''Call to hunt'' (scherzo)

This is an orchestral scherzo in ABA form, inspired by the hunt.

Let me know what you think!

Very nice! Reminds me of the Strauss Burlesk, both for its quirky harmonies and for its acrobatic timpani part (which is probably a little too acrobatic here).

A few notes:

• The bombastic main theme is repeated a few too many times, and all the tuttis have a "sameness" about them that only adds to the problem. It feels like the same 8 or so measures are being repeated with only an occasional break in between. A Scherzo (or Minuet) usually includes a contrasting Trio section, but I never get that sense of contrast here, because the B section is interrupted too many times by a bombastic tutti that either is or sounds just like the main theme.
• The third is missing from the final F chord in the main theme (m. 12, for example). I don't know if this is by accident or by design, but I suspect the former.
• Ideally, the grace notes on p. 10 should be eighths and sixteenths (instead of quarters and eighths).
• The woodwind sectional arpeggiation on p. 16 is very difficult to pull off in performance, and likely to be ineffective as a result. Maybe have just one instrument (clarinet, for instance) playing an upward arpeggio, and the other instruments starting on each beat (instead of each half-beat).
• The Horn 2 in m. 11 is playing a D when the other instruments are playing a Db.

That said, I really like this piece. The orchestration especially is very well done. Good work, and thanks for sharing!

I love scherzos!  (or is it scherzi?!)  This very nicely portrays a sort of pastorale hunt in the woods that I guess you were going for.  The tempo is just right although I suspect that most scherzi are a bit faster.  I personally had no problem with the interrupting tuttis.  The key change in the B section is very nice and a welcome warmth from the winds (also Ab major is a particularly 'warm' key).  The ending had no build-up to it.  Still effective though.  Great job.  I loved listening to this piece.

Somebody's been studying holy cow!!

You have done a really good job. Congratulations on your finished piece. 

On 7/18/2020 at 11:06 PM, Vogel said:

Very nice! Reminds me of the Strauss Burlesk, both for its quirky harmonies and for its acrobatic timpani part (which is probably a little too acrobatic here).

A few notes:

• The bombastic main theme is repeated a few too many times, and all the tuttis have a "sameness" about them that only adds to the problem. It feels like the same 8 or so measures are being repeated with only an occasional break in between. A Scherzo (or Minuet) usually includes a contrasting Trio section, but I never get that sense of contrast here, because the B section is interrupted too many times by a bombastic tutti that either is or sounds just like the main theme.
• The third is missing from the final F chord in the main theme (m. 12, for example). I don't know if this is by accident or by design, but I suspect the former.
• Ideally, the grace notes on p. 10 should be eighths and sixteenths (instead of quarters and eighths).
• The woodwind sectional arpeggiation on p. 16 is very difficult to pull off in performance, and likely to be ineffective as a result. Maybe have just one instrument (clarinet, for instance) playing an upward arpeggio, and the other instruments starting on each beat (instead of each half-beat).
• The Horn 2 in m. 11 is playing a D when the other instruments are playing a Db.

That said, I really like this piece. The orchestration especially is very well done. Good work, and thanks for sharing!

Thank you for your comments! Your notes are very helpful. 🙂

On 7/18/2020 at 11:29 PM, PaperComposer said:

I love scherzos!  (or is it scherzi?!)  This very nicely portrays a sort of pastorale hunt in the woods that I guess you were going for.  The tempo is just right although I suspect that most scherzi are a bit faster.  I personally had no problem with the interrupting tuttis.  The key change in the B section is very nice and a welcome warmth from the winds (also Ab major is a particularly 'warm' key).  The ending had no build-up to it.  Still effective though.  Great job.  I loved listening to this piece.

Thank you, glad to hear you liked it!

(I think it's scherzi)

This is a really cool piece! It has a very fun and jovial feel to it. I really like the contrasting lines in some of the softer sections, m. 21-29 is an example.

I agree with some of the others that said the tutti sections could use a little more variation. Maybe tone some of them back a little bit, then bring the rest of the orchestra in later for dramatic effect? I also think the ending was a little sudden, maybe add a more proper coda?

All in all, good work! How did you produce the audio file, it kind of sounds like Note Performer?

5 hours ago, gmm said:

This is a really cool piece! It has a very fun and jovial feel to it. I really like the contrasting lines in some of the softer sections, m. 21-29 is an example.

I agree with some of the others that said the tutti sections could use a little more variation. Maybe tone some of them back a little bit, then bring the rest of the orchestra in later for dramatic effect? I also think the ending was a little sudden, maybe add a more proper coda?

All in all, good work! How did you produce the audio file, it kind of sounds like Note Performer?

 

Thank you for your comment! I'll certainly work more on creating more dramaticism by more subtly orchestrating the tutti's.

The sounds are indeed Note Performer. (I did tweak the panning of the instruments a bit)