stigbn25

This time I've made a couple of symphonic pieces, that a call "Tone Poems" - mostly because they are written from a certain idea, instead of just being a fantasy. Also, contrary to my last 2 fantasies, I've tried my best to only use 2 themes, though I try to transform them - sometimes maybe too much, and occasionally something else turns up, but I try to limit myself in this way, especially when I plan the pieces to be no more than 5 minutes. Whispering Mountains Whispering Mountains is a tone poem inspired by a trip to a mountain. In the start I introduce theme A, quiet and monophonically. Then at 0:45 - (going up the mountain) the second theme B is introduced by strings and then both themes play more or less transformed, and more dissonant and some counterpoint, until a climax (reaching the top) from 2:-3:30. Then theme B are played simpler, but with more instruments. At 4:30 it returns to a quiet variation on theme A (returning) until it end at 5:10. This one is probably a little more dissonant: The Evening Sun The Evening Sun is a tone poem inspired by the rays of the golden sun in the evening. First a gentle theme A in strings. Then at 0:45 comes a very dissonant theme B. At 1:40 theme A returns in nearly original form in the brass. At 2:40 a new mysterious (but still related to the first two themes arrives, and at last at 3:50 a lyrical theme concludes the piece I know I used some pitch-class sets for the first theme and variations, however I tend to forget exactly what I did, as i dont write this down. Writing it down and keeping track of what I do, tend to ruin the flow.

As others have said, when I compose, I think and feel mostly about the technical aspects of music. Also, I rarely experience the "correct" feelings when listening to other people's music. I might get happy and feeling relaxed when I hear music that was supposed to be sad for example (like minor is not sad for me, but I understand the idea), and anxious and maybe irritated when I hear music that is supposed to be glorious and happy, and annoyed when a theme is repeated too much - or similar. So I can't really write music to fit a certain mood, I just write what I like at the moment. Maybe when it's finished I can sort of relate it to a certain feeling. Also, I sort of think that your inner, unconscious feelings come out in the music, even if you don't think about it. I recently tried composing from a written template - like a small "poem" about someone going on a journey, and it actually sort of worked as a blueprint. But still, as soon as I get into the various parts, I just think of music theory and how to get from A to B, how to make a contrast, or should I use horn or flutes now or similar.

Thank you very much for your comments! It's the first time I've really got any really good, substantial musical feedback on my music, and it means a lot to me. It is very motivating, so it really makes me want to make more! I often compose by improvising (I'm used to improvising in a jazz/fusion) parts/themes, either using a piano or flute sound, and then edit, change instruments, and adding harmony, voices. To get away from a certain predictability when I improvise, I recently sometimes experiment with pitch-class sets, or some of the messiaen-modes. Most of Eight Crows in a Tree was based on octatonic (diminished scale) melody and harmony, with some parts with polytonality, but not in a strict sense. I might use it as a starting point, and then edit it so it sound better for me. And yes, there might very well be parts that are un-playable, as I have never written for any real instruments. I'll have to be careful about that. And yes, I knew the glissandi wasn't sounding 100% natural, but I tried something else, but came back to this, as I thought maybe in a future version of noteperformer/dorico it will sound better. Also about the pitched percussion - I like to use the melodic percussion to emphasize rhythms, if I sometimes use 7/8 or similar. I can see that you, PeterthePapercomPoser, are interested in Japanese music, as you use some for your variations, they sound great by the way! I'm also very interested in Japanese music, the use of harmony can be interesting and complex, while keeping it very approachable at the same time.

Hi, I'm new here on this forum. I've been making music as a hobby for many years, first mostly guitar (fusion) with keyboard and a DAW (studio one) and in the last couple of years more and more "classical" or rather symphonic music, first in a DAW, but now mostly in Dorico as i like the workflow much better. I've self-studied a lot of theory from books and youtube-videos. These are 3 of my latest compositions. I tend to make something I would call a "fantasy", as I like to let my mind flow and let the themes and ideas flow. Maybe it results in a mess, I'm not sure...😀 I'm writing in Dorico with Noteperformer and I'm using the standard sounds, except the strings where I'm using Spitfire BBC core. The Purple Fields Blue Jelly Eight Crows in a Tree