xiii1408

Thanks a lot.

How does one declare that an ensemble should start playing in a regular tempo after the end of a rubato section? Thanks.

I believe chamber music is generally intended for performance in a small room or concert hall with one part per person and usually no conductor (I'm not sure about the conductor). Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines Chamber Music as follows: music and especially instrumental ensemble music intended for performance in a private room or small auditorium and having one performer for each part You might also want to look at Wikipedia's Entry on Chamber Music.

I don't have perfect pitch, but... I recently discovered (just after I first read this thread, incidentally) that I can accurately sing (or think of singing, more like) an Ab and C# without an external reference (the Ab/C# comes from the beginning of a piece for Eb Alto Saxophone, and on saxophone the notes are F/Bb). I've been thinking of those pitches and then checking them with an external reference, usually a piano, regularly; I "hit" the correct pitches about 80-90% of the time (the times I missed mostly happened if I did it immediately after listening to music; however, if I have a moment of silence after listening to music, I can "hit" the pitches). I'll see if anything comes of this in the following days and weeks and then post again. I do have decent relative pitch, so I'll see if I can combine relative pitch and my newfound Ab/C# singing abilities. :P

Is this written in concert pitch or the separate instruments native pitches (I guess that's what you would call them)?

Scribd has various books in the public domain. Just search for the name of the Schoenberg book you want and download it. By the way, I decided to read Walter Piston's Harmony first and read Schoenberg's books later.

Whatever instrument you're most interested in, write for it in an SATB form (for saxophone that would include soprano, alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone [a saxophone quartet]; for the oboe it would be the oboe, english horn, bassoon, and contrabasson ). You should do this to develop skills in four-part writing, which is the basis of all harmony. Other than that, write for whatever instruments you are familiar with, whatever instruments you like or want to experiment with, and whatever instruments which might allow you to have it performed (if you have a bunch of family members who play stringed instruments, it would be a good idea to put together a string ensemble piece for them, especially on a special occasion , even if you don't play a stringed instrument).

I've downloaded Schoenberg's Fundamentals of Musical Composition, Structural Functions of Harmony, and Preliminary Exercises in Counterpoint from Scribd and have started reading Fundamentals of Musical Composition. I like it, thanks for the suggestions. I'll go search my local bookstore for actual books tomorrow and see if I come up with anything I like.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into those books.

I'm looking for a new music composition book to further my studies (I'd prefer to take a class, but I can't currently). I've read The Complete Idiot's Guide to Music Theory, Music Theory for Dummies, and Introduction to Music Composition by King Palmer. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks. :)

Good.

I've done some more and updated the previously seen links. They're below for easy reference. There's a little mixed meter, check it out. Oh, and vocalists tell me about breathing. Is this too difficult to sing (in terms of breathing)? I found it a little challenging, but I don't really sing. MusicXML Copy Finale 2009 Copy

It can be used for contrast or as a special effect in the strings quite well, I've found (through a performance of one of my works for string ensemble in which the players played a few sections without vibrato).

What can cause key color with even temperament since the intervals are the same?

I meant that in more of an "orchestra and solo singer staying together" sort of way (if that makes any sense). Sorry, I should have been more clear. (Or is that how you meant it? :hmmm:)