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The idea for this composition was inspired by @MK_Piano, after he sent me some footage of himself improvising in C minor on piano. I asked him if I could write something inspired by what he played, and was graciously allowed to do so. The piece utilizes a steady quarter note / eighth note moving rhythm and melody that symbolizes the passing of time during, and the emotional feelings felt in periods of contemplation, longing, rumination, and/or sorrowful reflection. Although, I feel as though it may be a bit too repetative, despite having variation in both rhythm, chord voicing, chord progression choice, including a modulation towards the end middle. I'm seeking to build upon the ideas I have in this score, more effectively. Any suggestions are welcome :) **UPDATE** Score Files updated to reflect any/all decided changes, based upon suggestions within this thread. 6/23/26 1:25pm EST Updated again 6/26/26 - New score files attached. **FINAL UPDATE** Score files updated to reflect finalized changes to this score. I elected to change the key from it's original C minor to B minor, as I felt that the theme of this score matched the more melancholy sound of B minor best. All changes published and submitted as of 7/10/2026 UnreadLetters.mp3Unread Letters.pdf

Hello! Over the last few days, I’ve listened and looked at the score quite a lot. I felt it within my interest to analyze the score. The attached PDF is culmination of my annotations and comments. If you have any questions, I’ll do my best to answer! Good work! A. Ko - Poem for Orchestra [ANNOTATED].pdf

Hello A few years ago, whilst on a course I took on ‘Contemporary Composition Techniques’, I wrote a short piece for piano which I later revised and titled ‘One more try’. Recently, I had the idea of orchestrating it. It is written in a free, non-functional, chromatic style. The score isn’t condensed because the instruments that come in pairs often have very different or distant lines. It’s in concert pitch. Below is a video of the piano version. One more try orch.pdf One more try 2.mp3 One more try 2.pdf

Hello, I posted an earlier iteration of this work some time ago. A lot has since formed. The general structure of the first movement is complete; I still intend to vary the recapitulation somewhat as I prefer to not simply repeat the second subject verbatim. But it is more or less done. I have also made a start on the second movement. This movement has a slightly unusual disposition and is on the way for becoming an ambitious piece with its emerging structure in mind. I am posting here in advance of completion to gauge people's feelings about the musical ideas. Perhaps if anyone has suggestions I would love to hear perspectives. Or even if you like it, that helps to say too. Composing is otherwise an activity for solitude! Second movement is @ 05:40. Thanks! Markus Symphony in A (Draft).mp3 Symphony in A (Draft).pdf

Hello everyone! I come to you with my first piece produced on my new Acer laptop that runs Musescore smoothly! I have taken the opportunity (before I always had a school chromebook so I couldn't do this) to download Cakewalk Sonar DAW which allows me to open all my old .wrk project files from back when I was using Cakewalk Home Studio over a decade ago. So, if you can't tell by the title, this is one of my juvenilia that I dug up from way back when I used to compose into the sequencer. Back from around 2008. I intended it to be a mix of styles between classical and jazz, hence the corny title 🤣. I use blues scales, extended harmony, altered chords and polychords - all in a way that is intended to be "classically jazzy". I hope you enjoy this piano trio and let me know what you think! Thanks for listening! Jazzical Piano Trio.mp3 Jazzical Piano Trio.pdf

A lighter composition for the early Summer, conceived as an exercise in harmonic development, apoggiaturas and chromatic saturation. Greatly inspired by Chopin's Op. 28 Prelude in E minor. YouTube video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwInFjwKJUo Romantic Prelude in A minor.mp3 Romantic Prelude in A minor.pdf

Hello! Interesting piece to have listened to. I must apologize now as I have some comments and in an effort to stay concise, I will be blunt. Here are my thoughts: (view on PC if able, not mobile) Double check the alignment of your diminuendos and crescendos. To me, it casts the illusion that the score is a little unpolished: With the slur groupings (two-note slurs), was it your intention to make it an ensemble feature? I saw some spots that have two-note slurs in one instrument, but not the others, even when the gestures feels the same: Measures 2 and 6 (in cello) as one example. Last thing would be dynamics themselves. If cello is the main feature, I think it a little asymmetrical to have the violin 1 be a dynamic marking louder than the melody. Shouldn't the cello be the loudest voice when presenting the melody? With the tempo markings, I think it looks better and easier to read when the text is a font size or two bigger or in bold. As a performer, it helps visually distinct the two text field types. Last few picky things would be measures 8,14 and 21. Why not just use a half rest for the other voices on beats 3-4? For the ending 4-bars, why not write "Sempre diminuendo" meaning "Always Diminishing" or "Morendo" to imply "dying away". Your pianissimo to Niente dynamic is a little messy with the spacing not consistent between all instruments. Final thing is to double check/ update is the idea of adding copyright information and a subtitle to say "for String Orchestra" or "for String Quartet". This helps as on first look of the score, the ensemble size is not mentioned. Good work!

I think his name is actually Mason..🤣

Hello! I have completed a first listen and looked over the score. I hope to do a deeper dive and analyze the score thoroughly, and the following are my initial thoughts. Very much classical style, and quite refreshing to hear something in that style again. Check your engraving. Over the entire score, you have rests with dynamic markings. Page layout can be bigger or staves made smaller. At least 4 measures per page. There is key information missing from the score. If anything, the number of instruments as well as copyright information. You just say "Flute, Oboe, Clarinet," however, do you intend for more than 1 player for this part? Between the two movements, in Musescore, you can add a "SYSTEM BREAK" which will end the piece and add a pause after a double bar line. On the next page, it will list the full instrument parts again. (in the layout palette) With the literal music, there is more play you can do with the structure or in your accompaniment parts I think. 5-minutes for a classical symphony is on the shorter side and you can mess with the idea of a repeat after the exposition and utilize a 1st and 2nd ending to propel yourself into the development. It's not a "double exposition" per-say, however very common for the music of the time.

I pray for the fingers of the pianist who attempts performing this piece lol. It is so fast. But the arpeggios are nice, but I feel as though the piece could benefit overall from a slower tempo. Your progression is very nice.

Hello fellow composers! I wanted to share a short piece I wrote called Morning Meadow. This is part of a broader goal I have of writing short, simple pieces. With this one, I was trying to focus on melody, color, and restraint — something peaceful and dreamlike, but still gently expressive. The instrumentation is solo flute, harp, and violin section, with the harp providing a soft arpeggiated texture, the flute carrying the main melody, and the violins entering later with a slow countermelody. I kept the harmony fairly simple and color-focused, and I was more interested in creating a clear atmosphere than building a large dramatic form. I’m happy with how the piece turned out overall, but I’d really appreciate outside ears. I’d love feedback on the composition, orchestration, mockup realism, balance, phrasing, or simply whether the mood comes across the way I intended. Thanks in advance! Morning Meadow - Concert Score Ver1.pdf

So....wow....I like this...a lot. A lot to dissect. Okay, here's the thing. As much as it pains me to say this: This instrumentation isn't realistic. With that being said, this can be something special. I would say: go ahead and have the full string section. That would further give this a chance to get played. It would also give your bottom more depth. With that also being said..this is. astart: you have the making of either a tone poem or a flute concerto of some sort. I know you said you wanted to write short simple pieces. Problem is, what you wrote wants us to hear more. The reality is, no one is going to program this while paying a full orchestra, especially the strings. Sorry, you wrote such a great piece thinking this was it? Nope, you got to write more...you have at least seven more minutes with this....maybe 10. FLute: M13: get rid of the slur. breath should be before Eb5. M14: Phrase marking on Ab4 should go to M15 and end on the Bb5. The next phrase marking starts on Db6 and end on the F5 of M16. Meas 20, the phrase should end after the Eb5. Also, get rid of Flute 1. It would be just Flute. HARP: Unfortunately, your beaming is off some. When you write octaves, the harpist would automatically switch hands. The lowest note would be played with ring finger and the octave would be played with thumb (we don't use pinky in harp). Therefore, the right hand would automatically have to play the next note. I know you were for the automatic three in each hand, but ergonomically, what you wrote wouldn't lay like that in some spots. M10: Perfect example. You could do 2 in the left hand and do 4 in the right. The other beats however do work. HARP PART 2: You stay in the throat register the whole time. You could expand the "breath of the music by having harp continue the run by repeating in the higher octave and maybe at times another octave. The harp's rang is VAST. Harp part 3: Give the harp a final not on the down beat in the end. MAYBE have the harp repeat the previous measure but play it up an octave? Put in your notation program just to see. Special note: Maybe add a clarinet also so you could keep the strings as your lush padding and you could play with harmonies with it...or countermelodies. Ravel LOVED doing that. Extra Special Note: Speaking of Ravel. I wonder how this would be for Alto flute? Maybe have it optional for Alto Flute. My $0.02

Oh this is fantastic!! I don't have any critiques really, your dynamic contrast and harmony throughout the piece is very nice. And it moves very smoothly and logically. I would love a copy of the score if you do decide to share it - this is the kind of piece you start air-playing when you listen to it (you'll get it since you're a pianist).

Nicely done...I would do some research into the form of sonatinas and their form/structure. Other than that, I think this is a great first attempt - I sat down and sight-read through it and it's very easy to read, which makes it more approachable if you were wanting to distribute the piece for educational purposes (sorry, piano teacher brain taking over lol!). If you add a second movement, please post it so we can hear both together.

Hi everyone, I recently completed a draft of a short symphonic poem, after a long period of writer's block and not writing anything. I haven't put all the finishing touches on my scores (divisi, part divisions, crescendos are all lowk messed up etc.), but I would really appreciate feedback/suggestions relating to development and harmony. I'd also appreciate knowing what images, if any, it conjures up for you as you listen to it (I'd like to figure out a more evocative title). Thank you for your time :D! Poem for Orchestra.mp3 Poem for Orchestra.pdf

Hello again, I decided to spend some time today to give more specific feedback. In this PDF are some annotations for you: H. Zheng - Dawn and Nightfall [ANNOTATED].pdf

Welcome to the forum! Let be one of the first to say hello and congratulate you on this endeavour. All of us know how hard creating a convincing and satisfying piece of music can be, let alone an original one! You are off to a great start, one of which not all adults can do. I enjoyed listening to your piece. This said, I do have initial comments and a deeper set of specific annotations I would like to share later. Here are my initial comments: The ensemble balance is too similar for too long. Violin 1 & 2 dominate the piece, and the other strings just act as support versus having a convincing conversation/ role in the piece. Use of whole notes is more than okay. If you like it, then keep them! This said, having a lack of pulse in the texture can make the music feel stagnant. Some of the other comments you have received may have been coming from this angle. To add, since the violins dominate the music over the course of 4 minutes, it makes the listener "zone out" as nothing major changed to their ear. Do not forget about slurs! As a string player, remind yourself that the use of a slur conveys bowing information. Even if you are not as aware as the other bowing styles, using slurs is a great way to showcase bowing information. The context of the music will inform them whether to up-bow or down-bow. Creating motion. To help the "stagnant" nature of the piece, one way to create motion is this: When the melody is slow, move the accompaniment. When the melody is moving, slow the accompaniment. Doing this will help drive the piece forward in a simple manner. Using rests for effect! While Barber's Adagio for strings is wonderful, remind yourself that even in such a thick and lush piece of music, he used silence for effect. Not all instruments need to play at the same time, nor do they always need to play in the same octave. You have the whole string section to move and pass ideas around. Strings can do double stops and divisi playing. It's another way to create an effect as using silence will elevate the moments you use all the sounds or all the instruments. Keep up the good work!

Good luck! That's a very good one. I’ve been thinking about the comment on the role of the contrabassoon here, following on from what’s already been said. I understand that you’d like to use the woodwinds as a bass line in those sections; that’s simply a matter of timbre and so on. Although I’m a firm believer in absolute freedom when it comes to composing, it’s true that I also bear in mind certain general principles. One is the ‘economy’ of instruments. Although I’ll never have a symphony orchestra or anything of the sort at my disposal, I do like to write as realistically as I can. That’s why, if the parts for one instrument can be played by another, I don’t use it. The other principle is to double the bass (an octave up or down), and I notice you do this. This is something I was taught very early on. And there’s a reason for it: the low register is the least audible to our ears. There are exceptions, of course: when the orchestral texture is very light, it isn’t necessary. In this piece, most of the notes for the contrabassoon can be played by the bassoon. Let’s say up to the low C (B flat, actually). To put it another way, I might have used the bassoon for that contrabassoon line and supported it on the lowest notes with the tuba or the double bass. There are sections of the contrabassoon part that can be taken over by bassoon 2, for example in bars 22 and 24. It’s true that the bassoons are in part 2, but it isn’t necessary (with those dynamics – diinuendo and ppp). Well, anyway, that’s just my opinion, based partly on how I learnt it. I was taught that instruments such as the contrabassoon, the bass clarinet, and even higher-pitched ones like the piccolo, were there for when the standard instruments couldn’t play the parts. Sometimes I’ve been guilty of wanting to be too literal when transposing a piano piece for the orchestra. But I’ve also realised that there are times when you have to take certain liberties or make changes to adapt the sound to the orchestra. Best regards.

Alex, A lovely orchestration, though, I have some questions in the selection of the English Horn; especially in the lower register ... the actual projection may be more covered in the ensemble. Mark

Hello Everyone! I am here to share my newest work titled "Dear October...". Commissioned by my sister for the use in her wedding, this short work is has become a personal favorite. It had to be short for timing use during the ceremony, however, I find myself bleeding to write more. This said, if you want to find out more about the work, go to page 3 and read the "About" section. Thanks for taking the time to read this post, view my score and take a listen! (If you have any comments, both good and constructive, drop them in the comments!) [July, 2026 - Updated Score PDF] Chmbr- DearOctober.mp3 Chmbr- DearOctober.pdf

I'm so glad that I was given access to this score as it progressed, via DMs. Oh how much it has changed since you presented it to me, and in so little time! There was One point of contention that I had about this that I wasn't able to flesh out to you, when I heard it. And it's not that it's anything incorrect or bad per-say, just something that no matter how many times I listened back to it, it just never sounded right to me.. lol if you'll refer to b.26-27, where you chromatically move the harmony and chord progression down, and in b.27, the last 2 beats are on 1 (A maj.)... Something about the transition between Fdim/G# to (I think this is G#m7/F#?) just feels jarring, to me, and comparing those two chords to the rest of the piece, I feel, personally, that it stands out in a not-so-smooth kind of way.. So, below, I have written out a version that I think would help it, in my opinion, to sound less jarring and more smooth, without changing anything too drastically, and have also attached an MP3 for sound reference. (for the ease of comparison, this moment happens at about 1:28 in the original audio above). Untitled score.mp3 In my example, I've, instead of going to the chord you'd written, I just pivoted Fdim/G# > G#dim > A Maj > E Maj G#dim being the only change applied, here, along with a change in the viola's harmony. Overall though, I LOVE this score, and what story that you were telling with this one. It really hit me in the chesticle, in a great and relatable way. Had me over here reminiscing over things in my past, and longing for what I no longer possess.. Which, while that's saddening to me, it's what the essence of this whole music thing is about... creating art that is able to illicit that in someone is just an amazing thing, don't you think? -Unc

This is such a wonderful piece...I agree with the above comment about the length of the piece. It's the perfect length for the occasion - the piece itself feels like it's telling us a story, but it's just a beautiful beginning (again, perfect for the occasion). Your treatment of the strings and the way they interact with the piano taught me a lot. When you pass the melody, it's not jarring, but we'll thought out and smooth. I'm sure your sister and her fiance will love the piece. Bravo!! 👏🏾

Congratulations to your sister on her upcoming wedding!! She is sure to be so happy to have a sibling who can write such a wonderful piece of music for her. Above all, the fact that she asked you herself truly shows the deep trust between you two. This piece is lovely, and I can really feel how much thought and care went into creating it. Also, regarding the A-flat around 1:28, hearing that note appear within the overall diatonic harmony, and then watching it resolve, felt like it was telling a story. It was memorable. I think it’s wonderful how it emerges without being too jarring, maintaining the calm and gentle atmosphere of the piece. As for the length, I personally feel that this shortness has its own story, fitting beautifully for a wedding. Sometimes, a length where you feel inspired to add more, and the listeners wish they could hear just a little bit more, is right. Of course, that is just my personal opinion. It really is a beautiful piece of music. Best, Lithl.

Thanks very much for your suggestions! I'm revising the score to make some of these fixes. The cello line is not really meant to be the main feature; I think of it more like a cantus firmus, and I prefer the familiar melody to be there more subtly. But I didn't write slurs into the cello part just to try to give it a little bit of detachment from the other parts. Not sure how well that works, but that was the idea. The two quarter rests in those measures you mention are because the a tempo comes only on the fourth beat of the measure. Thanks again!

To highlight a few key differences between either piece, in Chopin's prelude the melodic contour seeks minimalism in a way that balances out the listener's focus and allows the left-hand chords to shine and be heard more clearly. However, in my composition, the melody is most of the time merely a product of the top line of the right-hand chords and while it does produce a distinctive effect due to the rhythmic motif and its characteristic contiguously rising and falling eighth note in the 4th beat of its initial measure, it is not a sufficiently distinctive part to be considered, in my view, integrally alienable from the lower voices or the right-hand chord progression as a whole. Well, some earlier pieces of mine, composed almost exclusively for piano specifically, were mostly focused on styles closer to that of this composition than those of my usual production, such as in this post: https://www.youngcomposers.com/t44435/triwaltzia-no-1 You're correct in pointing out the deviation from my usual style with heavy counterpoint. The title, however, was not actually a strict or entirely accurate stylistic descriptor, and instead it purely serves as an indicator of a particular style I sought to emulate from the Romantic era. It obviously does not account for the entire range of styles and genres that this period in the history of Western classical tradition has to offer, but instead builds an association based on the "vibes" of the music, if I may use such a term. I especially agree with your first line of criticsm: the constant reiteration of the same rhythmic motif ending up producing a far too monotonous, repetitive or boring impression was indeed a concern even before this piece was finished. However, every time I tried to vary the rhythms or change the bass, it felt jarringly sudden and unexpected, breaking pattern in a way that not only was far from subtle, but also completely imbalanced considering the listener's expectations after the first couple phrases. Adding a contrasting B section with an entirely different theme might have solved the issue, but I failed to execute such an option in time before the whole piece was nearly complete. The density of the chords doesn't concern me nearly that much. Reducing the number of internal voices in the middle sections seemed to create the same unexpected vacuum I just described, so as long it doesn't get in the way of the dynamic contrast across the piece I personally see no problem with it, since I'm certain any sufficiently skilled pianist would be able to perform those in spite of the uniform chord density throughout. I'm interpreting what you mean by the bass being "underused" as not providing sufficient rhyhtmic or schematic variety, which could just as easily be referring to the right hand chords, just as in your first point. As for the arpeggios, I disagree with the premise that it is merely an effect: it is integral to the motif across the whole composition. I do understand what you actually mean by that, however: it once again comes back to the original line of criticism. The bars you mentioned were unplayable without additional arpeggios merely included a major 9th and 10th. The 10th in question has been edited to an octave for easier performance with a smaller handspan, even though it is still arpeggiated. However, that doesn't solve the rest of the 10th in the 2nd beat of each measure in that sequence, so sorry in advance to pianists with smaller hands: I must admit feasible playability is still not my main priority (ah, what would I do without the wonders of modern technology...) Anyway, thank you kindly for your review and points of criticism. I will most likely take them into careful consideration when setting myself to write compositions similar to this one.

I'm wondering greatly why this piece did not receive any feedback (let alone positive and encouragingly complimentary feedback), even after 3 weeks and more. I absolutely love many elements that have been used in this score: Use of melodic Caliope (Baritone woodwinds, Soprano Strings) background call-and-response (alternating between Violone and Violin/Violinone) moment of introductory climatic moment (the herold of the Timpani's and Double-Bass's dotted-rhythmic march) Just to name the few things. It also invokes a beautiful sense of a late evening walk down an urban city. (I just checked the name of your piece again, and it speaks of the "Frank Bridge"! The setting illustration you were going for seems excellently executed!) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I do concur that arranging 2/4-hand Piano works into Orchestra is quite the arduous and ambitious task. Most people don't realize how difficult it really is to learn idiomatic writing for 30 or more instruments; so that your performers can perform your work at ease and with joy; and your audience can, at the same time, enjoy the listening experience of it. (I have come across a lot of works that is a 'joy' to play, because it's highly idiomatic and "quite easy to perform" with "minimal rehearsal"; but with little thought having been put into the music, which makes the listening experience of it a bit dull and flat. "Boring" music, as some would call it. In short, easy and simple to play; not fun to listen to!) As far as difficulty of instrumental writing is concerned (you brought up your virtuosic pitched percussion lines being advised by Musescore as difficult): a lot of times, it heavily depends on the personal practice (as well as personal incentive and motivation) by individual performers to bring your works to life. From my own experience: if it doesn't sound like how it's supposed to and/or it seems like the performer is struggling and making the music seem too difficult to fully and viably perform.... a lot of times, it's because they haven't practiced the music, and/or they simply need to care about it more. In these instances, it often has minimally or not at all to do with your own fine writing. Just as a composer-to-composer word of reassurance. ;) (Check out my own music score that I posed two days ago! I have spent time writing fairly to greatly idiomatically for many of the instruments; making the line seem 'harder' than it actually is. Yet, the players of its earlier first edition still struggled, when I gave it to a Philharmonic (one of 'the best' in Europe, as it is reputed; especially considering the historic famous composers who had given it premiere music to perform! Not naming names, not naming the orchestra) to performed. Furthermore, guess what?? During the first rehearsal, the dress rehearsal and the final performance that premiered this Tone Poem), it sounded like an intermediate half-learned high-school concert band that's just learning how to get it together. Individual instruments were literally sticking out, and a few sections were quite off pitch, shrill, crass and.... not performing the affects I was intending/asking for. This happened, despite having the music 3 weeks to a month before their final performance; and, they have the MIDI mockup. They were given the resources to make it happen. And, it didn't. It was very embarrassing, seeing that, at the end of the premiere, I had to stand up and take a bow. Forever, that European audience saw my face and will remember me: that it must be me as a composer. After speaking to people later down the line who reviewed the (earlier first edition of this) music, the remark I received was, "....Why was it not performed better?" or "... Why did they sound like that?" "The line is fairly easy and straight-forward to achieve, with some bit of practice." See that? Was it my music, or was it simply that my performers didn't care enough to practice it? I suppose I can diverge into the topic about Philharmonics rolling their eyes when it comes to having to "deal with" new student works (You know, 'here we go again...student works.... let's get this done, so that we can enjoy playing Beethoven and Shostakovich!!'), but I won't get too far off the topic at hand. What was my point in all of this? Your Vibraphone and Marimba lines are likely fine. It's probably regarded as difficult, but that certainly doesn't make it not viable and easy to learn! Really, it comes down to the attitude and the desire by your percussionists to learn and practice it!)

Hello Everyone! After a brief hiatus from the forum for a much needed vacation and music-recharge, I am back home and beginning to try out new ideas for chamber pieces. I have written a lot of music for large ensemble and wish to dial it back down to chamber and solo music over the course of 2026. The first part in this is to showcase an idea I felt passionate about a few weeks ago. As I began to write it out this week, I feel the flame has kindled and I may not finish/ expand upon it later as I have a lot of ideas I want to explore now in other places. This Fantasie is not as extensive as the classical and baroque styles, however it's a fantasie in the sense of my improvisation with the string quartet. The only thing I wrote down was the first four bars of melody, everything else was what I made in the moment and over the last few days. Let me know what you think and as always, thanks for viewing this post! AUDIO-Fantasie in F#-minor.mp3 SCORE_Fantasie in F#-minor.pdf

Thanks for the comments! In short, we'll see what happens with it. It something I will keep for later, but am unsure the direction I want to take it (Final form, duration, etc.) The main thing that is stopping me is inspiration specifically. While the summer, I am still rather busy and easily distracted currently. To your point about the note duration: It's more-so due to the computer. In performance/ final copy, I'd change it to a staccato and hopefully imply it's just meant to be the landing point of the run.

Hello! For anyone wondering, this is the little video I sent him. It is not the original improv I did, however, a visual aid to help with seeing chords and simply for fun: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vOLvUgbz4eGiWmd8e35tuUoJ3TkpUdR0/view?usp=sharing Red99, I will make my own comments later/ soon!

I think transitional periods are very interesting. This is the case with the galant style, which is firmly rooted in Baroque conventions but where dense counterpoint begins to give way to clearer melodies and accompaniment. Something similar happens between the Classical and early Romantic periods. I’m listening to your recommendation of Kraus, whom I wasn’t familiar with (Symphony in C minor), and it’s fantastic. I think the choice of instruments in your symphony is spot on. It depends on whether the approach is more chamber-music-like, as seems to be the case here, where there are many independent lines. As if it were an expanded quartet… It’s true that as soon as you move on a little in the style, chronologically speaking, you already come across flutes, oboes, bassoons and horns in pairs. Besides, if you don’t know what to do with so many instruments, you’re bound to get it only half right. This reminds me, albeit in a different context, of the fantastic versions of Chopin’s two piano concertos with a string quartet or quintet. Although it seems that Chopin himself used this arrangement for the music salons of the time, there are versions arranged by other composers. What I mean is that some pieces lend themselves to different approaches. Others do not lend themselves to interpretations that stray too far from their original spirit. Like when Wagner reorchestrated Bellini’s Norma in a ‘massive’ style, and then disowned his own version (it’s never performed; Bellini requires lightness, not a Wagnerian orchestra). Anyway, I’m getting off topic. Best regards

I’ve listened to the current version. I must say I loved it. And I’ll make a little confession. I like all musical styles and periods, from early music to contemporary. I have my favourite periods (the Baroque and Galant periods, late Romanticism, Impressionism and Expressionism, and in contemporary music, some things I like and others less so). The truth is that when I took the time to study music a little chronologically, I discovered how things develop. I say this because the Classical period is one of the ones that appeals to me the least. I think it’s down to the aesthetic they use, which is somewhat restrained – and well, we all know what this style is like. Your symphony seems to be in the Classical style, with hints of early Romanticism. It’s not that I’m obsessed with categorising things, but it helps to find points of reference. Regardless of that, when someone writes something like this with creativity, inspiration and a lot of hard work behind it, I love it, whatever it sounds like. Here I notice that the orchestra is of an early style; the woodwinds aren’t even in pairs and there are no brass instruments. But the way it sounds, it isn’t really necessary, to be honest. One of the things I’ve really liked is the clarity with which all the instruments sound when they have to stand out against, at times, a denser texture. There’s a moment when the bassoon takes the lead and it’s brilliant (bar 58). There are some lovely moments of counterpoint, such as the woodwinds from bar 20 or thereabouts. I think the score has been very carefully put together. What’s more, the music library sounds brilliant (is it the one from MuseScore?). Best regards.

Thank you, Mason. I will amend the score layout this morning. I appreciate this will make it easier to scrutinize for those having a deep dive. The current view and lack of repeats is intention for my own eyes and there is often no point having repeats during this phase of work. But yet, with the repeats the first movement will be at least 10 minutes once I am done with it. You seem to be a guy who knows his stuff. Very much looking forward to your comments. Will check out your stuff too!

Hi @JorgeDavid, Below is my review of your waltz: Form: There are two district different sections that have their own character with the composition. The tonal centers and relations between is not common. I feel this would fit with in middle romantic period. I am not sure about the dramatic pause at the end of melodic phrase. It is rather sudden and jarring. It disrupts the natural flow of piece. Harmony and texture: There is a high sense of chromatism with in waltz. I wonder about how those harmonies are prepared and resolved correctly. The bass line fits with in the standard waltz type pattern in first section and breaks away in the middle section. Thematic material: A couple things to note: the ending of each melodic phrase with chromatic note seems unsettling. G-F#-A. While there is a sense of melodic sequence with each phrase, it is hard to detect the general structure (sentence, period, or hybrid). This was original piece and was truly creative. With in my musical taste, I like to hear more music like this. I.e. find a way to create a natural flow with each phrase. think about what I said about structure and form and how the works with the underlaying the harmony. Otherwise, you good start. Kvothe.

Wow!! These are great! I only wished that you posted these separately, as I hope these pieces get the attention they deserve being all together. I love this one, the drama in it is set up nicely with the climax, and the chord colors are wonderful. Great too, I maybe would have made bar 46 twice as long to really set up the cadence. Beautiful in it's simplicity, I like that you spread out the difficulty in the set, letting some be much easier to play than others. It gives a better flow to the pieces as a whole as well. Part of the arpeggios are in the right hand, correct? I would have notated that in the score. I really like the drama in this, and even though it wasn't my favorite theme, you developed this really well. I like the texture change in the middle. Lol mock serious swagger :D This was super fun! The jazziness was a welcome change after the first 4 pieces. What about marking "freely" at bar 27? Do you want the RH rhythms right on the dot? Or is there an improvisatory aspect you're going for? It might be cool to let the player syncopate the rhythms to go with the steady walking bass. I like that this one broke away from the ABA style, I like the evolving part of the form. like an ABAB, textures markings the sections. I really like those ethereal RH figures with the low bass. Awesome fun! Kind of reminded me a bit of Baba Yaga, Mussorgsky piece. The ffffff is kind of excessive, but I'm guessing it's for playback purposes. Loved this one! Much needed after number 8, as overall these preludes are on the heavier side. It sounds sweeter to my ears after the last one. Ended with a bang, the drama is great here! I must say, that overall I really loved the order of this set. Not sure how intentional it is, but it really made listening to this as a set more fun and enjoyable. Your talent is massive, I wish we heard more from you! Life is busy, but I'm glad you find the time to stop by and share what you've been working on. There's some small editing errors, nothing major that jumped out at me (copyright 2025, stuff like that). Your style is right up my alley, and I immensely enjoyed these. Thanks for sharing, friend.

Hello, friends. About three years ago, I penned this song cycle for a friend from El Salvador, based on poems by the beloved Salvadoran poet, Alfredo Espino. These hold a special place in my heart because they're the last music I've ever written, though they were sadly never performed. The songs and directions are completely in Spanish. Here they've been rendered by Cantamus (unfortunately sung in a Castilian accent and not the Latin American accent spoken in El Salvador) and the piano accompaniment has been [poorly] played by me. They're not the best recordings and some of the lyrics didn't render properly, but hopefully they deliver the music effectively. The cycle is chiasmic in structure (i.e., the first and last movements and the second and fourth movements mirror each other) and it tells the story of a day in El Salvador. I. Madrugada: This means early morning. The lyrics and music represent the waking of the Salvadoran countryside: farmers starting their day, roosters crowing, birds chirping. It begins mysteriously but soon "warms up," preparing us for the rest of the song cycle. II. Plombagina: The title is about a tiny flower found along the riverbanks in El Salvador; here it represents the playfulness of the river and the hopefulness of midmorning. This one is unmistakably waltzlike and lyrical. III. Tardecitas: "Little afternoons" is a piece about watching the rainfall in the heat of the day. It's lazy and less ambitious than the others in the cycle, representing the languor of a dreary, rainy day. IV. Estrella in el río: We return once more to a song about the river, this time in a more contemplative frame of mind. "Star in the river" is shimmering and reflective, capturing the tranquility of twilight as the stars begin to pinprick the sky and cast their reflections into the river below. V. Nocturno: While "Madrugada" expresses the joys of a new morning, "Nocturno" explores the angst found at the close of the day. It's by far the most restless of the cycle, employing a sort of perverted tango rhythm in mockery of the soothing sway of a nocturne. In it, you'll find themes of grief and fear and anxiety, embedded in harmonies very reminiscent of Spain/Latin America. Even if you don't understand Spanish, I hope these songs move you and perhaps inspire you. As ever, I'm happy to receive any feedback you may have. Best, Jordan Canciones de El Salvador.pdf I. Madrugada.mp3 II. Plombagina.mp3 III. Tardecitas.mp3 IV. Estrella en el río.mp3 V. Nocturno.mp3

Hello everyone, I'm back, this is my new piece in Japanese style, hope you like it. the video: https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1c3EQ6aE9k/?vd_source=95e0ca6d098d75738c935e50eaa3ac41 Op.8 Nr.2.mp3

Hi everyone! I composed this short waltz for piano today. I'm still practicing it, so for now I've used the sounds from MuseScore 4. It was inspired by Tchaikovsky's Album for the Young, Op. 39. The opening melodic motif is quite similar to that of No. 8, "Waltz," and I also used some harmonic progressions that I learned from No. 14, "Polka." While studying and practicing pieces from that album, I started wanting to compose several short piano pieces and create my own "Album for the Young." This is my first attempt. It is a waltz in B-flat major, although the tonal center shifts around quite a bit. The form is ABA', with A being the main waltz theme and B a slower lyrical brief section in Cmaj. As always, every feedback, comment or suggestion is more than welcome and hope you enjoy it! Thank you!

A lovely piece. I like the relative simplicity of the composition. A suggestion: given the calm, dreamy, almost ethereal nature of the piece, perhaps you might have tried using harmonics on the violins in the upper register, as these are long notes that are relatively easy to play. I don’t know if you’re familiar with this, but it’s a very effective technique for pieces like this. Almost like a ‘rule of orchestration’, I think the harp should have a note at the very end. Otherwise, the player is left ‘hanging’. Of course, you can write whatever you like. Best regards.

This is a project I have slowly worked on for about a year. Thoughts/comments/criticisms welcome. Edit: I have cleaned the scores up a lot. Prelude No 1.mp3Prelude No 2.mp3Prelude No 3.mp3Prelude No 4.mp3Prelude No 5.mp3Prelude No 6.mp3Prelude No 7.mp3Prelude No 8.mp3Prelude No 9.mp3Prelude No 10.mp3 Prelude No. 1.pdf Prelude No. 2.pdf Prelude No. 3.pdf Prelude No. 4.pdf Prelude No. 5.pdf Prelude No. 6.pdf Prelude No. 7.pdf Prelude No. 8.pdf Prelude No. 9.pdf Prelude No. 10.pdf

Hello I’d like to share part of my Humanist (non-religious) Requiem project, in which I’ve set myself the following objectives: To use a blend of contemporary and traditional languages To use texts by poets who fascinate me To write calm, short pieces To mix Latin with English I’m using Cantai for the vocals – it’s not the best it could be, but I’m happy with it. For the instruments, I’m using Noteperformer. Everything is managed within Dorico. It’s an idea I’ve had for a long time, one that expresses – or at least attempts to express – my concerns in this life....... Best regards. Introito.mp3 Introito- The Origin.pdf

What fascinating music. The compositions are fantastic. The piano part is very well crafted but complements the vocals perfectly. I think you’ve captured many Latin rhythms perfectly; in this style, it’s difficult to separate the Spanish from the Latin American elements, as the influences are mutual. I really appreciate the effort you’ve put into playing the piano yourself, as I understand it. The overall sound is very distinctive because this cycle of songs sounds entirely like a style of popular Spanish ‘tonada’ (from which the ‘tonadilleras’ are derived). Originally, the ‘tonadilla’ was a traditional Spanish song of a cheerful and popular nature, performed as an interlude or at the end of satirical plays between the 18th and 19th centuries. Over time, the concept evolved from classical theatre towards the café-theatres and variety shows of the 20th century. Nowadays, the term is directly associated with the great divas of Andalusian copla and Spanish folklore, characterised by their high level of expressiveness, the wearing of long-tailed gowns and a highly dramatic stage presence. Initially, this type of music was accompanied by the guitar and perhaps a small orchestra featuring folk instruments (castanets, tambourines, dulzainas, etc.). But at the start of the 20th century, it evolved to be accompanied by a solo piano – which is how your music sounds – and it also has a very strong ‘cabaret’ feel to it, as it is recorded live, as I gather. As for the language. Well, I’m a native Spanish speaker. It’s quite – very well done. I’m also struggling with these programmes that sing along to lyrics… and I know what a pain it is… The accent is very neutral. It certainly doesn’t sound like any Latin American accent I recognise, let alone an Andalusian one. It’s close to a central Spanish accent (Castilian, as you rightly say) but there are moments when it sounds a bit ‘forced’ – something that many real singers in Spain do. Bravo, and it’s a pleasure to listen to it. And I love it when someone delves deeply into cultures that aren’t their own, perhaps, to bring all this out.

Hello, Emilia, and welcome to the forum! I must confess; I both love and hate your piece. Post-impressionism is the style of music I personally enjoy consuming and writing, and you have done great justice to that genre with this work. However, as a violist, I feel very overlooked. That you would include the massive and unwieldy contrabass to the exclusion of the strings' darling alto voice is unforgivable. That's mostly hyperbole, of course. I am offended but I'll get over it. Now for my remarks on your hard work. First, the heartbeat pizzicato work very well, with the offbeat providing an organic rhythm that reminds me of something living and searching. Excellent voice-leading choice to put it under the violin's melodic line! I also really like that you showed genuine restraint throughout this work. There are large-scale dynamics and fantastic textural arcs here, sure, but you chose to hold back on the "crazy," and the result is a deceptively challenging piece that really showpieces what a... ahem, modified string quartet can do. Furthermore, the form and structure is very sound, with the return to the heartbeat texture being such a lovely touch. It's impressive that you captured the text's emotional essence rather than gave a programmatic rendering... but that's the mark of a true (post-) impressionist. My critiques are few and quite minor. What struck me almost immediately after listening to the work was how underused the contrabass part is. For the bulk of the piece it holds pedal tones (which is fine in moderation), but there aren't really any passages where it has an independent voice. If you're going to overlook the viola, please consider giving its replacement a more active role in its stead. ;) Also, some of the chromatic melody, like mm. 10-13 and 18-20 in the violin, is expressive, but some of the leaps feel arbitrary rather than intentional. This could be a matter of taste. If it is intended to represent something (searching, perhaps), consider using stronger support in the lower voices to provide context. Overall, I'd say this is a piece to be proud of. Your concepts are mature, the sound you've created is very much your own, and the connection to the text is genuine. Thanks for sharing (and good luck on the assessment)! Best, Jordan

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Hi to all. I've now completed my orchestration of all three movements of "The Hour Glass" (originally for piano solo). This second movement was the hardest of all to orchestrate: so any tips on how to make it better would be very welcome! I found it especially difficult to create suitable harmonies for a string bed to go underneath the intricate arpeggios in the harp. Not sure I've done it very well. Also, some of the chromaticism in the harp part may be unplayable, because of the pedals? Haven't got around to adding slurs and phrasing yet, and as usual, my dynamics are designed for midi only. (N.B. Updated versions will be posted lower down the thread.) Frank Bridge - The Dew Fairy #28.mp3 Frank Bridge - The Dew Fairy #28.pdf

Thanks Kyle, I'm so glad you enjoy the piece, as I don't think it's very well known. The tuplets are crazy; but I was just reflecting what was in the original score. Bridge writes them as reduced size notes, rather like Chopin's flourishes; but this was the only way I could think to translate them into midi. One thing I'd like to fix is the tenuto accents in the harp part, as they're too strong at the moment. Will have to see if I can tweak the properties. Anyway, many thanks for listening and commenting. Alex

I must confess I'm not a fan of Bridge. I know he got more intriguing as he aged, which I find attractive. I really like this arrangement!

Not a harpist, so I couldn't speak to the playability of this piece, however, just judging off of the difficulty in the reading of this alone, I would wager to say that it would be either extremely difficult to perform, and would likely be reserved for only the best of the best harpists 😅 as far as your question regarding string harmonies, I feel that it was done very well. it blends well, and it very much so fits the description that your title suggests. Very ethereal, whimsical, magical etc... I was also gonna comment on the fact that you had a pppp for piccolo while they were playing in the high register, which would be physically impossible, but as I thought that it was likely just for the playback, your description of it affirmed that suspicion lol so I'll leave that one be. Though, I do wonder if this could be more legible if written in a different time signature? 🤔 Right this second, I haven't taken the liberty to subdivide what you have here, to suggest a specific time signature, however, I say this because the 11-lets & 15-lets, without having some sort of a split-beam, at least to me, become difficult to follow, and appear unsightly, but that's simply my own opinion on the appearance and readability of the score itself. The work itself is phenomenal! I'm simply unsure of how it would be best written to allow for the clearest interpretation while reading. Thanks for sharing, and apologies on my lack of suggestions for alternatives :/ at the time I've decided to login, my brain is just not at its peak performance, as I've just made it back home from a repair job and it's currently 12:32am my time 😅