Miniature concerto for bassoon

Hi to all.

I've recently been asked to write a 5 minute piece for chamber orchestra, prominently featuring the bassoon.
A sort of mini bassoon concerto if you will, for a concert next summer.

Here's what I have so far.

Only started writing it two days ago: so it's not remotely finished, and I haven't put in slurs or articulation yet.

Some of the dynamics are just for the midi playback.

Wanted to ask my fellow composers if you think it's any good? And where it needs improvements?

As usual I wrote it mostly by instinct, and didn't really think much about voice leading, or harmonic progressions.

As some of you know, I quite like sparse textures; but I wonder if it's a little too sparse?

Also whether it features the bassoon prominently enough to hit the brief?

A critique of my harmonic progressions and orchestration would be very helpful.

Also I don't have a name for it yet: so any suggestions welcome!

Hey @Alex Weidmann!

To me the Bassoon is far from center stage nor juxtaposed as a soloist against the orchestra.  Usually the title of "concerto" implies some virtuosity from the soloist but there doesn't seem to be any here.  Also, the bassoon is not given any kind of definitive thematic material that would give it the spotlight.  Usually concerti have double expositions of the thematic material to allow the orchestra and soloist to be juxtaposed against each other with the character of the main theme.  It doesn't have to be like that of course as sometimes the soloist and orchestra start together like in a concertante.  And whether the soloist or the orchestra starts first is also up for debate.  But from what I hear so far there doesn't seem to be any thematic material that has potential for this kind of treatment in this piece.  Perhaps you could make this into the slow movement of a concerto, but the main introduction and finale of the concerto would be expected to be more athletic, catchy and to have a antagonistic relationship between the soloist and the orchestra with a recognizable theme driving that antagonism.  That's my take on that.  Thanks for sharing!

Many thanks for your review Peter.

Do you think this can be salvaged; or should just rip it up and start again?

I can't make it too virtuosic, as I'm writing for an amateur bassoonist. 

I had a choice of instruments, and decided bassoon would be the most challenging. 

Since it's a quiet instrument, it doesn't come through very strongly against the orchestra.

Plus it's in the bass register: so maybe not a natural instrument to carry the melody.

I was trying to create a dialogue between the bassoon and orchestra, using call and response. Guess I haven't done a very good job though. 

The 5-minute time limit is also a challenge, since it doesn't give much opportunity for development.

9 hours ago, Alex Weidmann said:

Do you think this can be salvaged; or should just rip it up and start again?

You're the composer, so only you can make that decision.

9 hours ago, Alex Weidmann said:

I can't make it too virtuosic, as I'm writing for an amateur bassoonist.

Certainly it can be more virtuosic than what you have!  I mean I at least assume that the bassoonist can play some scales in an easy enough key.

9 hours ago, Alex Weidmann said:

The 5-minute time limit is also a challenge, since it doesn't give much opportunity for development.

You can still fit a lot of music into 5 minutes if the tempo is fast enough.

Check out this winning Bassoon Concerto that a member here submitted for a competition in the summer of 2020 when I first signed up for YC!