# String Quintet Dilema



## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi everyone,

I've been an amateur composer for the last 30 years or so. One of the problems I run into sometimes is that I often like to write something that is heavily influenced by certain other composers and while it is, in these cases, my intention that the piece be "in the style of", it can be very hard to decided, once I've finished it, if it is simply "in the style of" or whether it is plagiarized.

The piece I would like to ask for your help with is obviously "in the style of" Mozart. There is some ornamentation and perhaps some manor of phrasing that Mozart might have used, but when you're writing a piece, you listen to it thousands of times and after a while it gets really hard to tell anymore if it's mine or his!

I would like to submit the piece to a composition competition, and I would really appreciate your help in deciding whether it is original enough to be worth the bother. I know and respect the huge amount of expertise that is collected here on this forum and it is for this reason I would really like to ask for your opinions on this piece.

I know that trying to emulate past styles of music is not everyone's cup of tea, but the reason I love classical music was born in these styles and whilst I do write other forms, I also love to indulge my love for the more romantic styles of old, from time to time. I'm all for the advancement of music, but I never want to forget the past.

Anyway, enough waffle, what do you think? There's a dropbox link below, please have a listen and tell me what you think.

Thanks in advance
Mark

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pga5o9jn5nk2bxw/String Quintet 1.mp3?dl=0


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## Lenny (Jul 19, 2016)

I don't know how to answer to your question, just wanted to say I liked your piece.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thanks Lenny, I appreciate it


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

Is the contest sponsored by a professional music ensemble who is looking for new music to premiere at a concert(s)? Or is it the music composition contest site hosting a contest? The vast majority of professional musicians' call for scores/contests are looking for unique voices and no pastiche. If this is the case you can double check by researching their website for styles of pieces they've premiered/commissioned in the past. You can also send them an email and ask if they accept pastiche of classical styles. This should help keep you from wasting your time. If it's just some generic contest on a website with no restrictions probably with no performance, I'd say go for it.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thanks Torkelburger, it is just a generic web contest, there's no performance or as far as I'm aware, restrictions. Even so, I don't want to submit something that might be considered "a rip off" and because I hear certain "Mozartisms" in it, I just wanted to check with this knowledge base before I go ahead. Thanks again for you help, I'm assuming that since you advise going ahead, that you think at least it doesn't "stink" of any particular work.

Mark


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## Torkelburger (Jan 14, 2014)

You're welcome. I don't think it "stinks" of any particular work or is a "rip off" of something Mozart wrote. It's a good pastiche of the classical period. I think it is impossible to sound exactly like Mozart, even a computer program can't sound exactly like Mozart. No matter how hard we try.


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## zinc701 (Mar 21, 2016)

I'm not an expert, but it doesn't sound like there's anything stolen from Mozart in the piece. 

Also, I enjoyed listening to it. Nice work.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thanks Zinc, I think I'm happy now that I haven't plagiarized anything, and I'm glad you liked the piece


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

zinc701 said:


> I'm not an expert, but it doesn't sound like there's anything stolen from Mozart in the piece.
> 
> Also, I enjoyed listening to it. Nice work.


I had the same thoughts but I am always careful, new composer can be very touchy, but glad O.P respond so nicely.
I add my voice +1


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thank you Pugg,

Everyone has been kind, but I'm not a "precious" person, as long as folks are not abusive with their critique, then I can take pretty much anything. I'm not anywhere near professional and I decided to put some of my work on here, because I WANT people to tell me how I might improve and develop my "skills". I hope also that I can give my opinions in the hope of helping others. 

Usually my strategy is to not comment on things I don't like, so I won't be causing any conflict LOL.

Mark


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