A Work in progress

Ok, I've basically written from start to finish, I just haven't finished writing in all the parts, nor have I put in any dynamics whatsoever. I don't know if it can technically be called a symphony, or what it even would be called, but here it is:

http://www.fileden.com/files/2008/12/31/2246873/sym1%20mov1%20%28Idea%202%29.mp3

sym1 mov1 (Idea 2).MUS

Finale 2006 - [sym1 mov1 (Idea 2).pdf

So far, I'm quite enjoying this.

A few things:

It seems that you have a lot of really good material (the intro and the sixteenth note section somewhere in the middle from the violins especially), but you don't develop it enough. You state one thing, and I found myself really enjoying it, and then you'd move on. I was waiting for stuff to return, but it just didn't, which was kind of a let down. Also, sometimes the material you moved on to was less good than the previous, and I think you could have replaced it with variation or development for a much greater effect. I did, however, like the return to the beginning - it was quite effective and as I enjoyed the beginning immensely, it was appreciated.

Also, I didn't really like the brass dominated section at all (page nine).

As a final note - I think the resolution/ending could do with a little bit of work. It still feels as if it wants to go somewhere, and that the music was more cut off than finished, if you know what I mean.

I enjoyed it though - finish it for sure.

~Christian

Thanks a lot for the feedback!

Sounds pretty symphonic to me!

I agree with Christian, there's a lot of really good material in here, but I kept expecting development. You could develop within the piece, or you could make this the first movement of a longer work, sort of like a prelude, where you explore the themes in detail. Also--this is probably from the midi, but I thought I'd mention it anyway--your sound could be a little fuller. More bass, more complete chords... I feel like you could be using the instruments more (especially the strings... but I just like strings, so I'm sorta biased).

The winds section (the moderato) could very easily have some strings in there--wind/string is a very nice combination, generally, and has nice possibilities in terms of switching back and forth between the groups, or maybe moving the "accompaniment" around, to make room for more melodic/contrapuntal stuff.

Actually, the impression I got from this whole piece was that there was generally only one melodic idea at a time. Multiple melodies could liven this up. Another way to get a sense of movement is to make sure that there's at least one note change on every beat--which also makes the contrast even more obvious when there are places that deliberately stop moving.

Also, I've got a question: why no horn or flute? They'd round out the ensemble nicely, and give you more instruments to work with. Flute could relieve some of the oboe's high notes (me and my very limited knowledge of the winds remember reading that the oboe gets squeaky way up high, and anyway, that much high playing is probably tiring, and it frees you up to write more in oboe's meaty range, whereas most of your oboe part is written in a perfect place for flute). Also, another voice or two (horn's practically a low wind instrument) could lessen your doubling. Again, I don't know much about the wind section, but at a guess, two-to-a-part instead of one-to-a-part would give you a richer sound. And the horn could prove useful in the Andante--horn is beast at held notes, so you could have a horn take over the low trumpet notes instead of dividing your trumpet section, and let your trumpet shine.

I'm aching to hear this end tutti with some big wonderful chord. Maybe a picardy third. Just sayin'. ^^

Okay, I hope that's somewhat coherent... but I like this a lot, and I'd really love to hear development on these ideas. Good luck!