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Can you nominate colleagues here? I’d love to see @Alex Weidmann recognised as ‘Outstanding Orchestrator’

Hey guys! A few weeks ago a person in my discord server challenged me to compose a fugue over hot cross buns, so here it is, it's pretty much self-explanatory but i did this as a joke, so the counterpoint might be quite bad, enjoy! LOB 109 Fuga sopra l'aria di Hot Cross Buns.mp3

Thank you so much for sharing your recommendations, @Fruit hunter, @Nd 6829, @CrystalCanon, @jejrekmek, @Markus Boyd!! Thanks to you guys, this topic has gathered such a wide variety of music. I’ve discovered some wonderful music that I hadn't known before. Honestly, I’m really, really happy about it. I look forward to seeing even more types of music shared here. I’ll try suggesting a few pieces myself again :) McCoy Tyner - Fly With The Wind Thelonious Monk - Ugly Beauty Please feel free to share music :)

Greetings once more. I've just completed another movement of "The Fairy Tale" by Frank Bridge. This may be my favourite piece so far that I've orchestrated! Have included a proper engraving this time, minus the front matter. Any tips on layout very welcome. (N.B. I forgot to replace the multi-p dynamic markings at the end with circle tipped hairpins.) The original piano piece had some weird bitonality at Bar 15, which didn't work in an orchestral arrangement. So I had to rewrite that bar, and change some of the pitches. Also added a bit of extra counterpoint in Bar 25. Bridge - A Fairy Tale 3. The Spell (orchestration) #16.mp3 Bridge - A Fairy Tale 3. The Spell (orchestration) #19.pdf

Hi Luis, Many thanks for your lightning fast review! It would indeed be difficult for the vibraphonist to get round those big chords; but I think they are just about playable. A good vibraphonist can do incredible things with just four mallets! I did consider putting those passages in celesta, where the spread chords could more easily be accomplished. As it happens, Benjamin Britten was a student of Frank Bridge. (In fact he was Bridge's only composition student.) After Bridge died in 1941, he was largely forgotten about; until Britten led a revival of his music back in the 1960s or 70s. He seems to have been forgotten again now; though he does have a prolific canon of works. His piano pieces seem to be particularly well suited for orchestration, and they always come out sounding really nice. I posted the first movement of this suite here the other day, and am planning to orchestrate movements 2 and 4 next. Best, Alex

Hi everyone! :) This is my newest compostion, Open Horizons (in the sea...) The arrangment and performance is done with musescore 4 and musesounds pro. As i am still taking lessongs in music harmony, i do the orchestration by ear and intuition. I would like to hear reviews , opinions and orchestration remarks for the music piece. open horizons in the sea...a ship set sails under the morning sun and a new journey begins! Open Horizons (In the Sea).mp3 Open Horizons (In the Sea).pdf

Hi Alex, First of all, I’d like to say that I wasn’t familiar with this piece. Nor, I must confess, with this composer, although his name rang a bell. So I went on YouTube to listen to it and look at the score, and I absolutely loved it. This third movement in particular is so delicate… And it’s one of the trickiest parts to orchestrate. I really liked your orchestral arrangement and, to be honest, I’m not going to comment on anything in particular as I’m not in a position to assess it in such depth. I like the way the woodwinds unfold in bars 24, 25… the oboe mingling with the flutes, and so on… I just have one thing I’d like to learn. When the vibraphone comes in – which is a lovely element – how does it produce such big chords? I imagine it’s two mallets per hand… Best regards.

Thanks for explaining. I suggest you keep it simple for the time being. Focus on smaller scale and short pieces with two part harmony only. Perhaps a waltz or minuet which provide a clear and simple structure to adhere to. Listen extensively to music you like to build up a creative vocabulary. Learn the art of voice leading: that is, rather than viewing harmony as static, consider the linear relationship between the notes that you write. Transitions should be smooth and each part independent where possible. Share those small pieces on this forum for targeted feedback. The added advantage of smaller scale works for intensive feedback is that the reviewer is not overwhelmed by the amount of material to analyze. I welcome you to tag me in such future posts and i will try to offer some in depth feedback.