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As the title implies, this is my first composition for strings. Coincidentally it's also my first thing in a sonata like form. Tell me what you think! I don't shy away from constructive criticism. As a note: I do enjoy dissonance, both as a composer and a performer, but I know that some people do not enjoy that in the same way.

I have started a discord server! The idea is that all members will get the same materials and we will all work through them on a set course and discuss them as we go. This will prevent gaps in knowledge left by not being able to ask questions (if you're a self taught musician like me). Plus it will be easier to get motivated to do the hard work to become a successful composer if you're part of a group. People pay tens of thousands per year for that same experience but we can create it for free! We start our first book on June 1st, 2021, the book is "20th Century Harmony" by Vincent Persichetti. We have decided to read one chapter and do all its exercises in 2 week blocks then move on to the next. If you want to push yourself with us let me know!

This piece Persia II is a "sequel" to my "Persia" from 2011. Some of you in this forum suggested I'd right a suite or something in that direction, so I decided to try it. I do not want feedback on my old piece (Persia) in the YouTube link. I'm only attaching it so you can listen and hear the connection between the two. - Does this sequel "Persia II" work as a part two? - Will it be playable at written tempo? I want it to be the same tempo as "Persia", so it will feel as a double time. - See what I did with Da Capo? 🙂 Could it work?

Gracias Luis! Ahora, en vez de imitar a compositores de hace 150 años, sólo imito a los de have 80 años 😂

Thanks @Olov! That's right, I'm also impressed how many things you can do with just a descending or ascending octave on the basse. That's why in baroque era one of the first things composition pupils had to learn was the rule of the octave, before to jump to more elaborated partimento techniques.

Hi @PeterthePapercomPoser, Thanks for your feedback. I'm happy you like that. Tritone you comment is just before an interesting new schema I learnt from the book. It's called Tonification in Descending Triads, meas. 498-500 you can see the local tonic is moving F-Dm- Bb, so descending in thirds. Vl.I is moving 5-4-3 with syncopation, Vl.II 7-1 (leading tone-tonic) and organ 5-1 (dominant-tonic). The Tritone you mention is a continuation of the schema to modulate back to the original tonic F for the repetition on the organ. I tryed some harmonies here and the more convincing to me was the aug. 6th as a double dominant. On that harmony the diminished 6 (Db) is usually on the low part, but I wanted one part moving 1-5-5 and the part more likely to move that way is the lower part as and answer of the movement 5-1 of the 3 preciding measures. After that schema meas.509-519 some different schemas follow one after another. First a 4 meas. 2-Stage Monte with modulation to the subdominat and domiant, here violin I is imitating violin II. Just after that follows a 4 meas. Monte-Romanesca (harmony I-V-II-VI) schema with a typically third species counterpoint on the base again with violins imitation one to another in 1 measure delay here a 4th below. Here I guess I broke one of Fux's rules that quarter notes are not allowed to make a 9th leap in that kind of counterpoint, but in that particular case I think it can be justified in favour of a nice ascending stepweise motion after that. Also being the leap on weak beat and being a diminished 9th doen't sound abrupt at all to me. Here I tryed again many other possibilies for the basse counterpoint and I found it was the best option. I circled the last A on the bass because it is let's say a mutation of the pattern before to link smoothly with the Bb of the next measure. And here as a closing before the repetition followes one of the most common schemas in Galant Style, a 2 bar The Prinner, which is based on a movement 6-5-4-3 in the melody and 4-3-2-1 on the bass. The Prinner is one of the most used features as a Risposta (answer), after a opening schema. Here the Prinner serves to release the tension built up in the preciding 8 measures with the Monte and the Monte-Romanesca. The figures on the upper voice together with the 7-6 supensions in the middle part add some interest and motion the the schema the ascending 5th eightnotes on the bass balance the descending 5th on the melody D-G with and allow the get the perfect 5th of the half cadence by contrary motion. Finally, the quater rest after the half cadence create some expectation the hear the main theme from the beginning.

This is an interesting topic! A couple of years ago I wrote down some keys and their qualities. I tried playing around with phrases on piano and I had to go back to them for a second opinion. I simply used wrote words like sharp, mild, timid, warm, cold for different major and minor keys. I also checked what church modes works well, in what key, for instance I thought the phrygian mode came across best in C, F and G while Dorian worked best in F and Bb, also B but a little milder. I think there could be some sonic qualities in different keys. You guys were talking about instrument range, some things were easier to play and also preferences from earlier listening or playing experiences. But what about science, is there some frequences that resonate in a certain way that makes them more clear/sharp/dull? I thought about Bach’s WTC and his choice of melodies in different keys. Does anyone know if Bach had any thoughts on different keys and their sonic qualities? I also reckon some keys have a better and clearer timbre in vocal music, like choirs, Eb and Db. Take a look at this YouTube clip where she takes an example from Schubert’s Impromptu, comparing two keys. Just to make things more complicated, she also mentioned in a comment that pianist may sound different because they play more or less expressively because of the tactile feel of the instrument on that key.

This is great! I love the adagio movement! I will have to take a look at that book too, seems really inspiring! Nice to see you are keeping up the good work, Guillem!

So beautiful and solemn. Love how the different instrument parts relieve each other. I like the soft harmonic structure with the descending chords

Wow - great job! I think this is a great achievement for you! Throughout the piece I couldn't wait to hear the next movement - it always stayed interesting! This Harmony, Counterpoint and Partimento book certainly seems to have helped you a lot! Something that jumped out at me (I think because of the melodic tritone) is the 1st Violin part at meas. 501 where I guess you go into an augmented 6th chord treatment? Other than that it was nearly perfect! I think the amount of interplay between the organ and the strings is normal for a Baroque piece (from what little I know of course). Thanks for sharing!

I love your language, in general. Vamos que me encanta que te metas en idiomas contemporáneos, más frescos. Congrats.