String Quartet No. 1, Movement II

Howdy folks. I just finished one movement for a string quartet and i seek advice. I think this will probably be the second movement.

Any comments / criticisms are great, but I have a couple specific questions:

1. How important is it that I correct voice leading problems in this format?

2. Where the cello plays a step or two higher than the viola - is this an abomination? Do you think it will sound bad when it is performed live?

MP3: Quartet.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Thanks everyone.

Quartet.MUS

Quartet.pdf

This was a very beautiful string quartet movement.

The only thing I think you could work on is your use of double stops. Particularly during those repeated chords that accompany the melody. You could also enrich the harmony ever so slightly.

The end felt a tiny bit too abrupt for me. I'd have liked to feel a build-up of tension towards that ending a bit more, or at least a fading out of tension, but something that let me linger on the mood and colour of the movement.

Very beautiful harmony. I might have liked a melody that arched a tiny bit more as well. Let's say a wider range for the melodic fragments.

There's absolutely nothing wrong, by the way, with the instruments of a quartet crossing into each other's ranges. It's actually expected.

Thanks very much Qc. When you say I should work on the double stops, do you mean that I should work on them harmonically? I was sort of trying to create a drone effect, but after I was done, that probably was one of the parts I was least satisfied with. I'll have to consider what I should do with them.

I will try to make my other movements more melodic than this one, this one is just very chord-based.

I think you should stick to this movement while your heart is in it.

I mean that you should add LOTS of double stops. There're just so many places you could insert them and the sound would be wonderfully rich and lush.

I hadn't considered that. If you have time, you should point out to me where I could do that. I'll look through it as well.

Sounds good to me! I like the combined arco/pizz. passages. I'd certainly explore having

more voices cross each other. The tonal effects can be quite interesting, and when done correctly, can enliven an otherwise dull section. Keep up the good work!

Justin

P.S-Check out my string quartet I posted yesterday; I'd enjoy your insight

Hello Dan :) ,

well, yeah, I guess I can comment.

I know that you put a lot of time into this, because it is VERY well structured and the harmonies are logical (stylistically at least). I think there was a little too much dissonance for my taste, but it still sounds good overall! It was extremely coherent stylistically and melodically. I loved the fact that you reintroduced the original progression half way through the piece. Even though the tempo was slow, you still managed to build up the musical tension, and imo, the ending chord was a gigantic release of that tension. It seems that you manipulated textures a LOT in this piece, which is fine with me, though I'd prefer melodic manipulation.

Great work!

I enjoyed this, and it shows that you put a lot of work into it.

The little melody that repeated itself several times and was even transposed, I really liked that. I also liked the end. It does change the mood a little...one would expect the movement to die out rather than end on a (surprise) un-dissonant chord. But I liked the way you did it. Honestly, the only thing I can say is that if you are planning on turning this in to some competition or to be performed, there are several bars in the score that are missing rests. m 99 and 103 in V1 and the last measure. Sorry, but once when I had my pieces read over, the group had to stop because I left out a rest in the V1 part as well...I don't want that happening to anyone =p

Excellent.

Cheers,

Brian

Hahaha, thanks Brian.

I've been having this problem with Finale where it just sporadically doesn't fill in rests, and I imagine it has to do with a setting I turned off somewhere or something. Does anyone know why this might be happening? I'll put in the rests you mentioned though. Thanks.

P.S., Brian, have you not uploaded any music of yours? I would like to listen to it.

This was indeed a very beautiful and moving work to me. You're what, 19? Impressive as I looked at your score to not only follow along but to take a close look at how you used your colorful harmony...and I'm 23 :)

Good job man, I look forward to more works by you and you are now in the list of names that I watch for to hear new works!

Vince

It's a very nice piece, I think the transition into the new key at near the beginning of the piece is rather abrupt. But that may just be me.

No, Morgri, you are right. It was sort of a makeshift way to link two parts together which I never improved upon.

Hello Sir,

I thought this piece was exceptionally well written very nice..lush chords..great melody..and a certain undeniable movement in the very instruments of this piece..in other words this piece actually goes somewhere instead of just sitting there playing chords. However at times the music seemed a bit confusing..although it was moving I wasn't sure what direction it was going in, there was a bit amount of dissonance..perfectly fine in my opinion though. Overall, a great piece of music..I hope you continue with this quartet. Great job!

its very nice. A very mature work in my opinion. I agree that there was some dissonance, but it was used in healthy, respectable doses. ;)

It ended and I wanted to hear more! lol

Good job. :thumbsup:

Thanks Ramon and Chicken. I suppose I will have to expand the ending, since that seems to be something almost everyone is saying. I agree that it seems abrupt, but I know that I will continue it and have the same problem ending it as I had the first time. I will have to find a good progression to use.

Great work. I love this thing. I feel unqualified to comment meaningfully on pieces which is why i have mostly kept my mouth shut so far, but I loved the harmonies. The arco/pizz section was so great. It reminded me of rain a bit. Like a rainy day where your jsut watching the rain fall gracefully. Yet its pounding on the roof of your house.

Very little to add but one suggestion. For me the piece could use a little more melodic freedom per QCC (basically a little too downbeat heavy which is in part the midi file - and the melodic a little too consistently within the smallish compass -usually a fifth or fourth), conduct your work but be sure the pulse is the felt for each bar.

The amount it could use isn't much --- just depends on your purpose. What were you intending with this movement?

Thanks Note. I appreciate it.

And composerorganist, I recognize the need for a stronger melodic line, and I'm trying hard to work it into the first movement, which i am now writing. What I am intending with this movement is to provide a slower, harmonically complex excerpt between two faster movements.

And of course, thanks Vince, who I forgot to thank earlier. Your comments are ALWAYS appreciated, and I hope they continue ;)