Symphony #3 in A major

We’re all constantly changing. Sometimes we change and grow even when we’re not sure we want to. This piece is evidence that even at this late date, I am still growing and changing.

I’ve told the story before and won’t go into it again, but I conceived this piece in the first place about 18 years ago under adverse conditions in the midst of a personal crisis. The first movement burst forth from me, handwritten, over the space of a single weekend. I was never of that same mind again after that, and I have despaired for years of ever finishing the piece because I wasn’t about to marry music to it that was not its match.

Early in the year, the itch to finish the piece came back. I came up with new ideas (the theme for the Menuetto came in February), but I felt I needed to light a fire under myself. I decided to put the piece up as an item in a fund-raising silent auction at church, offering to dedicate the piece to the highest bidder. A gentleman bid on it as a gift to his parents, who will be celebrating their 62nd anniversary next month. This “commission” provided the extra impetus I needed. I finished it on May 25.

This symphony is easily the most expansive piece I’ve ever written, in length, scope and in depth of expression. Though still Classical, it also evidences an undeniable new turn in my style toward Romanticism - something I wasn’t sure I wanted to do, but I don’t seem to be able to stop it.

Scoring:

2 Oboes, 2 Horns and Strings

(There were quite a few times during my progress that I wished for larger forces, but I decided to stick with my original concept)

A few notes:

1. Allegro - this movement begins with a snappy five-note motive stated in unison, followed by a pregnant pause, after which the movement takes off in earnest. This opening motive is quoted and developed often throughout. Because it was written by hand, I never heard this before I processed it into Finale a few years ago, and I was pleased to find that it worked as well as I hoped.

2. Andante mesto - the germ of this sombre movement in C# minor started out as the slow movement of another failed symphonic project, around the same time as the first movement was written. It originally was in a simple ABABA format, and until as recently as a few days ago I considered leaving it that way; but on the evening of May 25 I conceived of a new contrasting C section in the middle - outrageously romantic by my standards. I had been hoping that it would balance the movement and add some weight to it, which I believe it has done.

3. Menuetto: Allegro assai - the theme for this came to me while I was working a second job last February. A couple of months ago I fleshed it out and came up with a rather romantic Trio section in the guise of a melancholy waltz featuring the oboes volleying a melody in the tonic minor.

4. Allegro ma non tanto - in March, while sitting at lunch, the 11-measure opening theme for this movement came to me. I realised almost instantly that not only did it have considerable potential, but that if handled properly it contained the seeds for the rest of the movement. The theme lent itself to division into five constituent sub-motives, which I used and developed all over the movement. The fourth of these, modified, became the secondary theme; the second, an accompaniment to the secondary theme; the first and second, inverted and embellished, became a fugato inserted in the middle of the recapitulation. Snippets of that opening theme are everywhere in the movement - only a few short passages contain none of it at all. Though I was not aware of the influences, there are many places where I hear the influence of Schubert, Mendelssohn and Gounod along with my usual muses, Mozart and Haydn. I planned none of this movement. I just let the material tell me what it wanted to be. Indeed, I hardly feel I wrote it; it felt more like taking dictation. This natural development even led me to change my original concept of the form from what I thought was going to be a rondo into a Sonata-Allegro.

Whatever it may or may not be as music or art, the completion of this work is one of my greatest personal triumphs. I hope you enjoy it, because that’s why I wrote it. Please let me know your comments and criticisms.

EDIT: Links destroyed in protest 4/2/09

Bravo! ;)

This is a great work. I love A major too, it always gives me a red color and richness to my mind.

Overall it may be more mature than your other symphonies, although I still am huge on your G Major Symphony, so I cant say I like this one better than that one.

I hope you write as many Symphonies as you can in your life, I am sure they will be remembered in time.

Year 2079: Welcome to Symphonies in the Night on 103.3 FM Radio. Tonight we will be playing 3 Symphonies by J Lee Graham. :P

I am going to have to listen again, and I agree with what you said, "This symphony is easily the most expansive piece I

Unfortunately I'm just heading off to school, but I can't wait to hear this!!!

It deserves some serious listening, so I might be a while with comments.

Well done for completing it anyway!

Edit: getting closer to a review. The ending of the first movement was a good surprise! The slower section with pizzicato.

Some wonderful very 'Graham-ish' modulations near the end of the finale.

Woah...what a sincere, emotionally outstanding work...happy, yet more sincere in emotion...that Andante was beautiful, brilliant in all its hopeful gloominess. The Finale contains superb melodic material, it couldn't be better. I still love that Trio in the third movement, I say it's as beautiful as the Andante. Marvelous job, as always, J. Lee! Keep 'em coming! I'm putting your 3 symphonies into a CD :w00t:

It's rare that a piece of music shines so bright with brilliance as this. Instantly the listener's attention is grabbed with the snappy statement of the opening motive in Movement I (oh, I see you used the adjective "snappy" too, Lee...strange) and is forced to wait an almost agonising pause before the horns play a slow drawn-out note, soon accompanied by one of the delightfully well-balanced melodies that, while special on their own, become almost a formality as you hear them being churned out in virtually every bar of the remainder of the piece.

There's so much that is good about this work that it's pointless trying to list everything. It is a true Classical tour de force, from playful sequences to (masterfully done) modulation to skilfully placed crescendos that cause the music to swell and burst out into the surrounding air with an almost divine shrill of repeated violin notes that make their way back down pseudo-chromatically, gently coaxing the other parts to produce the perfect cadence the ear so longs for at that point...a phenomenon otherwise known as bars 66-74.

Movement II is more gentle and in a way even more captivating than Movement I. The relatively simple opening is effectively built on to eventually produce some of the most emotion-inducing harmonies of the entire piece (bars 29-30), in my opinion. And then we are treated to the contrasting section! It's a nice surprise and a complete success, I feel, consolidating the previous slower material.

Movement III seemed to me the most repetitive of the four and unfortunately this makes it my least favourite, though that doesn't change the fact that I find the opening bars to be of such exceptional quality it almost makes me want to say Mozart = Haydn = Lee. The middle section certainly isn't bad either, and bars 138-144 are home to one of the melodies I liked most out of the entire work (the one played on the oboe, obviously).

Movement IV is the one with the best and most exciting development, in my opinion, and that always suits a last movement well. Love the interrupted cadence at 127, and don't get me started on the chromatic melody that's sequenced up and up at bars 242-246ish! And that chord at 409-411...very interesting. Very morbid in comparision to what's gone before in this movement, but only appears fleetingly. What was your motivation in writing that chord by the way? I'd love to know.

Main overall impression: I know what you mean about wishing for larger forces. Not that it's a weakness of the piece, particularly, but it does sound sort of "capped" at some points, like you want more to happen than actually does, though something as subtle and subconscious as that could surely not have been communicated to me purely through the music, it was probably mainly inspired by the fact that you mentioned it in your post. But it's a Classical orchestra. It's absolutely fine as it is.

Overall overall impression: An absolutely brilliant piece of music. Even better than your last two symphonies, if my memory of them serves me well enough. A wonderful achievement to be very proud of.

I'm overwhelmed, gentlemen. :innocent:

If there were a smilie with tears in his eyes, I'd use it.

I'll respond a little more later when I'm at leisure, hopefully later in the day. Busy day at work. Thanks for brightening my day. I'm suffering a bit of what I might term a "post partum depression." I suppose there's nothing for it but to begin a new project. :D

wow! I loved it, I'm also not qualified to review this but I'm not qualified to review most stuff :ermm: .

Well, what can I say? Third symphony

If there were a smilie with tears in his eyes, I'd use it.

You make a passing mention, I provide!

;)

And also:

;)

The range of emotion capable of expression through YC's emoticons has been increased once again.

A beautiful and expressive work, J. Lee. The melodies are absolutely lovely, the orchestrastion is well-written, and the piece always feels like it's going somewhere. It kept my interest throughout its entire duration, something that I can say about very few works posted on this site.

The first movement was very exciting. I particularly loved the sections where the horn played the melody. I seem to remember a few things, however, that the horn did toward the beginning that didn't sound all that... possible. I don't play horn, but I've often heard that one should avoid having the horn play too fast, especially in the higher register. I may or may not be correct, so I apologize if I'm not.

I loved the second movement. It was by far the most beautiful, in my opinion. The counterpoint worked well throughout, and I especially loved the harmonic progressions here. Very, very nice!

The third movement reminded me a bit of the first. It was a nice little interlude between the passion expressed in the second movement and the grandness of the fourth, which was great as well.

You're one of my favorite composers here. I would love to hear these symphonies performed live. If such an event occurs, be sure to keep us notified!

Thanks again, everyone.

A few responses to comments and questions...

Mike:

And that chord at 409-411...very interesting. Very morbid in comparision to what's gone before in this movement, but only appears fleetingly. What was your motivation in writing that chord by the way? I'd love to know.

I didn't even need to look, and I knew what you were talking about. It's a polytonal chord one hears in Spanish music a good deal (in a different inversion), a combination of an F and and E chord. I heard that chord in my head and went with it. I don't know why it came to me, but I didn't question it.

Daniel:

The ending of the first movement was a good surprise! The slower section with pizzicato.

Thomas, thanks for all your comments. I wish I had a dime for every time I wished I had more forces to draw upon in this piece. I may yet, someday, produce a version of this piece for larger orchestra. We'll see. I stayed true to my original concept because the first movement was so pure and complete in that form...and also because I was in a hurry, and a small orchestra is quicker to write for than a big one.

Most of you seem to have enjoyed the second movement the most. I'm gratified by that. I can tell you that with live instruments playing, it will be a good deal more expressive and poignant. I'm glad I decided to add that middle section at the last minute (it was the very last thing I wrote in the whole piece); it adds a different dimension and balance to the movement.

John Carey:

I seem to remember a few things, however, that the horn did toward the beginning that didn't sound all that... possible. I don't play horn, but I've often heard that one should avoid having the horn play too fast, especially in the higher register. I may or may not be correct, so I apologize if I'm not.

I wonder whether I shouldn't re-write the semi-quaver flourish at the beginning of the horn melody as just two quavers, G-natural and E. Those notes are all possible to play on the natural horn - Mozart used them all in his horn concertos, albeit in different keys (the same valveless horn with a different crook in it to make it play in the key needed). But the G-natural is a weird note not used very often because it's difficult to get in tune. It wouldn't be too much to ask a modern horn player, but I really want it absolutely correct idiomatically for the natural horn. Must consult a horn player on this. I'm glad you said something, because I've wondered about it for quite some time. Another consideration: just because Mozart or Haydn might have written it for a virtuoso doesn't mean they would have written it in an orchestral setting, unless they knew the horn player they were writing for could handle it.

Well, thanks everybody, and I'm just thrilled you enjoyed it!

Mr. Graham,

Fantastic work! :huh: I LOVE this symphony! I guess I too am not "qualified" to review this, but I'll do it anyway. Besides, this is all the way down at the bottom of Major Works. Come on people! His Symphony in G got 70 some reviews and this gets 11? I dont think so. Anyway.......

The first movement is wonderful (my favorite) I love how all the themes are there all the time but you kind of have to listen for them. An example would be at measure 12. The theme at 34 with the horns is lovely. I also like how you interplay it with the oboe. The developement is nice and everything fits together to form a wonderful first movement.

Now, the second movement is definately the heart and soul. The first time I heard the opening theme, the first thought that came to my head was the Mozart Requiem and the Lacrimosa (sp?). At measure ten its kinda cool cause it sounds like a sort of dance thing. I dont know.. lol. The rythym there is great. ;) At meausre 33 I like how you interplay the theme between the two oboes and Violin I. It sounds great. Measure 63 was a nice suprise; From sad to happy in no time. Everything else wraps up nicely.

Third Movement: This is an excellent minuett. It made me want to jump up and dance or something, which, I think, is exactly what a minuett is supposed to do so great job! I like how it would go into minor for a few measures and then go back into major. The transitions were done perfectly. Now the trio. The theme for the trio is nice and just how you described it, a "melancholy waltz". I dont know why, but it made me think of some sort of rainy gloomy day in Paris. I think I saw a movie with Paris in it and it had this type of music in it. Anyway....... Well done. The transistion into major again was sudden I thought, but I'm sure its just nothing. The minuett ended nicely and sweetly :P

Alas, the Fianle. This is an excellent last movement. All happy and cheerful. The thing thats interesting about this movement I think are the harmonies. Again nice modulations and minor sections. Everything in this movment was pretty much perfect. I have one tiny comment. The end should be louder and stronger. This was, in my opinion, a sort of smallish ending for the finale. I dont know. Like I said before its probably just me.

Great job, Mr. Graham. I hope this review was somewhat helpful and/or pleasing. I look forward to hearing many more symphonies from you. :)

J. Lee, I must confess that this is the first time I've listened to one of your symphonies - I feel ashamed because you have greatly perked my interest and now I must listen to all of them. You see, I'm always a bit weary about trying to review longer pieces.

I just finished the first movement and I can't find anything at fault with it. It picks its own boundries, and fleshes itself out perfectly within those boundries. With larger works in particular, it seems like composers often cram too much music into too small a space. Yet here, the music is always moving towards a point and never wanders off its glorious path.

What surprised me most is how professional this sounds to my ears - this could easily be mistaken for something written in the late 1700s, early 1800s. This is not the work of an amateur attempting to copy classicism or early romanticism. In fact, you have applied those principles while still maintaining a degree of originality (for example, I wasn't assaulted by classical cliches every second).

I was also wondering if you had written any works for different ensembles from that time period, like a string quartet for example. You probably have, I just haven't gotten around to seeing them yet. Anyways I'm going to listen to the other movements now.

Nice

I am unworthy to review this..

I love it

Ok review time - finally.

Movement 1

Ok, nice start - quite original. However, I wonder if the gap is too long. I'd need a score to tell you what measures, but right at the start. I find the octave jumps in the horns a little strange, but it works, and it's fine.

Lovely staccato oboe bit - nice use of that texture. Lovely modulation into, and throughout that section as well.

And the second theme is charming. Lovely orchestration in this section, and the chord you bring it to at about 1:01 is great.

Good development. Some excellent moods created in there. Ended perfectly as well. One thing I would say though is that while there is tension built excellently in certain places, you never really bring it out in to a big climax.

Recap. Wonderfully started.

Actually. Take the last few comments with a pinch of salt, because I started to doubt myself if I was really in the recapitulation, lol. I don't like to get too hung up on terminology, but I'm using them to split your piece into parts for reviewing anyway.

Did you have quite a bit of development in the recapitulation itself? That would explain alot.

Anyway. What I said before about not enough of a climax in the development, well the tension kept building into the recap, and built into an excellent finish to the piece.

I'd love to give a more in depth review of how the piece feels in terms of tension and release, &ct but I'd have to listen to the piece as a whole quite a few times to really let it sink in. I'm doing that anyway atm, but one movement at a time.

I'm sure I'll do that sometime though.

Some fantastic modulations all throughout the piece. Really didn't get boring once.There was however one or two little places where I felt a note was maybe misplaced. I'll search though again for one.

While I'm listening through again, I just have to say I think you have a wonderful feel for expression in this classical style.

Ok. Just as I listen though here - at about 3:25, behind that oboe melody, the strings don't quite seem harmonically convincing, in their direction. If that makes any sense. (If not - ask me to explain) That's just me nitpicking though.

The note I was thinking of is at about 3:41 but now it sounds fine, and there isn't another note that would work instead. The score would help me be able to give a better review in general though, as well as check out things like these.

Actually I'd love the score even to see how you do these things, lol.

The ending is perfect. The slow section, which I mentioned before, and the strangely almost cadenza like freedom in that section, speeding back up to a well balanced cadence (I hate over-long final cadences)

In conclusion - great! Fantastic modulations - I can't stress this enough. Well balanced, in terms of dramatic feeling, tension and release. Excellent orchestrations. Great contrasts in all ways.

Movement 2

I'm going to go more on gut reaction here.

Beautiful so far. Well proportioned. The start is a little like Mozart's Lacrimosa, which is one of the most moving pieces of music ever IMO, so you're definitely on the path of bringing out strong emotions. (I do not think at all that this was plaigarism, and please do not think that, or take it that way)

Orchestration is great again. Very emotive. So far the ostensibly more cheery middle section has been very moving, amidst the surroundings of the C# minor overt grief. That's just the kind of thing that affects me. Suspensions in there just bring me to tears. (as strange as that may sound) If that's the section which you think is outrageously romantic, I disagree. Even by your standards.

From a little after 5 minutes, and from there to the end, I feel a small jarring as the moods don't quite fit. Too sudden a change I think. However this jarring is slight, and not much after the first listening.

Overall, a really great piece. Fantastically sad. That type of movement really appeals to me. That mood. Very very well achieved. Lovely oboe solos in the middle as well.

Movement 3

Well I think I've met this one before :P

You already know what I think of this movement.

It's fantastic. Wonderfully idiomatic (in the minuet proper) as were the other two movements.

It's very easy to just sit and say "Well this is great", but without recognizing what sort of work has gone into it. And it just really astounds me how much work and love you must have put into this - it's really the very top standard of writing. You have to forgive me, I don't want to seem like I'm just throwing out compliments, but it's hard not to.

The trio is great. I love the style of course. A great emotional partner to the minuet, if you know what I mean.

Well written, in all respects.

Movement 4

Ok starts well. *listens* Builds quickly. I love the way it grows and develops.

There's not much I can say so far. Really great. Just exactly the type of music I love to hear, as someone who really enjoys late 18th early 19th century music.

The character fits well the rest of the piece. All the movements fit well together in this way. The outer movements doing just enough to balance the turmoil of the two inner movements.

Like I mentioned earlier, some very Grahamish modulations (in the other movements too).

You really make the classical style your own. I mean you have incredible mastery of what's gone before, but you do bring something new to that, in several ways. I wonder where you will continue to head.

One thing. You say you write for the orchestra of the time. There was a rather high note for the violins a little after the middle of the movement. While of course it's easily possible, I just rarely see it written for orchestras back then.(take 1780 for a v rough indication) Within 20 or 30 years though, of course Beethoven had them stretching for higher notes I'm sure..

(now that i've heard the whole piece, there are more high violin notes later as well)

The only things I could possibly say would be to do with the work as a whole, and how they add together to create a whole, but I don't have time to give that kind of review atm. Even so, in that sort of era, movements of a symphony could be split over the series of a concert, but I'm sure that's not how this one was intended.

That finale is just fantastic! Really!

To summarise: Excellent work - I'm even more impressed than with the G major symphony. I think this is even better. Well done, and I know one of your goals as a composer is to please your audience/listeners with your work, so I can tell you that I adore this, and it really wowed me, and I enjoyed it really a lot :D

Symphony #4, anyone? :glare:

(damn, I was meaning to keep this review succinct, lol)

Edit: strange. Your explanation at the start calls the finale Allegro ma non Tanto, but the midi file calls it Allegro ma non Troppo.. or the other way around.

I don't know how I missed this! I didn't see any of the last comments on this...I do entirely too much skimming.

Thanks to all of you for your in-depth and thoughtful commentary.

Two of you found the second movement reminiscent of the Lacrymosa from Mozart's Requiem, which I find fascinating. It's true of course...rhythmically and in mood, they're similar. But the Mozart never once entered my head, which is what makes the fact interesting. It must surely have been lurking around in my subconscious though.

I have one tiny comment. The end should be louder and stronger. This was, in my opinion, a sort of smallish ending for the finale. I dont know. Like I said before its probably just me.

Marisa Brook from Old YC, with whom I still correspond, said exactly the same thing. For some reason, this ending occurred to me, and I went with it. I don't want it to be unsatisfying though, just because I'm happy with it. I'll have to consider.

What surprised me most is how professional this sounds to my ears - this could easily be mistaken for something written in the late 1700s, early 1800s. This is not the work of an amateur attempting to copy classicism or early romanticism. In fact, you have applied those principles while still maintaining a degree of originality (for example, I wasn't assaulted by classical cliches every second).

High praise indeed, and music to my ears. I realised early that this idiom was the musical vocabulary of my heart and soul, and I have sought throughout my career to emulate it as faithfully and authentically as possible while imbuing it with my own unique sensibilities. This is why I refer to myself as a Classical Revivalist rather than Neo-Classical. I'm glad I've succeeded in some small way in what I set out to accomplish.

However, I wonder if the gap is too long.

I presume you mean at the end of the second measure and at corresponding places throughout the movement. That's written as a fermata over a crotchet rest on the 3rd beat of that measure. My original concept was that the fermata would be interpreted as adding two additional beats of silence for a total of three. Finale interprets fermatas a bit longer than I would, but I left it alone. So yes, I agree with you...the gap is a bit too long. If I ever get a live performance, I'll direct it according to my original vision.

Did you have quite a bit of development in the recapitulation itself? That would explain alot.

You got it. The recap comes in at about 4:05, but it's piano - a bit deceptive. Then when the tutti explosion comes back, I begin another miniature development. That modulates to Mars and back and lands us in a C#7 tonality, implying it wants to resolve to F# minor, with the violins dittering away at that semiquaver accompaniment...but I melt it into a second-inversion E7 and proceed into the restatement of the second theme. If I had to choose a development I was most pleased with among all my works, this would rank high, if not at the top.

Just as I listen though here - at about 3:25, behind that oboe melody, the strings don't quite seem harmonically convincing, in their direction. If that makes any sense. (If not - ask me to explain)

It makes perfect sense. I've long thought that was a weak moment in the movement. There was some doubt in my mind as to how that would sound when I first committed it to paper - this movement I wrote out "longhand" fully a decade before I had Finale to help, and I never even plunked it out on the piano. It landed on the page in this condition, almost as if I had been taking dictation. When I first processed it, I realised that moment didn't quite work, but I left it as it was for largely sentimental reasons. I may figure something better there, because it is a slightly awkward moment that mars the movement needlessly.

The moment at 3:41 is meant to be a bit shocking.

The ending is perfect. The slow section, which I mentioned before, and the strangely almost cadenza like freedom in that section, speeding back up to a well balanced cadence (I hate over-long final cadences)

Yay! :) I was hoping a couple of people would comment on that little slow section. I'm glad a couple of you have. That was a big departure for me, and it's fun to know that it has the desired effect.

From a little after 5 minutes, and from there to the end, I feel a small jarring as the moods don't quite fit. Too sudden a change I think. However this jarring is slight, and not much after the first listening.

Hmm...maybe after the middle section I added, the deceptive cadence and the final eight measures don't mesh quite as I'd hoped. In the original version of this movement, which I heard played live on two occasions, it worked better, but the balance of the movement was different because it was about 90 seconds shorter. I'll reserve my judgment for when I get a live reading...please God, someday.

One thing. You say you write for the orchestra of the time. There was a rather high note for the violins a little after the middle of the movement. While of course it's easily possible, I just rarely see it written for orchestras back then.(take 1780 for a v rough indication) Within 20 or 30 years though, of course Beethoven had them stretching for higher notes I'm sure..

(now that i've heard the whole piece, there are more high violin notes later as well)[/b]

Yes. This is something I'm doing a bit differently in this piece than I have done previously. The highest note in the piece is A above high-C in the finale, which was only rarely used "back in the day." It's one slight departure from period practise. Really, there are no "easy" parts in this piece. I didn't condescend to anyone, and in that I differ somewhat from most of my Classical compatriots...in this piece, anyway. The violas have as much to say in their world as the fiddles do, especially in the first movement, where they and the cellos and basses have more statements of the thematic material than the other instruments combined. The oboes also play quite high in a couple of places, though I'm careful not to leave them up there for long, or too often...a period oboe can sound a bit shrill in that register if not played skifully. It's all quite playable and idiomatically correct (with the possible exception of the horn flourish just before the second theme in the first movment...I'm looking into that), but I've stretched to the very limit of what would have been commonly possible in the late 18th Century with authentic instruments.

Thanks again, everybody. I'm very glad you enjoyed it!

Symphony #4, anyone?

Already started. :D

I can't resist.

Care for a taste? I sketched this last summer, and I think I posted a less complete sketch elsewhere here. The Romantic implications of it scared me then, but I think I may be ready for it now. Bigger orchestra, including a rather fuller boat of modern brass (3 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones), and a style closer to 1830.

The exposition is sketched here up to the point where I'm winding in the direction of a second theme, and it fades out where I left it. Then a moment of silence, and my sketch for how the first half of the movement will end follows. Let me know what you think, if you feel like it.

[EDIT] Now that I listen to it again, that ending sounds a bit too much like Brahms. Might have to rethink that.

Ohhh starts very Mendelssohn. Quite a departure for you - this will be great to hear. This is exciting stuff - is this where you are atm in the process of writing it?

Btw, now that I realise the violins went up to A in your A major symphony, that's fine for the period. I've seen Mozart write up to at least the G (Prague symphony - Overture to Cosi) for orchestral violins, so that's fine - and modern orchestras obviously won't have a problem.

If you ever get a recording - you must put it online!!

is this where you are atm in the process of writing it?

Yes. I sketched that last summer and I haven't touched it since. I got scared. :happy:

Oh is this that Brahmsian idea you mentioned? WRITE MORE :happy:

Don't be scared --- look at what you've written already!

The very ending of what I have in the MIDI reminds me of a similar section in a Brahms symphony, don't remember which one...he had a descending chromatic figure, handled very differently but still similar, juxtaposed to static major chords, just as I do. I don't want it to be too similar. May have to rethink or scrap that ending.

What I was afraid of was that I didn't think I was ready technically last summer for a foray into the Romantic. I had only just finished the 2nd Symphony. Now I'm fairly certain I could handle it.

Go for it - the likeness to Brahms isn't something to be worried about. Don't scrap it unless you personally feel uncomfortable with it.

Btw, do you know of any classical era pieces where the orchestral violins go up to a similar range as yours? I mentioned two, but I'm wondering about others.

Well....some of the oboe parts would be very difficult. Staccato that fast is usually avoided. I really don't know what else to say to some of those staccato oboe parts...=[

I just meant the fast staccato part. There was only one.

Hello!

I assume you mean the flourish in the first movement, before the secondary theme in the 1st horn. I'm aware that it's challenging, but I believe it's idiomatic for a competent player, and I definitely wrote this with a professional ensemble in mind.

Would it have been better slurred? Or do you mean something else?

Sorry to be off topic, but after checking some scores, I saw a high A for violins as far back as 1776 (Mozart's divertimento k247)

It's still very high (the notes in your piece), but playable back then, and obviously nowadays as well.

Edit: spoke too soon. There's at least the B above that A in some of the other movements.