# My First Score



## Techiastronamo

I am beginning the composition of the world's longest score(with only 6 celli). It so far has 4 of the 1,000 measures filled. I plan to make 5,000(perhaps even 15,000) total. It is slow at some parts, but a few fast ones are included. It is perhaps going to take me a few years, as for I had begun just today. I estimate it to last 4 hours total. Almost 4 times longer than the world's longest cello concerto ever composed. I have never released any composition, but I have enough experience with playing cello and the time spent composing music. I will post the first 5 pages next week. But I can show you a little sneak peek right now.


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## Techiastronamo

The sneak peek is being an issue right now. So never mind about that.


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## violadude

Why?

..........................................


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## Techiastronamo

violadude said:


> Why?
> 
> ..........................................


Because I am bored and decide to do so. I want to complete this. I must. It is my goal, and I am determined to complete it!


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## violadude

Techiastronamo said:


> Because I am bored and decide to do so. I want to complete this. I must. It is my goal, and I am determined to complete it!


Well it better be the most glorious music ever conceived if you want it to hold an audiences attention for 5,000 measures.

Seriously though, composers usually don't plan out how long their piece is going to be unless they are writing for a specific commission (movie score, ballet score etc.). The how long or short of a piece should come about naturally based on the demands of the material you are working with.


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## Vasks

Will the cellists have the stamina to play 15,000 measures?


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## Celloissimo

Before you embark on this massive project, are you able to write a decent, well structured piece that only last 40 measures? I've never understood with the fascination with colossal, gratuitous orchestral pieces people try to make. If it's boring and uninspired, no one will give a **** if it's 15,000 measures.


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## Vasks

The Guinness Book of Records awards Techiastronamo's 15,000 measure piece as the world's longest cello concerto









...but


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## PetrB

Vasks said:


> The Guinness Book of Records awards Techiastronamo's 15,000 measure piece as the world's longest cello concerto
> 
> View attachment 50478
> 
> ...but


John Cage has beat him to it!
John Cage ~ _As Slow as Possible_, for Organ.

Performance site: Sankt-Burchardi-Church in Halberstadt, Germany

ASLSP (_As SLow aS Possible_) is a musical piece by John Cage and the subject of *one of the longest-lasting musical performances yet undertaken.* It was originally written in 1987 for organ and is adapted from the earlier work ASLSP 1985; a typical performance of the piano version lasts 20 to 70 minutes.

In 1985, Cage opted to omit the detail of exactly how slowly the piece should be played.

The performance of the organ version at St. Burchardi church in Halberstadt, Germany, began in 2001 and is scheduled to have a duration of 640 years, ending in 2640.

~ From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


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## Guest

Techiastronamo said:


> I am beginning the composition of the world's longest score(with only 6 celli). It so far has 4 of the 1,000 measures filled. I plan to make 5,000(perhaps even 15,000) total. It is slow at some parts, but a few fast ones are included. It is perhaps going to take me a few years, as for I had begun just today. I estimate it to last 4 hours total. Almost 4 times longer than the world's longest cello concerto ever composed. I have never released any composition, but I have enough experience with playing cello and the time spent composing music. I will post the first 5 pages next week. But I can show you a little sneak peek right now.


A little ambition goes a long way.


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## EdwardBast

TalkingHead said:


> A little ambition goes a long way.


If by a long way you mean to the grave without ever having finished a composition, I will agree wholeheartedly. ;-)


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## Igneous01

violadude said:


> Well it better be the most glorious music ever conceived if you want it to hold an audiences attention for 5,000 measures.
> 
> Seriously though, composers usually don't plan out how long their piece is going to be unless they are writing for a specific commission (movie score, ballet score etc.). The how long or short of a piece should come about naturally based on the demands of the material you are working with.


This is news to me; my comp teacher always suggested planning out sections and approximating the length based on the material to be used. This doesn't mean strictly adhering to the blue prints, but it did help in guiding the music towards a goal.


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## PetrB

This reminds me of a post I saw on another site.

A young woman, filled with ambition and having a pretense to make something grand, epic-scale and of great length of duration in performance, had settled on a gi-normous orchestral work.

She then proceeded to list its instrumentation, with huge wind and brass sections, etc, including the mention of Wagner Tubas.

Then she went on to describe in words the nature of this glorious music for an orchestra of probably about one hundred and fifty musicians, give or take one or two. (This sort of description of music yet to be always strikes me as a comic sub-genre of conceptual art.)

At the end, she asked this question:

_"What is a Wagner Tuba?_

--------------------------------------:tiphat: :tiphat: :tiphat:


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## Vasks

As composers, we're all different. There's certainly no rule that says one must plan out sections, determine length, etc. before writing.

But about this topic's idea that one announces the goal of a piece on the first day of starting has me puzzled. I guess it's because I've been around "the block" long enough to see things fall through. So with that in mind below is my composer philosophy:

*1) Never talk about or share a piece until it's completely done.
2) Never mention a publication until it is in print and can be purchased.
3) Never mention a commission until you get paid.
4) Never mention a professional recording until it's released.
5) Never mention a future performance until it's obvious it will actually take place.*

I did some of those things when I was younger, and when they sometimes didn't materialize, I was so embarrassed that I had prematurely bragged about it.


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## PetrB

Vasks said:


> As composers, we're all different. There's certainly no rule that says one must plan out sections, determine length, etc. before writing.
> 
> But about this topic's idea that one announces the goal of a piece on the first day of starting has me puzzled. I guess it's because I've been around "the block" long enough to see things fall through. So with that in mind below is my composer philosophy:
> 
> *1) Never talk about or share a piece until it's completely done.
> 2) Never mention a publication until it is in print and can be purchased.
> 3) Never mention a commission until you get paid.
> 4) Never mention a professional recording until it's released.
> 5) Never mention a future performance until it's obvious it will actually take place.*
> 
> I did some of those things when I was younger, and when they sometimes didn't materialize, I was so embarrassed that I had prematurely bragged about it.


I would only change one little thing: All those points should be numbered "1.)" -- _because they are each equally important and valid!_

Other than that...
----------------------------_*Amen to all that, brother!*_


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## Celloissimo

I think you should share a piece with a friend (with musical knowledge and one who will be honest with you) or a composition teacher when it's not completed for advice and feedback before you continue on. But I mostly agree.


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## Vasks

Celloissimo said:


> I think you should share a piece with a friend (with musical knowledge and one who will be honest with you) or a composition teacher when it's not completed for advice and feedback before you continue on. But I mostly agree.


Certainly you must share if you're studying with a teacher ;-) and there's no harm in sharing with a friend. I'm talking about announcing those achievements to "the world". Too many things can go awry before they come to fruition.


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## PetrB

Me, I'd worry over the inherent musical quality and if it was going to hold the interest first of the musicians of whom you are asking to perform it and the audiences of whom you are asking for them to listen to it, all long before, if ever, and miles away from concerns over writing the world's longest piece with x amount of measures out of a childish selfish concern just to be known or famous, but hey, that's just me.


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## Celloissimo

*Quality, not quantity
*

This thread has pretty much run its course.


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## PetrB

Celloissimo said:


> *Quality, not quantity
> *
> 
> This thread has pretty much run its course.


 ... and its content is not worthy of running for 15,000 measures


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