# Fantasy for Reeds and Horn (was Discussions in D minor)



## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi all,

I've finally got a more complete re-write of my "Discussions in D minor", but as was pointed out to me, the title didn't really fit the music and so I changed it to "Fantasy for Reeds and Horn" bit boring but it fits better at least.

Also I thought I would make a new thread for it as the old one already had several links within it, I thought it would just be easier to make a new thread.

I think I've listened to all the advice that various people gave me and made the piece better, but ultimately that's a matter of opinion and mine is obviously biased.

Thanks again to all those that gave me help and advice with this piece. I've spent quite a bit of time with it now as I really do like it myself and wanted to improve it as much as I could. I hope I didn't over do it.

Lastly I'm not really happy with the sound quality, but at least I hope it's not so bad as to spoil the music too much.

I will post the re-scripted score later as I have to tidy it up a bit first and I was too eager to get the music out to wait 'till I had it all neat and tidy :lol:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ve988k3i9kklk8m/Fantasy for reeds and horn.mp3?dl=0

As usual, all comment welcome, good or bad

Regards
Mark


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## Vasks (Dec 9, 2013)

It is a better piece, Mark. About the only two things I would have liked to have seen done is (1) the opening 4-note Oboe motif around (or shortly after) the 30 second mark needs to soar beyond just 4 notes (2) somewhere's after 1-2 minutes there should be a passage for strings alone as contrast/change of scoring is needed both for the listener and for the wind players (mostly brass) who do need a little rest time.

PS About your mp3 sound problem I couldn't help as I have Sibelius 8 and never had #7. To me there is some distortion but it's not real bad


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thanks Vasks,

I did try several expansions for the 4 note motif but I was never happy with what I got, I will continue to try though as I think you're right about it, and I hadn't considered a strings break later on, but that too could be a good idea.

I'm really not happy with the sound quality still, it's not too bad, but it's quite a lot heavier than the playback in Sibelius, so much so that it drowns out some of the lighter strings and clarinet in places, so that's something else I will continue to work on.

Thanks again
Mark


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## dzc4627 (Apr 23, 2015)

I'd love to see the score to make a proper assessment, but in general I enjoyed it. The opening couple minutes with the rhythmic motive give me hints of Schubert. Who are your primary influences? I really like that staggered ending. I would have liked to see something with a more apparent form, with some sort of recapitulation at the end. I feel unsatisfied that the specific mood of the first couple minutes never makes a resurgence. I'd also like to hear themes that are more concrete.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi dzc,

Thanks for having a look, I haven't posted the score because I needed to correct a few things, and then the moment passed to bother posting it as the thread got old, however, I will post a link at the end of this reply if you would like to have a look. I'm never too sure which accidentals to use in which keys so that's one thing, and then the score is written as such, in order for Sibelius to play it as I would like it played, but that means that it's not quite as a player would need it to be. However I'm sure you will be able to look past that.

I'm not sure that I have any specific influences, but I do love Schubert. I listen to and like many composers, but when I come to write something myself, I think I just start with an idea, be it melody, a rhythmic pattern or just a mood, and it grows on it's own (or in many cases, it doesn't, and gets shelved lol).

It's form I have to agree is not proper and as you say, it really does need the recapitulation. I did and am still trying to find a way of returning to the opening theme in D minor for a recapitulation, to give it more form, but I am having problems trying to get back from Eflat major, to D minor in a way that doesn't appear contrived and can be considered natural and smooth. I also like the staggered ending and don't want to destroy it in an attempt to get back to D minor, although I'm sure it would also work in a minor key. Any suggestions would be very gratefully received.

Thanks again, I hope you didn't mind to much my needling you to have a look at some of my work in the "A Critique" post of the Captain, but if I didn't think you had anything of value to give, then I would not have asked.

Here's the link for the score if you would like to see it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/yzrfpqhs8yrf857/Fantasy for reeds and horn.pdf?dl=0

Regards
Mark


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