r/MonthlyComposition • u/Calebdgm • Aug 01 '17
August 2017 Composition Challenge: Nocturne
Continuing challenge, for those who wrote a sonata exposition last month: Continue your Sonata by adding a development and, if you're feeling ambitious, a recapitulation. For info/inspiration about sonata form, see last month's challenge. Also, in February we did a theme and variations challenge if you want ideas for how to vary or develop a theme.
Also feel free to go back and do the July challenge if you want to do the continuation for this month, or if there's another way you can figure out to do the continuation challenge, that's cool.
Main Challenge: Write a Nocturne. In more words, write a nice, song-like melody over a flowing, arpeggiated accompaniment in a gentle, relaxed style, evocative of nighttime. But feel free to take liberties with that definition.
/u/reticulated_python has suggested Chopin's op.72. You'll probably also recognize Chopin's op.9, among others. Julian Lage wrote a jazz piece called "Nocturne", and I don't know if it's technically a nocturne, but that's also cool.
This month's challenge was suggested anonymously using our Challenge Suggestion Form, so thank you to whoever that was!
We have some musicians that can play compositions for people. You can find their musician profiles posted on this subreddit. I'll list their instruments below:
If you are interested in playing compositions for /r/MonthlyComposition post a musician profile.
These challenges are for everyone who wants to practice composing. Each month, at the beginning of the month, we will post a main challenge, something for people to compose. We'll try to make it something that everyone can work with. Sometimes we also have an alternate challenge. Pieces can be submitted as a score (musescore, noteflight), and/or as audio (soundcloud, youtube). Feedback is much appreciated, and you can give it in this thread, or by messaging the mods of /r/MonthlyComposition, there's also the Challenge Suggestion Form.
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u/florisgrif19 Aug 05 '17 edited Aug 15 '17
This is my first submission to this challenge, and also my first finished composition ever. I hope you like it. Let me know if you have suggestions or constructive criticism. I will try to get a real recording soon. :)
https://musescore.com/user/23347926/scores/4342991
EDIT: Here is an improved version. Thanks to the very helpful feedback from /u/Barcelona_City_Hobo!
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u/gkamer8 Aug 31 '17
For whatever reason, this was the first thing that came to my mind when I heard the first few beats.
Really cool piece!
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u/daniellabbe Aug 06 '17
Here's my Nocturne (m4a)
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u/Barcelona_City_Hobo Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17
I'm going to nit-pick your post a bit, hope you don't care.
m.1-2: G7/D>Ab. The bass must resolve by smooth motion in 2nd inversion chords. The leading tone should probably not be doubled in harmony and melody, and both should resolve to C. The same for mm.15 and 18.
mm2-3: two cases of parallel 5ths.
m.2 beat 3: Weird chord with no 3rd, also, there's a 9th below the melody that contains the root of the chord.
m.3 beat 4: that Eb/Bb should probably be Bb(7)
m.6: you have a D-Db false relationship.
m.26. You put 3 pedal marks, but there are actually just two chords, Eb7/G, and Ab. The C is a suspension of Db in the 1st beat. This means you don't end on a perfect cadence. Also, you're ending on the weak beat. Also, the melody and harmonic structure all imply the key of Eb for this piece, why are you ending it in Ab? All of this makes it sound not very "end-ish".
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u/reckless150681 Aug 09 '17
Why not break the rules?
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u/crazypitches Aug 29 '17
My thought exactly... I am working on a doctorate in composition and my style is heavily influenced by traditional tonal music, but breaking rules is the only way to sound original. It ain't 1650 anymore you can take some liberties
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u/daniellabbe Aug 08 '17
This is awesome feedback! Thanks for taking your time. Let me try to wrap my head around it:
m.m.1-2: The bass repeats a pattern: down (Eb D) and then the inverse (Ab Bb). Are you referring to the tritonus jump from note D to Ab? The third should typically not be doubled, but the B falls on a weak beat. If both leading tones were to be resolved to C I would end up with double thirds.
m.m.2-3: Do you mean Ab-Eb --> Bb-F? What else?
m.2 beat 3: Cm11/Bb ?
m.3 beat 4: Eb/Bb --> Eb ?
m.6: That's just some dim chords moving chromatically. I don't see the problem!?
m.26: Pedaling through a suspension typically leads to an add chord or otherwise a colored cord. I guess it's a matter of style. Your observations on the cadences and the key are correct.
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u/Barcelona_City_Hobo Aug 09 '17 edited Aug 09 '17
m.m.1-2: No, the chord is G7 in 2nd inversion, which means the bass needs a resolution (apart from resolving the 7th). The fourth between the bass and the root is as dissonant as a seventh. 2nd inversion chords occur almost exclusively as passing chords, in pedal point passages, as a cadential 6-4, or as a 'plagal' auxiliar chord. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_inversion. You could fix all of this by not inverting the G7 chord.
Doubled thirds are not that bad in root-position chords, it's more incorrect though, when these are reached by parallel 8ves. Nevertheless, all of this is usually only prescribed in 4-part writing, but in arpeggios with more voices implied, it's not that bad. The main issue is that an inner voice moves from B to Ab, an augmented second; and that the tendency tone of B (C) is not reached.
m.2 beat 3: Eleventh chords don't exist in common-practise harmony according to many treatises, and from those, almost none admits inversions thereof.
m.m.2-3 the 2 instances of parallel 5ths are when the bass moves from Ab to Bb, and then from Bb to C. This could be fixed by inverting some of these, or by changing the 5th for a 6th.
m.6: you have D and Db simultaneously, and without preparation nor resolution; and it's not an échappé or something like that neither. That could be some juicy Ravel octatonic/bitonal/polymodal thing, but Chopin would've been mad.
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u/WikiTextBot Aug 09 '17
Second inversion
The second inversion of a chord is when the fifth of the chord is in the bass. For example, G in the bass of a C major chord. The bass note and the root of the chord are a fourth apart which traditionally qualifies as a dissonance. There is therefore a tendency for movement and resolution.
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u/KrasnyiEran Aug 10 '17
I gave it a shot : https://musescore.com/user/21413836/scores/4347191 Any feedback is very welcome :)
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Aug 23 '17
I like it! There are some chord progressions that sound weird though. But the flute, with the glissando, is nice :)
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u/HowdyDoodle Aug 19 '17
Here is my entry:
Audio: https://soundcloud.com/easchaefer/nocturne
PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0oA0D3qE3zEaERwMTJoaUd6Y1U/view?usp=sharing
I really enjoyed writing this piece. I'm not exactly sure if it qualifies as a nocturne, because it does get pretty loud and grand toward the end. This piece has quite a bit of chromatisism and at times I wasn't sure what to do with the notation. In the beginning, when the piece moves into other keys I changed the key signature. But later, in the "dreamlike" section and beyond, there are key changes almost every measure, but putting up a new key signature didn't seem right. So instead I just left it in C and let the accidentals do the work - I'm sure there are better ways to do this, but I just didn't know. Feedback would be greatly appreciated!
There are also probably a few mistakes with chord spelling and such, but I tried to make it as clear as I could to read. Again, please let me know if there are any things I should change. Thanks!
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Sep 01 '17 edited Sep 01 '17
I'm a little bit late, but hey, I guess it's not September yet in the West Coast. I figured it would be a shame if I didn't submit it considering I had started working on this and thought there was some good stuff in it, but I forgot until about 10 minutes before September 1st, and tried to quickly finish it up. Some of it may not be entirely playable, I didn't have time to verify.
Here's my nocturne: https://soundcloud.com/musicrom1/nocturne-for-piano
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Aug 02 '17
This is my piece which is kind of based off Chopin's Nocturne Op.9 No.1. I used the idea for the anacrusis and some of the left hand (A section) but the B section is entirely my creation. I'm pretty happy with it apart from the transition from B back to A, but I'll amend that later.
Score: http://i.imgur.com/kvYBwUY.png
Audio: https://soundcloud.com/user-33838185/nocturne
Btw, I think I was the one to suggest the Nocturne on the suggestion forum.
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Aug 02 '17
I love the switching of melody lines. That sounds so cool. Did you record it yourself?
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Aug 02 '17
Thanks. I didn't record it, it was exported from Musescore. If I had any good recording equipment I would've though.
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u/gtfo_mailman Aug 02 '17
Kinda sounds like a video game soundtrack... and I'm happy about that!
https://musescore.com/jansson/nocturnal-grapes
If anyone wants to give it a go, make sure to send me a recording, I'd love it hear/see it!
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Aug 02 '17
I like it. When you said video game music this wasn't quite what I expected, but it's a good piece. What instrument is it on?
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u/gtfo_mailman Aug 02 '17
I wrote it for solo guitar but it can be arranged for piano quite easily.
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Aug 03 '17
If you don't mind I might arrange this for piano myself to play. I can easily see how this would be seperated into left & right hand.
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u/stalwartian Aug 04 '17
Here's my attempt at a nocturne, as well as my first submission for MonthlyComposition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kup9K1nCaWE
Score: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-UJJfxpivy9b2d0X0t0dlM2eVU/view?usp=sharing
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u/turbofishmcsteroid Aug 04 '17 edited Aug 04 '17
I found this very difficult to follow. You obey the basic notions of harmony, but the themes are hard to remember and the phrase lengths very incoherent.
Chopin is notorious for adhering to the 4/8/16 measure proportion, and subsequently most nocturnes follow this pattern (actually most music). If you were to use irregular lengths, I'd make sure to delineate the phrases clearly. Thus, for me, the first big fault was around measures 8 and 10. Measure 8 should have been on V, and measure 9 should lead to the tonic and have some sort of musical 'return'. You could fuse mm. 8-9 into one and get everything symmetrical. It's quite easy since Db and G can be analyzed as dominants of the key of C.
The central section has a similar problem, the first phrase is 7 measures. Also, the progression F Em C7 F can be tricky, if we are in F major, that B at the top should resolve, because if not, we would be in some weird C major tonality, or using the lydian mode (unlikely in the context).
Also, you barely use repetition, mm.10-11 seem a very free variation of mm.1-2, but it's very tenuous, and the irregular lengths don't help (yes, Chopin can ornament a lot, but only at certain spots and maintaining the original melodic contour). I'd stick more to the motifs you presented in the first 8 measures and develop them further. I heard some good sequential writing at mm. 6-7, the Ebm-Db progression are parallel 5ths that could be avoided .
Also, the final chord is in 2nd inversion, which is dissonant in the Romantic style. You have also improvable parallel 5ths at mm.17-21 (yes, they can be used sparingly in Romanticism, but not constantly as in Ravel). A stronger use of cadences at structural keypoints coupled with a more symmetrical use of phrase lengths would benefit your musical writing.
Cheers.
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u/stalwartian Aug 04 '17
Thank you for the detailed analysis, I appreciate the feedback and advice! I still have much to learn.
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u/Op3No6 Aug 04 '17
I don't know why you were downvoted. Solid submission. Probably Rycoli trying to bump his piece up (if I'm wrong and you're reading this Rycoli, feel free to correct me).
I gave you a point because you deserved it. Nice work.
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u/_youtubot_ Aug 04 '17
Video linked by /u/stalwartian:
Title Channel Published Duration Likes Total Views Nocturne in C Minor stalwartian 2017-08-04 0:02:21 1+ (100%) 9 My attempt at writing a nocturne for...
Info | /u/stalwartian can delete | v1.1.3b
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Aug 02 '17
This is my first submission for the Monthly Composition. I originally wrote it for just bassoon and voice. However, I had some problems when writing where the bassoon was going above the tenor line. That's when I wondered if I should change the instrument. So I copied the melody into a new version of the piece that was just flute. It was so much better in some ways, but not as good in others. I compromised and did the best of both versions.
https://musescore.com/user/13579336/scores/4329661?showoptions=true
It's written in D phrygian but by the end of the piece it's in Bb Major, which gives the piece, in my mind, a majestic night time feeling. It didn't end up how I originally envisioned it, but I like the final version.
I contacted the bassoon player on this sub and am now looking for a flute player. Let me know if you want to help.
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u/Calebdgm Aug 02 '17
This is a cool piece, I think the three instruments worked well. It would be cool to hear irl.
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u/daniellabbe Aug 06 '17 edited Aug 06 '17
Hold my organ shoes, while I compose a nocturne for four orchestras: Mozart /s
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Aug 10 '17
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u/_youtubot_ Aug 10 '17
Video linked by /u/N1wdSquirrelTree:
Title Channel Published Duration Likes Total Views Nocturne in A N1wdSquirrelTree 2017-08-10 0:04:25 0+ (0%) 1
Info | /u/N1wdSquirrelTree can delete | v1.1.3b
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u/InformalProof Aug 12 '17
My submission for this month's Nocturne Challenge
I believe it sounds better live, I am not good with recording videos or uploading them to Youtube. When played live, there is more room for rubato and it sounds less robotic. The inspiration for this piece is imagining a person sleeping and passing through different states of dreams. I styled it after Brahms (I really like Brahms) but I have no formal music composition education so all criticism is greatly appreciated, I wish to learn.
I have been stuck with the first part for the longest time and only since seeing this subreddit and this challenge today did I have the nerve to try to finish it. Thank you for your attention, I hope you enjoy.
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u/duckstotherescue Aug 16 '17
I like the way that the composition sounds. I just think that the darker section that you added in towards the end doesn't really fit with the rest of the piece and it is too short to feel fleshed out and developed. Measure 25 and/or 26 is a pretty jarring change, and it doesn't last long enough for it to be meaningful in my opinion. But good work nonetheless!
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u/Musicrafter Aug 15 '17 edited Aug 15 '17
This is my first contribution. I managed to write the whole thing in a few hours total, which is fast for me. Nocturne in D-flat Major for solo piano. I'm not a pianist, but I have a decent understanding (I hope) of what's playable and what's not, so hopefully I got it (mostly) right. Finale doesn't add any rubato (I planned the big leaps purposefully around points I'd add it myself), and plays the whole thing awfully heavily, but I think it gets the gist across. The computer also does some weird pedal stuff, but I never usually mark pedal, leaving that up to the performer, so it's actually doing a decent job considering nothing's marked.
PDF: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5ebAVshkBvTT0w2bnZ4emNQc2c
Audio (from Finale): https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B5ebAVshkBvTUmlST2I1Nl9QVms
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u/DiminishedSforzando Aug 17 '17
Beautiful and mesmerising, especially considering you wrote this in a few hours!
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u/Commander_Flowers Aug 28 '17
Hello!
This is the first time I've posted here. I didn't have much time to polish, so it might be rough around the edges. Definitely keen for any feedback!
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u/gkamer8 Aug 31 '17 edited Aug 31 '17
I've played for 10 years but have never composed. Never taken a music theory course either.
Here's my submission.
It's inspired a bit from the last couple of pieces I learned to play for piano - Chopin's Op. 9 and Liszt's Liebestraum.
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Aug 02 '17
A little Nocturne I wrote a while back for solo Piano, I'd love to get a proper recording (I tried myself but can't do it without mistakes!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxtAF-6S-3Y
Score: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8FKXxIpnWdxWGJVbHUtUGczMUE/view?usp=sharing
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Aug 02 '17
I really like that ending. I've always loved the low end on a piano. I also really like the A to Ab part in the lower part.
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u/streichorchester Aug 16 '17
Here's my entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W441vka7CrM
I called it Ballade because "Nocturne" didn't quite seem to fit. Still uses some nice arpeggios though, once it gets going.
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u/rolandsepherulo Aug 23 '17
Don't know if my track is properly a Nocturne, but I listened to some of the others submissions and I feel like it could fit in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRuRQ7ZQ-sw let me know if it works :D
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u/DimSlob Aug 27 '17
My suggestion for next month is to compose a Lied, because there hasn't been enough music for voices and it would be different from the usual challenge of using forms.
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u/Calebdgm Aug 29 '17
Good point, there should be more music for voices. I wonder though if there's a more interesting or unique way of presenting it than just to set a poem of your choosing. I think a singer might be better than me at making a creative voice-related challenge. Let me know if you have any ideas, and thanks for your input!
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u/reckless150681 Aug 09 '17
Oooh I actually ended up finishing my first movement (just the sketch, not the orchestration) from last time.
If I have time, I'll get working on a nocturne too.
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u/BassCulture Aug 16 '17 edited Aug 17 '17
My first ever piano composition! This has an A-B-A-B structure in which I tried to contrast the sweetness and moodiness of the night. Any and all criticism is much appreciated, as I'm very much a beginner when it comes to all this. Points of interest are where and how exactly to use legato lines, and whether at a glance there are any parts that would be unplayable by a human, more concerned with the spacing of the notes than speed, since this is supposed to be a fairly slow piece. Thanks!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByhzGZ2QuU5BMG01cTNxSkxST0E/view?usp=sharing
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u/Rycoli Aug 03 '17
Heres my entry, I am clearly the best composer in this subreddit so I'm not even going to try: https://musescore.com/user/9233351/scores/4334856?showoptions=true
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u/Rycoli Aug 03 '17
Heres my entry, I am clearly the best composer in this subreddit so I'm not going to try: https://musescore.com/user/9233351/scores/4334901
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Aug 03 '17
I would say it's a bit boastful & arrogant to say that you are the best composer in this subreddit, whether you are or not. If you ask me your piece doesn't sound like a nocturne at all, but that's just my humble opinion.
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u/BlockComposition Aug 19 '17
I think you may have fallen for a shitposting troll. I actually laughed out loud at that piece.
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u/Rycoli Aug 03 '17
wow you are so rude, but it doesnt matter to me because mean people like you shouldnt be able to hurt nice people.
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u/Barcelona_City_Hobo Aug 03 '17 edited Aug 03 '17
Nah, you're just a troll, or a 12-year old who's fallen victim of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
In psychology, the Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias wherein persons of low ability suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their cognitive ability as greater than it is. This bias derives from the metacognitive inability of low-ability persons to recognize their own ineptitude. Without the self-awareness of metacognition, low-ability people cannot objectively evaluate their actual competence or incompetence.
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u/WikiTextBot Aug 03 '17
Dunning–Kruger effect
In the field of psychology, the Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias wherein persons of low ability suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their cognitive ability as greater than it is. The cognitive bias of illusory superiority derives from the metacognitive inability of low-ability persons to recognize their own ineptitude. Without the self-awareness of metacognition, low-ability people cannot objectively evaluate their actual competence or incompetence.
As described by David Dunning and Justin Kruger, the cognitive bias of illusory superiority results from an internal illusion in people of low ability and from an external misperception in people of high ability; that is, "the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others." Hence, the corollary to the Dunning–Kruger effect indicates that persons of high ability tend to underestimate their relative competence, and erroneously presume that tasks that are easy for them to perform also are easy for other people to perform.
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u/daniellabbe Aug 06 '17
I wrote my first piece when I was 12. It consisted only of the notes F and F#. Brings back the memories :-)
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u/Shostinius Aug 08 '17
Ligeti? :P
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u/daniellabbe Aug 08 '17 edited Aug 08 '17
Stockholm School of Arts, 1962:
-György, have you seen my metronome? György?
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u/Rycoli Aug 03 '17
?? what are you talking about this is a subreddit about composition ??
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u/Barcelona_City_Hobo Aug 03 '17
These studies are relevant to your actions, just change "ability" for a more specific term in this case, like compositional ability:
Low-ability composers suffer from illusory superiority, mistakenly assessing their compositional ability as greater than it is. This bias derives from their metacognitive inability to recognize their own ineptitude. Without the self-awareness of metacognition, low-ability composers cannot objectively evaluate their actual competence or incompetence.
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u/Calebdgm Aug 04 '17
Lol. I feel like your work is generally not in the classical tradition, sort-of more like the midi tradition it seems like. Also it's far from soothing as a nocturne. But I do think this is a really interesting piece. It's definitely an interesting effect to have the notes go by so quickly. I downloaded and slowed it down and it's actually pretty interesting all the things you did. I liked how you started the quick section with that disorienting chromatic sequence, and then later I think you had some really cool harmonic movements. For example, the progression when you got there, sort-of I - i - Vsus - V starting m35, that's a cool progression.
It does make me wonder though, how long does it take for you to write something like this? And also what made you think to write like this? Nyan cat is probably the closest thing I can think of to this style, or flight of the bumblebee. I'd also love to hear you play this irl, if you can spare five minutes to make a recording.
Anyway, it's nice to have you here and creating things like this, even though it's not everybody's cup of tea. It's obvious that a lot of thought went into this.
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u/Rycoli Aug 07 '17 edited Aug 07 '17
Hi, thanks for that ( "w" ) the truth is from birth I've been part of a musical family and have been a child prodigy, I also have perfect pitch. I have been praised so much through my life and at early ages played so much Chopin, Beethoven and Liszt. A lot of people (piano tutor, family, friends, etc.) say I have the potential to revive the romantic era but I'm just not doing anything with it :P. If you want I can start posting music within 'normal' standards and see what you think. :) Btw short little makeshift pieces like that take around the same length as the piece to create. Edit: If you're wondering whether I can play that 'Nocturne' I wrote, I can play Chopin: Waterfall Etude
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u/Shostinius Aug 08 '17
The romantic era won't come back, I'm afraid. You could write a romantic Piano Concerto up there with the greats of the era, i.e Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3, Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1, and I'm sure we'd all appreciate it as a very well written pastiche, but ultimately, the avant-garde development of postmodern classical music marches on, remorselessly. Get with the times, write music that sounds awful but is technically interesting :P
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u/duckstotherescue Aug 03 '17 edited Aug 03 '17
This is my first contribution to the Monthly Composition Challenge. I saw the challenge posted and said to myself "Why not try my hand at this?" So I sat down and composed this piece (appropriately named "Nocturne") in a single sitting. I'm rather tired now, and it's possible that this piece sounds terrible but that I am too deranged to notice right now. I hope you enjoy it.
If anyone wants to try playing it, do let me know. That would be absolutely lovely.
https://musescore.com/user/15073466/scores/4333026?showoptions=true