Fantasy in D Minor (1st Movement)

Hello all,

Here is the first movement of my Fantasy in D Minor, scored for pairs of Oboes, Clarinets, Horns and Bassoons. It is written in sonata form, and I tried to share the material between the different instruments. It took me a long time to write - I hope you enjoy it!I - Lento.mp3

I like how this has very organ-like textures, while still taking advantage of the fact that you'll have 8 performers.

Also, I enjoyed how it sounds very baroque in orchestration and arrangement, but contrasted to more 20th-century harmonies in some places.

Good job 🙂

Well I liked it, I'm pretty  bad at multiple instrument writting so I don't think I could say anything of help.

I will just give you a like :3

Thank you both very much.

10 minutes ago, Jean Szulc said:

I like how this has very organ-like textures, while still taking advantage of the fact that you'll have 8 performers.

Also, I enjoyed how it sounds very baroque in orchestration and arrangement, but contrasted to more 20th-century harmonies in some places.

Good job 🙂

I tried to make the parts different so it fits the number of players. I'm glad to see that it paid off! Regarding the comment about the baroque orchestration - indeed, I discovered this ensemble through listening to Baroque and early Classical music. I feel that larger wind ensembles have such a variety of tonal colours, that they are akin to a full orchestra. It's a medium that today, sadly, can be left untapped.

11 minutes ago, Tortualex said:

Well I liked it, I'm pretty  bad at multiple instrument writting so I don't think I could say anything of help.

I will just give you a like :3

That's great thanks! I'm happy you enjoyed it - as creating enjoyment is my biggest aim in my composition.

Measure 149 - 150- The sustained note doesn't quite make much sense aurally. 

The modulations aren't typical of a fantasy -which generally can go all over the place (reference the piano fantasies of Mozart and Beethoven). That said, the abridged sonata form works -but where is the thematic/motivic development? You have an awesomely rich melody... with several parts that could have been developed nicely.

Measure 82, for instance, seems like you lost a precious moment to build the material in the bass up. I can easily seeing the entire ensemble sharing in the bassoon passage... rising the broken scalar material up until your loud rhythmic proclamations at measure 88. Which, coincidentally, I see what you are attempting at measures 91 and 92... which that scalar passage would have really added to the tension bringing more attention to the breakup and potential diminution of your material here. 

At any rate, love the melody... wish the oboe patch was better. Keep up the good work!