Grant's Sypmphony

Grant’s Symphony

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Myself and the Piece

This is my first upload to these forums. I wish to get a better understanding of composing methods even though I compose only on the digital level. I have tried playing and learning to play but I find that I am not very good.

This musical piece is called ‘Grant’s Symphony.’ I began shortly before Thanksgiving ’05 but I was not finished with it until April because someone I know had suggested that I add percussion, which I did try.

This piece was unique to me at the time because it was my first time using the French Horns patch in my software synthesizer. In fact, it was the first composition I had made using a program I had not used before, Sonar by Cakewalk. I enjoyed Sonar very much and it grew to be my primary audio editing program.

At times, it was difficult to compose because I would sit down and think but just could not put anything down. Gladly, I had inspiration in the form of a Renaissance Festival where I was able to let out motion related energy.

The Structure

The structure of ‘Grant’s Symphony’ consists of several themes that may or may not change the mood of the listener. They are outlined as such:

• Fanfare- resides in the first 53 seconds and reoccurs later.

• Slowing- after a brief break, it steps back into a jazz related theme that brings mystery when the harp is introduced.

• Pickup- at 1:30, it picks back up the pace with constant strings and clarinet/oboe interchanging melody.

• Reoccurrence- at 2:18 the fanfare reoccurs this time with a greater clarinet contrast.

• Mood Change- next is a mood change and yet a greater one later with the harp.

• Pickup- at 4:04 it does yet another pickup using constant strings.

• Preparation- the harp solo and bass strings play in preparation for the finale.

• Finale- at 5:16, what I would consider to be the Finale begins. It loops four times with a greater intensity in each passing variation (as I have found most musical pieces do) before ending in an instrument hold.

Please note that the MP3 file may sound much better than the MIDI file due to the fact that I had a software synthesizer in mind when composing it as opposed to a MIDI device.

Thanks.

Grant's Symphony.mid

Nice piece. Even nicer because it's your first post xD. Basically, I enjoyed the whole thing. The part I like the most is the jazzy part. The harp was great as well. Thing is, it doesn't sound like jazz at all. I also liked the place around 3 minutes, with the mood change.

IMHO, there were too many percussion sounds in there. Maybe you could reduce it a little or something.. :P

I liked the percussion, but it makes it sound more like a band piece than a symphony. Maybe you should file it is that?

Impressive voice synthesis.

Thank you for your reviews. Sorry for my long absence, I went on a soundcard upgrading spree (you just can't satisfy this guy). I believe I will try reducing the amount of precussion but proabbly not before this year is up. I should hope to get another work uploaded soon.

And I wonder what IMHO means?