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Hello @PeterthePapercomPoser Thanks for you feed back, here is a sample with pedal. Needs a little bit more adjustment though I've yet to master music software to do all these effects.

You come up with some awkward questions, PeterthePapercomPoser! : ) It’s both, a damned tribulation when the latter, relaxing when the former. Unfortunately the balance seems to fall toward the latter these days. My latest bit was a challenge (to grow). It failed and through 10 versions has become an ordinary modern programme piece. Of the many issues you list, most of the weaknesses fall my way most of the time. For example, Struggling with writing good melodies. Even motifs give me a headache, evaluating if they’ll work / can be developed. Aside from light music I avoid formal melodies because they come with the expectation of meter of some kind, not always easy when one regards a “phrase” as a whole – the tune, harmony, scoring, overall change of dynamics, interplay of lines and on. Fine if you’re writing tonally with cadences available that meet expectations. The first item that turns out a strength is not using too much repetition. I’m no fan of it. In fact when I look at a score and see those double dots at a double barline I think ‘Oh no. I’ve got to listen to that bit again!’ Orchestration – while I still see the orchestra as a machine I tend to treat each instrument in its own right, having its unique contribution which makes some of the bureaucracy of orchestration difficult. I hear music inwardly as orchestral so I have trouble writing for solo instruments, particularly piano. I’d guess we all suffer some of the list as weaknesses at times and at other times strengths. It isn’t always easy to translate what’s in ones mind to an art medium. I have a reasonably good ear to transcribe a melodic/motivic fragment to paper but the subtle orchestral sounds - they take effort (and I hope not to lose them in the process). Then the problem if you like through-composing is often “what happens next”.

Thanks man, glad you liked it! It's good to hear my work on mockups is spilling over into my own work. I see what you're saying about the C# to B appoggiatura, I guess I was thinking m.4 kind of establishes the "home base", then m.6-8 feel like a departure from "home base", so when you return at m.10 it feels like more satisfying to return to "home base". I could see how varying this could sound resolved too though.

Sounds like Mahler in some respects.

Hi @Alex Weidmann! For me I find the piece less coherent from the perspective of rhythm. First, I think the piece should be in 3/2. Here's my version of your first phrase: I have changed it to be this way because I believe that (sometimes) keeping the rhythms simple makes them more memorable and lucid to the listener. Writing too many syncopations or sudden starts of notes not on the beat can throw the listener off and they won't know how to rhythmically interpret the music. If you syncopate without the right context or preparation the effect will just be lost and the listener will interpret different notes as the downbeat. That's my reasoning for why I would write your melody this way. Those are my thoughts. Thanks for sharing! Peter

A splendid orchestration! I can hear your experience of mocking up the Nutcracker March coming through in your woodwind writing at meas. 56 - 58. This march isn't overly stately and dignified - it's rather sweet and quaint. One little critique I have is that your resolution of your phrase at meas. 10 seems a bit repetitive. I mean like, I would have tried to resolve the phrase in some different way given that you already had a C# to B appoggiatura at meas. 4 and then you repeat those same notes again in meas. 10 & 12. That's just a personal pet peeve I guess - and it's not like it could be changed or anything at this point. This music makes me think of the movie "Up" for some reason. I feel like it has the same character as that soundtrack (don't ask me how I haven't seen that movie in forever LoL). Thanks for sharing! Peter

Looks like we have 4 submissions. Does anyone else think they will be submitting for this challenge? If so, please let me know, as I will hold off on scripting this video until Monday or Tuesday. I may change the theme of the video depending on the number and types of submissions we get.

Hello @Eric N ! I do think Have you considered penning lyrics down for this piece? Since it is well rooted as and also with such a title? You also may wanna decide on a chorus and/or climax? And adding more to the articulations and dynamics to add nuances to your piece? Thanks for sharing!