Echoes: Rise and Fall

This work started just a few days ago. I hadn't composed a large scale work in quite some time BUT wanted to try my hand at incorporating all the new techniques that I've been developing and focusing on in my chamber/piano works. This work is most likely going to be part of a larger opus of various 'musical' thoughts on several of my interests. This particular 'musical' thought is on the rise and fall of empires. Tell me what you think! Comments and critique are always welcome - as they are the only ways that I will grow as a composer.

Echoes: Rise and Fall

This is great, but sadly way out of my league to comment properly. But I like the sound of this serialism music. This sounds like something to go with a squad of roman legionares marching in a city.

This is neat, Jason, but I honestly don't know so much to say :dunno:

There's a good use of dissonance in the piece that reminds me of a twisted circus: happy, bouncy rhythms with dark undertones. Something Wicked This Way Comes? :lol: At the start, anyways. There's a sense of grandness, true, which is probably what you want for the fanfare and pomp of the empires and what-not, but...I'm getting a completely different vibe from the music, personally.

I also think you modulate just fine to B Minor (or D Major, whichever one it is technically) from A Minor/C Major. Nice use of murkiness and muddiness in the textures without overwhelming the listener, at parts.

Even though the overall tone is really effective, and keeps the listener thinking and listening, it kind of floats around in the middle of the piece, which is probably what barely keeps it from that 10/10 :P I think it's basically a "9/10" myself, if that means anything.

Thanks for sharing, sorry about the delay in commenting :)

Phantom: Thanks so much for listening, glad you enjoyed it!

Zach: Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. I'm surprised you hear modulation in this! This work actually is a kin to the Sonata for Violin in that it also uses the Hurrian Tablets modal system. However, what separates this from that work is that the mode itself I used as the basis for my serial rows. The principal row in fact is: E B D C# G A F# Eb Bb C Ab F. Which, if you look at the melodic material (thematic) here you will see is largely built on the row - with inspiration from the mode itself. The middle section, as you mentioned, floats intentionally. I wanted a sort of klangfarbenmelodie effect there. The ethereal quality of the middle section, in my opinion, contrasted the march like fanfare of the opening section nicely. Again, thanks for your comments.

hey , nice piece , it looks like you worked hard on it , the harmony work was remarkable . but i think it lacked some melodic elements , and as the piece develops you dont seem to get the listeners full attention to it . im not saying that ur piece isnt good , actually its very good , better than anything i could write now hehe . but your musical skills are very good , and you can do with them something huge , this is good , but with ur skills you should do better. keep up the good work.

btw maybe the sound quality is what didnt keep me focused and interested in ur piece as it developed .

I like the material of the piece. It's certainly well developed and well-balanced. I wish you'd done more with orchestration though. The whole piece is very "familial" - winds play with winds, brass plays with brass, strings with strings. While it's certainly my own bias speaking, I would have liked to hear the orchestration at the instrumental level, and not just the sectional level.

Thanks, Christopher. As you know, orchestration is not my strong suit. I'll definitely look at mixing choirs a little bit.

Abd: Yeah, the midi rendering is horrid. Glad you liked it though!

The orchestration is basic but it sounded good. Also, MIDIs will always be disappointing . I have to say I like Heaven & Earth better though, this piece has less direction and seems to wander around a lot. Cheers :santa: