The 4 Elements suite - Air

This is my first official posting (have posted a couple of feedbacks just now), so be gentle with me! :)

Here is a piece of music I composed about 10 years ago which I recently revamped slightly. It's from a suite of 4 movements entitled "The 4 Elements Suite", and this is "Air".

I have tried to convey the element of air in the orchestration as well as the in music (rhythm, note lengths, etc...), and I think I have done what I set out to do.

Click here for the MP3.

Hope you enjoy the piece!

I like the melody line and theme going on in this piece. I really don't have much to critique in terms of the composition, though I think some counterpoint would be helpful in some areas (like the section in the middle with the pizzicato strings).

I'd have to say that my biggest critique is that, if I hadn't read your description of the piece, I wouldn't have thought "air" when I heard it. What exactly about air are you setting out to describe? A breeze? A tornado? Depending on what you want to say about air, your instrumentation will change. I find it a little puzzling that, for a song about air, there is a minimal use of instruments that actually use air (not counting the voices and the little flute at the end).

All in all, it's a good piece and I enjoyed listening to it. But, thematically, I don't know if it really does what it should. In any case, hope I've helped a little here. Keep up the good work!

I like the melody line and theme going on in this piece. I really don't have much to critique in terms of the composition, though I think some counterpoint would be helpful in some areas (like the section in the middle with the pizzicato strings).

I'd have to say that my biggest critique is that, if I hadn't read your description of the piece, I wouldn't have thought "air" when I heard it. What exactly about air are you setting out to describe? A breeze? A tornado? Depending on what you want to say about air, your instrumentation will change. I find it a little puzzling that, for a song about air, there is a minimal use of instruments that actually use air (not counting the voices and the little flute at the end).

All in all, it's a good piece and I enjoyed listening to it. But, thematically, I don't know if it really does what it should. In any case, hope I've helped a little here. Keep up the good work!

I tried not to overkill by writing, orchestrating, etc... everything to do with air. What I did do is to try and convey my feeling on air as an element. I understand your point about it being a tornado or something else. My feelings were to try to 'portray' air as a element in the context of air, water, earth and fire.

I agree with Murr here in a lot areas, I like the melody line especially, I really get the feeling you were going for...the pizzicato strings could use some fleshing out with counterpoint, and I would love to hear this piece in terms of the other 3 elements. To me this actually feels more earthy than airy. That feeling might just be me, but if I had to put an element to the piece, I wouldn't have guessed air. You're very talented, and the work is very enjoyable, keep up the great work!

I agree with what was said earlier by Murr and musicdecomposed, "air" wouldn't have been the first thing I think of when I hear this, but it is still a wonderful piece, and I enjoyed listening to it.

Just to be nosey (and for research purposes), what would say it represented? So far someone mentioned "earth" - does anyone else agree?

I am thinking somewhat to change the title to "Earth" and leave "Air" for another time! :)

I think that you should just call this one "earth" because it sounds more earthy than airy. Actually, to be honest it sounds like earth and air together, but more earth. Did that make any sense?

Now that I listen to it again, it's starting to sound more like air. I'm confused!

Now that I listen to it again, it's starting to sound more like air. I'm confused!

I have often been told I have that effect on people! :toothygrin:

Well air or earth or whatever it is, it's still good, I still like it, and I'm looking forward to more of your work.

Well, I shall be posting some more of my stuff, but I am mainly a vocal composer rather than orchestral. However, having heard some super stuff, I fancy a challenge!

Anthony

As always, I return the favor. It just took me a while to get to this one.

I can see why some think that this may not work as well as air or Earth, but the only way to tell that is to hear the entire suite of elements.

As was also said, there is a bit of work that can be done with the Pizz lines, but overall this is a nice piece.

Well done

Ron

ororororororororor~~~~~~~~~~

choir

victory feel

i like it

dark-ice

OMG! What Choir library you use??? It was awsome with the orchestra.

OMG! What Choir library you use??? It was awsome with the orchestra.

Well, I don't use any libraries at the moment. In order for me to save in MP3, I have to first save as MIDI (in Sibelius, that is), then use Direct MIDI to MP3 converter, which I think uses SoundFonts, and the MIDI sounds different to the MP3 converted version.

I feel like the transition from the arco strings bit (after the pizz.) to the main theme about 3/4 of the way through was a little awkward...

The rest of it moves really smoothly, though, not at all difficult to listen to. =) but while it's catchy i feel like it could be developed a lot more. like, you've given us this really cool idea, but then it ends, and... bwuh? i wanted more of that.

that's basically it, actually, "i wanted more of that". +_+ not necessarily in length but I'm dying to hear what you can do (explore, develop, play with) with a great starting point of ideas.

ps. i can hear Air when you've told me beforehand it's Air, certainly... my very first impression, however, was "this sounds a lot like that bit in Titanic". o_o

Funny thing was that Titanic was written at about the same time, from what I was told, as someone else has pointed it out. So which came first, the chicken or the egg? :toothygrin:

As for the comments made by people, thank you. Bearing in mind this piece was written over a few years back, my writing has changed (hopefully for the better).

I really like this!

I have to say it sounds more like Earth to me if you're referring to Earth as plant life/forests and stuff, not like dirt/rocks.

My only critique would be to put a fermata on the ending because it's so powerful and pleasing. That is, unless you have notated in some way to do that, and it was lost in translation from the score to the MP3.

I really like this!

I have to say it sounds more like Earth to me if you're referring to Earth as plant life/forests and stuff, not like dirt/rocks.

My only critique would be to put a fermata on the ending because it's so powerful and pleasing. That is, unless you have notated in some way to do that, and it was lost in translation from the score to the MP3.

Actually, and you are right about being lost in the MP3, the tubular bell is supposed to ring until it dies out. So everyone else stops whilst the bell carries on its ring.

This is only an opinion, mind you, but I didn't especially like this piece that much. It sounded a little trite. Most of the harmonies seemed to be lifted directly out of a cheesy pop song. In fact the main theme's harmonies almost directly mirror the changes to Heart and Soul. Also this piece wouldn't make me think of air or Earth if I heard it. It just doesn't sound very elemental. It sounds more like a "Life goes on, but I make it cause I have friends" kind of song.

When the flute part comes in, it feels sooo incredibly cheesy especially when the flute hits the blue-notes. It reminds me of when I hear our all-white school band try to do a gospel song. Also, what kind of ensemble is this? strings/choir/one flute that comes in at the very end?

I did like the dance-like 5/4 rhythms. Also some of the harmonies from 2:42 to 3:00 were nice and less poppy.

(I had a sequencer program up when I heard this, and just randomly started improvising this: http://lzr.cc/music/friends.mp3. This more fits my image of the song than air.)

This is only an opinion, mind you, but I didn't especially like this piece that much. It sounded a little trite. Most of the harmonies seemed to be lifted directly out of a cheesy pop song. In fact the main theme's harmonies almost directly mirror the changes to Heart and Soul. Also this piece wouldn't make me think of air or Earth if I heard it. It just doesn't sound very elemental. It sounds more like a "Life goes on, but I make it cause I have friends" kind of song.

When the flute part comes in, it feels sooo incredibly cheesy especially when the flute hits the blue-notes. It reminds me of when I hear our all-white school band try to do a gospel song. Also, what kind of ensemble is this? strings/choir/one flute that comes in at the very end?

I did like the dance-like 5/4 rhythms. Also some of the harmonies from 2:42 to 3:00 were nice and less poppy.

(I had a sequencer program up when I heard this, and just randomly started improvising this: http://lzr.cc/music/friends.mp3. This more fits my image of the song than air.)

You are entitled to your opinion, of course, as is everybody else.

I don't listen to pop music, so I have no idea what the song you have quoted sounds like. My grounding is solidly in classical music. So, if I have stolen it lock, stock and barrel, then someone must have sent it telepathically across! :toothygrin:

As for the blues ending, you are not familiar with the music of Karl Jenkins, I take it. Also, it's not a flute (the MP3 does not do it justice), it's pan pipes.

As for the the absolute mess you have made by attempting to sing (LOL), keep it to yourself. I would NEVER (and I mean NEVER) bastardise someone else's work regardless of whether or not it is good or bad. Shows how professional you are! And if you are not professional, then you show downright disrespect to a fellow human being, let alone a fellow musician (if that's what you are).

I completely did not mean to offend you. I was just having fun, and also demonstrating how it could be a pop song quite easily.

I'm glad you mention Karl Jenkins, because now I kind of see the direction your coming from. I personally am not a huge fan of his music (though I do dig the mustache), but a lot of people are, and I think your piece would appeal to those same audiences. I'd classify some of his music orchestral pop. It has a lot of similar sensibilities to pop music, even though it uses orchestral instruments.

I completely did not mean to offend you. I was just having fun, and also demonstrating how it could be a pop song quite easily.

I'm glad you mention Karl Jenkins, because now I kind of see the direction your coming from. I personally am not a huge fan of his music (though I do dig the mustache), but a lot of people are, and I think your piece would appeal to those same audiences. I'd classify some of his music orchestral pop. It has a lot of similar sensibilities to pop music, even though it uses orchestral instruments.

If that's the case, I retract what I posted about you.

I write in many styles, not copying people but being influenced by them. Unless I have been told otherwise, I have never been 'accused' of writing orchestral pop or indeed anything pop. Although I have been known to listen to the odd pop song, my writing (which includes chord progression and chord structures) isn't pop. Neither is it that horrible noise they call 20th (and 21st) Century compositions! I like my pieces to have a tune and nice harmonies, not some random blots of ink on a paper joined up with beams and stems to make 'music'.

I am not a professional, although I have been commissioned to write pieces of music of mainly choral in genre. I write mainly for hobby although I would say 50% of what I have written has been performed. None of my orchestal stuff has been.