A Piece for Flute, Cello, and Piano

I actually posted this earlier, but my posts with the .pdf and midi files disappeared from the thread. Oh, well. Here it is. Let me know what you think!

Trio (Flute, Cello, and Piano).pdf

Trio (flute, cello, and piano).mid

Trio (flute, cello, and piano).sib

I want feedback!

Perhaps the title is too dull.

Well, then, unfortunately, I guess I won't be getting too many comments, as I prefer composing absolute music.

Dude...be patient. You only posted this two hours ago (one hour when you first started complaining).

Give people a chance to find it.

I liked the laser effect in measure 15

Well that's what it sounded like.

I'm not specially moved by most atonal music, yet neither prejuiced against it (or so I think). I cannot find direction in this piece, it seems like events happening one after another. Not that immobility should be a problem, it can be desirable sometimes. But here I just find myself nowhere, really. If sound experimentation is the main goal, then there are some nice curious things (glissandi and stuff).

Sorry not to be more specific, I'm afraid I'm not understanding what you wanted to say, whatever it be the reason. Hope not to offend, just wanted to share my impression.

I hope to expand this piece into a multi-movement work. Keep in mind the midi file does not play anything as it should sound in a real rehearsal or performance, as I did have it in rehearsal a few weeks ago.

Here are a few things the midi leaves out- the sound of a real glissando, timbral variance, piano pizzicato, pitch inflection, and false harmonics (the notes with the see-through diamonds placed a fourth above the black notes are being sounded a fourth and two octaves lower than notated).

Corbin, what do you mean exactly?

I dont know what to make of this peice. I have been trying to open up to atonal music recently, but I just cant digest music like this right now.

I guess that it was well constructed but what I can comment on is effects. This peice looked very playable but the Flute part got unreasonable with the 32 groups. Most could not properly play these. What you could use insted is Flutter-tonguing. It is much easier to play and will give the same effect. (plus i think most preformers might just do it anyway)

Before I start don't get me wrong, I love 20th century music and Webern is definitely up there as a one of my technical geniuses of whom I enjoy. I do however realize that a lot of this music is...a scallop to play plain and simple. Playing one of the middle notes of a quintuplet while playing two notes out of a triplet on the piano (if I read it correctly). I'm also concerned about your flautist as it is ridiculously low. And if you meant for the flautist to play 30 second notes or to fluttertongue that low is really quite a lot to ask of that flautist. I really recommend reworking the flute part because it's so vicious. If you rewrote it for alto flute it would be easier to play in the lower register. But I'll leave those decisions up to you. Godspeed sire.

PS. the name is fine.

Before I discuss this piece any further I want to clarify that it is still in the planning stages. So, what you see right now is essentially a sketch. I have not decided how I want to expand the work, but when I began this sketch, I wanted to compose a piece that flowed in a way that seemed natural, while also holding on to the main thematic ideas, which came from a number set we were assigned. I also created a visual line interaction on a blank sheet of paper before I began this composition.

Corbin, what do you not understand? My piece is not in a fixed form and I really just wanted to explore the timbral possibilities of the ensemble.

Before I start don't get me wrong, I love 20th century music and Webern is definitely up there as a one of my technical geniuses of whom I enjoy. I do however realize that a lot of this music is...a scallop to play plain and simple. Playing one of the middle notes of a quintuplet while playing two notes out of a triplet on the piano (if I read it correctly). I'm also concerned about your flautist as it is ridiculously low. And if you meant for the flautist to play 30 second notes or to fluttertongue that low is really quite a lot to ask of that flautist. I really recommend reworking the flute part because it's so vicious. If you rewrote it for alto flute it would be easier to play in the lower register. But I'll leave those decisions up to you. Godspeed sire.

PS. the name is fine.

I've hired professionals to play and record the piece. The flautist got through his part perfectly well on the first rehearsal, as did all the other players. Now, with regards to the measures with the non-linear rhythms, these players can handle it. Some of them are playing pieces by Elliot Carter right now.

Short, sweet, needs lots of trimming and way more development. I understand that it's still in sketch stages. However, I feel like the themes are restated more than developed, which makes me feel like the piece has somewhere else to go. Consider expanding this movement before you consider expanding into multi-movements.

You're perfectly right to ignore concerns about non-linear rhythms. At least you're not using nested tuplets, which are fun. Actually, that might be a way of developing the piece rhythmically. Using your non-linear rhythms in separate parts to generate nested tuplets in a single part.

Also - your harmonics are going to sound 2 octaves up, not an 8ve+4th. There is no artificial harmonic that would sound 8ve+4th above the written pitch, because 8ve+4th is not part of the harmonic series. 8ve+5th is - and that's achieved by touching the node a 5th above the written pitch.

This peice looked very playable but the Flute part got unreasonable with the 32 groups. Most could not properly play these. What you could use insted is Flutter-tonguing. It is much easier to play and will give the same effect. (plus i think most preformers might just do it anyway)

The flute part's perfectly reasonable. Your piece is going slowly enough that the 32nd groups are fine to handle.

Sorry I didn't clarify that this piece is a sketch. Still in progress!

I can't wait for your detailed analysis- will it be harmonic, structural, or a comprehensive analysis?

I liked the laser effect in measure 15

Well that's what it sounded like.

:toothygrin::thumbsup:

Quips aside, I actually enjoyed this piece. I'm not well versed enough in this atonal music to critque, though.

EDIT: If this is mearly a sketch, you should probably put it in the "Writer's Block" section. Just for future reference.

From now on, I'll make sure to do that!

:D