"Psalms" for string orchestra (live recording)

Thanks.

Anyone think using mutes for the intro and outro would have been a good idea?

Thanks.

Anyone think using mutes for the intro and outro would have been a good idea?

I think it's great the way it is - there's something about the homogeneity of sound that makes it work without mutes. Although I don't think it would necessarily detract.

Great. I really enjoyed this. One of those "types of music" that I constantly seek for. Same in Matt's "O Pie Jesu" and my own humble attempt in "Pie Jesu".

Voice leading, string orchestra orchestration, all are done really nicely here! The dissonances are pleasant and adequate (although you could have used more).

I like the prayerful feeling to the whole thing (well its a Psalm anyway).

Just a few short notes:

You went into the Pizzicato section slightly too abruptly. I like the idea and the way it's done, but hmm, yeah the first time it went there was too sudden for me.

Bars 72-73... I wanted that to be longer! But you're the composer :P

Anyway, those are very small things. Well done and congratulations! =D

Hello.. and sorry it took this long! :)

It takes a mature composer to be able to control an adagio, and I feel that you controlled it very well. Despite the lack of rhythmic drive, there was a steady flow of energy through your use of tension and resolve. Most of the dissonances in this piece worked extremely well at pushing the material forward.

I actually was contemplating a similar type of introduction to my next string quartet, but decided against it. My main complaint with your piece would be how tonal it is. There is not a single accidental. If this was part of your composition brief, then you made a great piece out of it, but I just feel that there could be so much more you could do by throwing in a deceptive cadence to VI, leading to a VI7, going to II for example. You could certainly exploit much more emotional interest and tonal drive.

My next complaint would be the similarity of texture. Even in a string based ensemble, the composer should try to exploit as many different timbres as possible, I feel. You effectively used the contrabass through its entrances and exits, but on the other hand, the violins were basically playing through the entire piece. My ears could have certainly used a break from that sound. Don't get me wrong.. the string writing you have here works very well! Just not for such an extended period of time. I especially loved the Andante section where you exploited the grainy texture of the instruments.

My next complaint would be some voice leading. Because it is completely tonal, some sections of the music sort of had a "weird" feel to them. Such as when you have a dominant seventh and you resolve the Bb to a C... It gives a slight passing impression of modality. 69-73 for example, you have a Bb going to an E natural going to another Bb and those tritones just add a slight bit of a modal flair. Nothing big though.

The form worked well, I believe.

It was a very enjoyable listen and certainly shows your merit as a composer :)

wow! i enjoyed this very much!

very nice. like the make up, like the dynamics in the preformance.

Beyond beautiful. Too many people on this forum believe complexity makes everything better. More notes= better piece, right? No. This is wonderful. Its simple, beautiful and stylistic. Did I mention beautiful?

Congrats, you got more than one listen out of me! In fact, you might have 6+ listens out of my by the end of the day, this is a fantastically elegant little piece. Reason I say "little" ... it doesn't seem to aspire to being "all that", it's happy being its quaint little self. Makes me think of some cozy home sweet home I never had. :sadtears:

The one thing I really wanted to say - listening to it without the score and listening to it with the score are two completely different experiences. I appreciated a lot more of your writing when I was staring at it. Before I pulled up the score it was just "pretty music" that just kinda flowed on and on. Only when I saw the score did I realise it was divided into multiple sections. This explained where there was no prevailing melody of sorts that my ear caught on to on the first listen - I didn't realise it was in several sections. So reflecting on that observations, maybe your sections were a little bit too similar. Both in execution by the orchestra, and possible harmonic language. You could have indicated a different feel for the sections so they'd be more interesting as being individuals, or you could have written in differences, via textures, style, and language.

I had no complaints about the pizzicato parts when I listened without the score, other than maybe they could have gone on the slightest bit longer. I actually really liked it, I'm a pizz. fan. But when I listened while staring at the score, the pizzicato section suddenly didn't fit in - it was kinda of a jolt, like it needed more preparation. Another one of those weird differences in experience with/without the score. What I'm inclined to say is that the pizz. is fine as it is, but there isn't enough arco going on along side it, i.e. at the same time to mix with it. At least the first time. The second time the pizz. crops up I have no complaints.

I loved that you composed this completely diatonically. I mean... completely. Even I venture beyond the key signature more than this and people complain that *I* am stuck in the 19th century! But you used the language very gracefully and I would never complain, I adored the harmonic writing. It was very lush and the textures you brewed with the contrasting crescendi and decrescendi were heavenly at times. The most beautiful use of only seven different notes I think I may have ever heard. :happytears:

The most beautiful use of only seven different notes I think I may have ever heard. :happytears:

Wow thanks, even better than this? :P

Saving Private Ryan - Hymn to the Fallen

No, that has woodwinds, brass, percussion, and a friggin' choir. SOO totally not in the same league. HOWEVER, I did feel your use of suspensions was a lot more engaging than this. Saving Private Ryan score is much more harmonically predictable, even if it is still beautiful scoring.

I like it!

very nice little piece, ive read lots of references to Barber, however i would strongly disagree. I feel this is more akin to the english composers such as Ireland, Howells, Moeran, it has that pastoral melancholic feel that is so prevalent in their small works for strings.

Lovely string writing and i didnt mind the pizz.:D

Listening to it for, like the 10th time, and it is still amazing. And calming. (especially to a ten year old late at night during a storm.) :D

A very nice piece. The only thing I didn't care for was the Pizz. strings. Other than that pure beauty.

Thank god you brought it back, Bachian! We need people to listen to this masterpiece.... I can't say it enough....this is just... so... beautiful and calming. YC should create a "YC composer hall of fame" and put your name in it, Max. :)

Seriously mate, this piece is brilliant. Total eargasm if you can believe it. Scenes of sunsets, green pastures and nature came aplenty to my mind's eye. Most peaceful.

Congrats that you got it played live. Keep it up mate!

Aww thanks guys. :happytears:

Aww thanks guys. :happytears:

No prob! ;)

I put Psalms on my cellphone and listen to it. Often! :D Such... happy music. Very inspired. Hehe.

Brilliant piece - reminds me in places of Morricone. well done

Again, this is an amazing piece of music.

Great job.

I especially liked the clashing intervals and violins in the upper register around measures 112-117 (roughly)

Thanks for posting this.

:happytears:

Again I listened. ALWAYS is amazing, beautiful, brings a tear to my eye.