Tales Of Greece: III - Mighty Odysseus

I wrote this when I was 16, and the NZSO recorded the work as part of the Young Composer Awards in 2007.At the time, I loved film music, and this was what I tried to emulate. It sounds naive to me, now, and people have fed back that it sounds like "cowboy music", which just horrifies me, because that wasn't the effect that I was going for. It was part of a suite of three movements, each depicting an aspect of Greek literature, which I was studying at school at the time. This is the only movement that I actually fully completed - the other two remain unfinished

Tales Of Greece: III - Mighty Odysseus

Argh, no, I did not want that to create a thread, how come it did that?

is automatic, you can delete your music but I think this system does not contemplate the posting of music without forum thread... I'm PMing you now.

Wow, this is very good, first, you recording is amazing, is it Vienna ? or is Real ? (just imagine how good it sounds to make me hesitate if it's real or not :D )

You're orchestration is very linear most of the time, but that is not something bad for me, actually I will say I liked this a lot, wouldn't move a thing in the score. Congrats.

Yes it does sounds like cowboys, I'm sorry I will not deny that, perhaps not as much as music specifically made for that (Copland) but it does have that feeling, and the greek thing, I think that was far from it.

Like I said, this is very good, but then you're problem is a problem of "ethos" and those are the most difficult to solve, I've had them.

What you have to do, is to study, research, listen other composer's works about Greek subjects, and carefully identify what is what makes those works sounds like that, Harmony, rhythms, timbres, etc.

I repeat, this is very good.

(I see your description is longer in the network page, (I don't know why is different) I will copy your description to the Forum thread too. )

I hear no cowboys. The only cowboys I hear is in the use of xylophones and the gallop rhythm used now and then.

...agh. Gonna edit in a second, gotta swap computers...

Here we go.

It's pretty simple. But very appropriate. And, yes, "film-y." I hear Odysseus' journey in this. Perhaps not as insistent as I'd like, though. It's like you are depending on imagery to really give substance to this piece.

And as a personal critique, I think the rhythmic ostinati are tired, they can and must have much more variation.

The ugly aside. I can see why this won a young composer award. :) The pacing is appropriate, the orchestration seems sound (I am not an expert, tho), the mood is nice, the energy is good. Congrats! Keep writing, please!

Thanks for sharing.

-Peter

I also really like the piece. You do quite a lot with a pretty cool melody. Its amazing. I think that sometimes the rhythm comes across as too repetitive, but when you consider the harmonies and the melodic development, it seems inconsequential. Great Job!

I think it is a good piece of music, I did like it, perhaps a bit too repetitive, not that it bothered. THe colourpalette is nice, and as stated above, you do much with a simple melodic line. As said, tehre are no cowboys, yet ... it is not Greek either. The picture I got when something like the Grand Canyon - sunset"ish". Cannot explain you why it did not sound greek, cannot explain what you need to change or add... but does that matter? It is your perception on Odysseus and it sounded good... As you said, very filmmusic like, could fit well in the movie odysseys

W.S.

Wow, this is very good, first, you recording is amazing, is it Vienna ? or is Real ? (just imagine how good it sounds to make me hesitate if it's real or not :D )

Uh... not sure what you mean by Vienna... but this is the recording that the NZSO made, so it is 'real' in that it is being played by actual musicians. Is that what you meant?

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone!

I definitely agree with the whole not-sounding-Greek thing. At the time I had trouble with naming works and concepts around works - I would write a piece, and then try and come up with a name for it. As I had other ideas relating to this one, it became a "suite".

The linear/repetition thing is also something that I have struggled with - I think it's because maybe I was too afraid to deviate from something that had already worked, so continued with the same thing, to the point where it becomes too much - I guess the possibilities are too overwhelming!

But thanks :) It's nice to get all of this feedback, I'm already getting ideas for a new orchestral work, so it's really good to have these comments to work with.

Yes, that's what I meant, Vienna Symphonic Library aka VSL is a software capable of so realistic recordings that makes you hesitate.... so it's real, Congrats for you work being performed

i like it very much

Very nice! I like it!

I can see how it would be seen as "cowboyish" but that was not my first impression. I adore your use of winds, and the almost percussive use of strings as "time keepers" throughout much of the piece, with the ever-present 8th notes. This piece is very rhythmically intense, and yet much of it follows the same pattern - Winds and brass with the rhythmic underlay, with winds (often solo) in the foreground. However, I think you do a good way of keeping it from becoming monotonous, because you change it up in small parts often. I like your style - you don't do too much with your material or your orchestration, but it is simple and effective.

Great work!

-MF