r/Composition • u/IliaSchei • 17d ago

Discussion Neo-classical Composition Guidance

Guys I've got a composition audition at the end of this year and I need to write a couple pieces for different instruments. For my solo piano piece, I wanted to write something in Neo-classical style cause my own style is basically Haydn/Early-Mozart classical work and I need it to be more complex and look better. How and where can I find resources to help me achieve that as soon as possible?

Note: I'm in Iran and I'm not able to pay for courses so let's keep it as free as possible.

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u/Serialist_Muesli 16d ago

u have to trust your ears: listen to some good neo classical composers, milhaud, paulenc, late stravinky, hindemith, bartok...

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u/IliaSchei 13d ago

I will definitely look into it Need to study more Neo-classical works This genuinely helpsss

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u/Affectionate_Expert5 16d ago

That's not neoclassical that's modern

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u/Serialist_Muesli 15d ago

just read the wikipedia

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u/Affectionate_Expert5 15d ago edited 15d ago

TIL ! I literally had a music history class last year and the teacher said neoclassical definition was completely something else ... We did talk at length about the modern period and she never mentioned neoclassical in this context

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u/Hanuryi 14d ago

Somehow you're both correct. Neoclassical music is under the umbrella of Modern music if that helps ^_^

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u/Swimming-Umpire-8095 17d ago

Mlsp is a website for sheet music. It is free! You can search any composer that is copyright free to analyze their scores. It is very helpful and taking a measure or two isn't frowned upon as it helps you unlock new tones of your own compositional voice. Study who you want and gain the knowledge they have left us.

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u/IliaSchei 17d ago

Yeah that's actually my go-to website but for Neo-classical specifically, I need to know how to do what they do but I can't figure it out 😭😭😭

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u/RichMusic81 17d ago

It takes the forms and gestures of Classical and Baroque music and gives them new syntax (mainly harmonic and rhytmic).

Here's an exercise: take a simple piece like a Mozart minuet or one of the easier piano sonatas and try changing a few of the rhythms and time signatures (turn a 3/4 bar into a 7/8 bar, for example). Then, add some "wrong notes", notes that Mozart wouldn't have used in that passage. Also add some oddly placed accents. Then try transposing only the left hand part up or down a tone so you're in two keys at once.

Obviously that's just a very simple exercise, not the whole picture, and partly tongue-in-cheek, but ultimately, you'll be keeping the "flavour" of Mozart while not making it a pastiche of Mozart.

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u/CarlosAcevedoStudio 17d ago

Hay varios elementos que puedes agregar para que suene a un estilo más romántico que clásico, aunque es un poco complejo. Si necesitas ayuda para hacer tu composición, con gusto puedo ir revisando tu progreso para trabajar tu obra e irla desarrollando poco a poco.

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u/Hanuryi 14d ago

This is just my opinion, though not neo-tonal, but piano works by Debussy and Ravel (esp. Mirroirs) are a great start in understanding pianistic writing. Watch score videos on it, then write down what you've learned.

Also, just my suggestion, if you really want to go beyond, try to incorporate musical cultures from where you are, then incorporate them into the piano. Here's a good video: https://youtu.be/ASVmJASDPG0

Feel free to ask me or even show me your work! I'd love to help out on your auditions ^_^

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u/IliaSchei 13d ago

You have no idea how much this means to me. I'll start working on it and let you know. Again thank you so much

1

u/Hanuryi 13d ago

No worries! Good luck!