Mvt from Clarinet Solo "The Hours"

This is my first time posting a composition. I'm skeered!!

I am trying to write a clarinet solo with three movements. The first one is in progress but I believe this will be the second one, and I have yet to write the third.

I must let you know:

a) I am not trained well in theory, so I make my own rules (within the limits of the instruments) Is this bad? :D This *is* playable though. I played it to make sure the fingerings for c-net weren't weird or the key signature annoying.

b) Sorry that the clarinet in the mp3 is a tiny bit el loco, I just got this new GM module (Bandstand) and it's a bit confusing still. The clarinet is like a wild stallion that I had to tame. (update: I uploaded a new MP3 that sounds less stupid and weird. I'm getting better!)

:)

IMPROVED mp3:

http://www.filelodge.com/files/hdd9/236186/afternoonmpg.mp3

midi (got it to work again):

http://www.filelodge.com/files/hdd9/236186/afternoon4.mid

adios.

Great work. I'm actually especially impressed by the piano writing, and you're showing very good motivic development. As for music theory: keep in mind that all the "rules" are simply what people found worked pretty consistently. Your ear can tell you as much. If the parts sound right together, then it's probably pretty solid part-writing even if you don't have a strong theory background. Really, beyond voice-leading, most of the music theory you learn relates to either form (useful, but again descriptive and not prescriptive) or introducing more possible harmonies that you can throw in now and then.

Thank you fore replying :P

Well, that makes me feel better, like I'm not totally "wasting time" (making irreversible bad habits) until I can get some real lessons (which I hope to do...someday).

I am completely in favor of creating your own rules. I like new things - innovation and the such. This does indeed sound new to me. I've never quite heard anything like it to be honest. It is very unique.

I found that the clarinet and piano play off of each other very well. They compliment each other very well. One example of this is in the passage starting at 1:24 - the clarinet's leading melody is driven beautifully by the piano's playing. I also liked how different "Sections" seemed to be separated by raising scales in the piano. I found that you did that several times, and came to expect something nice after each!

As for criticism: to be entirely honest, this music is not entirely to my liking. I am extremely intriguied by it, but think that it is just a bit too atonal for my tastes. This however, doesn't mean that it is bad by any means. In fact you've developed an interesting voice for yourself here that is very unique - for that you should be extremely proud, not many composers can do that. So with that said, congratulations and cheers on a job well done!

It's okay for it not to be your taste! Everyone differs in this respect! I find that I love odd combinings of notes within a complex but determinable structure. (what did I just write?)

I have been struggling with understanding the definition of "atonal" as I can see many have. I started wondering today whether some of my music was atonal - now I can officially say that someone called it that! So that helps me to understand the definition a bit more.

Thank you for taking the time to listen, Cavatina.

Atonal just means that there is no central key (scale/tone) to which all others seek to resolve.

No wonder I struggle with determining a key signature sometimes then, ha!

Hi giselle!

Great piece !!! I personally loved it ... harmony, rythm ... great conversation of piano and clarinet! Really cool theme you had there on that clarinet ... and the ending, with that little piano 'bah' in the end ... very, very nice. I want to listen to it again already...

This could be a first movement of a clarinet Sonate, perhaps you should consider to continue on it. It has a great drive, great 'language'!

Fabulous! :P

Cheers, Misiu

You know what the funny thing is? I put that piano "plunk" at the end originally because Sibelius cut the midi off in the previous measure way too soon otherwise - but then I started to like it, so I left it in! :P

Amazing! Excuse me while i go try make something that sounds like it! :thumbsup:

atonalism is the cause of all cruelty, death, terrorism, destruction, and poverty in the world. Also global warming, and later the apocalypse. It needs to die before it keeps killing.

And while we're at it, why don't we kill DHMO too?

atonalism is the cause of all cruelty, death, terrorism, destruction, and poverty in the world. Also global warming, and later the apocalypse. It needs to die before it keeps killing.

Lol, I was wondering when you'd make an appearance in this thread, Nico! :(

lol.yes. the good old dihydrogen monoxide.

Younger, back in school, we used to try and trick out the chemistry technician with that...... good stuff.

I don't know why people keep saying "atonal" in here, because this doesn't sound atonal at all to me! And if it is, then I have a new found respect for atonal music! :P Excellent piece!

"atonalism is the cause of all cruelty, death, terrorism, destruction, and poverty in the world. Also global warming, and later the apocalypse. It needs to die before it keeps killing"

Speaking of atonal music as such is a disgrace for a composer. If a music is basicly not your style, an educated person should know not to speek in such a meaningless way.

As for the Giselle's music, I liked it alot. No, I loved it! There are obvious elements of atonal music. The main being there is not a tonal center specified with a strong dominant chord or a strong cadance. The music just flows. flows into the oblivion, and comes back. Real story-telling, compositional skill, and exelent instrumentation. Exelent work. One of the best I have encountered in this form.

Good work Giselle!

Yo Alex, here's a score like you asked :shifty:

It's completely untransposed, so the clarinet part is not as written. However, I can put another pdf file up if you'd prefer one with the clarinet part transposed. But just for score viewing this should probably do. :P

Exercise N

(and thanks to you peeps who dredged this topic out of the dark zone of many months ago to comment on it recently - how flattering!)

Mvt_Afternoon_score_untransposed.pdf

Oh my goodness gis I loved this. Thank you so much. And the little ending note made me giggle. I like it. I LOVE THIS PIECE. I really do. It's so great and Stravinsky-ish.