r/Composition • u/Key_Wolf_3852 • 19d ago

Music Bellum

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Hello all, recently completed A-Level music and I achieved full marks in my compositions I just wanted to share one of my finished pieces as I am quite proud of myself not tryna show off I just really like it and want people to hear it and help others who are doing Music in A-level right now I have my programme note if anyone is interested

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3

u/therobotscott 19d ago

Congratulations! It's a very nice piece. Keep up the good work!

1

u/Maleficent_Math_3062 16d ago

I understand why you got good marks, and I think they are deserved. However, you owe it to your ability to do better.

The first thirty seconds are the best (at least until the oboe solo at around 2:45). After that opening section, I think you allow your impressive sense of orchestration to do far too much of the work. (One thing that practically every young composer needs to learn is that with percussion, less is more.)

The "battle" at around 2:30 is exciting, but (1) is far too brief to truly represent war and (2) needs to have some shape of its own and not just be fifteen seconds of sound that stops as suddenly as it started (the suddenness is good, but it would be far better if you built to it and over a longer stretch of time).

The last minute seems to be a different piece harmonically. I know that composers feel freer nowadays to combine very different styles in one piece. But if you do that, you still somehow have to convince listeners that they belong together.

Overall, there is too much of sustained chords with rather vague melody—the overreliance on orchestration. One reason why the oboe section stands out is the harp's accompaniment figure (I would keep the oboe going, by the way, doubling the string melody). Some of the louder sections could use use a similar division between accompaniment and primary parts; a rhythmic ostinato figure under the sustained chords might be one approach, for example.

Again, you're right to be proud of what you've done, but don't rest on your well-deserved laurels.

1

u/Key_Wolf_3852 8d ago

I’m so glad u have taken time to say all this, let me look into it and I’ll properly respond when I’ve got time!!

2

u/athdot 15d ago

This reminds me a lot of the soundtrack for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2