Plus belle encor votre chère beauté  - 2026 Summer Competition Submission

Hello everyone!

The following post in my formal submission for the 2026 Summer Competition: From Nothing, to Something.

Below includes a detailed and extensive explanation of the work, both in inspiration and construction. If you wish to skip, the score PDF and Audio will be found at the end. Thanks and talk to you all soon!

[TAKEN FROM SCORE]
Plus belle encor votre chère beauté  - Your dear beauty lovelier still
Duration: c. 6:08

Written in 2026, Plus belle encor votre chère beauté is a work for piano quartet that evokes summer and the experience of love. It was composed for the “2026 Summer Competition” hosted by The Young Composers Music Forum and is inspired by Paul Verlaine’s poem “Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d’été,” whose opening line may be translated as: “So, on a bright summer day it shall be.” The poem is number nineteen in Verlaine’s collection La Bonne Chanson (The Good Song)

Find the French text and translation to the poem here

The title of this work is drawn directly from the French text and has similar inspiration as the Gabriel Fauré song from his op. 61 bearing the same name as the Verlaine poem. However, this work takes the title from the fourth line of text, and unlike Fauré, this work is late-romantic in style. The musical inspiration came from two places: Tchaikovsky and his Nutcracker ballet, and a spell of improvisation at the piano. This work was created in late July and early August 2026, and during that time, I was experimenting with modal improvisation, and felt drawn to G-lydian. Specifically, the ivø7 chord you can build and find in Tchaikovsky’s music. It was also around this time I was listening to parts of the Nutcracker, where I felt drawn to the idea of harp-writing, and thus, during a period of improvisation, the foundation of this work came to be.

With structure, Plus belle encor votre chère beauté is in ternary (A-B-A’) form and includes an intro and coda. The B-section acts as our development while the outer A-sections are comprised of a smaller AABA form. The principal theme stated in the A-section occurs throughout the work, where it can be heard in the introduction, coda and within the development where the piano states the principal theme in inversion. Lastly, I composed this work following the end of a relationship. In short, this work evokes those unspoken emotions I harbored and the romance I long to have one day. A day where I too can say “Your dear beauty.”

PERSONAL NOTE:

For me, the connection to this text, and now to this piece of music, is very personal. By the time this post goes live, my last relationship, of more than a year, ended a month ago. I will leave my thoughts on the matter with this: while rare in occurrence, being in the throes of thought can make the weight of longing feel immeasurable. However, amidst the satin and silk, this piece came to life.

To add some fun for the competition, and incase people worry the music is not playable, I can assure you everything on the page works and is practical. However, better to put money where my playing is. A few hours before posting, I decided to record myself playing the work and trying out things. I originally improvised it on piano and this was one of the few times I tried to mimic what is on the page. It is not 1-to-1 and I made certain liberties in performance, however, this was fun to do! (This YouTube video is not my official audio entry for this competition. MP3 for score can be found below. Also, my camera was not in focus during the take... grrr)

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy!

(The art on the cover page is Claude Monet's "Woman with a Parasol." A wonderful piece of art!)

SCORE_YourDearBeauty.pdf

entry: "You dear Beauty Lovelier, Still"

Total score: 10
Average Score:80/80

Review:

Execution: the piece was with the given time frame and was written for correct ensemble. It exceeds what was expected for this competition.

Score prep: The score was properly engraved. I did not notice any noticeable engraving errors.

Playability, orchestrations, instrumentation: Each part that was written with in correct idiom and could. While the piano part is more suitable for advance players, I am sure it is playable. (as the live video shows us). The string parts are readable and can play state level string players and up.

Structure: There is a clear sense of form and structure in this piece.

review: you dear beauty lovelier still.

this is my general effect review: I think this definitely and clearly fits the definition that you tried put on the theme. Not in a bad way, but in a neutral way this feels like a love song nothing wrong with that, but that’s why I took it as.

The instrumentation sounds good and even the samples sound much better. The string samples I use I have to physically mark each 16th note for a separated run instead of it sounding all the lagato and sloppy. what you used sounds really nice and of course the piano writing sounds fantastic and I see some of that improvisatory sections inside of the piece as transitioning material. The runs also sound very solid as well.

I definitely felt some Lydian elements in there too, so that affect was achieved well

About playability let me get the very defendable stuff out the way

A. Be careful with the octaves near the end with the violin again this is something very defendable as that a mature violin player with a good amount of experience could do that. It’s just something that could be tricky for someone trying to learn it. The triple stops are possible, just in succession. They may be a little tricky to get right.

B. about the Pizzacato with the Viola, this is something that may seem a little more tricky/something that I may be more concerned about as well. I feel like with a bunch of actually looking at it and planning this could be done with a good amount of intense practice, but logistically speaking, you would have to use a similar technique to a harp holding a bow on top of that just makes it a little more messy. Also, the direction of the strings this goes in, also requires the use of more than one finger.

anyways, other than that, those are just my gripes this is a really good piece and it fits very well with the theme so with that I enjoyed this one a lot also a nice work with the cover art as always, also thank you for your review on my entry. Definitely helped a lot.

melody: 9.5

harmony: 9.7

structuring and development: 8.6

originality: 7

engraving: 10

execution:10

taste: 9.7

average 9.21

12 minutes ago, Fruit hunter said:

review: you dear beauty lovelier still.

this is my general effect review: I think this definitely and clearly fits the definition that you tried put on the theme. Not in a bad way, but in a neutral way this feels like a love song nothing wrong with that, but that’s why I took it as.

The instrumentation sounds good and even the samples sound much better. The string samples I use I have to physically mark each 16th note for a separated run instead of it sounding all the lagato and sloppy. what you used sounds really nice and of course the piano writing sounds fantastic and I see some of that improvisatory sections inside of the piece as transitioning material. The runs also sound very solid as well.

I definitely felt some Lydian elements in there too, so that affect was achieved well

About playability let me get the very defendable stuff out the way

A. Be careful with the octaves near the end with the violin again this is something very defendable as that a mature violin player with a good amount of experience could do that. It’s just something that could be tricky for someone trying to learn it. The triple stops are possible, just in succession. They may be a little tricky to get right.

B. about the Pizzacato with the Viola, this is something that may seem a little more tricky/something that I may be more concerned about as well. I feel like with a bunch of actually looking at it and planning this could be done with a good amount of intense practice, but logistically speaking, you would have to use a similar technique to a harp holding a bow on top of that just makes it a little more messy. Also, the direction of the strings this goes in, also requires the use of more than one finger.

anyways, other than that, those are just my gripes this is a really good piece and it fits very well with the theme so with that I enjoyed this one a lot also a nice work with the cover art as always, also thank you for your review on my entry. Definitely helped a lot.

melody: 9.5

harmony: 9.7

structuring and development: 8.6

originality: 7

engraving: 10

execution:10

taste: 9.7

average 9.21

I appreciate the comments! I wish to provide my thoughts/ reasoning on the string parts:

The passage of octaves near the end is no exception to the octave passages that came before it. The triple stops you mentioned are actually quadruple stops (count the "and" of each beat as well). I took the notes and hand position in that moment straight from the Samuel Adler book of orchestration, which had a chart of common voicings for double, triple and quadruple stops during the section on the violin. Thus, while it may add a slight challenge in context, the feasibility of the part is trivial to the greater repertoire of violin and string writing.

With the viola, I am aware of the challenge with the choreography of the player, specifically with the bow positioning. However, in the greater context of the piece, it only happens for 8 measures out of 144. To add, the pizzicato part is written to only be played on the G and D strings of the viola (II-III). Thus, the right hand can stay in one place to pluck (whether it's one or two fingers), while the left hand holds a hand position of a 6th, 5th and 3rd across both strings. All in all, while the bow may be placed in their hand, it is feasible.

Thanks again!

Not being a string player I can not add anything to the discussion. So I'll respond as a listener. It is a delightful work ... full of energy. It reminds me of French works at the turn of the century.

Mark

Lovely, lovely work. Speaking from the perspective of someone who saw this work in its earlier stages, your orchestration of the original piano sketch is absolutely wonderful. The strings have given such life to the piece.

The melody is beautiful and very nicely phrased and the harmonies are 👌🏾🔥.

I think the contrast between the piano and strings is nicely balanced (especially at spots like m.38, m.51 - it's like the instrument has a chance to be highlighted in a way that is well placed)

The pizz at m.59 😩 so good

The piece has good form too. The developmental material in the middle is a nice contrast to the main theme.

Wonderful work - I always enjoy listening to your work.

First time properly hearing your music, Mark!

Have to say you captured my interest with this delightful work. I feel the structure falls into place very well. I did feel the ending could have been more interesting but overall it works. Importantly, it feels French!

Looking at your writing in more detail, it seems to largely be homophonic, right? Is this unique to this work?

Very well done, Mark.

7 hours ago, Markus Boyd said:

First time properly hearing your music, Mark!

His name is Mason! 🤣

13 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

His name is Mason! 🤣

20 hours ago, Markus Boyd said:

First time properly hearing your music, Mark!

If I had a nickel for every time I’ve been called Mark on YCF, I’d have two nickels, which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened more than once.

20 hours ago, Markus Boyd said:

First time properly hearing your music, Mark!

Have to say you captured my interest with this delightful work. I feel the structure falls into place very well. I did feel the ending could have been more interesting but overall it works. Importantly, it feels French!

Looking at your writing in more detail, it seems to largely be homophonic, right? Is this unique to this work?

Very well done, Mark.

Thanks for the comments! Yes, it’s largely homophonic as I kept it simple for my workflow and to get it submitted for YCF.

However, after being reached out to by a composer based in North Dakota, he wanted to work together on this piece of music. He’s a composer with over 30 years of experience and during our call, he gave me a lot of practical advice for this work and what would happen if it were played live. Thus, I’m currently undergoing revisions for this work to address the ensemble aspect and to remove the dependencies between the piano and strings.

Avg: 8.56

Nice romantic harmony paired with a gorgeous theme makes this a very clear and easy to follow piece. Variations of your themes are also very cool, and your key changing keeps this piece from feeling too repetitive. I definitely hear your Tchaikovsky influence, but around 3:30 I actually think I hear some Mendelssohn influence as well, maybe you didn't even realize it. Be careful though with balancing the piano parts of your melody, they were definitely too weak in velocity especially compared to your strings. But that's just an audio issue.

As far as the execution of the challenge, this one is tough for me because it does remind me of romance between a man and a woman (or some type of heartbreak), but the story you are portraying here is so romantic-heavy, I forget about the summer part. But that might just me! Despite that, this is a beautiful and heartfelt piece.

Hello @MK_Piano!

The review of your piece is my last one, not because—far from it—it gives me a headache, but because I have great respect for it. This has nothing to do with the piece itself, but rather with you as a person, which I’ll try to explain briefly:

First of all, the challenge of the competition - to take Paul Verlaine’s poem “Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'été,” as the inspiration of the composition, and to try to evoke moods of summer, love and beauty – was your idea, which might perhaps have arisen in your mind for a longer time. So you have a certain advantage over the other participants—or let’s say, a kind of “tailwind.”

On the other hand, I’ve already heard a lot about you—your compositions and, perhaps even more importantly, your insightful reviews—and that, combined with my knowledge of your professional background, carries the risk of being biased and expecting you to deliver an outstanding work (even before I’ve heard it at all).

Taking all that into consideration, I will give my best not to take that considerations as a „bonus“ or a „malus“, but trying to be as objective as possible in that sense.

Melodies Themes Motives and Harmony Chords Textures:

The entire piece is based on a simple yet effective motif that could be described as an “arch”. It is introduced by the piano in the opening measures and then repeated by the violin. Furthermore, this motif, repeated twice, forms the melody or theme of the “song” that unfolds after the introduction. The harmonies are „romantic“ and pleasant, dissonances or other „coloring“ is used in a subtle way. We have a variety in texture between the different instruments, while preserving the overall melody, allowing the listener to follow the piece with ease.

Form Development Structure Time:

The piece starts with an introduction that already „spoilers“ the melody and uses a cadenza as the „curtain opener“ of the song which now unfolds: Its three parts could be recognized as corresponding to the three stanzas of Paul Verlaine’s poem. Each part consisting of „melodic passages“ where the main theme is „sung“ and passages either calming down or developing the harmonic or rhythmic material further.

Originality Creativity:

The piece does not owe its originality from „experiments“, let’s say a spectacular instrumentation or other effects. It is well crafted, somewhat hiding the compositional details and skills applied behind an overall „solid“ and pleasant impression, and therefore one can recognize it as an original „Mason Kistler“ style piece.

Score Presentation:

I’ve noticed that you often use hairpins for dynamics without placing dynamic marks at the beginning and end. In my opinion, that’s not a bad thing (though there are some situations where I’d prefer to see a dynamic indication, such as in measure 24 for the violin), but I’ve listened to many orchestration tutorials in which this was considered a “mistake”, and the instructor insisted on explicitly specifying “from where to where” the hairpin increases or decreases the dynamics. Is there a general rule for this?

Beside that, I didn’t find things I would consider „engraving issues“ (and I admit that I did not explicitly search for nitpicks). So I would end up with a more general comments on the readability and „aesthetics“ of the score:

In my opinion, the font size for the strings parts is too small and make that parts hard to read. I suppose, that you’ve chosen that somewhat aggressive decrease of the font size for the other instruments than the piano to achieve getting three systems on one page (yes, this is sometimes hard – and on the other hand, having only two systems on a page would look ugly).

And there is another thing which makes the score somewhat „less enjoyable“ to read – and that has absolutely nothing to do with you and your engraving – since that is an inherent „problem“ of the scores produced by the most nowadays notation software: The result is „correct“ but seems to be „cold and mechanical“ when compared with older hand-engraved scores. There exists an interesting „Essay on automated music engraving“ from the developers of the „Lilypond“ notation software I use, where that issue is discussed in brevity.

Instrumentation Orchestration Playability:

Your choice of a “traditional” piano quartet is not exotic (as some of the other submissions), but rather solid, and it gives you the opportunity to create enough musical color to highlight the main melody in various variations, ensuring that the piece doesn’t become boring throughout its entire six minutes.

I’m sure you’ve examined the playability of some of the more challenging passages (and you’ve already mentioned this), such as the multiple stops in the string parts (especially for the violin at the end).

Execution of Given Challenge and Taste:

You resisted the temptation to take the competition’s challenge “literally” and set the poem to music to create a kind of “chanson”. Instead, you’ve composed a pleasant piece with a memorable melody that recurs in the piano and violin, conveying the feel of a song with clearly defined verses and transitions. The mood remains cheerful throughout the piece, evoking the image of the sun on a summer day; it changes only slightly in a few passages, as if small, fluffy clouds were obscuring the sun for just a few brief moments.

All in all, it’s a “solid” piece, if not the most solid of the entire competition. With this strength, your piece would certainly appeal to a majority of the “general audience”—in contrast to some other, more exotic or atonal submissions. On the other hand, you haven’t stepped outside this kind of “comfort zone”, so for a “more specialized audience”, such as the reviewers on this forum, pieces with their “rough edges” (and perhaps even their shortcomings) might have an equal or even better chance of attracting attention.

Average Score: 9.5