Rhapsody for Symphony Orchestra

Hi everyone! This is my first piece for full symphony orchestra, first post, (and my first "completed" composition: a lot of firsts), and I'm definitely still learning how to orchestrate better, create nicer textures, and pace my compositions/develop melodies (all for fun, I just like listening to music and playing a little bit haha, so I don't have any formal composition background). This piece was inspired by various Romantic composers (with quotes from my 3 favorite symphonies--one is really obvious but I'm interested to see if others will recognize the snippets I tried to include) and includes two central themes. I'm open to all the advice I can get!

Thanks for your time!

PS. my score is really chaotic and I still need to clean up all the accidentals and stuff.

Hi! I'm new as well. I really like your piece - it has wonderful harmonic turns, it feels very well thought out. I especially like the really smooth key changes, and the part after b.24. The melodies are less recognisable, but I think it kinda suits the style. I think the playability is something you could work on (if you ever want a real orchestra to play it). 

First of all I'd try to change the key: probably to Eb and D instead of Db and C. You'll run into range issues doing that, but no-one likes playing with 5 flats. Whereas 3 flats is really nice for the winds and two sharps are nice for strings. 

Furthermore you might want to keep in mind that ppl need to breathe.. I'm mostly talking about the last note in the horns - I think it's possible, but it is a veeeery long note and also playing that pianissimo will only make it worse - you risk the sound getting quite shakey bc they'll be out of breath, and that will be very audible because no-one else is playing. 

Also the accel. from b.30 onward will be difficult to keep consistent. When performed it won't be as gradual as when done by a computer. Idem for other long gradual tempo changes.

But for a professional orchestra these things would be entirely possible. And musically it's really good. 

I should say I don't have much experience reading scores or conducting so I don't know if this would be balanced at all - although I think so. 

My favourite moment is b.55 - really nice melody there!

Kind regards

Marius

P.S.: Gershwin was really obvious. I think I heard some Sibelius 2 (mvt. 4) with that syncopated background and rising melody, but I'm not really sure. I didn't catch the third quote. 

Hello @A Ko and welcome to the forum!

It's so fun that you snuck in some themes from other composers' works!  At around 4:10 it sounds like you're quoting Mahler - Symphony 4 or 5 perhaps?  It's amazing that your first finished composition is this long and for orchestra - congrats!  Incorporating other composers' melodies in your own works smoothly and seamlessly is quite a difficult endeavor and it gives the listeners a fun little Easter egg hunt to go on - very clever idea to involve the listener in the listening process in yet another additional way!  Thanks for sharing!

This is a work in the post-romantic tradition ... yes, I hear the excerpts from other works.  It reminds of the lush romantic scores of Erik Korngold.  However, I have a question, what motivated you to compose this work in this style?  

Mark

1 hour ago, MJFOBOE said:

This is a work in the post-romantic tradition ... yes, I hear the excerpts from other works.  It reminds of the lush romantic scores of Erik Korngold.  However, I have a question, what motivated you to compose this work in this style?  

Mark

 

Hi @MJFOBOE, thank you for listening and your question! I like listening to a lot of late-romantic symphonies (Mahler, Sibelius), and I wanted to compose something that sounded natural to me. This piece tries to incorporate elements of symphonic works that I like (harmonies, chord progressions, etc.).