# Strom A level composition



## mgsgmusic (Nov 26, 2011)

Hi there

I'm new to the site but i saw a thread that related to my composition about writing. 
I am writing to the brief of:
"Compose a piece suggested by the title Passing Storm. 
The storm depicted may be on land, at sea or in the air, or it may have a science fiction 
element, such as passing through an asteroid storm.
• Choose instrumental timbres and textures to create atmosphere, alongside other 
musical elements such as harmony, melody and rhythm
• Use one or more instruments, acoustic and/or amplified and/or synthesised"

I have a middle section them but also for the a level i need inspiration which i have for the middle section however I don't have any inspiration pieces for a minor calming opening section. If anyone could help me with some calming minor pieces that relate to the brief i would be very thankful :tiphat:


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## chee_zee (Aug 16, 2010)

I'd say for calm minor orchestral stuff, mahler. Spend the next week or two listening to all his symphonies and lieder. some liszt orchestral stuff as well, and perhaps his piano work years of pilgramage may be of help. try orchestrating some parts from that last work and it should give you some ideas. 

think up some techniques to use. I'll go ahead and brainstorm a few off the top of my head and hopefully that will show you how to create atmosphere. 

a choir or 2 or even 3 (oboe clarinet and bassoon) of winds doing key clicks in certain motivic rhythms, perhaps tapping keys to diminished or misty/vapor/empyreal harmonies (aug, whole tone, oddball synthetic pentatonics etc). 

for strings, some on the tailpiece playing for ghostly whispers, 
or behind the bridge at the octave harmonic playing. (at the octave harmonic is playing halfway through the string length, it's the loudest resonance you can get for behind the bridge squeals).

flatuando, ponticello, a few notes of falsetto flautando (falsetto played ponticello at a harmonic octave node of the stopped note). I would have half a choir play one note of a falsetto flautando melody divisi, then the other half of that ensemble play the next note etc, keeping it all slow and long note values throughout to give each other plenty of time. cellos and basses would work best for this technique, and for the timbral sounds for the subject matter at hand.

ponticello tremolos, creates another shrieking sound of horror.

col legno, perhaps staying away from col legno battuto unless you know the people to perform it have separate bows for the occassion.

various woodwind staccatos blended with secco or bartok pizzicato. Try oboe staccato mixed with viola secco pizzicato or bassoon staccato with cello bartok pizzicato.

hopefully this gives you an idea as to what you can do for timbral atmosphere. you may need to read up on some of the techniques, and I recommend at least going through the grarritan online edition of rimsky korsakov's orchestration book to help you think of mixing ideas like that woodwinds staccato + strings pizzicato idea I thought of. rimsky himself is one of the greatest creators of atmosphere, and for general timbre ravel's orchestral stuff are unparalleled.


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## mgsgmusic (Nov 26, 2011)

Ok thankyou ever so much for all your help ... but i should have said ... its just for string quintet XD


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## Rasa (Apr 23, 2009)

Con legno. If only to annoy the audience


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## chee_zee (Aug 16, 2010)

col legno isn't very popular with performers, especialy battuto. make sure they all have cheap extra bows at the ready for the purpose. you would need to incorporate the time it takes to switch into your musical process.


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