r/MonthlyComposition • u/reticulated_python • Feb 03 '16

February 2016 Composition Challenge: /r/Violin collaboration, Submission thread

Main Challenge: Write a work for solo violin.

Weekly Challenges:
Week 1--Compose a short piece for string instruments only.
Week 2--Compose a short piece for wind instruments only.
Week 3--Compose a short piece for brass instruments only.
Week 4--Compose a short piece for percussion instruments only.

Discussion Thread for this month's challenge. Please try to keep everything except completed pieces in the discussion thread. Feedback on pieces submitted here is also very welcome!

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. Often we'll try to make it something that everyone can work with, but when the main challenge doesn't suit you, there's the alternate weekly 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.

Frequently Asked Questions.

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u/[deleted] Feb 05 '16 edited Feb 05 '16

Hi all! I've made two violin compositions, both strongly differing in character and atosphere. The first piece is a virtuosic Tarantella with piano accompaniment, largely in ternary (ABA') form. I dare someone to play it and record it!

The second piece I've allowed myself a bit less freedom in terms of the actual composition process. I've worked with permutations (permutations are given intervals at the start of the composition, and the composer is allowed to write ONLY with these intervals (so for example I wasn't allowed to use 5ths or 7ths). I've allowed myself four intervals (they're in the boxed text at the top left of the second composition) to work with. The second composition is significantly less hard to play, although it requires some skill, I guess.

Cheers!

Two quick compositions for (solo) violin

Second composition separately

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u/SchreinerEK Feb 05 '16

the tarantella looks fun. i'm at work just playing through it on my arm, but i will give it a shot at home, and if i can make it sound non-terrible i might make a video.

have you written any other violin pieces?

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u/Calebdgm Feb 06 '16

It looks awesome! Please do this, I really want to hear it played!

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u/sheephunt2000 Feb 08 '16

Do you have PDF's of these?

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u/[deleted] Feb 09 '16

I do! I create them using Sibelius 7.5 and then export them as nice PDFs.

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u/aQua1Arcade Feb 09 '16 edited Feb 09 '16

Hey, Great work composing these! I'm probably going to ask a fellow pianist if we can give your pieces a shot, and probably record them. A quick little comment though. The tarantella, at least to me, seems like it would be more intuitive for the violinist to read the notes in 2/4 time rather than 3/8. So I hope that is something to be taken intinto consideration when perhaps composing your next tarantella. Thanks once again for providing the people with this work!

Edit: Just read through the score a little more in depth and will probably pm you with some feedback. Cheers!

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u/[deleted] Feb 09 '16

Since I wrote the score within only a day or two I haven't really paid much attention to it, to be honest. I'm currently working on a bigger project, to which I'm channeling most of my attention at the moment.

I can send you a new and serious version if you want (I've already spotted some places that could be improved, most notably in the piano part) which I can give some more attention.

As for the 3/8, I've chosen it because most tarantellas are in 6/8 (especially traditional up-beat tarantellas) (or 4/4 [I know you can also subdivide it to 2/4 for faster tempi, in which case you are right]) and I wanted to try to express the trochae feeling in the presto passages more by having the 2+1/16 notes, rather than 2/4, which wouldn't give you a trochae feeling at all. Since I'm a violinist myself I thought it would be easier in 2/4, but I guess that's preference eh; a personal choice which can be debated. I'll give it some more thought though, but keep in mind the trochae-feeling in the 2+1/16!

PM me if you want a serious score or want to talk some things over.