"The Range" - for full orchestra

Wanted to make something that captured how I felt exploring the great Midwest. The basic premise is sunrise, birds awakening and then taking flight through various environments, from the great expanse of the plains to the soaring mountains.

Open to any and all criticism! Fortunately, music is only a hobby and not my job. Low-cortisol enjoyment.

2 hours ago, kaiserkulp said:

Wanted to make something that captured how I felt exploring the great Midwest. The basic premise is sunrise, birds awakening and then taking flight through various environments, from the great expanse of the plains to the soaring mountains.

Open to any and all criticism! Fortunately, music is only a hobby and not my job. Low-cortisol enjoyment.

Would you be open to sharing the score for the most technical review? Our ears only go so far :)

My apologies for not attaching it earlier. You'll see the PDF below :)

HotR_FINAL.pdf

Hi @kaiserkulp , you have a lot of good things going here! I really like the opening texture with the high strings and long low brass chords. It definitely creates a pastoral scene.

One thing I might change though is maybe make the first eight bars have the low notes in the cellos and basses. The brass holding notes this long might get tiring, and it would be a welcome contrast if you delayed their entrance to bar 9 when the second trumpet repeats the melody.

Another thing, it it would be good if you varied the texture a little bit, particularly by not relying on low sustained notes in the basses so much. It seems like a lot of the first 70 bars or so is mostly Ling low notes in the basses with woodwind gestures on top. I think if you maybe removed the bass for some of these it would be a nice contrast.

Also, I did really like the buildup to the climax at measure 50, it is very satisfying!

Thanks for sharing!