# What are you currently working on?



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

This is a thread in which you tell us about what compositions you are currently working on, and if you want, why you're writing them and what they are about.

As for me I am composing my Violin concerto no. 5, skethces for my Symphony no. 6 and a six minute wind quintet that I have been composing since last year.

Now _your_ turn. :tiphat:


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## Klavierspieler

Four character pieces for Violin and 'Cello.


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## aleazk

nothing, I'm dry right now.


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## StevenOBrien

Finishing my set of preludes (

__
https://soundcloud.com/stevenobrien%2Fsets
) and writing some orchestral sketches in between so I don't COMPLETELY forget how to write for orchestra.


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## Sofronitsky

String quartet which will hopefully prove to be more mature than my previous Chorale for Piano in F minor (Somewhere on this site)


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## chee_zee

serenades and symphonies for japanese instruments


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## aleazk

chee_zee said:


> serenades and symphonies for japanese instruments


mmm, japanese, I like that.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Just finished the sketch of the first movement of my sixth symphony. Now onto the second movement. I'll write something very very fast for some contrast. The first movement is quite slow and very static in some sections.


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## aleazk

I'm so lazy!, since yesterday I'm with the score of the Toccata... I have written only 2 pages... from a nearly 6 minutes piece!  . It's only that my attention changes suddenly to other things, maybe I need vacations!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

^I'm worse. I spent hours labouring over my sixth symphony sketches. I only managed to get 26 bars done.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I've figured out exactly how many bars I'm using in each mvt. But I'm not going to work on that darn symphony until tomorrow. Or maybe in a few hours when this stupidly hot weather cools down a bit.


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## Crudblud

At least one of these is "on hiatus" and has been for some time. These are not really listed in any order, although the first entry is the one I worked on most recently.

*A Life in the Fields.*
A sort of demented pastoral for 11 instruments detailing the adventures of a farmer who is constantly whacked out on his own homebrew hallucinogens. Will include a piece called "The Corn Thief" based on the Don Van Vliet painting of the same name.

*The Adventures of Mr. Pachuco*
Everyone's favourite immortal pseudo-Mexican who sells stolen credit cards, children and beef and occasionally snow. In his first feature length outing he tackles the forces of Soviet Russian dance clubs, Angus Beef Man, towels and some other stuff that I'm sure will be incredibly wacky. Music for electric big band and narrator.

*Night Music.*
Semi-programmatic piece for piano, flute, piccolo and glockenspiel in four movements. Each movement is strictly centred on a scale of some kind, except for the fourth movement in which each instrument is assigned a unique key and mode.

*Planetary.*
Episodic sound drama series in which events are all suggested through sound, there is no spoken dialogue. Almost haven't touched it in about two years, but I do think about it quite often. The Prologue episode is probably my most popular piece in general.

*Johnny.* 
A large scale stage work in three sections, 1) ballet 2) opera 3) symphony, that is going to be very long and probably unlistenable to most people. Since I have to go about things on my own and can only sing bass-baritone (and poorly at that), the original release will consist of the vocal parts replaced by range-appropriate solo instruments. So for all intents and purposes it will initially be released to the public as a large scale work for orchestra and "digital tape." There will also be short "link" pieces written for ensembles of various sizes and the tape.

*Atlas Shrugged.* 
A stage comedy (with musical accompaniment for harpsichord and accordion) about the consequences of Atlas shrugging. Atlas is asked a question he cannot answer, so for the first time in his life he shrugs, thereby sending the pre-Titanomachy Earth tumbling in to a fathomless abyss, and sending the Olympians with it. What ensues is the trial of Atlas led by Cronus while Gaia, Hyperion and others occasionally involve themselves in the discussion. The majority of the "action" takes place on the back of Bahamut, the great fish of Arabian mythology.

*Rig Veda.* 
This will probably never happen, but I want to set every hymn in the Rig Veda to original music using lots of different instruments and configurations.

*Mass of Music: A Celebration of the Great Forces of the Universe*
Taking its name from the Catholic Mass, it is a work intended to be performed in some sort of temple complex in devotion to no deity that must have a fully functioning pipe organ, space for multiple choirs, a large orchestra and auxilliary instrumental ensembles. Instead of praising God, who is denounced in the opening poem, the subjects (and four major sections) of praise are the four great forces of the universe; music, love, nature and humanity. It is being designed to affirm that the people of this world are their own beings, born from the chaotic forces of nature, capable of transcending mere existence and mastering their intellectual and spiritual ideals rather than existing merely in servitude of archaic and irrelevant deities. It is something of a large scale irreligious hymn or paean to the power of humanity, and how we can express that power through creativity and love.

*The 12 Labours of Hercules*
What is shaping up to be a large scale series of works centred around sound manipulation, and expanding on some of the techniques I've developed for manipulating recorded instruments in particular.

There's a bunch of other stuff that hasn't taken form yet, but it's on its way.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

^Whoa Crudblud! How on earth did you come up with those!?!? You must be one hell of a composer! I must listen to some of your works. The Adventures of Mr. Pachuco sounds like a lot of fun!


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## Crudblud

Don't get too excited, I usually get positive reactions until people actually hear the music. :lol:

But seriously, thank you for the enthusiastic response! I'll be sure to get a sort of catalogue of my music posted here. I like your idea of having it in a blog, I think I'll do it that way too.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> Don't get too excited, I usually get positive reactions until people actually hear the music. :lol:
> 
> But seriously, thank you for the enthusiastic response! I'll be sure to get a sort of catalogue of my music posted here. I like your idea of having it in a blog, I think I'll do it that way too.


Just to give me an idea, how would you describe your music?


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## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Just to give me an idea, how would you describe your music?


To start with I can't call it classical music, which I tend to think of as being academic or intellectual in some way, and I am most definitely not either of those. It's dense, in that there's generally a lot going on inside a small space. I absorb a lot of ideas from various cultures and genres and have an odd musical language because of that. One of my close friends told me he thinks it's often melodic but in a very weird way, and I would agree with that assessment.

I don't know if anything I just said give you any idea of what I do, but that's the only way I can think of to put it succinctly right now without relying on the incredibly vague go-to of "variety entertainment."


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> To start with I can't call it classical music, which I tend to think of as being academic or intellectual in some way, and I am most definitely not either of those. It's dense, in that there's generally a lot going on inside a small space. I absorb a lot of ideas from various cultures and genres and have an odd musical language because of that. One of my close friends told me he thinks it's often melodic but in a very weird way, and I would agree with that assessment.
> 
> I don't know if anything I just said give you any idea of what I do, but that's the only way I can think of to put it succinctly right now without relying on the incredibly vague go-to of "variety entertainment."


Interesting. Are there any examples if your works anywhere? I can't really imagine what it would sound like!


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## Crudblud

Yes, there are around nine and a half hours of it freely available at the moment, although none of it is representative of what I'm doing right now, so I would advise against listening to it until I'm able to finish some of the music I listed above.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> Yes, there are around nine and a half hours of it freely available at the moment, although none of it is representative of what I'm doing right now, so I would advise against listening to it until I'm able to finish some of the music I listed above.


Where can I find these nine and a half hours?


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## Crudblud

I'm writing up a blog entry as we speak, be patient.


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## AmericanGesamtkunstwerk

I am coming to the end of a feature film job on which I was also exec producer






I'm actually finding the whole movie with violin, piano, and electric guitar (there is also a little bit of Alto Sax but not a huge amount.)

it's great being involved with a project beyond the necessary minimum of the job. being on set watching the drama unfold is the best kind of pre-writing.

also we really need supporters indiegogo.com/hylo so if anyone believes in the independent motion picture and would be interested in helping please take a look at our indiegogo. pass it around!

I'm pretty far away from "normal film music" concepts, and I don't use any midi-generated material. I urge any film-interested composers to study the film work of Toru Takemitsu.


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## mleghorn

I'm still working on my synthesizer arrangement of Holst's Planets. I've recently completed Venus:

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Fvenus
.

Here's what I have so far:

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Fsets

Mike


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## Bagnew

Mike, that sounds awesome!


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## mleghorn

Bagnew said:


> Mike, that sounds awesome!


Thanks!

Mike


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## Iforgotmypassword

I'm currently attempting to write a string quartet which is based upon certain emotions which are involved within relationships as well as the sensations that I get when standing outside on a very cold night when sound carries much further and gives a bit of a spectral sensation.


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## violadude

Right now I am working on a song cycle that follows the life of a young boy that has very innocent and naive perceptions about the world, into adulthood, where eventually his original perceptions of the world are so traumatically disturbed that he becomes mad and barely even knows if he exists anymore.


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## paulc

violadude said:


> Right now I am working on a song cycle that follows the life of a young boy that has very innocent and naive perceptions about the world, into adulthood, where eventually his original perceptions of the world are so traumatically disturbed that he becomes mad and barely even knows if he exists anymore.


An autobiography of sorts? :lol:


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## Ian

I'm working on an 8-movement piece for orchestra called Wheel of the Year.

Ian


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## Igneous01

Last few days It has been crazy for me: It all began when I was writing a variations in c-sharp minor for piano quartet, then suddenly I got the urge to write 100 bars of a slow movement, finished a 6 minute scherzo, and have a nice foundation for my first movement.

There is another piece that I am slowly working on, entitled "concerto monstrosso", kind of an homage to Schnittke, but trying not to imitate too much of him, its a harpsichord and piano duet concerto with strings and drum set  

may post some excerpts for feedback later...


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## Crudblud

In a burst of late night inspiration; I just completed the "script" for Planetary episode 2. After almost two years, it's back!


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## Crudblud

Script for Planetary episode 3 completed, episode 4 is more of a picture than a scene, so I'll just write some descriptive prose for that.

Started work on a new piece for brass and percussion, in some parts recycling tone rows I originally made for part 4 of A Life in the Fields but didn't use.


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## Iforgotmypassword

violadude said:


> Right now I am working on a song cycle that follows the life of a young boy that has very innocent and naive perceptions about the world, into adulthood, where eventually his original perceptions of the world are so traumatically disturbed that he becomes mad and barely even knows if he exists anymore.


Is it possible to sue you for writing a piece based on my life without my permission?


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## Crudblud

Iforgotmypassword said:


> Is it possible to sue you for writing a piece based on my life without my permission?


Hey, we can't all sue him at once, wait your turn!


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## chee_zee

yes we can, 20 or more = a class action!


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## Crudblud

Yes, but I want all the money, you don't deserve the money, it's mine. Go away.

I'm making a really angry face right now and everything!


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## Manok

My question is, where do I get more than 1 or 2 opinions of a work? I thought it was here,but lots of people listen and hardly anyone says anything...


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## chee_zee

ever try youngcomposers.com or northernsoundsonline?


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

chee_zee said:


> ever try youngcomposers.com or northernsoundsonline?


I used to be on youngcomposers.com under the name of "froglegs" but it wasn't the best expierience I've had in my life so I quit.


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## chee_zee

have to say I've had much worse feedback here. "it's tonal? I hate tonal" "sounds like random notes strung together" "nihilistic" etc. none of these things make sense, sorry I'm not writing atonal monophonic music, and treat sound as sound not as philosophy, but I like dense counterpoint (not random notes, just too much for the brain to interpret).


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## lcfh

Not composing, but transcribing and preparing editions of various Portuguese early-17th century composers of sacred polyphony.
Best wishes,


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## aleazk

chee_zee said:


> have to say I've had much worse feedback here. "it's tonal? I hate tonal" "sounds like random notes strung together" "nihilistic" etc. none of these things make sense, sorry I'm not writing atonal monophonic music, *and treat sound as sound not as philosophy*, but I like dense counterpoint (not random notes, just too much for the brain to interpret).


amen, man, I think the same. With respect to the tonal/atonal thing, the hell with that. I write tonal when I want, and need, and I write atonal when I want, and need, as well. For me, those kind of things are only tools for express what I want to express with my music, and not an end by itself.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I write tonal when it is absolutely necessary that I have to.


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## Kopachris

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I write tonal when it is absolutely necessary that I have to.


Same here. I also write atonal when it is absolutely necessary that I have to.


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## chee_zee

I write whatever I'm wanting to. A piece I just finished isn't quite atonal but there are some things where I fudged with the tonic and dominant every now and again by a semitone just because, makes for interesting things. Combine that with allan holdsworth style cluster chords that really don't function as chords but as a single note, aitake and whatnot, and it makes for a tonal piece sounding rather atonal, or at least pretty out there.


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## aleazk

chee_zee said:


> I write whatever I'm wanting to. A piece I just finished isn't quite atonal but there are some things where I fudged with the tonic and dominant every now and again by a semitone just because, makes for interesting things. *Combine that with allan holdsworth style cluster chords that really don't function as chords but as a single note, aitake and whatnot, and it makes for a tonal piece sounding rather atonal, or at least pretty out there*.


I have done precisely something like that in my piece "avant-garde1". (the form of that piece is rather weak, because it was only an experimental piece).


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## chee_zee

you should continue using the technique, it can lead to quite fascinating results even with just diatonic scale. Google the aitake sho chords, and if you haven't check out what allan holdsworth does on guitar, I could lend you a pdf or 2 that delineates his approach. a lot of modern big band jazz is almost exactly like this, say tenor sax always a 4th away from the altos, with trombones a 3rd below that as they move from sonority to sonority in any number of scales/modulations. holdsworth basically takes this harmonically-intervallic motif apporach, chooses at least one to characterize a given tune and voila each tune is unique. A characteristic one I like is the 13th, 3rd and 11th above a bass (sometimes squeezing to a 6 and 4). you might take two or three of these, say that one and one with a 9th, 5th, and 6th above a bass, and that could be your tune's characteristic: going from sonority A (13/3/11) to B (9/6/5).


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## Manok

Lately I've been practicing techniques and looking for new ways to write things, and also getting used to Sibelius


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Manok said:


> Lately I've been practicing techniques and looking for new ways to write things, and also getting used to Sibelius


Do you plan on using _only_ Sibelius to compose?


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## Crudblud

A few notes on the new piece I'm writing for a close friend.

Part I makes use of five instrumental groups, generally between three and five "units" each. Each group plays at a unique tempo and time signature with unique tone and rhythm matrices, with each unit deriving their material from unique directional instructions for movement about the grids. The groups range from a brass section of 6 horns, 4 trumpets and 4 trombones to miscellaneous items and cymbals, from group I-V there is a gradual decrease in pitched instruments. The matrices for rhythm have their size determined by the number of 16th notes per bar; so group V, which plays in 11/8, uses a 22x22 grid. While I call them rhythm matrices, in this instance the values actually determine the duration or distance between one note and the next, always measured in 16th notes.

Part II is planned to be a free form piece where materials are derived in various ways from Jewish music, including klezmer and the scales used in traditional prayer music. Also to be included is the traditional set of Shofar calls. Instrumentation isn't decided upon yet, a big band would probably be best.

Part III is a pure percussion piece making use of cymbals, gongs (including a 23" Thai gong), snares, toms, tablas/bayas, gankokwe, ewe, udu, batas, gyil, taiko, Quandahari dumbek, bells, a large frame drum and an anvil. The music will be in four sections, each of which will derive material from a unique rhythm matrix. Unlike in Part I, the rhythm matrices here will actually have the values corresponding to rhythmic figures which are to be taken from traditional musics of various cultures. Also unlike Part I all of the instruments will conform to the same tempo and time signature.


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## clavichorder

A couple of piano pieces. One makes more use of the keyboard than I've been able to do in the past, and is in general thicker. Who knows when I'll be ready to show them here.


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## clavichorder

My piano piece that started with the grandiose idea of being a beginning to a symphony that would later be orchestrated, is coming out nicely so far! I have several lines written and memorized, and there is a lot of stuff going on. It may be the first composition I'd like to put up on talkclassical, but I may work on it for a while to make it longer than my usual.


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## Klavierspieler

Right now I'm composing nothing but studies (which is why I never post anything). I've been trying to learn to write better melodies so I've been working on a project where I limit my entire melody to a minor second, so my melody must fit within a minor second, then I compose a piece with the melody fitting within a major second, etc...

I'm considering starting on an actual piece pretty soon.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I'm about to compose a short piece for five guitars. I'm trying out tonal again, but completely abandoning any sort of hierarchical chord relationships or whatever.


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## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I'm about to compose a short piece for five guitars. *I'm trying out tonal again*, but completely abandoning any sort of hierarchical chord relationships or whatever.


mmm, hahah, I want to see that. :devil:


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

aleazk said:


> mmm, hahah, I want to see that. :devil:


It's more fun than I thought it would be. I'm calling the peice "An Ode to Communism."


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## kv466

The first piece of my second opus.


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## DavidJones

I'm working on HEEEY MACARENA


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## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> It's more fun than I thought it would be. I'm calling the peice "An Ode to Communism."


you are a communist , well, one more to the list: 14 yo, boy, girl, composer (of avant garde ), Ligeti freak, composer of tonal things, _communist_, ...


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## Crudblud

An update on the new piece.

I originally scrapped the serial concept for part 3, but have since devised a new serial scheme (which I call the "Grand Rhythm Caudex." It will only affect Section III of part 3) that not only allows for my usual flexibility but will also keep the action tight and in motion.

I have also devised a fourth part which dispenses with serialism and instead derives main "themes" and rhythmic figures from various integer sequences. Not being a mathematician I had to rely on an internet database of integer sequences, but they're all written down now and divided in to two sets for melodic material and two sets for rhythms, each one divided in to sequences of equal length. Features a large orchestra and a "ghost" orchestra which will consist of cuts of the orchestral material digitally altered and played back (ideally the speaker set up would be a wide surround, but I only have stereo to work with).


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## Chrythes

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Do you plan on using _only_ Sibelius to compose?


Is it bad?


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## Crudblud

I think he's a snob about writing on manuscript paper or something.


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## aleazk

Crudblud said:


> I think he's a snob about writing on manuscript paper or something.


CoAg a snob?? how dare you!:devil:


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## Chrythes

Crudblud said:


> I think he's a snob about writing on manuscript paper or something.


Well i'm writing on a dead man.


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## Crudblud

I tried that once, but when I lost my inspiration I took a six month break, you wouldn't believe the state that score was in when I came back.

No, really, someone else had been at it, appoggiaturas all over the damn place.


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## clavichorder

I just starting writing an invention type thing today, I wonder if its going to go anywhere.


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## Klavierspieler

I just started on a piece for unaccompanied double-bass today. I like what I have so far.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Gosh, I'm about to write a *singable melody.*


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## hanako

@chee_zee which Japanese instruments are you composing for? I'd love to hear these compositions when you've finished them.


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## hanako

I'm working on piece for tsugaru-shamisens and violins. I have a snippet done so far but it's hard to decide what to do about the rest of the piece.


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## Couchie

A symphony, an opera, and a Bacchanale.


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## chee_zee

So far I've done shinobue and finishing up a shakuhachi piece. The shakuhachi piece just may be performed, I don't want to say by who just yet though. I've reached out to a shinobue player as well. I'd rather not go into too much detail as to my Japanese traditional endeavors at this point in time, but I have created manuscripts for the several orchestras laid out by the Pro Musica Nipponia, all the way up to the 24 piecer. I will be making solo pieces for the 7 nonpercussive instruments, an ensemble work of 4 percussionists, and a 24 piecer full orchestra. There are also 15, 10, and 5 piece orchestras as well iirc, dunno when or if I'll really do much with those. I'll divulge more in the coming months, I've only been at it for 2 months thus far and have only gotten maybe 1/8 of the way through my intended work. After that indonesian gamelan (both bali and javanese) and various african, some more indian, and then off to western orch at last.


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## Praeludium

Huh.
I've almost finished a Prélude&Toccatina, which I have to put on Finale now (so much time will be spent on this pff ): ). It's for guitar and my harmony teacher told me I could play it in May or whatever in front of a jury haha.
There's also a Berceuse coming, for solo guitar. I'm quite satisfied with the main melody, but there are two two-parts-kind-of-developmental sections which don't please me. And there's mainly a half which is still to write - it's a kind of "mirror" form but I don't like the idea of repeating as written first - not organic enough.

I'm also experimenting writing chamber music for the first time. It's for oboe, violin, celesta and cello. But it's mainly a draft - it's intended as a compositional study. It'll be called "croquis n°1 : developpement vertical" haha.


Another thing on which I have to work is to extend my musical language. There are so many wonderful things already existing in the music, so many great sounds or kind of sounds, that I want to use. But I just don't know how to do it - frustration !
I should maybe begin to work properly and regularly on composition, not necessarily writing something, but researching and understanding - actually that's why I want to work on "croquis" now.


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## Praeludium

Huh.
I've almost finished a Prélude&Toccatina, which I have to put on Finale now (so much time will be spent on this pff ): ). It's for guitar and my harmony teacher told me I could play it in May or whatever in front of a jury haha.
There's also a Berceuse coming, for solo guitar. I'm quite satisfied with the main melody, but there are two two-parts-kind-of-developmental sections which don't please me. And there's mainly a half which is still to write - it's a kind of "mirror" form but I don't like the idea of repeating as written first - not organic enough.

I'm also experimenting writing chamber music for the first time. It's for oboe, violin, celesta and cello. But it's mainly a draft - it's intended as a compositional study. It'll be called "croquis n°1 : developpement vertical" haha.

Another thing on which I have to work is to extend my musical language. There are so many wonderful things already existing in the music, so many great sounds or kind of sounds, that I want to use. But I just don't know how to do it - frustration !
I should maybe begin to work properly and regularly on composition, not necessarily writing something, but researching and understanding - actually that's why I want to work on "croquis" now.

edit : What do you think of this :

http://www.hostingpicture.fr/upload/6a94cadf9a9f8789da81d3f881cf6d7c.png

http://www.hostingpicture.fr/upload/8c7add45af7abe0f01b5ab5ea3b27ec8.png

?

I wrote this an evening when I was bored to work on my Toccatina and wanted to write something simple and light. Actually it's not that simple lol - at least for me. I've had good feedbacks from my harmony teacher but I wonder what might other people think of it.


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## intervalkid

*String Quartet No. 3*



ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> This is a thread in which you tell us about what compositions you are currently working on, and if you want, why you're writing them and what they are about.
> 
> As for me I am composing my Violin concerto no. 5, skethces for my Symphony no. 6 and a six minute wind quintet that I have been composing since last year.
> 
> Now _your_ turn. :tiphat:


I am currently finishing the last three minutes of the third movement of my String Quartet No. 3.
I got writers block on the computer so I went to my instrument which usually solves the problem. However I couldn't get anywhere on the instrument either so I had to go straight from my head through a pencil to the page.
It's coming along nicely no errors so far.

I'm hoping to have the Matys Quartet from the Czech Republic come to the US to perform.
Here is an edited reheasal of my String Quartet No.3


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## Miaou

A short piano piece to a friend. I'll force her to like it.


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## mleghorn

I recently took a break from my Planets arrangement and did this: 

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Fbazooka-joe-has-a-thought

Then I went back to the Planets and did

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Furanus

Now I'm working on Saturn.


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## PetrB

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> This is a thread in which you tell us about what compositions you are currently working on, and if you want, why you're writing them and what they are about.
> 
> As for me I am composing my Violin concerto no. 5, sketches for my Symphony no. 6 and a six minute wind quintet that I have been composing since last year.
> 
> Now _your_ turn. :tiphat:


BUT -- Why are you writing them, and WHAT are they 'about.'? Is that 'about' some extra-musical meaning you hope to convey, or is that about as in, "The Chopin first Ballade is about the interval of the ninth?"


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

^I wish I could reword that. I mean, could you describe the piece of music as in maybe give the instrumentation or composition techniques used etc. Extra-musical descriptions are welcome too.


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## Crudblud

While I've been away, I have completed (in rough draft) the first part of A Life in the Fields!

You can now find it as the first track of this set:

__
https://soundcloud.com/cazazza-dan%2Fsets

Other developments include a wind octet consisting of many small pieces in solo, duo, trio, quartet and so on, an electronic dance album about Soviet Russia (which is actually one of my oldest projects, begun in 2007 and originally intended as just a "weird" electronic thing, but I came back to it just recently with the new concept in mind), and a blues/jazz/folk album featuring a time travelling, dimension hopping singer and alto sax screecher relaying many of the things he has experienced in his travels.


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## kv466

^^

You also got your own thread. :lol:


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## Chrythes

I started composing my op.1. It's going to be a string quartet, and I've already got the introduction (around a minute) and a few bars from the second movement. 
Since my knowledge in music theory is basically non existent I'm composing by ear, using my guitar, which makes this even more difficult. 
But I'm having fun and hopefully something will come out of this.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I've been composing what is now called "And Ode to Marxism." It is the second piece I've ever written for five guitars, the first being a dodecaphonic four movement suite which I wrote one and a half years ago.


----------



## MrCaioFaco

I am composing my first string quartet. I finished the first movement:




I am currently studying more than composing; first year of college. 

Ps.: This is my first post, I really enjoy Talk Classical! :tiphat:


----------



## aleazk

I need to compose at least three more "piano poems" for my cycle... "Cycle of Piano Poems". I have composed three so far, I need other three. Each piece must be short, between two or three minutes, and they must be extremely expressive, those are the main directives for composing this set of piano pieces.


----------



## clavichorder

A piece that sounds like quirky classicism, and I am pleased to say has a touch of my idol in it, W.F. Bach.


----------



## Zeichner

Hello All,
I am currently working on my Piano concerto no.1 and composing the finishing touches to my rhapsody no.1 "La Poesia" and have begun rough sketches to my first violin concerto.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I spent most of today working on a piece for five guitars that now in its finished form is called "An Ode to Marxism." I have never written _anything_ like it before in terms of how it works harmonically. If I was asked what key it's in in a life and death situation I would just say it's in C major.


----------



## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I spent most of today working on a piece for five guitars that now in its finished form is called "An Ode to Marxism." I have never written _anything_ like it before in terms of how it works harmonically. If I was asked what key it's in in a life and death situation I would just say it's in C major.


Why you are so worried about if your pieces are tonal-atonal, whatever?. Compose whatever you want and that's the end of the history. The time when atonalism was _an end_ and not _a tool _is over now. We have the fortune to live in this epoch in which we can do anything and still sound "modern". Even Ligeti has his "white key only etude" for piano. The only thing you need are good ideas, the rest are tools for realize those musical ideas, at least that's my current view with respect to this. :tiphat:


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

aleazk said:


> Why you are so worried about if your pieces are tonal-atonal, whatever?. Compose whatever you want and that's the end of the history. The time when atonalism was _an end_ and not _a tool _is over now. We have the fortune to live in this epoch in which we can do anything and still sound "modern". Even Ligeti has his "white key only etude" for piano. The only thing you need are good ideas, the rest are tools for realize those musical ideas, at least that's my current view with respect to this. :tiphat:


Thanks, but I'm not worried or anything. I just think my piece sounds extremely different to my other stuff.


----------



## Igneous01

I finished one movement so far to my concerto monstrosso - piano and harpsichord are both the leading instruments, however the harpsichord doesnt really have the presence in this movement that I thought it would. not sure what to do with it yet. its accompanied by strings, and a drumset 


__
https://soundcloud.com/sapphire-1%2Fconcerto-monstrosso-ii-allegro


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Igneous01 said:


> I finished one movement so far to my concerto monstrosso - piano and harpsichord are both the leading instruments, however the harpsichord doesnt really have the presence in this movement that I thought it would. not sure what to do with it yet. its accompanied by strings, and a drumset
> 
> 
> __
> https://soundcloud.com/sapphire-1%2Fconcerto-monstrosso-ii-allegro


Ooh that sounds weird! I like it!


----------



## Iforgotmypassword

Does everyone on here actually complete the majority of things that they start? I tend to write for a couple of weeks and then get bored with it or feel like the piece hasn't got any feeling and just stop writing. Then a week later I'll start back on something new. Rarely do I get some finished product that I'm pleased with. 


Anyways I'm writing a piece right now that will be using violin and chimes for certain(that's the only part I'm writing right now), though possibly Cello, other percussion and another violin/viola. 

I've been thinking of beginning a series of compositions centered around the early martyrs of christianity. We'll see how that goes.

I'd like to find a few like-minded musicians who would like to preform these compositions with me and who would understand the mentality of them... not sure if that's possible here since we just have a bunch of preformance majors in this town and typically they don't seem like they really give a crap about music when they aren't in school/getting paid. 

disclaimer: I'm sure that all the music majors on this forum love music or they wouldn't be members of this forum


----------



## aleazk

aleazk said:


> I need to compose at least three more "piano poems" for my cycle... "Cycle of Piano Poems". I have composed three so far, I need other three. Each piece must be short, between two or three minutes, and they must be extremely expressive, those are the main directives for composing this set of piano pieces.


I have finished _one more_, two more remain!


__
https://soundcloud.com/aleazk%2Fpiano-poem-4-unnamed-yet


----------



## aleazk

^^^^ the last piano poem!!! (I have reduced the cycle to five pieces):


__
https://soundcloud.com/aleazk%2Fi-amanecer


----------



## Henrique

aleazk said:


> ^^^^ the last piano poem!!! (I have reduced the cycle to five pieces):
> 
> 
> __
> https://soundcloud.com/aleazk%2Fi-amanecer


That was amazing. It sounded like rainwater at first. May I ask to see the sheet?


----------



## Pizzicato

The 1st Movement of my Symphony No. 1 in G Major.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

At the moment I have to arrange a Macedonian folk song for some ensemble at school consisting of a clarinet, two violins, accordion, bouzouki, piano, double bass and percussion.


----------



## aleazk

I'm not working on anything right now. I'm tired of my usual ideas. I want to start again from the beginning, with a new set of ideas and influences.


----------



## Crudblud

I took a break from _A Life in the Fields_, the second part likely won't be finished, even in rough, for some time. I've been working on songs with big band accompaniment, and a set of "Sailin' Tuns" (not a typo) for detuned bandoneon.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

_Guernica_ for solo guitar.


----------



## Praeludium

A Berceuse (which is actually a piece made of "hidden variations", where the theme is used all the time without being really exposed) for solo guitar. It is still a work in progress, and even if I know pretty well where I'm going ang am pretty satisfied of the cohesion of the work, I have a lot of things that are still to write. I just have the first, contrapuntal, dark (not that dissonant) and very nocturnal part and I'm in the process of finding the right harmonic sequence for the second part, which is supposed to be a little more clear and vertical, and the third part, which is a kind of calm, soft and warm dawn after all this turmoil, is still to write. It's very hard to write in a language you don't have yet !

A compositionnal etude (it doesn't have name but it's not a dry piece of music. At least I hope no. I could give it a name pretty easily but I don't want to), which is mainly about vertical writing and how to develop a piece with it (ie. it's just chords, rhythm, and timbers). I did put it aside but now I'm finishing it - which will be fast, because I just have a few measures to write and I already know how I'll write them. I guess it'll be finished either today or tomorrow.

And I have my Prelude&Toccatina for solo guitar almost finished except that I still have to write ONE page. I already have all the rest (coda included) of the Toccatina, but there's just the re-exposition of the main thema that's causing me problems. I wanted to do something with percussions and so on, with a very rough and groovy use of the guitar, but I'm not sure how to do it (I don't want it to sound like some haphazardly syncopated rhythms and a few ridiculous little golpes haha).



I think I'd like to write a Sonata inspired from the classical era form and language for solo guitar. Or even maybe two Sonatas, one rewriting and one fully by myself. After my exams. I have the time to try little things, write drafts and choose a classical sonata for solo guitar to rewrite it.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Putting _Guernica_ aside for a few hours so I can compose _Piano Piece 4_ a present for Mother's Day. This piece will be part of my New Tonality Project.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Putting _Guernica_ aside for a few hours so I can compose _Piano Piece 4_ a present for Mother's Day. This piece will be part of my New Tonality Project.


Just finished. I'm sure she will love it.


----------



## Crudblud

Some recently complete nonsense.

Night Music Extrap
Sailin' Tuns!


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

"Workers of the World, Unite!" fanfare for orchestra. Part of my new tonality project.


----------



## Praeludium

Just finished a piece for guitar (which was going to be called "Prélude I" at first, but finally I don't what to classify it or to name it), which I guess will be short (less than 4 minutes). It's quite simple structurally, it's just a little piece, but I like it. I'm not convinced by the climax though. I'll revise it again a bit later.
There are a lot of influences of Takemitsu's In the woods in the music I'm writing right now. I spent quite a lot of hour in this universe so it has kind of soaked my writing.

Now I'll be working again on my Berceuse - I lost the first part o_o the sheet, I mean. I'm stupid. I'll rewrite it and I'm sure it will be better, so no big deal.
It's quite a lot of work since it's way more complex and long (not really long, but it'll last ten minutes or so I guess) piece, and I have a rather precise idea of how it is structured, how I want this or this part to sound, etc. 
I take my time to do things one by one. For instance I'm working on just the harmony of the second part (it's not really a clearly defined part but anyway). It still needs some work on how I want the voicing to sound. Then I'll work on the rhythms. Then I'll finally create it. I guess that's how I have to work if I want to write strong enough and interesting things. Not so different from working in a piece as an instrumentalist.

The depressing side of things is that even if I put many hours working on this, it'll still be a piece that wont last.

Anyway, my next big project is a "neo-classical" (ie. using the principles of the classical form in a recognizable and analyzable way) guitar sonatina, and I'd like to write short chamber music pieces (without guitar, I don't want to fall into the trap of being a guitarist-composer).


----------



## Klavierspieler

A bit of humbug for string trio.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Writing "Caprice for Maestro"

It is a caprice for solo MaestroViolinist. Who I've been stalking.


----------



## mleghorn

I'm almost done with my synthesizer arrangement of Holst's Planets. I just completed Neptune:

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Fneptune
. Now you can hear all seven of them in sequence at

__
https://soundcloud.com/mike-leghorn%2Fsets
.

I need to revise some of the planets before a declare this as complete. This has been a huge undertaking!


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Restarted "Workers of the World, Unite!"

Scored for:
2 oboes
1 clarinet
2 alto saxophones
1 baritone saxophone
1 horn
2 trumpets
2 trombones
1 tuba
Percussion (triangle, woodblock, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tubular bells)
4 hand piano
Strings

Also have to write 12 bars of two voice counterpoint for a competition in Sydney.


----------



## Klavierspieler

_untitled1_ for two violas.

I'm trying to leave as much of the music as possible up to the performers. All that's really set in stone are the pitches.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Klavierspieler said:


> _untitled1_ for two violas.
> 
> I'm trying to leave as much of the music as possible up to the performers. All that's really set in stone are the pitches.


I want to play it!


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Restarted "Workers of the World, Unite!"
> 
> Scored for:
> 2 oboes
> 1 clarinet
> 2 alto saxophones
> 1 baritone saxophone
> 1 horn
> 2 trumpets
> 2 trombones
> 1 tuba
> Percussion (triangle, woodblock, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tubular bells)
> 4 hand piano
> Strings
> 
> Also have to write 12 bars of two voice counterpoint for a competition in Sydney.


Finished both! Although the percussion section of the orchestral piece now consists of a vibraphone, tubular bells, triangle, woodblock, snare drum and suspended cymbals (love that crescendo roll effect on the cymbals! )


----------



## jani

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Finished both! Although the percussion section of the orchestral piece now consists of a vibraphone, tubular bells, triangle, woodblock, snare drum and suspended cymbals (love that crescendo roll effect on the cymbals! )


When we can listen to it?


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

jani said:


> When we can listen to it?


Well it's going to be performed in December. I'll see if I could film it and upload it to YouTube.


----------



## aleazk

I'm starting with a more "avant-garde" style, with colourful instrumentations and rhythms. My main influences are late Boulez and Ligeti. I have only one piece now in this style, the Introduction & Dance, but I plan to do more movements in this piece.


----------



## BurningDesire

I've recently composed a piece of musique concrete using samples of music I love to depict images of a city at night, and I'm working on more movements to turn it into a suite.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

BurningDesire said:


> I've recently composed a piece of musique concrete using samples of music I love to depict images of a city at night, and I'm working on more movements to turn it into a suite.


_MUSIQUE CONCRETE?!_ I'd *love* to hear some of your stuff!!!


----------



## BeatOven

I've been experimenting with a neat iPad program "Symphony Pro". It's fun but basic. I'm a novice when it comes to working with heavy theory (for now). I've been studying theory regularly on my own for a while now and have been pushing what ive learned via composition through this composer software.

I would say my resulting "works in progress" are shaky/sloppy at best. Shots in the dark really.. And I hate that.

Competence in modulation is my current pursuit.

It is all in my head waiting! Why is it so hard to get it down and out correctly?

"Tell me about it", right? ha.

I want to be good at this one day!

Oh well, what do i have to fear about sharing? 

__
https://soundcloud.com/
 = my attempts.

Lay it on me! Thanks.


----------



## Praeludium

Not much. I try to write two voice counterpoint (duos, inventions, whatever. Rather small pieces which gravitate around one thematic material) in a modern idiom (nothing new. A kind of extended tonality, sometimes in the gray zone, sometimes with a rather precise tonal center), while I'm studying Bach's two parts inventions. 
It's hard to write good two voice counterpoint, actually. By good, I mean which doesn't sound like an exercise and which doesn't sound thin.

I feel like I absolutely have to learn more about... well, all the instruments and how they work. I know nothing about percussions for instance. What a shame lol

I still have my neo-classical guitar sonata in project for this summer, but I wonder if I'm ready for such a big work. I'm 18 and it gets on my nerves to try to write a rather consequent work which will not really be satisfying as a work of art. I wonder if I should not just keep writing smaller pieces and studying the repertoire rather than trying to run before walking.

I hope that in 2013 I'll be a good enough pianist and sight-reader to study a lot of material. I feel like that's what I need to really make progress. to study music from the inside.


----------



## aleazk

Praeludium said:


> Not much. I try to write two voice counterpoint (duos, inventions, whatever. Rather small pieces which gravitate around one thematic material) in a modern idiom (nothing new. A kind of extended tonality, sometimes in the gray zone, sometimes with a rather precise tonal center), while I'm studying Bach's two parts inventions.
> It's hard to write good two voice counterpoint, actually. By good, I mean which doesn't sound like an exercise and which doesn't sound thin.
> 
> I feel like I absolutely have to learn more about... well, all the instruments and how they work. I know nothing about percussions for instance. What a shame lol
> 
> I still have my neo-classical guitar sonata in project for this summer, but I wonder if I'm ready for such a big work. I'm 18 and it gets on my nerves to try to write a rather consequent work which will not really be satisfying as a work of art. I wonder if I should not just keep writing smaller pieces and studying the repertoire rather than trying to run before walking.
> 
> I hope that in 2013 I'll be a good enough pianist and sight-reader to study a lot of material. I feel like that's what I need to really make progress. to study music from the inside.


In my extremely limited experience, I can tell you that I have learned a lot just trying. Try to listen to a lot of music, try to study a lot of pieces, but also compose a lot. There are many things that you learn and discover with practice. I always do a small search about the instruments that I'm going to use: information, technique, youtube videos, etc.


----------



## Praeludium

Thanks for the tips. Yeah I have to write more ! 
When I get myself to work regularly on something, I learn tons of things. It's just that it's not easy to work on pieces that will never be played by anyone (and within reason) q:
I'll try to experiment more in my work. I think I try too hard to have a perfect product at the first time.


----------



## MelloHero

I've thought about composing again, either for a contest or for fun, but I've instead started looking back at an old concert overture I started a couple years ago and never finished... it's still in the condensed score, and will still need more edits than a Bruckner symphony when I've finished writing that, but it's on my agenda right now.

"Forever Alone," for wind band, is a concert overture in the 3- to 5-minute range. It was originally about the desolation of the awkward, single life, but it's instead turned into my generic "I feel sad" piece.


----------



## Ramako

I am writing a second flute sonata for a friend and a string quartet for myself.

Slow going: I like the ideas too much to waste them by writing a bad piece for them.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Working right now on a suite for bass.


----------



## jani

I am trying to finish my small orchestral work only with 1 theme.


----------



## StevenOBrien

Preparing my Twenty Four Preludes for publication, working on a set of romances for piano and sketching a symphony that may or may not see the light of day, as an orchestration exercise.


----------



## Crudblud

Finally started work on Annoying Skin Conditions. The final instrumentation is: harpsichord, piano, horn, trumpet, oboe, flute, bassoon, bass clarinet, harp, xylophone, five toms and a modest field drum ensemble. One movement will feature obbligato alto saxophone. There will be only one vocalist, who is required to sing and speak in various different manners.

I will be taking on the role of obbligato sax and vocals for the release version.


----------



## aleazk

I have finished my suite for small ensemble of instruments (with prominent percussion) and now I will rest, since it costed me a great effort. I'm really satisfied with the last movement.


----------



## Ramako

I've been looking back over my old requiem written when I was 13/14 and thinking about doing it up so that I'm not embarrassed by it's existence.


----------



## beetzart

I am going to start the last movement of my Piano Concerto in C major tonight. Got a theme so see how it goes. Only got Sibelius 6 student so limited to 12 staves.


----------



## jani

I use musescore its free and it can do everything i need at the moment.


----------



## beetzart

jani said:


> I use musescore its free and it can do everything i need at the moment.


Cheers for that! Just downloaded it and it is nice to not be limited to the 12 staves you get on Sibelius Student


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I use manuscript paper and I can download for free so many different types that I am far less restricted than anyone using music notation software.


----------



## Ramako

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I use manuscript paper and I can download for free so many different types that I am far less restricted than anyone using music notation software.


Except ink costs a fortune  (I use both anyway)


----------



## jani

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I use manuscript paper and I can download for free so many different types that I am far less restricted than anyone using music notation software.


Yea, but you have to accept that some members of this forum haven't reached your level on genius yet.


----------



## jani

Ramako said:


> Except ink costs a fortune  (I use both anyway)


I do this too.


----------



## aleazk

Ramako said:


> Except ink costs a fortune  (I use both anyway)


Ink?, do you write with this?:


----------



## Crudblud

Your squiggles are not proper squiggles if you don't use one of those.


----------



## nicecomposer

I'm going to write something about the coming earthquake in Vancouver, since we are expected to have a huge one. I also promised some friends of mine that i would write them into it as characters.


----------



## jani

I am gonna orchestrate one my songs that i composed with my guitar to orchestra ( Ofc everything is bigger with an orchestra)


----------



## jani

So this is a Exposition ( and 2 bars of the development) of my 1st symphony, i just wanted to know what do you think about it?!?!
Should i really put in the time to write symphony based on that material or should i use that time for studying more.

Please give me feedback even if it makes you want to kill puppies or makes you horny... Lol


----------



## Ramako

jani said:


> Should i really put in the time to write symphony based on that material or should i use that time for studying more.


1. I quite like it, although I think it could have a little more direction.
2. People will complain at you for using sonata form, I'm not quite sure why.
3. IMO ALWAYS keep composing. Of course, if you have other projects this is not a problem.


----------



## Renaissance

I work on a piece for a kind of unusual quartet... organ, flute, harp and english horn.


----------



## Ramako

Renaissance said:


> I work on a piece for a kind of unusual quartet... organ, flute, harp and english horn.


You posted it elsewhere - I liked it.

EDITED


----------



## Renaissance

Ramako said:


> You posted it elsewhere - I liked it.
> 
> EDITED


Thank you, but I haven't composed anything for organ yet. I posted a wind quartet among others, maybe some of the instruments sounded like an organ because of the...midi limitation, reverberations and other effects.


----------



## Ramako

Renaissance said:


> Thank you, but I haven't composed anything for organ yet. I posted a wind quartet among others, maybe some of the instruments sounded like an organ because of the...midi limitation, reverberations and other effects.


Sorry, yeah. I listened to what you posted on the other thread but then left it, and ended up on this one, and since it looked similar I assumed you'd removed it or something and commented here anyway - stupid mistake


----------



## Renaissance

I am working on this. Sounds pretty boring and I don't know what to do with it.


----------



## jani

I am writing a harp composition only with one developing theme, What do you call a piece only with one theme? Prelude or what?


----------



## Ramako

jani said:


> I am writing a harp composition only with one developing theme, What do you call a piece only with one theme? Prelude or what?


monothematic.

I am working on my competition piece


----------



## jani

Ramako said:


> monothematic.
> 
> I am working on my competition piece


So do i call the composition as a " Monothematic piece for a harp in B minor"?


----------



## Ramako

jani said:


> So do i call the composition as a " Monothematic piece for a harp in B minor"?


How about a fantasia? Or you could cook up some random 'emotive' title - that always works


----------



## jani

Ramako said:


> How about a fantasia? Or you could cook up some random 'emotive' title - that always works


Yea, i am gonna finish the composition and probably arrange it for orchestra.

I am staring to arrive to a point were i feel that my music has some value/sounds good.


----------



## Ramako

jani said:


> I am staring to arrive to a point were i feel that my music has some value/sounds good.


I had that from the beginning. The problem is that looking back, I disagree with my younger self


----------



## jani

Maybe i am too self critical or something? :shrug:


----------



## Crudblud

I finished one potential competition piece the other day, now I'm writing a second one. Depending on how fast it goes I might write another one.


----------



## Mesa

jani said:


> So this is a Exposition ( and 2 bars of the development) of my 1st symphony, i just wanted to know what do you think about it?!?!
> Should i really put in the time to write symphony based on that material or should i use that time for studying more.
> 
> Please give me feedback even if it makes you want to kill puppies or makes you horny... Lol


Quite nice, and reminds me oddly of:


----------



## aleazk

Working on a piano piece, I have great two first pages, but I'm stuck now, lol.


----------



## Mesa

Cage that ****, and label it 'As slow as possible', ta-dah!


----------



## Crudblud

On second thought I think I'm just going to stick with the competition piece I already wrote. This other one is far too complicated and laborious to finish in time, and from what I've got so far it's gonna sound like ****.


----------



## Ramako

Crudblud said:


> On second thought I think I'm just going to stick with the competition piece I already wrote. This other one is far too complicated and laborious to finish in time, and from what I've got so far it's gonna sound like ****.


Haha I'm in the middle of mine at the moment. I want to finish it by Wednesday, because from then on I won't have access to a piano.


----------



## Klavierspieler

jani said:


> Maybe i am too self critical or something? :shrug:


Everyone is.


----------



## Praeludium

I have finished my two voice invention for two treble instruments but I'm too lazy to make a sheet with it. I'll have to do it if I want to study it with my teacher, but ergh. It sounds good enough (ie. it's not horrible) but I don't feel like it's worth spending one hour working on just translating it on a musescore or whatever file.

I'm writing a three voice invention for string trio. I'm still writing drafts of many parts, in disorder. There are some things I'm satisfied with, but others less. 

This is a study for organic structure. 
I'm building the whole piece using one subject and a countersubject (which aren't actually shown the usual, fugal way using imitation right from the start of the peice, but they have those functions), used and varied in many ways of course, in order to have a great unity. 
And also because I like the fact that you can build anything you want with two dialectic cells (hence the organic thing). On the top of that I have two (graphical) curves, one for the height (I'm not sure it's the right word, it's a direct translation from French. How much in the treble or in the bass is a note or a musical part) and an other one for clear/dark. Those are two parameters but it could work with anything. It's a funny way of structuring music.
This part is going well enough - I just hope it's not overbuilt intellectual crap. But it's a study piece anyway.

But I'm afraid to not be able to write something as varied and changing, with different "landscapes" and microcosms (organic, in a word :mrgreen as I want to. I'll see. I wouldn't be surprised if I failed, since writing highly coherent and united as well as perpetually changing and contrasted music isn't an easy task.


I'm getting tired of my harmonic writing style - even though it's not like I've written hours of music with it. It's mainly a free polytonal style of writing. It allows a lot of cool colors and it's quite easy to manipulate but I feel like it's déjà-vu (which is the case). I wish I could study spectral music properly.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I'm thinking of what music I should compose next. Maybe something for tuba.


----------



## MaestroViolinist

CoAG is unable to post except for on weekends, he has told me to say that he is composing a piece for tuba and piano called "Composition for Tuba and Piano." (Don't know how he came up with that title... )


----------



## jani

MaestroViolinist said:


> CoAG is unable to post except for on weekends, he has told me to say that he is composing a piece for tuba and piano called "Composition for Tuba and Piano." (Don't know how he came up with that title... )


Only on weekends WHY!?!?


----------



## MaestroViolinist

jani said:


> Only on weekends WHY!?!?


He's too busy apparently. Sad, I know.


----------



## jani

MaestroViolinist said:


> He's too busy apparently. Sad, I know.


 345678910


----------



## MaestroViolinist

jani said:


> 345678910


I have no idea what those numbers mean, but anyway.


----------



## jani

MaestroViolinist said:


> I have no idea what those numbers mean, but anyway.


You have to have at least 10 characters on your post, so i used them so i could post it.


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## neoshredder

Looking forward to this weekend then.  But yeah it's good he is working hard.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Last night I started a composition for clarinet and banjo called "Composition for Clarinet and Banjo" and I finished it this morning.


----------



## BurningDesire

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Last night I started a composition for clarinet and banjo called "Composition for Clarinet and Banjo" and I finished it this morning.


Next you need to write your Symphony No. 1/Double Concerto for Clarinet and Banjo and Orchestra No. 1 (you know you're gonna wanna write like 20 of those).

Actually I really do want to hear it, the combination of colors sounds interesting in my head X3


----------



## drpraetorus

Several projects
"Mene, Mene, Tikal Upharsin" For chorus and orchestra
Low winds quintet (Contrabassoon, Wagner tuba, Bass Clarinet, Heckelphone, Bass flute)
Horn concerto
Symphony "De Montis"


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## BurningDesire

some piano preludes


----------



## pendereckiobsessed

An atonal nocturne for string quartet


----------



## jani

My tc competition work ( round 2)


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

BurningDesire said:


> Next you need to write your Symphony No. 1/Double Concerto for Clarinet and Banjo and Orchestra No. 1 (you know you're gonna wanna write like 20 of those).
> 
> Actually I really do want to hear it, the combination of colors sounds interesting in my head X3


I've written 5 symphonies already, sketches for a sixth and seventh and planned an eighth and a ninth already, but that can be no. 10. 

Recently I wrote a composition for trumpet and guitar called "Composition for Trumpet and Guitar."


----------



## Ramako

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Recently I wrote a composition for trumpet and guitar called "Composition for Trumpet and Guitar."


You really have a way with names for your pieces don't you :lol:


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Ramako said:


> You really have a way with names for your pieces don't you :lol:


The best name I've come up with so far: "Trombone Thing" for trombone and piano written in 2009.


----------



## jani

Ramako said:


> You really have a way with names for your pieces don't you :lol:


Its not so strange, its very hard to make up a name for a piece of music. Specially if its absolute music.


----------



## juergen

jani said:


> Its not so strange, its very hard to make up a name for a piece of music. Specially if its absolute music.


Better to compose absolute music without a name than absolutely no music with a name.


----------



## Klavierspieler

Hey folks, if you're stumped on titles:

http://www.modplug.com/title_generator.html

:tiphat:


----------



## Crudblud

Klavierspieler said:


> Hey folks, if you're stumped on titles:
> 
> http://www.modplug.com/title_generator.html
> 
> :tiphat:


That's just too cheap, surely.


----------



## Wandering

I'm not a composer but enjoy fiddling around, often trying to write in a composers style I appreciate; if the work sounds at all like them, I pat myself on the back. This is something I did ages ago, hence I'm not working on it, I gave up trying to. It started out as a Glass sounding type thing a then got all wierdly unGlasslike.

http://www.4shared.com/folder/UBIChio7/_online.html


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

One of my sisters has asked me to collaborate with her on writing a musical.


----------



## jani

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> One of my sisters has asked me to collaborate with her on writing a musical.


So you have sisters?


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

jani said:


> So you have sisters?


They're too young for you.


----------



## jani

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> They're too young for you.


Why did you immediately think that i was lusty/would start to chase them?:lol:


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

jani said:


> Why did you immediately think that i was lusty/would start to chase them?:lol:


Because that's how I roll.


----------



## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> One of my sisters has asked me to collaborate with her on writing a musical.


You'd better be classy about it, if you do any of that Lloyd Webber crap I'll stop following you on Soundcloud.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> You'd better be classy about it, if you do any of that Lloyd Webber crap I'll stop following you on Soundcloud.


Haha, in terms of music I was thinking more along the lines of...XENAKIS CROSS WITH ERIC COATES.


----------



## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Haha, in terms of music I was thinking more along the lines of...XENAKIS CROSS WITH ERIC COATES.


Then I approve, even though you appear to have become mtmailey.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> Then I approve, even though you appear to have become mtmailey.


How about Xenakis cross with Hildegard?


----------



## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> How about Xenakis cross with Hildegard?


I think that wouldn't be much of a musical at all, I'd stick with Coates, or better yet: 1940s big band style music.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> I think that wouldn't be much of a musical at all, I'd stick with Coates, or better yet: 1940s big band style music.


Xenakis, Hildegard, Glenn Miller, Stockhausen, *Ligeti,* Cazazza Dan, Eric Coates, Sullivan and Mozart in a mash-up?


----------



## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Xenakis, Hildegard, Glenn Miller, Stockhausen, *Ligeti,* Cazazza Dan, Eric Coates, Sullivan and Mozart in a mash-up?


You've got yourself a deal, good sir.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Got a competition to enter. I entered the same competition a few years ago with my piano quintet and came runner-up.


----------



## etkearne

I am currently absorbed in working on my "Pieces For Piano & Woodwinds" suite which has six short pieces totaling 14-16 minutes of material. I call it pieces for piano and Woodwinds, but I purposely limit the Woodwinds to only Clarinet, Oboe, and Bassoon so that it doesn't get too dense sounding. 

My goal for the suite is to compose each piece of the suite by a different modern method. I have already finished this part and I am now filling the pieces in and removing the crappier parts. I use Steinberg Cubase to compose in (they have a nice score writer IMO) because the great and realistic sounding orchestral instruments. So I can hear my changes immediately. 

The six compositional methods are:

1. Chord to Scale: like many jazz pieces, pick the highlight chords first, then write melodies based on the synthetic scales created.

2. Exotic Scale to Chord: use a less known scale, harmonize it, and strictly compose using chords from the harmonizations. I used the Acoustic Scale for one part, for example.

3. Serialism: obvious enough

4. Post-Serialism: my own compositional technique which found a whole slew of more automorphic operators in Z_12 to use besides inversion and translation. More on that later!

5. Many modulations: strictly tonal, but modulate enough to make the tonal center fuzzy.

6. Bitonality: two keys, two harmonizations, put them together to get some interesting chord progressions.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

etkearne said:


> I am currently absorbed in working on my "Pieces For Piano & Woodwinds" suite which has six short pieces totaling 14-16 minutes of material. I call it pieces for piano and Woodwinds, but I purposely limit the Woodwinds to only Clarinet, Oboe, and Bassoon so that it doesn't get too dense sounding.
> 
> My goal for the suite is to compose each piece of the suite by a different modern method. I have already finished this part and I am now filling the pieces in and removing the crappier parts. I use Steinberg Cubase to compose in (they have a nice score writer IMO) because the great and realistic sounding orchestral instruments. So I can hear my changes immediately.
> 
> The six compositional methods are:
> 
> 1. Chord to Scale: like many jazz pieces, pick the highlight chords first, then write melodies based on the synthetic scales created.
> 
> 2. Exotic Scale to Chord: use a less known scale, harmonize it, and strictly compose using chords from the harmonizations. I used the Acoustic Scale for one part, for example.
> 
> 3. Serialism: obvious enough
> 
> 4. Post-Serialism: my own compositional technique which found a whole slew of more automorphic operators in Z_12 to use besides inversion and translation. More on that later!
> 
> 5. Many modulations: strictly tonal, but modulate enough to make the tonal center fuzzy.
> 
> 6. Bitonality: two keys, two harmonizations, put them together to get some interesting chord progressions.


Sounds really cool. I'd love to hear the outcome.


----------



## etkearne

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Sounds really cool. I'd love to hear the outcome.


Thanks! I will try to post it once I tweak the textural elements to my liking. I wish there was a way to upload it other than YouTube, though, considering mp3 format looses a significant amount of the fluidity of a piece IMO. Maybe someone knows a better way?

Anyways, I wrote the first Movement of a new project this morning. Similar to the last piece, Piano & Woodwinds, this suite is Piano & Brass, scored for solo piano, one trumpet, one trombone, one French Horn, and one Tuba. So it is a chamber work. I decided to make the first movement very contrapuntal. It reminds me a lot of Paul Hindemith's work now that it is done and I have listened to it. Pretty cool stuff.


----------



## Crudblud

You know you can put WAV in an AVI file, right? Export the audio as 24-bit 96 kHz WAV and set the video resolution to 1280*720, the video can then be played in HD ensuring little to no loss in sound quality.


----------



## etkearne

Thanks Crudblud. That is precisely what I was looking for.


----------



## jani

etkearne said:


> Thanks Crudblud. That is precisely what I was looking for.


Could you give a link so we could hear some of the music you have already written?


----------



## etkearne

It looks like most of the folks here use the "Soundcloud" thing, so I am working on setting up an account there right now and will post my link as soon as I have a couple of works in there.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Got a competition to enter. I entered the same competition a few years ago with my piano quintet and came runner-up.


After 50 bars of music I decide finally to call it _Chamber Concerto._ I've written a slow, transforming opening which is now the first movement and I'm working on the second movement now. The movements go as follows:

I. Metamorphosis (crotchet=60)
II. Scherzo (minim=112)
III. Cantabile (TBA, probably crotchet=80)

It will probably go for about seven minutes. I like to keep things breif but action packed. Instrumentation as follows:

Alto saxophone
Baritone saxophone
Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Tuba
Percussion (bongos, congas, snare drum, tom-toms)
Piano
Double bass


----------



## Igneous01

Started work on another piece for piano. Not sure if it will be a full blown sonata or a one movement work. It begins tonally in Bb minor, and transitions into a more scraibin like dissonance, with a motif being presented there which might be developed later.

The A section of the piece starts in 7/8 time, but i plan to in later recaps of A:
go into 9/8, and
5/8

just to keep with the themes compound signature. There will also be a section where the A theme is turned into a tone row, playing the full row and its inversion, then later developed with further rows from the matrix.

I also have an interesting development harmony that is Bb major - Gb major - Emajor - Cmajor, which almost outlines a petrushka chord (G and C# are absent), these notes are also present in this excerpt. And I have a cool harmony where going from Bb minor to iv - V - bii, moving to the neopolitan (B major) and hinting Eb minor.

Here is the score currently:




















and preview:

__
https://soundcloud.com/sapphire-1%2Fbb-minor-piece


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Page two looks awesome!


----------



## Praeludium

Still the same piano prelude. I feel like I'll have to spend more time per week on this if I want to finish it before 2032.


----------



## Ramako

A song for voice and piano, words by Byron. I don't know what voice it is yet so I will write it for tenor and hope for the best.


----------



## aleazk

Does anyone know how to control the vibrato on the strings in Sibelius 6?. The sound that I get in long notes has almost no vibrato and I want to add vibrato and even control its intensity.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

aleazk said:


> Does anyone know how to control the vibrato on the strings in Sibelius 6?. The sound that I get in long notes has almost no vibrato and I want to add vibrato and even control its intensity.


There's no point trying to fix the playback devices. Just write it in the score and imagine it in your head.


----------



## Igneous01

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> There's no point trying to fix the playback devices. Just write it in the score and imagine it in your head.


but, but, what happens if you forget the next day how you imagined it would sound??


----------



## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> There's no point trying to fix the playback devices. Just write it in the score and imagine it in your head.


Yeah, but I want to have a recording of the piece too. Also, some details I need to work by trial and error.


----------



## Praeludium

Igneous01 said:


> but, but, what happens if you forget the next day how you imagined it would sound??


Uh... isn't the point in actually writing the music is that it's written ? From a certain point you're supposed to be able to hear the music in your head when you read a sheet. I'm pretty far from it - ie the melody and the harmony is "blurry", I can only have an idea, but there are a lot of persons who worked on this and who read music understanding the content as well as if they were reading a book.


----------



## aleazk

Praeludium said:


> Uh... isn't the point in actually writing the music is that it's written ? From a certain point you're supposed to be able to hear the music in your head when you read a sheet. I'm pretty far from it - ie the melody and the harmony is "blurry", I can only have an idea, but there are a lot of persons who worked on this and who read music understanding the content as well as if they were reading a book.


It's impossible to be a "real" composer if you don't hear the music in your head in one way or another. Now, translating this to actual notes in a piece of paper is a different matter. This ability results from a combination of a lot of practice and a natural talent (some people have skills for math, some others for recognizing the notes, for example). Many great composers used the piano as a backup. Ravel, for example, would not compose without the piano. Personally, I tend to compose 70% using imagination and 30% checking with the piano or with the feedback. I particularly use the piano when I use extended chords or other chords with many notes. I can imagine the general sound of the chord and I know more or less the notes that I should use. I go to the piano and it sounds well, very similar to my idea. We are talking about chords with five notes or more. But then I add one additional note and magic. It fits exactly with my initial idea. 
But that's me. Maybe Coag is a real genius, I don't know. 



Ligeti said:


> I lay my ten fingers on the keyboard and imagine music. My fingers copy this mental image as I press the keys, but this copy is very inexact: a feedback emerges between ideas and tactile/motor execution. This feedback loop repeats itself many times, enriched by provisional sketches: a mill wheel turns between my inner ear, my fingers and the marks on the paper. The result sounds completely different from my intial conceptions: the anatomical reality of my hands and the configuration of the piano keyboard have transformed my imaginary constructs.


----------



## Praeludium

I'm not sure it's such a big deal to hear music in your head. For a music student, it's not uncommon to practice an instrument at least three or four hours a day (working hard). Imagine what would happen if you spent the same time per day working on your ear/rhythm/note reading. I'm sure anyone who would do that would be pretty quickly able to hear very well. 
Personally I don't even have the courage to do proper ear training twenty minutes every day lol (I sing melodic lines, intervals, and memorize chords when i'm working at my instruments, that all)


----------



## Jord

I've been working on my own 1st original composition for myself, not a clue what I'd class it as, it's not a concerto, not a sonata, it's only about a minute long at the minute but it's not gonna be Ternary Binary or Rondo, it's Piano accompanied by 2 violins, a viola, cello and bass, my string writing isn't very good at the moment so it's gonna keep me back making sure the strings are perfect, the chord progressions so far remind me of Classical but the piece on a whole is more Romantic as my overview of it


----------



## Igneous01

Praeludium said:


> Uh... isn't the point in actually writing the music is that it's written ? From a certain point you're supposed to be able to hear the music in your head when you read a sheet. I'm pretty far from it - ie the melody and the harmony is "blurry", I can only have an idea, but there are a lot of persons who worked on this and who read music understanding the content as well as if they were reading a book.


that isnt what I meant, but for example, lets say you have an idea of how you want to express a certain passage of music. You have the music written down and all is good, but lets say, a week later, you go back and read that passage and now cant remember what it was going to sound like. It still sounds good, but you cant remember the minute details of how it was to be played. Or perhaps the expression is now different. I suppose stuff like this doesnt matter then, ultimately the performer will be interpreting it.


----------



## Ramako

I will probably begin on my string quartet for round 3 of the TC composers competition soon


----------



## etkearne

I just finished my first draft of the String Quartet entry for the next composer competition round. I am pretty confident about its chances! All that I really need to improve are a couple of somewhat weak voice leading incidents and two places where I should have had an "E" and I had an "Eb" because I modulated and forgot the change.


----------



## aleazk

I was working on a piece with various movements, for small orchestra, "Planetary System". I think I'll give up since I don't like what I have so far. I don't like the first movement, it's rough and flat. I like more the second movement, I think it is well formed, but I don't like the content, i.e., the harmonies and melodies I used, etc. It has a jazz-like flavour that I want to avoid now. I'm somewhat disoriented because I know what I don't want but I don't know what I want!.


----------



## juergen

I've just finished my String Quartet for the round 3 of the TC Composers Competition. It is either the best piece I've made so far, or the worst. It depends on how others will hear it. I'm pretty curious. As I often get the feedback that my harmonies are too simple and conventional I've tried to spice it up with somewhat 'exotic mood'. With this piece, I have reached the limits of my current skills. It was pretty exhausting. Now I need to take a break.


----------



## Ramako

I have made progress with my string quartet. At some point I shall start writing it down and then realize I've made no progress at all... 

Still, I am making use of some new techniques which, even if this piece ends up being a stodgy pastiche, will at least improve (hopefully) my compositions in the future.


----------



## clavichorder

Ramako said:


> I will probably begin on my string quartet for round 3 of the TC composers competition soon


You must work pretty fast.

edit: nvm, that was Oct 18.

I'm working on nothing right now. Kind of at a loss to know what to do, or if I even want to do anything.


----------



## drpraetorus

Just started movement 4 of my De Mons symphony "Aqua Vita Est"


----------



## etkearne

After spending two month writing exclusively for Classical Music, I am now again writing for popular music as well. I am currently working on a set of eerie bitonal pieces that I have composed so that they fall right on the edge of both popular and classical music and you could easily argue their place in either "tag". Here are some examples:


__
https://soundcloud.com/evankearney%2Fexecutive


__
https://soundcloud.com/evankearney%2Fpine-needles


----------



## Praeludium

I finished a rough version of my Prélude for piano.

It's called Prélude but it could be called anything lol 
I'm relatively satisfied with it (I keep in my mind that it's just a student piece. It pains me to say it but it'll never be played and I could probably destroy it without much consequence. Still, it feels like a little part of me.), but there are some Takemitsu/Messiaen influenced harmonies that I still can't really "feel" properly. 
Tonal music is easier to write because when sometimes doesn't sound right it's usually relatively easy to find out why (false relation, violent modulation in a place where you'd want something soft, bad voice leading, etc.). When I write something much more free, I always wonder "isn't there some solution which conveys what I'm thinking of better " ?

This were I think "You must study composition properly, dumbass" 
I seriously feel the need to study composition (and everything which gravitate around it) intensively for a few years before I can say "I compose". Right now I feel like I'm deaf, ignorant, brutal and lazy when it comes to composing.

I began working on my ear more seriously. I intend to work a lot on hearing what happens in my Prélude at a much more precise and subtle level, in order to decipher why I'm not satisfied with some parts. There's also a part which is probably a few bars too long - the prelude not being really long (a few dozens of bars, slow tempo but in 2/2).


After that... I'm listening to a lot of contemporary music lately, and I feel really bad about writing a mainly harmonic/contrapuntic music and not using much all the other tools I have. So I'd like to do a study on attack (Harp+three recorders+SQ ? something along those lines). Another on articulation. And so on. A set of compositional studies, probably for chamber ensemble  I had already written a compositional study last year and that was an interesting experience.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I am about to compose a composition for cello and guitar which I will call _Elegy._


----------



## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I am about to compose a composition for cello and guitar which I will call _Elegy._


Sell-out! The old CoAG would've called it "Composition for Cello and Guitar".


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> Sell-out! The old CoAG would've called it "Composition for Cello and Guitar".


I would have called it that of I wrote it last month, but I have reasons why I am calling it _Elegy._


----------



## Crudblud

Interesting.


----------



## WavesOfParadox

I'm starting on a twelve tone quartet for double reeds: bassoon, English horn, and two oboes.


----------



## appoggiatura

interesting to read this topic. I'm new (sorta) in the world of composing. Well, I wrote a small piano piece when I was a little kid, and wrote some popular songs as a teenager, but now everything got serious when i started improvising on a theme I composed, style: romantic, impressionism, and I felt the urge to write it down. I'm working on a piece for viola and piano, and something for piano solo, or two pianos, not sure. I have a lot of ideas but I find it so difficult to work it out to a complete piece.... I played for my mum and I was super nervous since she's a pianist and pro in harmony, music theory, but she liked it. Phew..


----------



## Ramako

I still have a flute sonata on the boil (must finish it before I annoy the flautist its for any more...)

I also have to compose a piece for University. This is quite challenging as my plan for it involves the mixing of 'tonal' and 'atonal' (meant in the normal, not technical, usage) elements, and unifying such disparate material will, I think, be quite challenging. For this reason, I'm planning it quite exhaustively compared to my other pieces. It is my answer to the problem of having to compose something 'new'.


----------



## WavesOfParadox

I've always wanted to experiment in heterophony


----------



## Praeludium

Finished the first movement of a piece for string trio I'm writing. Feeling tired and disappointed - even though I'm feeling more and more drawn to composition. It fits on two sheets (slow tempo), and is (as usual for me) quite influenced by Takemitsu, or at least by a Takemitsu-like way of writing.

I know better than ever that I must spend many intense years working on solfège, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, getting to know all the repertoire written after 1950 and how it is written technically, listening to a lot of music, reading tons of books, etc. etc. etc. before writing what I want.
But I don't know if I will ever be able to do that and to study guitar professionally. How can you be a professional instrumentalist and composer ? 
Start very early, I guess.

Anyway, it is done. I'll now be working on the second movement - I already got ideas I absolutely do not know how to realise lol - and this piece will be done. It'll be short, unskillful, but I want to write it anyway. I've decided I will refrain from trying to write large scale works before having the appropriate skills anyway.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I am about to compose a composition for cello and guitar which I will call _Elegy._


Scrapping the cello, making it for solo guitar.

Also I need to compose something for guitar and violin very very very very very soon or I am dead.


----------



## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Scrapping the cello, making it for solo guitar.
> 
> Also I need to compose something for guitar and violin very very very very very soon or I am dead.


So... a reconciliation piece, eh?.


----------



## aleazk

Praeludium said:


> Finished the first movement of a piece for string trio I'm writing. Feeling tired and disappointed - even though I'm feeling more and more drawn to composition. It fits on two sheets (slow tempo), and is (as usual for me) quite influenced by Takemitsu, or at least by a Takemitsu-like way of writing.
> 
> I know better than ever that I must spend many intense years working on solfège, harmony, counterpoint, analysis, getting to know all the repertoire written after 1950 and how it is written technically, listening to a lot of music, reading tons of books, etc. etc. etc. before writing what I want.
> But I don't know if I will ever be able to do that and to study guitar professionally. How can you be a professional instrumentalist and composer ?
> Start very early, I guess.
> 
> Anyway, it is done. I'll now be working on the second movement - I already got ideas I absolutely do not know how to realise lol - and this piece will be done. It'll be short, unskillful, but I want to write it anyway. I've decided I will refrain from trying to write large scale works before having the appropriate skills anyway.


But Takemitsu is great!. . You know what Stravinsky said: "Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal". :lol:. My recommendation is to read a lot, study a lot, study scores of other composers a lot, and, also, write many pieces. Composition is also a skill which can be perfectioned with practice. Some pieces can suck if you see them as "works of art", but the process of composition can be invaluable for learning new techniques and effects. The mistake is not a bad thing, it is an opportunity for learning. The best way to find your style is to write and write what your imagination dictates you, even if you are using techniques learned from other composers. Don't be shy, be curious. In my experience, with time, you will find certain characteristics in your writing, and you will notice that you are very comfortable with them. The style is not something that one can decide in a completely conscious manner, I think.
I also noticed that you have very strong opinions about the use of computer software for notation and feedback. Of course, for someone in the beginning of the learning process, it is convenient to start with the "manual" tools, so to speak, in order to construct a basic skill, independent of any computer (so that if you are in a caffe, you have the ability to write immediately on paper that idea you just had). But I don't think it is healthy to have such strong opinions, e.g., about not using it for nothing. After all, it is a tool, one of many, and if that tool can help me to improve, even some details, that tool is welcome in my tool case. If you have doubts about how it will sound your piece, go and play it with the feedback, nobody is watching you with a policeman attitude. And if you don't like how it sounds, go and correct it. (this topic is interesting, my mother is an architect, who learned in the "old days", when drawing was done "with pencil and paper"; there's a similar dispute in that field about the use of computer programs for drawing). Anyway, best regards, and keep working.


----------



## Praeludium

Yes, he's absolutely amazing  But I must say I'm more borrowing than stealing for now (but I know it'll come when I'll have an extensive access to the score haha).

You're right about the use of software. I'm a bit obsessed about my abilities - particularly my ear. But I sometimes use (poorly) MuseScore to have an idea of how it sounds, but I must learn how to do it better and take advantage of the current technology. But I've become quite a low-tech adept. Do you use softwares a lot ? I remember you're a pianist, maybe you use the piano too ? I know some people only use notation software to compose, but I like how flexible it is to use just paper and pencils.

Even though I lack technical skill, I'm not too despaired about having something personal (even if it's really nothing spectacular) to say. What you say about studying is interesting, and I think it's right. I already study harmony and analysis at the conservatory (as well as piano, which is study both because I just want to play piano and because I feel like it'd be extremely useful as a composer) but I now know I need much more.
I've begun to work on Schoenberg's Fondamental of Musical Composition - very austere, and he pretty much teaches everything from Beethoven - but I probably need this kind of absolutely basic and methodical work, like when you begin a new instrument.

Anyway, for different reason I'll have a much less restrained access to a calm room with a piano and enough space to work from now (more exactly, from Wesneday. It'll probably change a lot of things, since I was previously struggling to just find a piano to practice 2 hours a day and hadn't much left for the rest.



Thanks for your nice post


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

aleazk said:


> So... a reconciliation piece, eh?.


Very funny, Aleazk. This is an important composition. I'm thinking of calling it "Composition for Violin and Guitar." If it was a reconciliation piece I would have called it "Reconciliation Composition for Violin and Guitar"


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## Crudblud

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Very funny, Aleazk. This is an important composition. I'm thinking of calling it "Composition for Violin and Guitar." If it was a reconciliation piece I would have called it "Reconciliation Composition for Violin and Guitar"


I think you should be unconventional and call it _Composition for Guitar and Violin_. Regardless of the content and quality of the piece, music historians will be attempting to decipher that one for the next 100 years.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Crudblud said:


> I think you should be unconventional and call it _Composition for Guitar and Violin_. Regardless of the content and quality of the piece, music historians will be attempting to decipher that one for the next 100 years.


Actually I've retitiled it to suit its need. If anyone here knows French I will NOT reveal its name.


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## BurningDesire

Working on the third of my 3 James Joyce songs, a piece for solo violin (for a friend), a piece for guitar and violin, and in the early conception phase of my ballet.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

BurningDesire said:


> a piece for guitar and violin,


You must send me the score and I will get it performed.


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## aleazk

Worked all the afternoon. I only managed to advance from 3:30 to 4:00 min... And I'm not very convinced of what I've done.


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## Crudblud

aleazk said:


> Worked all the afternoon. I only managed to advance from 3:30 to 4:00 min... And I'm not very convinced of what I've done.


Relax, it took Webern that long to add a rest.


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## MaestroViolinist

CoAG wishes me to post what he is composing at the moment. Again.  Because he does not have internet access until next week. 

His Magnum Opus of 2013: a symphonic poem entitled "City." The main chord that the piece is centred around, (C E F# A B) popped into his head in the form of a lively string tremolo.

Whoops, he also asked me to add that he thought of it today in Brisbane while walking through GOMA.


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## Guest

My comp teacher is helping me get a portfolio together for grad school applications. So far I have a Suite for Piano that I wrote for my piano teacher who is also going to premier it at a local contemporary music festival, as well as a setting of Wallace Stevens' poem _The Snow Man_ for SATB chorus a cappella that my choir will premier at some point. Right now I'm working on a piece for Violin and Piano, and I might at some point write a wind quintet since my teacher says it's the most difficult ensemble to write for.


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## rborganist

Right now I'm working on suite of pieces for organ which were inspired by
(believe it or not) a coffee mug which my church had made a couple of years ago. It lists eleven attributes of the church, and I am trying to depict them in music. Worship is represented by a chorale, action by a toccata, joy by a fanfare, etc. I am interested in trying my hand at a quartet for strings and French horn. I am wondering, though, whether I should substitute the horn for the second violin (as has been the case with most of the music I've found listed online or whether I should substitute it for the viola (which is the alto voice of the string section as the horn is the alto voice of the brass section)


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

My latest effort....


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## oogabooha

i recently won a competition hosted by the JACK Quartet, and they're going to give a performance of my latest piece (_The Aspirations of Vomit_) at a concert on june 19th, so I'm quite excited about that.

I also start rehearsals with a percussion quartet that I am collaborating with for an upcoming project that I've been working on, and I'm getting ready for some upcoming concerts.

i've also been working on sketches and orchestration for my ballet (while working simultaneously with the choreographer), but I'm really hoping to get other things out of the way first and then spend a long time solely focusing on it (like I was able to do while finishing up _problems for piano_ many months ago)


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## clavichorder

Some awesome stuff. But I am risking a jinx by speaking so publicly about it. Oh well, too excited.


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## jani

This is starnge, when i only try to concentrate on composing my ideas seem to be much more boring and less creative etc..
But when i am watching youtube videos and doing other stuff while i am composing my work turns out to be much better.


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## Crudblud

clavichorder said:


> [...]I am risking a jinx by speaking so publicly about it.


This is precisely why I don't post in this thread anymore. I've found that announcing a piece before it is completed only leads to me either not wanting to finish it or becoming too self-conscious to finish it properly.


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## clavichorder

Crudblud said:


> This is precisely why I don't post in this thread anymore. I've found that announcing a piece before it is completed only leads to me either not wanting to finish it or becoming too self-conscious to finish it properly.


Also, writing music with intention to post it on TC immediately afterwards is difficult for me. I have to distance myself from any expectation in this larval stage of compositional technique, where each(invariably) short work is momentous to me personally.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

oogabooha said:


> i recently won a competition hosted by the JACK Quartet, and they're going to give a performance of my latest piece (_The Aspirations of Vomit_) at a concert on june 19th, so I'm quite excited about that.
> 
> I also start rehearsals with a percussion quartet that I am collaborating with for an upcoming project that I've been working on, and I'm getting ready for some upcoming concerts.
> 
> i've also been working on sketches and orchestration for my ballet (while working simultaneously with the choreographer), but I'm really hoping to get other things out of the way first and then spend a long time solely focusing on it (like I was able to do while finishing up _problems for piano_ many months ago)


Be good to hear your vomit - I could compare! (is this for ballet too- would be a good visual piece- I'm sure)


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## aleazk

I'm working in the third movement of the piano concerto, I don't know what I'm going to do with the second, I will wait, possibly some new ideas will come. This third movement is a Toccata. The main ideas are there, I need to develop them in a consistent way now. The toccata section is based on the "theme" of Reich's "clapping music".


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## oogabooha

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> Be good to hear your vomit - I could compare! (is this for ballet too- would be a good visual piece- I'm sure)


i did undergo some experiments with vomit in order to compose the piece, hah.

nah, it's not for the ballet, though. the ballet is much more of a long-term project (while _The Aspirations of Vomit_ has already been finalized), but I've been chipping away at it. already have a rough draft of the orchestration for a bunch of it but it's all up in the air for the most part.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Is this keyboard or something else?

note has video at end- failed dubbing attempt.


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## aleazk

aleazk said:


> I'm working in the third movement of the piano concerto, I don't know what I'm going to do with the second, I will wait, possibly some new ideas will come. This third movement is a Toccata. The main ideas are there, I need to develop them in a consistent way now. The toccata section is based on the "theme" of Reich's "clapping music".


I'm so stuck right now, just in the middle of the movement. I just sit down and don't have a clue how to continue. . Anyway, maybe a little break of a couple of days will clarify the mind. It helped me in other times.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

I'm at it again - might even venture into multi-tracking next - Eddie Symphonic ??


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I've started writing a short piece for two guitars called "Please Do Not Feed The Fish" and I'm getting paid for it.


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## aleazk

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I've started writing a short piece for two guitars called "Please Do Not Feed The Fish" and I'm getting paid for it.


And why we wouldn't feed that fish?.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

^ Getting paid for it very nice

With my stuff I would say - No Money/ or Stratocaster was harmed (or used) in the making of the this music! and that's gotta be good for something.

I thought of calling it "Doing bad things to a Stratocaster version 1"

Don't think Leo would like what I'm doing with it.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

aleazk said:


> And why we wouldn't feed that fish?.


Don't ask me...I saw it written on a sign next to a pond in a small park in Sydney in the suburb of Elizabeth Bay three years ago when going for a walk with a friend. I've been meaning to use it as a title for something.

And yes, he owns a place in Elizabeth bay, but unfortunately it isn't a mansion. :lol:
Quite a nice apartment though.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese

Just mixing down some multi track recordings, while I'm on line here on TC, not sure if I pressed too many buttons (new copy left shareware software!!) but it got to 37mins and waiting, waiting for the realtime playback to end. I'm almost scared to hear the recorded playback............... maybe I need bigger laptop!


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## saiteron

currently working on an octet for a chamber ensemble comprising woodwinds, strings, and percussion. it's kind of an off-kilter waltz.


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## Praeludium

Getting myself to compose everyday...


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## adam

A few (more) conceptual things

1. A short piece (about 1 min.) made up of multiple Garageband tracks and which I intend to be regarded as more of a poem. For ukulele.

2. A kind of collage of harmonies, melodies, sounds, and silence.

3-4. Two vaguely connected pieces. One is being composed using a number of tracks on Garageband and consists of mostly ukulele and various other miscellaneous noises. The other is on a guitar with just three strings. The pieces are connected in that they both have to do with elephants.

I recently completed a fairly short soundscape composition entitled "Nighttime" which you can hear here: 

__
https://soundcloud.com/adam-shavin%2Fnighttime
I intend to do more of these so I would love some feedback!


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

adam said:


> 2. A kind of collage of harmonies, melodies, sounds, and silence.


Incredibly vague description. Could you elaborate? I think I would be finding this work very interesting indeed...


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## adam

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Incredibly vague description. Could you elaborate? I think I would be finding this work very interesting indeed...


Certainly. Thanks for your interest! For now, the collage is called "Some of" and it features mostly ukulele, human voice (mine) and various other noises (fingers on table, drum stick, lamp), as well as an old drum. The piece also uses a bit of fading. The placements for each snippet of melody, harmony and sequence of noise(s) are hardly arbitrary, to say the least, and the periods of silence convey a sense of calm and perhaps perspective (one can use these periods to reflect on what they heard.) Like 1., the piece is intended to be experienced more as a poem or perhaps a narrative. We'll see where it goes, I guess.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

adam said:


> Certainly. Thanks for your interest! For now, the collage is called "Some of" and it features mostly ukulele, human voice (mine) and various other noises (fingers on table, drum stick, lamp), as well as an old drum. The piece also uses a bit of fading. The placements for each snippet of melody, harmony and sequence of noise(s) are hardly arbitrary, to say the least, and the periods of silence convey a sense of calm and perhaps perspective (one can use these periods to reflect on what they heard.) Like 1., the piece is intended to be experienced more as a poem or perhaps a narrative. We'll see where it goes, I guess.


Sounds really good! Will you be posting it on TC when it's finished? I'd very much like to hear it!


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## adam

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Sounds really good! Will you be posting it on TC when it's finished? I'd very much like to hear it!


Absolutely!


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## Guest

About to finish a piece for violin and piano, then going to start a piece for clarinet, oboe and alto sax that was commissioned by the SoundSCAPE summer music festival in Italy which I'm attending. Then writing a piece for my university's wind symphony!!! Going to be a fun fall semester, getting three pieces premiered.


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## jani

I have been writing small 20-50 bar pieces, i love to write them, also i write them because i want to learn to write the music that i hear in faster. Also i want to learn to develop and come up with new themes faster.
It's like brain storming or what ever that term is called.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

jani said:


> I have been writing small 20-50 bar pieces, i love to write them, also i write them because i want to learn to write the music that i hear in faster. Also i want to learn to develop and come up with new themes faster.
> It's like brain storming or what ever that term is called.


I used to do that a lot. I wish I could do that more often.


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## jani

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> I used to do that a lot. I wish I could do that more often.


This is one of those pieces
http://musescore.com/user/27469/scores/100696


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## Ramako

jani said:


> I have been writing small 20-50 bar pieces, i love to write them, also i write them because i want to learn to write the music that i hear in faster. Also i want to learn to develop and come up with new themes faster.
> It's like brain storming or what ever that term is called.


That sounds like a very good idea. I keep thinking I should do that, but somehow I find it difficult to motivate myself to do.


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## Ramako

I am currently writing a piece using a few new working techniques which hopefully will make the composing process more efficient. Moreover I am aiming at a closer integration of form and musical language. One of the important elements of this is limiting the language to only include logical elements while expanding it to say what I want to say, and achieving necessary contrast. If this works, I should hopefully be able to start upping my rate of composition despite the large university workload.


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## jani

Ramako said:


> That sounds like a very good idea. I keep thinking I should do that, but somehow I find it difficult to motivate myself to do.


I give myself a time limit, its usually 1h. In that time i have to have a finished piece.


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## hreichgott

Jeff N said:


> About to finish a piece for violin and piano, then going to start a piece for clarinet, oboe and alto sax that was commissioned by the SoundSCAPE summer music festival in Italy which I'm attending. Then writing a piece for my university's wind symphony!!! Going to be a fun fall semester, getting three pieces premiered.


You made it to the festival! hooray! and congratulations on premieres.


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## ricardo_jvc6

I will release one of my new pieces in a few weeks from now (~6 -7 weeks) which are a Bagatelle in B Minor with Celesta, Piano, Bass Clarinet and Oboe in E Minor, a small piece and working a new Improvised Waltz in Ab Major for Piano.


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## BaronAlstromer

I am going to put together a piece for an orchestra with the little knowledge I have.
So far I only have eight bars that is in need of some kind of arrangement.
I am also thinking about some kind of suite.


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## brianericksoncomposer

My idée fixe at the moment:
*
When I Close My Eyes*

A large-scale work for SATB choir and 60 piece orchestra. The work is in five movements and in arch format (I is similar to V, II is similar to IV, III is standalone). The text will focus on the significance of the closing of eyes, realized by three themes: Meditation (III), Rest/Sleep (II, IV), and Death (I, V). The chorus enters in halfway through III, and continues until the end. In short, the second half is a choral realization of the first half (of III, and the entire work). The text will be provided by a librettist friend of mine in Boston.

I've been getting increasingly involved with structuring music as architects design buildings since delving deeply into John Corigliano's works, which have that very apparent quality of dramatic structure. I'm very aware that Reich, Bartok, and even Bach (Christ lag in todesbanden BWV 4) employ and have employed similar ideas, but Corigliano was the one who really lit the fire for me.


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## Mesa

http://www74.zippyshare.com/v/37529773/file.html

Bwahahah.


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## BurningDesire

a ballet based on the webcomic Homestuck, a solo violin piece based on a synth improvisation I recorded, and a piece electronic dance music :B


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## clavichorder

A variety of short and abstract pieces, but I'm considering starting a short piece of choral writing for an experiment.


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## PetrB

Mesa said:


> http://www74.zippyshare.com/v/37529773/file.html


I may be alone in this, but what I heard in the way of events has become a cliche.... I.e. a few moments of very promising electronics, a 'wash' if you will, a good idea dropped like a hot potato and not further developed or explored -- leaving the more interesting and sophisticated 'new sound area' a mere introduction, followed with something very tonal and very mundane. A lot of 'new-age' music starts this way, then turns to some generic pop format, rockabilly, or some such.

It is as if the tools are there, but the idea of he electronics is not thought about enough to make anything remotely extended to have the piece remain in and 'further' that particular vein. It also 'frames' the electronics as a sort of cheap facade, behind which is pretty ordinary stuff.

And that is a pet peeve of mine, and irks the hell out of me.


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## PetrB

short / shortish piano pieces, very conservative modern 'tonal', with a range of technical level from 'beginner' to 'mid / advanced intermediate.' (I do not intend for these to be a volume of a methodically progressive pedagogy, but rather a collection of pieces which can be dipped into here and there, year to year as the player progresses.)

The piece I am mid-way through (interrupted by 'life business' -- shift of work and residence in near future) does, I fear, require 'adult-sized' hands, while the others do not.

I have refrained from writing for piano solo for a very long time, my greatest worry that decades of motor habit makes a conditioned reflex where one can too readily fall into the coin of the realm configurations for the instrument, and that might dictate more than my ear should.

The stimulus was hearing composer / teacher Milton Babbitt in a radio interview in which he said, 
_"Most of my students could not even write a simple piano piece"_ 
-- so I took up that challenge. (There was a similar 'challenge' on a TC composer competition, sans pejorative cynicism 

'Simple' and still of some interest / merit is no simple or easy thing, I've found out


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## clavichorder

Nah, scrap the choral for now. I'm a piano man and we have to figure out a way to work this chromatic harmonica in there.


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## oogabooha

I've been working on the ballet a lot lately, but also my next recording/album. It features my latest piece and the artwork was finished a few days ago. Recording starts soon, so I'm looking forward to that.
(spot the TalkClassical member)


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