2 Symphonic Poems

This time I've made a couple of symphonic pieces, that a call "Tone Poems" - mostly because they are written from a certain idea, instead of just being a fantasy. Also, contrary to my last 2 fantasies, I've tried my best to only use 2 themes, though I try to transform them - sometimes maybe too much, and occasionally something else turns up, but I try to limit myself in this way, especially when I plan  the pieces to be no more than 5 minutes.

Whispering Mountains

Whispering Mountains is a tone poem inspired by a trip to a mountain.

In the start I introduce theme A, quiet and monophonically. Then at 0:45 - (going up the mountain) the second theme B is introduced by strings and then both themes play more or less transformed, and more dissonant and some counterpoint, until a climax (reaching the top) from 2:-3:30. Then theme B are played simpler, but with more instruments. At 4:30 it returns to a quiet variation on theme A (returning) until it end at 5:10.

This one is probably a little more dissonant:

The Evening Sun

The Evening Sun is a tone poem inspired by the rays of the golden sun in the evening.

First a gentle theme A in strings. Then at 0:45 comes a very dissonant theme B. At 1:40 theme A returns in nearly original form in the brass. At 2:40 a new mysterious (but still related to the first two themes arrives, and at last at 3:50 a lyrical theme concludes the piece

I know I used some pitch-class sets for the first theme and variations, however I tend to forget exactly what I did, as i dont write this down. Writing it down and keeping track of what I do, tend to ruin the flow.

Well, these sound nice!  Do you have the score online?   

Hi Churchcantor:

I've never thought of doing that, as I have rather few views, and I'm very much an amateur, but if you have Dorico Pro version 6 I could send the files. I have never tried to make a printable "engrave" version in Dorico, and as it is, the files are rather unreadable when i go to "engrave", I need to change the font or something, the staff-lines run into each other. It would off course be a good training to make an engrave version, so I might look into that, give it a month or so, then I could send a PDF. 

If you are interested, I have a couple of new small symphonic pieces:

Sun in November

October Nights

Hello, I will be just looking at your “ the evening sun”. 

Great pacing with the strings so far. Also, I like the flute solo thing. 
I like the mood that is giving off  

I like the little effects from the strings popping out sometimes

I feel like the melodies can be smoothen out a little more in the brass

I like the percussion arrangement and the instrumentation in the use of the percussion 

I believe that was a bassoon solo and it’s higher register I couldn’t tell that was very good

The ending with solid, and yeah, it was a good composition

just a little thing about pacing and what not and the piece direction it was one of those pieces that feels continuous because it’s short it doesn’t feel like the same thing and it’s structured in a good way with different instrumentations throughout and unique orchestration anyways good job

Hi Stig.

Just listened to "Evening Sun"

It seemed like a stream of consciousness; rather than something with a fixed structure (such as Sonata form, Rondo form, etc...). 

I found some of your harmonies quite interesting and unexpected. Perhaps this is your unique was of composing.
 

Have subscribed to your You Tube: so will try to listen to more of your work in the future. 

Yes, I mostly write in a stream of consciousness. I often use either modes or pitch-classes. Although, when I have 3-4 different, contrasting parts, I often try to repeat some or all parts, maybe in another way, slower, faster. Just now, I'm writing something where I take the first theme, which was made in C aeolian, I repeat it with the first two bars in A harmonic minor, the next in B harmonic minor (not transposed just fitting the notes in the new mode) and then harmonizing in these modes. So I rarely use strict functional harmony, although I sometimes do. 

My ideas for harmony is also inspired by modern jazz-fusion as well as classical. Someone like Allan Holdsworth, that wasn't educated in music, but created his own weird harmonic language with complex chords that sounds great (IMO) but without functional harmony. If my choice of harmonies reflect that, it's an honour!

My "stream of consciousness" are also inspired by Danish late romantic composer Rued Langgaard, especially his 4th symphony ("loevfald" - the falling leaves). Also, I try to go a bit further sometimes, like taking some ideas from "twentieth century harmony" by Vincent Persichetti, and using that as a starting point.