Greek mythology competition

Wow Shalom, that sounds long, can't wait! As for the rest of you, contest ends soon, better get your entries in!

Edit: Raed, who is Odin, I looked it up and it says german. This is a greek competition.

Hi, i like the contest idea and it just happens that I have a piece already written that seems to work. Would i be allowed to enter the competition at this time? Also is it allowed to submit a piece that you have written earlier and not for this competition in the allotted one month time period?

This piece would be for orchestra.

Thanks.

Sorry, but I will not allow your piece, due to the fact that others had one month, and you have been working for over a year.

completing flute and piano solo - b section - orchestral a and c sections nearly finished!

completing flute and piano solo - b section - orchestral a and c sections nearly finished!

I entered the competition just to keep composing, I'm going to look here for another competition. I'll try using the full orchestra on the next one. I did a short piece and it was fun. It had English Horns and clarinets contrasted by strings and flute.

I can't wait to hear your piece....

here's my piece - On the Mountain of Olympus.mus On the Mountain of Olympus.mid

this was my first delve into orchestral work - i've only done a couple

[short] piano pieces before this.

i was not able to complete it to my satisfaction before the deadline (i would've liked to extend the two themes more and possibly add a third - but alas :sadtears:)

what you hear here is what i intended to be my opening and c section (with additional a and b parts) but it turned out to be my a and b.

constructive critisism is welcome as i intend to complete the project in the future. enjoy!

I can play both the files, thanks for entering shalom, to bad about not finishing, but it's still a good enough length :]

For those without MP3, here's a PDF and MP3:

olympus - shalom.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

shalom entry.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

shalom entry.pdf

Here's your first mark of three scorings, done by three judges. To make it fair, you'll add up all three scores given to you by each judge. Which would give you the same standing as adding them together and dividing by three the way I see it...

Please don't harrass others opinions!

Entry by Royhoobler:

I liked the first flute theme. I don't know if this is your fault, but the piano comes in to early. I like the transition from flute to piano, with the piano taking over, but the flute part with sixteenth notes doesn't really go into the main melody right.

Now, I'm not best with piano, but it sounds good apart from bar 29 where I didn't like the offbeat. From there, I felt the piece didn't really go anywhere, and I couldn't find a melody when the flute came in. At bar 37, the flute doesn't really go. I found at 45 it started to get better, and I especially loved 49 with the triplets that sorted sounded like the melody.

Up to bar 70 sounded out of place to me, like why is the flute playing random bars of melody then stopping at 61, where I imagined it would hold the note.

Overall, the ending was the best, and the beggining, because it was beautiful. I felt the fighting didn't come out at all, because it never really had a melody (I shouldn't say never, but not a lot) and that most parts didn't leave me with anything, and didn't really have a melody or go anywhere.

Sorry, but overall score: 9/20

Shalom's entry:

The first thing I noticed was the bad score. You should always mark a dynamic at the beggining, or at least have them somewhere in the piece. There were no dynamics, bassoons, tipani, trumpets, or clarinets in the piece, yet you kept the instruments in the score. I would've deleted them, cause that just lost you a mark or two. Is it because you're going to continue or something? I would've spend the day you had left adding hairpins/dynamics.

Onto the song, the first melody was great, but what I liked most was the piano part, stunning! I thought the flute quarters should be shorter. The violin was a nice touch, because without it, those eight beats would've been boring.

Speaking of boring, I'm debating with myself whether this is boring or not. For one you use the same melody (more or less) but you always add something that makes me want to hear more instead of turning it off, good job! Like the violin counter melody, which was a nice change. Finally, there was the last melody, which was nice because it was different, and well written.

Overall, I would ask that you clean up the score. Although you kept the main melody interesting with various changings on it, I would have liked to either see it in a different instrument, or a different melody completely, to make the song more... attractive. It would also spice up the more boring parts, such as cello, bass and oboe.

Nice work: 15/20

Jimmyjuicin's entry:

Firstly, I like the theme of the piece, the 'lame' blacksmith. I felt you captured your theme the best in this competition. The use of tubular bells and tipani especially gives the 'forge/blacksmith-ish' feel. Although percussion could've been more clearly notated, it was put to great use.

Speaking of notations, how many is this for? Like, the violin (and most strings) have three notes at a time, I know two is possible but is three? Or is it for more than one? Then the trumpets get an added note each beat, leading up to 8 in one staff, with the horns at four, is that for eight trumpets and four horns (bar 39)? If so, that's bad instrumentation, the horns would be blowing thier brains out. You'll also lose points for no dynamics.

Finally, I love the speed, it's always hard-hitting and fast, especially shown when everything hits a note and dissapears, leaving flutes and clarinets at 43, but still fast. It didn't really fit hepheaustus I thought. The ending was strange, but fit. I liked it, but thought you could do better.

Overall, you should better notate the score adding dynamics and things like '1st play this, 2nd play this' The melodies were awesome though, and the atmophere amazing!

Th finale score is 17/20

thank you!

yes, a lot of the reason for the bad score is that the song isn't complete and i will be using those unused instruments later. i didn't add dynamics, but that is partly because i thought monday was the first-the deadline-mistakenly, my bad.

i'm also adding a third theme in a different key that should help make the song more interesting.

i was thinking it might be cool if we do this competition in two stages, our initial works, than we edit it (with your suggestions in mind) and resubmit it in, idk, another month on oct 1st. of course, whoever wins the competition the way it is set up now would get to decide if he or she wants to allow it. =)

when are the other judges evaluating the pieces?

The other judges should be posting soon. Beethoven guy has informed me that he'll send them on friday, and blackballoons should be before that :]

Thanks for the comments. I'll definitely go back and try to rework that darn middle section :)

Is Jimmyjuicin's piece posted here? I was going to listen.

Hey everyone;

Here's my judging...sorry for the delay.

@Jimmyjuicin:

It's a nice, relatively interesting piece. There's a quiet, but present sense of intensity, which is fitting for Hephaestus the "Lame Blacksmith." I'd say, though, that the string parts could've been more interesting. Only chords/pedal tones make the string parts a bit boring. Notation could've been clearer (wind parts meas. 59...) , the score could definitely have been cleaner! The percussion notation is confusing. I give this 14/20; nice piece, just not extremely well orchestrated, and not clearly/cleanly notated.

@royhoobler:

I'll give this a 9/20, and here's why. While the idea is great and very poetic, there were a couple things that seemed awkward and out of place; meas. 24-31 were especially odd. I think it was supposed to be a modulation; I didn't really get that (maybe it's just me, I can't be sure...)

While there is certainly a narrative purpose to the piece, I felt that it lacked direction and didn't really go anywhere, but that it tried to. Perhaps a clearer explanation of the "plot" or structure of the piece might help.

Overall, the piece didn't suit my taste. It sounded like video game music and kind of wandered and wasn't really cohesive. And, of course, as with most scores on this site (including mine, I'll admit...) this score needs major cleanup. There are collisions everywhere, like dynamic markings being stabbed through with arpeggiate markings. It's a very sloppy score; I'd try a) shrinking it first and then b) making sure all the things are in line and don't collide.

On the positive side, I must say that the flute writing is indeed relatively idomatic! (The piano could do a bit more than just arpeggios and repeated figures...denser writing is what I'm going for. ) So kudos to you on that; many composers in this forum forget all about the flute's characteristics and just don't think about logistic/practical/idiomatic writing.

I hope what I've said isn't discouraging; keep up the hard work! 4-5 hours a day for 5 days is certainly commendable.

@shalom:

I'm giving this a 11/20. I found this to be a rather boring little piece. It's a little short, and I can understand that you had a short time to write it, but all the same, at least those minutes could have been more interesting. The music is rather gothic and dark, which isn't bad, but has become kind of a cliche. Consider; why does Mt. Olympus sound dark? It's dramatic, certainly...but foreboding? Not really (at least that's the impression I'm getting).

As far as style goes, (like I said...gothic) it also sounds like video game music. It is too atmospheric for my taste. Too static, you know? It lacked direction; it didn't really go anywhere. Of course there are instances where you want this, like in an introduction to a much larger work, but as a standalone piece it doesn't have enough musical support to let it be by itself.

Another thing that really bothered me about this was that the orchestration was very lackluster. The cello and bass part was just a held pedal tone and the chords were thin and bare. There's no rich sound, which may be what you intended; with this kind of music I'm not sure you really want a sparse texture. In any case, I suggest studying up on scoring for larger groups before you get to work writing for orchestra. Trust me, I've been there...writing for a large group without any knowledge of orchestration is indeed a very very tough task, and the music doesn't come out the way you want it to.

And so there you have it. Sorry to be so abrasive, but I hope it helps. :] Keep composing though; don't give up. :]

Is Jimmyjuicin's piece posted here? I was going to listen.

It's not, I got it by PM. I won't post it because I'm nt sure he'll allw it, but if he gives his permission I'll pass it on to you.

Just a little FYI, no offense to anyone who has judged or whatnot, but I wrote the piece on a no dynamic setting, because i was more interested with the audio outcome than the written score. Dynamics were present, but just upon the building of chords etc. That's fine that i was marked down and i'm not complaining, i'm just stating my reasoning.

Also, i do not have Finale, as in the professional version. So therefore i do not have unlimited staves, and then in turn wrote all parts on one staff per instrument. Sorry for the confusion on instrumentation :)

Thanks for all the reviews!!!

Hephaestus.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Hephaestus.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

here's the audio/terrible visual :P to my piece

@shalom:

I'm giving this a 11/20. I found this to be a rather boring little piece. It's a little short, and I can understand that you had a short time to write it, but all the same, at least those minutes could have been more interesting. The music is rather gothic and dark, which isn't bad, but has become kind of a cliche. Consider; why does Mt. Olympus sound dark? It's dramatic, certainly...but foreboding? Not really (at least that's the impression I'm getting).

As far as style goes, (like I said...gothic) it also sounds like video game music. It is too atmospheric for my taste. Too static, you know? It lacked direction; it didn't really go anywhere. Of course there are instances where you want this, like in an introduction to a much larger work, but as a standalone piece it doesn't have enough musical support to let it be by itself.

Another thing that really bothered me about this was that the orchestration was very lackluster. The cello and bass part was just a held pedal tone and the chords were thin and bare. There's no rich sound, which may be what you intended; with this kind of music I'm not sure you really want a sparse texture. In any case, I suggest studying up on scoring for larger groups before you get to work writing for orchestra. Trust me, I've been there...writing for a large group without any knowledge of orchestration is indeed a very very tough task, and the music doesn't come out the way you want it to.

And so there you have it. Sorry to be so abrasive, but I hope it helps. :] Keep composing though; don't give up. :]

__________________

Thank you for your review - i do have a few questions and comments though...

yes, orchestration is tough. i am starting to study it, but in the meantime, i learn best just by diving into things then being corrected (by myself, or someone like you) and fixing it.

the song, at least the first part, sounds like an introduction because it is an intro! by the time of the contest i had only finished the introduction [prologue] and started to extend into another possible theme - the flute and violin. i also hope to add a third more boisteross theme that will help get rid of the "melancholy, serious, and majestic feel" (though that sad feel is very much a part of greek (and most other) mythology.

i hope to end up with a opening [what you just heard, edited] then a zeus theme, posiedon, and hades.

i would like more input from you on my orchestration teqnique while i rework the piece! :)

Sorry guys, I'm not sure where Beethoven Guy is, he hasn't answered my PMs...

If he doesn't post by Saturday September 5th (tommorow) at 3:00 pm, his vote will not count and jimmyjuicin will be the winner.

I'll accept any complaints if you have any, and try and work everyone in.

edit: I'm going away for the weekend. If there are no complaints by 3, jimmy wins, if someone says they find it unfair that they lose due to the lateness of a judge, we'll wait for BG.

Sorry guys, I'm not sure where Beethoven Guy is, he hasn't answered my PMs...

If he doesn't post by Saturday September 5th (tommorow) at 3:00 pm, his vote will not count and jimmyjuicin will be the winner.

I'll accept any complaints if you have any, and try and work everyone in.

edit: I'm going away for the weekend. If there are no complaints by 3, jimmy wins, if someone says they find it unfair that they lose due to the lateness of a judge, we'll wait for BG.

congrats, jimmyjucin'!

i listned to your piece - and you definitly deserved the win! :)

Alright then, I hereby declare Jimmyjuicin as the winner!

Competition successful :D

Wow! Yay! Thank you! :toothygrin:

Good job everyone else as well!

Wow Shalom, that sounds long, can't wait! As for the rest of you, contest ends soon, better get your entries in!

Edit: Raed, who is Odin, I looked it up and it says german. This is a greek competition.

ehhh...didn't know the difference

i thaught it was ok

I'm in ;)

can I put a bit of Viking influence ??

(that post was before i start composing ), no one said no !! so I worked on some viking influence!!

any way happy for Jimmyjuicin ^^ nice peace you've written there ;)

Your viking influence was fine, you were disqualified because it was about a german god, and not a greek one.