# String Quartet No. 2 in C minor



## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

I've never posted software-performed music before.. but I've noticed other people do so I figured it's okay. Just do your best to mentally compensate for everything that Sibelius 6 lacks!

Here is the first movement of my new string quartet. It's in sonata form with an adagio introduction. The repeat of the exposition begins around 2:40, and the beginning of the development begins around 4:30.. in case you want to skip that.

I'll be posting the other movements as well, but since this one alone is 8 minutes I figure I should space it out. None of the other movements are as long as the first.

Here is the score: http://freepdfhosting.com/095c0cf8e5.pdf


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

It would be nice to see the score.


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## myaskovsky2002 (Oct 3, 2010)

Mmm...

Martin


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## Webernite (Sep 4, 2010)

In any case, it sounds good. Better than most of the amateurish attempts at writing tonal music I've heard. The tempo is too fast, though.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

I didn't know people still write using *sonata form!*


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

Here is the score. http://freepdfhosting.com/095c0cf8e5.pdf

Yeah.. I guess the tempo of the recording might be a little too fast.. computerized sounds always sound slower to me so I make the metronome markings too fast.


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## Henrique (Aug 15, 2011)

I found the introduction fascinating. The rest, I felt, was rather sub-par - comparatively, of course. I know this is not constructive criticism, but I believe I could not actually give you any, other than what effect the work has had upon me. Maybe try to expose your ideas slower, more methodically. My ears were strained in keeping up with some of the themes - namely the galloping rhythm exposed after the first motif. Nonetheless, you show a remarkable control over the tonal language, namely through some rather incredible modulations in the development.



> I didn't know people still write using sonata form!


You learn something new everyday...


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

Henrique said:


> I found the introduction fascinating. The rest, I felt, was rather sub-par - comparatively, of course. I know this is not constructive criticism, but I believe I could not actually give you any, other than what effect the work has had upon me. Maybe try to expose your ideas slower, more methodically. My ears were strained in keeping up with some of the themes - namely the galloping rythm exposed after the first motif. Nonetheless, you show a remarkable control over the tonal language, namely through some rather incredible modulations in the development.
> 
> You learn something new everyday...


Could the problem with the galloping rhythm melody be the fast tempo? Or the fact that it's an electronic recording? I feel the same thing when I listen to that part.. but when I imagine a real quartet playing it in my mind I feel that the players would be able to deliver the melody in a comprehensible way.


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

Well here's the second movement. I'll post the last two movements pretty soon... I'm actually more curious about feedback on those movements than on the first two. The last movement is 6 minutes and 15 seconds of non-stop running sixteenth notes at 160 to the quarter.

Here is the recording and score of the second movement. A standard ternary form with a middle section more romantic than the rest of the quartet.






http://freepdfhosting.com/29fb4979ff.pdf

Edit: Here is the third movement. This is actually my favorite movement of the quartet... a simple minuet and trio.






http://freepdfhosting.com/b5e4795f1d.pdf


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

Dafuq did I just hear



AND I THOUGHT IFORGOTMYPASSWORD WAS BEHIND THE TIMES


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## macgeek2005 (Apr 1, 2006)

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Dafuq did I just hear
> 
> 
> 
> AND I THOUGHT IFORGOTMYPASSWORD WAS BEHIND THE TIMES


It seems to me that it would be a bizarre coincidence if the kind of music I feel drawn to and compelled to express myself with just happened to be exactly the type of music that the majority of people were composing around the time I was born.


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## StevenOBrien (Jun 27, 2011)

macgeek2005 said:


> It seems to me that it would be a bizarre coincidence if the kind of music I feel drawn to and compelled to express myself with just happened to be exactly the type of music that the majority of people were composing around the time I was born.


I find it's best to ignore 90% of what COAG says, your life will be much more pleasant. He seems to be challenged by anything pre-Ligeti, and for some reason feels the need to attack anything that doesn't suit his tastes .

Some quick comments;

First movement - Very interesting introduction, but I think it's let down somewhat by the first theme, which I didn't find it terribly interesting. I'm not really sure why, perhaps it's to do with the MIDI realization, but it just didn't do very much for me. The second theme and the closing theme, however, is very beautiful. I love it, but I don't think the minor version works too well in the recapitulation, I think either some recomposition for the minor version would be suitable, or maybe you could experiment with recapitulating it in C major instead of C minor.

You know, overall, I find that your writing in minor is subpar compared to your major writing. To some extent, I actually feel the same way about composers between the death of Bach and late Mozart, including Beethoven's early minor works. I know you're pretty conservative about choosing your influences, but perhaps engrossing yourself in some late classical/early romantic minor works would be beneficial?

Second movement - The MIDI realization unfortunately really doesn't do this justice and plays it far too straight for my tastes, but what I have heard is actually really good. Probably my favorite of the four movements. The accelerando around 2:26 feels a little strange. The minor key writing here is actually pretty good, I enjoy it much more than the writing in the surrounding movements.

Third movement - This is very nice! The contrapuntal textures in the minuet are very well done, and held my interest throughout. The viola line in the trio felt a little repetitive. The only problem with this movement is the ending, I feel it's far too abrupt.

Keep it up!
-Steve


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