Love's Endeavor

Hi all,

This is the first completed version of my orchestra work "Love's Endeavor".  I believe you can categorize it as a post romantic style composition.  Feedback is most appreciated.  I look forward to your comments. The score is in C.

Edited April 14, 2025Apr 14 by MJFOBOE

Just a quick update ... I met with my mentor and got some feedback from my orchestra colleagues.  Please note I will remove the percussion in measures 15 -23.  as well as change the bass line rhythms.  Also I will rework the transition measure 47.  When done - I will upload the newer version with completed/corrected engravings (measure lines) as well.  Looking forward to your comments.

Mark

Here's an updated score ... changes in percussion, better transitions, dynamics etc ...

Look forward to comments.

Mark

Please excuse double measure lines in score ... have to figure out how get rid of them.

Edited April 16, 2025Apr 16 by MJFOBOE

Hi Mark,

I especially enjoyed your harmonic planing in this piece, and the way you effortlessly blend consonance and dissonance (a common feature of many of your works).

It reminds me a little bit of Hindemith's "Mathis De Maler" (which I saw live at London's Barbican last year).

Hope others will chime in here, as I'm not the best analyst!

Alex

Alex,

Thanks for listening ... and more so .... thank you for referring me to Hindemith's "Mathis De Maler".  What a beautiful work!  I will listen to it a few times more ... so much to appreciate in its orchestration and thematic development.

Mark

Really good work!

I love the trills in the winds against the prominent lower strings that starts around the 2:00 mark.

The one thing I would advise is with the snare part starting at measure 48 could be a little repetitive. Maybe adding in an upbeat hit every other measure to break it up could work. 
 

Hi @MJFOBOE!

I like this piece!  I especially like the clever way you end it.  The listener doesn't realize until the very end that the D major area that the piece has been in for basically its entire duration is actually the dominant and that G is actually the tonic!  I also love the Mixolydian b6 mode you use with some alterations here and there.  The following excerpt and wherever this figure recurs loses some focus for me:  Especially the 1st bar there - you give the listener trills in the winds and that 16th note triplet figure in the strings.  There isn't really anything there for the listener to latch onto in my opinion.  That's my perception of the piece.  Thanks for sharing!

On 4/22/2025 at 8:42 PM, BipolarComposer said:

Really good work!

I love the trills in the winds against the prominent lower strings that starts around the 2:00 mark.

The one thing I would advise is with the snare part starting at measure 48 could be a little repetitive. Maybe adding in an upbeat hit every other measure to break it up could work. 
 

 

Thanks for taking the time to comment on my work.  I will review/reflect the percussion line.

Mark

7 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Hi @MJFOBOE!

I like this piece!  I especially like the clever way you end it.  The listener doesn't realize until the very end that the D major area that the piece has been in for basically its entire duration is actually the dominant and that G is actually the tonic!  I also love the Mixolydian b6 mode you use with some alterations here and there.  The following excerpt and wherever this figure recurs loses some focus for me:  Especially the 1st bar there - you give the listener trills in the winds and that 16th note triplet figure in the strings.  There isn't really anything there for the listener to latch onto in my opinion.  That's my perception of the piece.  Thanks for sharing!

 

Thanks you for your detailed analysis.  I definitely will review/assess the triplet figure in the strings.  And I am so very pleased you found the work appealing!

On 4/26/2025 at 2:14 PM, MJFOBOE said:

  I definitely will review/assess the triplet figure in the strings. 

I actually like those triplet gestures. 
You can't hear them very clearly in the mix; but they create a blurry effect that I enjoy.

17 hours ago, Alex Weidmann said:

I actually like those triplet gestures. 
You can't hear them very clearly in the mix; but they create a blurry effect that I enjoy.

 

Hi Alex and Peter,

I did rework sections with trills and the violin figures.  I also discussed the chnages with my mentor.  Of course removal of the trills creates some clarity; it also changes the overall feel of the work.  So after experimentation - I decided to keep the trills.  I believe there inclusion creates a certain atmosphere/tension in the work.

Mark