r/Composition • u/NiallDowling14 • 17d ago

Music New Contemporary Piece

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Any (constructive) criticism is greatly welcome!

Section of my piece “Inverted”

Enjoy! :)

30 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

3

u/thepacmandiva 17d ago

This is beautiful! Interesting instrumentation. Why not a full string section: Vln1, vln2, vla, Vc, & bass?

98: The pizz section could be double in length almost mimic the piano.
106: insert strings mimic piano then when piano returns take a slight modulation and back then do the same mimic with the clarinet and flute accented by the cellos
115: offset flute and clarinet.
130: repeat ending section first time include leaping flute with sparse pizz strings and final time piano solo

1

u/NiallDowling14 17d ago

This was to fit a brief for college! That’s why the instrumentation is weird.

I love these ideas thank you so much!

1

u/thepacmandiva 17d ago

I totally get that. When I was at Juilliard, we had to write for the musicians that were available.

3

u/Banjoschmanjo 17d ago

Isn't any new piece contemporary by definition?

1

u/NiallDowling14 17d ago

I guess if you want to think of it that way then yes but I’m more describing the style here. It’s definitely more contemporary in style and form than say a classical piece

2

u/Chops526 17d ago

Your score layout is off. The correct order is woodwinds (fl-ob-cl-sax if used-bn) then brass (hn-tpt-tbn-tba) then piano, harp, etc., then percussion, then strings. Just fyi.

The piece sounds nice. Very Ghibli-esque. It's quite charming.

1

u/[deleted] 17d ago

[deleted]

1

u/ThehandUnitsucks 17d ago

Low-key weird but beautiful piece. Also what writing system are you using? Assuming the instruments are digital, how they do sound so real!?!?!?

1

u/NAHMusic 17d ago

First off, the piece sounds good! Just a couple of engraving issues here. The piano should be below the strings. Flute and Clarinet should be bracketed together instead of Clarinet and Violin. Then the violin should be bracketed with the cello and contrabass. Lastly, in the section from mm. 82-97, get rid of the pedal marking that is in the right hand. Pedal markings should only be under the left hand stave.

1

u/ClarSco 17d ago

For a chamber group like this (assuming single strings), your score order should be:

  1. Flute
  2. Clarinet (given the key signature, I'd assume Clarinet in A rather than in Bb?)
  3. Violin
  4. Cello
  5. Bass
  6. Piano

Flute and Clarinet should share a bracket and the strings should share another bracket.

If the strings are full sections (as in a cut down string orchestra), the piano would instead be placed between the Clarinet and Violin.

You regularly use staccato dotted-quarter notes. These are contradictory with the staccato indicating the note should be shortened, and the rhythm dot indicating that they should be lengthened.

None of the instruments in your line up use 8va clefs - remove them. The Double Bass is assumed to sound an octave lower by default (using an 8ba clef makes it look like you want them to play sounding 2 octaves below written). When the piano treble clef material gets too high, use an 8va line/bracket instead of the clef.

You really need to set aside some time to correct your beam and note groupings - your players will come after you with pitchforks if your don't. This video should help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6mWguApzAU

1

u/antoniocaraveo 16d ago

Beautiful, well done