Symphonic Slow Movement

I need opinions on this slow movement from a symphonic project I'm working on.

A bit of background:

I received a commission recently - my first in over 10 years - from a gentleman at church whose parents will be celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary in June. There's no money in it for me - I offered my services up at a fundraising Silent Auction after a church function, and he was the winning bidder - but the money he paid is going to support the church choir, and I get a tax writeoff into the bargain.

Anyway, I'm writing a symphony for him to give his parents as a unique gift on their anniversary. They're cultured and educated people and they'll appreciate it.

As it happened, I had an idea for resurrecting a long-dormant symphony I started in 1988. I wrote the opening movement in a single sitting during a weekend cocaine binge, and after I got clean in 1990 I was never in the right mindset to complete the work. I've processed the first movement from MIDI and the original score into Finale 2006, and in all modesty, it's pretty darn good.

To complete it, I've decided to compose two new movements (the Menuetto and the Finale), and resurrect another movement (this post) from a little three-movement string symphony I wrote in 1986; I wrote the whole thing in 3 days, and the outer movements sucked, but this little slow movement pretty much made the piece. In it's original form for strings, it was performed twice very effectively - once on period instruments, which was a delight for me.

I have added two oboes and two horns to the movement so that it will match the first movement in orchestration, and I've transposed it up from the original C minor to C# minor (the Symphony is in A major). In character, the two movements are like day and night - a perfect contrast for one another. The horn parts are somewhat spare, partly because any more wouldn't fit the character, but more because I insist upon writing natural horn parts, and there was no such thing as a horn in C-sharp in the 1770s, the period of this style - hence I have had to write the part for Horn in E and use what pitches I could.

My concern is that this movement is too short to balance a 7:00 sonata-allegro. It's all of 3:45 long, simplicity itself in an ABAB(A) form, and while it has the requisite weight of expression, I'm feeling it might seem too trivial after the relatively substantial

Is the movement too short? Should I add a contrasting (Schubertian?) C section in the middle, making the form ABACAB(A)? It might tack on two or three more minutes. Or is it fine just as it is? Any other thoughts? I appreciate your input.

Tempo: Andante mesto

Orchestration: 2 oboes, 2 horns in E, strings.

Duration: 3:45

Of course, the MIDI totally blows. Try to use your imagination.

Thanks in advance.

Simply beautiful. I think a C section would make this piece a little bit more wonderful. Overall, your movement here is will written and nearly ever note is flawless so I can imagine that adding a C section that would fit would be a challenge. I do think if you can think of a C you should add it. This piece as it is is to short to bring balance.

I wrote the opening movement in a single sitting during a weekend cocaine binge

Drugs seem to make for the greatest artistic achievements (I am very serious: where it be alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine). Good that you are off cocaine though - that's one of the nastier drugs.

Anyway, this piece is (excuse the french?) loving beautiful! I really enjoyed every bar and your harmonic progressions were akin to many of Mozart's most beautiful works.

I do not believe that it needs to be any longer (and this is coming from a guy who basically only listens to 2nd movements in symphonies) unless you still think there is something to be said. You know the piece best, you compose it the way you think it should be. I've said this every time someone asks the question of "what should I do" and I'll never stop!!!

Great and beautiful work - some of the best and most expressive music I've heard on the forum to date.

When does the work have to be done by?

I'd like to hear the works previous, before I can make a proper judjment.

Tearing into the center may work, ha ha, be careful! Advice would be do what beehtoven would have done and go to a tottaly different key, give the same material, just different.

Or compose a whole new movement that fits in better.

It reminded me of Beehtoven's 5th symphony 2nd movement just annex all the outbursts and quirks that beehtoven would have done.

Wow. Thanks guys. I'm really glad that what I was trying to do all those years ago (20 years!) shone through the mud of the crappy MIDI. I'm really gratified to hear that you think it's beautiful. I was in such a terrible place in my life when I wrote this (yeah, I wrote this one flipped out on drugs, too, 24 years old and $20 from homelessness if I didn't get my scraggy together)...it's like my soul was trying to escape through this music. Yet the rest of that piece isn't fit to wipe myself with because I was borderline psychotic.

I really enjoyed every bar and your harmonic progressions were akin to many of Mozart's most beautiful works.

Jonathan, that's Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas to me. How very generous of you.

When does the work have to be done by?

June, sooner if possible. I think I have a pretty good head start on it.

I'd like to hear the works previous, before I can make a proper judjment.

OK, not a bad idea...should have thought of that earlier. Here's the MIDI of the first movement. There are some dynamic wierdnesses in the MIDI, but here goes.

You've all given me a lot to consider. I'm inclined to leave it alone, though adding a contrasting middle section (probably in A) still tempts me. I think I'll start working on the Menuetto and sleep on it.