton but am listening to it now - really nice, though I don't see so much similarity... Glad you introduced me to it though. (Ah, I've just come to Akhnaten and Nefertiti, and I do fort of see how you might connect them) Yes, I think you're right about the piano having a more background role. There is a score video - it's pretty basic though using the Cubase score. I'm only just starting to learn to score and it's coming very slowly (I only started composing last summer and have no musical training or theory, so I don't really even read music at this point....). It's near the bottom of this page - Track 13 - Prayer To The Eternal (February 2025) -

One thing that I like much more in modern era is non-functional harmony. Depending on the way you use it, it can have effects that you don't see in romanticism. I especially like the impressionist approach of this non-functional harmony, as it still maintain many romantic characteristics but goes further in this possibilities...

I don't wish to objectify it, I wish to hear peoples extended opinions on the matter. If forums were filled with questions that required a yes or no answer that would be pretty dull. Thats cool, but again out of interest: why is Romanticism good enough for you and what are you typically trying to express?