Minimalist Overture

Ok, here is an overture I wrote which could be played before the suite (see here), but not necessarily. Binary form; scored for:

-Flute

-Oboe

-French Horn

-Percussion (snare drum, woodblocks)

-Vibraphone

-Bass guitar

-Synth

-Organ (man. & ped.)

-4 Violas

-4 Cellos

-2 Double Basses

Don't know if this should really be classed as "minimalism" as such, but it is a piece based on repetition and simple key changes.

Minimalist Overture.sib

..woooooo fifths! i love this. that's the one thing that sticks out, it seems to all be based on fifths, and it sounds so addictive. it might be minimalist, but it's not chamber music. it belongs in the orchestral, but that doesn't really matter. i really like this. good job.

My main criticisms of this piece are its slight over-reliance on quavers, lack of melodic variation (the 5th, 7th, 6, aug. 5th pattern is used too often), and as Mitchell says, over-use of 5ths. In the melodic pattern I just described, there isn't really anything filling out the mid-range, between the melody and the tonal centre, so it all sounds a bit sparse. You do fill it out a little more in bars 185 and 186, though (just an example there). The viola melody in 120 onwards is also better than your earlier ones. Some quite nice interplay between parts at 130 too, though there are a couple of 9th intervals in this that make it sound strange at one stage in its one-bar pattern.

It is quite "addictive", though this may simply stem from its hypnotic effect. If anything, it sounds more like incidental music than minimalist music. It has the feel of a cue from a chase scene in a film, or something of that nature.

I'd like to see you improve this piece by making it more harmonically interesting and developing the melodies better. There's definitely potential, especially at key points.

Thank you so much for your comments! :rolleyes:

My main criticisms of this piece are its slight over-reliance on quavers, lack of melodic variation (the 5th, 7th, 6, aug. 5th pattern is used too often), and as Mitchell says, over-use of 5ths. In the melodic pattern I just described, there isn't really anything filling out the mid-range, between the melody and the tonal centre, so it all sounds a bit sparse. You do fill it out a little more in bars 185 and 186, though (just an example there). The viola melody in 120 onwards is also better than your earlier ones. Some quite nice interplay between parts at 130 too, though there are a couple of 9th intervals in this that make it sound strange at one stage in its one-bar pattern.

It is quite "addictive", though this may simply stem from its hypnotic effect. If anything, it sounds more like incidental music than minimalist music. It has the feel of a cue from a chase scene in a film, or something of that nature.

I'd like to see you improve this piece by making it more harmonically interesting and developing the melodies better. There's definitely potential, especially at key points.

How could I fill out the mid-range as you describe? Should I add another instrument, or replace some of the oboe and french horn sections with more melodic interest?

How could I fill out the mid-range as you describe? Should I add another instrument, or replace some of the oboe and french horn sections with more melodic interest?

I'd go for the latter. :P