Introduction To A Piece

I am currently reworking a piece that I started 3 months ago , it is already uploaded. I've decided to cut some things out of it and make changes to it, the first change I am making to it is adding an introduction of some sort to the piece.

What I tried to make stand out in the introduction is the percussion.

The french horn also foreshadows a melody that is to come later in the piece.

However, what I want to know is, is the introduction "good"

-Constructed criticism of any sort would be helpful.

P.S- The introduction is exactly 23 measures long, I think that falls in the maximum, minimum measures allowed for an introduction category no?

EDIT- Oh god... the midi does NOT do justice to the percussion part that is supposed to be taking place...

please bare with me until I can find some sort of other form to upload this with...

I actually think the kettle drum is a bit overused -- the intro doesn't drive enough to need the "stroke, stroke" kind of feel you've got.

The break stops the flow -- fill the hole with something to keep the motion going.

The ending leads pretty hard to something, but no link, so I can't give an idea of where.

I honestly thought it was definitely leading somewhere, so it introduced it in a way that wanted to hear more.

I purposely did not give it a link- maybe I shouldn't of done that?

I'll try to see what I can do about the kettle drum.

-I don't know exactly what to feel the holes with, I kind of left them empty on purpose =\

Can you point me in a direction of what to fill the hole swith?

The biggest thing is that the percussion solo area (mm9-12?) doesn't foreshadow anything within the intro -- which is fine, but it's weak to my ears. A thickening of texture, maybe pizz strings or something to densen, but not stand out. Get some imitation kicking between the countermelody rhythm and the drums.

ferkungamabooboo is definitely on the right track - the texture is weak and you are trying to build something grand and ominous. I would tighten the "hole" - bring the two ends of it a little closer together, and perhaps stick an element like a bass clarinet arpeggio in there. It's okay to pull back on the reins a little bit in an introduction to provide the second part of it with a bit more punch, but you don't want it to drop through the floor.

Also, the bare fifths get to be a bit monotonous the second time around; perhaps move the upper partials to other instruments, double them elsewhere, or thicken the harmony generally, just to avoid these intervals from sounding too samey in regard to the earlier passage. You will need a lead to whatever it is you are introducing, but if this intro works at all that transitional tag should be apparent to your ears -- I wouldn't fuss about that detail until you are done here.

uncle dave