# Symphony No.2 in F Major



## JamieHoldham

I am announcing my second Symphony as a result of me not having to keep restarting my 1st Symphony if I simply want to change the entire theme of the work, to combat this I have started my 2nd, which will use the 5 movement idea I had for quite a long time, which is as follows:

1st movement, F Major (Tonic), Common Time, Adante Ma Non Troppo, title: Dawn. This movement is to represent the dawn of a new day, the sun rising, birds coming out of there nests and the bright life giving rays of the sun shining down on Earth.

2nd movement, Bb Major, (subdominant) 2/4 time, Moderato lebhaft, title: Sunny day on God's green Earth. This movements purpose is to establish a happy upbeat theme and mood related to a nice warm day, which will be done through very beautiful and bright melodys.

3rd movement, F Minor, (Parallel Key) Common Time, Adagio Maestoso, title: Nocturne. As the title suggests this is a Nocturne which will represent the night, darkness with very melanchonyesque themes which will drag out and give a sense of mysteriousness and being lonely which I associate with the night.

4th movement, C Major (Dominant), Cut time, Vivace Con Brio, Furioso, title: The Storm. This movement is what the work is about, the storm... tornados, powerful winds and rain. The movement will represent all of that through music and notes, I would be more thorough but as I am only composing the 1st movement at the time I can't plan ahead this far as of yet.

5th and final movement, F Major (Back to the Tonic), 3/4 time, Adantino Patetico, title: The Calm After The Storm. The final movement will be a slow build up from the furiosity of the previous storm movement, to a extremely bright and heart-warming ending full of slightly sad from the destruction and power of the storm, but also the fact it is finally over and giving a sense of relief, using techniques borrowed from Wagner - specifically Tristan and Isolde I want to give that same feeling of tense build up and emotion, to accumulate to a final grand ending of the Symphony.

This is my plan as of now, it might change, but the main idea of the symphony will stay the same. I will upload my first images as I go along - as always.

Also all the movements apart from the final for obvious reasons - will go against the normal. All the movements will flow into each other with no ending or cadence from each movement, that will only happen in the final movement just because it is the end to the entire work - and whilst I may not be the one to have invented this idea, it's something different and not utilized rarely, if ever in a Symphony.


Jamie Holdham


----------



## maestro267

Can't fault your ambition. A 1st Symphony longer than Mahler 3 and you're already starting your 2nd?


----------



## JamieHoldham

Technically I already started my 2nd months back during the sketches of my 1st symphony, I am just taking the idea I had for my 1st Symphony at the time and using it for my 2nd.


----------



## ST4

I'm highly impressed by your determination!
I'm working on 8 pieces at the moment (the longest Being a 25 minute orchestral work, Piano Concerto and another being a cycle for solo instruments). I can't state enough how impressed I am, just make sure they get finished (with time of course)


----------



## Tchaikov6

The sketches look a lot like Beethoven's Pastorale Symphony(5 movements, F major, Programmatic). It looks very colorful and imaginative.


----------



## Pugg

JamieHoldham said:


> Technically I already started my 2nd months back during the sketches of my 1st symphony, I am just taking the idea I had for my 1st Symphony at the time and using it for my 2nd.


All in your own time remember that Jamie.


----------



## JamieHoldham

Tchaikov6 said:


> The sketches look a lot like Beethoven's Pastorale Symphony(5 movements, F major, Programmatic). It looks very colorful and imaginative.


That symphony is exactly what inspired me (and Beethoven himself) to make a change to my music, longer, more romantic and always related to the different forms of nature.


----------



## JamieHoldham

Title page and page 1 as of now, I am happy with the theme of the movement, it's just how I continue out from here on now.


----------



## EdwardBast

maestro267 said:


> Can't fault your ambition. A 1st Symphony longer than Mahler 3 and you're already starting your 2nd?


A symphony longer than Mahler 3 when we have not as yet heard anything, even a solo work, longer than a minute or two is ambitious indeed. Perhaps he would be better off completing something - anything - first before making plans about monumental symphonies?


----------



## JamieHoldham

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt your not making a extremely snarky and passive-aggresive comment on someone who is doing something you certainly haven't ever done - or shown on this website.

Ambitiousness is just a step in the process of composition, it makes no difference to how long my works take to create or how many I do create.


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Jamie,

Do you always write for large force works? 

Have you ever written for a chamber ensemble?


----------



## JamieHoldham

PoorSadDrunk said:


> Jamie,
> 
> Do you always write for large force works?
> 
> Have you ever written for a chamber ensemble?


I have started to compose music for chamber ensemble - just never finished any of the works yet. I will eventually write various string quartets, Duo's and Trios in time though.


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Various? Wow, that's really admirable and inspiring! How many do you think you'll write?


----------



## Pugg

PoorSadDrunk said:


> Various? Wow, that's really admirable and inspiring! How many do you think you'll write?


Did any composer know that when he stared?


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Yes, some composers knew! George Gershwin famously told one of his students, Nadia Boulanger, that "..I will never write for something as useless as a string quartet that feeds into the cliche of theater. It is a pointless medium and should be avoided by any respectable song writer"


----------



## Pugg

That's why he's never being considered as "great".


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Pugg said:


> That's why he's never being considered as "great".


That isn't even close to being true. and I don't even really like Gershwin's music.


----------



## JamieHoldham

PoorSadDrunk said:


> Various? Wow, that's really admirable and inspiring! How many do you think you'll write?


Well I can previously say I wanted to follow in Bach's footsteps and compose atleast hundreds, if not thousands of works, but I have changed since, although with my unpredictiable train of thought it's near impossible to say if I will stick to quality>quantity or vice versa.

My mood is dependant on what I compose, and my mood can change rapidly, making it hard to compose and focus..


----------



## Vasks

PoorSadDrunk said:


> Y George Gershwin famously told one of his students, Nadia Boulanger, that "..I will never write for something as useless as a string quartet that feeds into the cliche of theater. It is a pointless medium and should be avoided by any respectable song writer"


And yet he did write a lovely "Lullaby" for String Quartet


----------



## JamieHoldham

I suppose it's worth noting down here, I am caught up with work sheets and other things that the Jobcentre wants me to complete, haven't really been able to compose anything at all so, hopefully once these are finished they can leave me alone for a while so I can continue.


----------



## EdwardBast

JamieHoldham said:


> I'll give you the benefit of the doubt your not making a extremely snarky and passive-aggresive comment on someone who is doing something you certainly haven't ever done - or shown on this website.
> 
> Ambitiousness is just a step in the process of composition, it makes no difference to how long my works take to create or how many I do create.


There is nothing snarky about it. This is the advice anyone with experience composing would give - after they advised you to study basic theory.

I have composed large scale works for orchestra and have had one played by an actual orchestra. Six symphonies, as a matter of fact. I have posted links to my work on this site, as you would have seen had you searched.

Here is the scherzo from my Fifth Symphony:


__
https://soundcloud.com/gwyon%2Fbast_symph5_ii

Here is a movement from my Symphony no. 3:


__
https://soundcloud.com/gwyon%2Fa-throng-of-swallows

My whole Second Symphony is on that site as well.


----------



## JamieHoldham

There is nothing snarky about it. This is the advice anyone with experience composing would give — after they advised you to study basic theory.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I know full well to study and learn theory, I have been doing so by myself all this time and I don't really need anyone else to repeatedly tell me to do so. Perhaps some simple motivation and admiration for my chosen path would suffice to give a fellow composer?

I mean no offense, everyone has there own personality, opinions, philisophy & views on how to treat others.. I just disagree with your methods of communication.


----------



## EdwardBast

JamieHoldham said:


> There is nothing snarky about it. This is the advice anyone with experience composing would give - after they advised you to study basic theory.
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> I know full well to study and learn theory, I have been doing so by myself all this time and I don't really need anyone else to repeatedly tell me to do so. Perhaps some simple motivation and admiration for my chosen path would suffice to give a fellow composer?
> 
> I mean no offense, everyone has there own personality, opinions, philisophy & views on how to treat others.. I just disagree with your methods of communication.


It is difficult to study theory on ones own. Should you want someone to critique exercises in harmony or anything, post some music and I will answer, privately if you wish.


----------



## Pugg

JamieHoldham said:


> I suppose it's worth noting down here, I am caught up with work sheets and other things that the Jobcentre wants me to complete, haven't really been able to compose anything at all so, hopefully once these are finished they can leave me alone for a while so I can continue.


Could be the best of two world's Jamie.


----------



## JamieHoldham

EdwardBast said:


> It is difficult to study theory on ones own. Should you want someone to critique exercises in harmony or anything, post some music and I will answer, privately if you wish.


I fully agree, and I wouldn't want to deny anyone criticism of my work - I don't want to shut down people just because of mistakes I have made, feel free.

Currently though in my situation I can't afford a teacher nor do I have the time sadly.

I respect your superior knowledge in the field of music theory though, I always appreciate advice, just don't tell me what I already know


----------



## JamieHoldham

Pugg said:


> Could be the best of two world's Jamie.


I should be able to compose alot more this week, had alot of work sheets to do but there finished now. Would like to work on my Symphony No.2 some more.


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Vasks said:


> And yet he did write a lovely "Lullaby" for String Quartet


Actually, it's 'Lullaby for _Strings_"
there have been arrangements for string quartets, though Gershwin himself never wrote in that particular medium.


----------



## Vasks

PoorSadDrunk said:


> Actually, it's 'Lullaby for _Strings_"
> there have been arrangements for string quartets, though Gershwin himself never wrote in that particular medium.


Try going to the official Gershwin website. http://gershwin.com/?s=lullaby&post_type=la__document

or Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_George_Gershwin


----------



## PoorSadDrunk

Vasks said:


> Try going to the official Gershwin website. http://gershwin.com/?s=lullaby&post_type=la__document
> 
> or Wikipedia : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_compositions_by_George_Gershwin


What? What? What?!

I've been living a lie.

Oh well, I made up the whole thing anyway. (I sorry for speaking of ill of you Miss Boulanger)


----------

