Composition Contest (Free theme)

[Alfonso de Sabio]

I'd like to submit the first movement to my piano concerto in G minor.

Piece: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G minor (Mvt. 1)
Composer: Michael Wyatt (Alfonso de Sabio)
Link: http://two.xthost.info/AlfonsoDeSabi...0Orchestra.mp3

EDIT:
I fixed the division problem. Thanks for the tip, Noir7.

[Noir7]

If you have multiple files, use WinZIP or rar. Makes it easier for everyone... use http://xthost.info for fast and free uploads.

[PorscheGTIII]

Here is my entry...

Title: The Angel's Lullaby
Composer: W. C. Schleicher (PorscheGTIII)

I thought that I would go back and revisit one of my older compositions and spice it up a bit more: so I did. () This is arranged for woodwinds, harp, and percussion. Enjoy!

By the way good luck to all that enter in this months contest!

[ajamesu]

hey, this is my first post, woohoo ^^

nice song, kaitou, it really does have a nostalgiac feel to it ^^

its a shame i dont really complete my songs, but this is a rare exception i dont expect to win with it, though, since it one of my earlier works... its called "The Swan's Adventure." enjoy ^^

[Noir7]

I just want to remind you not to give comments/critique about people's submissions in this thread. This is strictly for uploading and questions about the contest.

[Decoren45]

Hey everyone, Im kinda new to this site, I have been working on an original piece for Winds. I call it "One year in Korea" its a piece dedicated to my one year stay in Korea. Actually Im still here, so I ended the piece abrubtly. There is no resolution, no resolved ideas; for the mere fact that Im still here working on my second year anyways. I hope you enjoy the piece, I would like to win of course like everybody, but Im more interested in your opinion of my piece. Thanks~ If I dont see ya, good morning good evening and goodnight~
Tracy

[Noir7]

So many submissions... and I know many more are on their way. This is gonna be a tough nut to crack

[simplicityho]

I'll post my extremelly short Flute and Cello Duet in D minor.

[clarinetist]

Even though I'm new at this, I guess it wouldn't hurt to try ...

It's called No Title in Bb/C Minor (it was II (2nd Composition) in my compositon thread).
I did rush a bit ... because I'm studying Concert Band...

Oh well...

[Al]

ajamesu, simplicityho, clarinetist: Can we please get midis for your entries?

[ajamesu]

sorry for putting feedback, then...
and Al, sorry, i dont know how to change Finale Notepad files into MIDI =\ if someone teaches me how to...

I found that you can't change Notepad files into midis, sorry

[deathraider]

I'm just helping convert those songs that that aren't in a standardized format, namely ajamesu's, clarinetist's, and simplicityho's.

Edit: my entry is coming soon...

Edit2: sorry about the bias towards II in converting it to mp3 with higher quality soundfonts. The other ones just weren't improved that much by the different soundfont, at least not enought to spend the time required to convert it to a decent mp3.

BTW, Alphonso, I can't get to your link due to parental controls, so is there any way you could post it directly on the site?

[Al]

Thanks deathraider!

Okay, here's my entry. It's um . . different, haha. Also, I couldn't zip it up properly, so the explanation for my piece is in the spoiler.

Spoiler:

"My Contrapuntal Nightmare" by Alphonse Nguyen

-> This is a fugue in 3 voices, and I will briefly explain the structure of a fugue for those of you who don't know.
-> Sorry I can't provide a score.

PART 1: EXPOSITION

-> The 3 voices I used are: Soprano, Alto (although sometimes it goes into Tenor territory, but meh), and Bass.
-> The piece starts off with the 'subject'. This is a short (or long) theme/melody that is easily recognizable by the listener. Last year, I had created a simple 7-note melody in order to teach the piano to my students. Then in August, I realized that it was suitable for the fugue I had always wanted to compose.
-> The subject starts off alone in one of the voices (I chose the Bass), while the other voices are silent.
-> Next, the second voice comes in (I chose the Alto) with the 'answer'. The answer is either an exact (real) or inexact (tonal) copy of the original subject, but modulated into a new key. So in my piece, I went from C major to G major.
-> While the Alto is playing the answer, what does the first voice (Bass) do? Well it performs the countersubject (or else there wouldn't be any counterpoint!). This countersubject is a melody that goes against the subject (hence the term). It helps if the countersubject is distinct/different from the subject, in order to differentiate the two.
-> Next I have a short section/episode that modulates back to C major.
-> Now, most fugues have at least 3 voices. In an exposition, all voices must be introduced at least once. So now it is my Soprano's turn to enter with the subject in the original key of C major (if I had written for 4 voices, I would then have the Tenor join in to play the answer in G major; this follows the same pattern as the first two voices). The countersubject is now in the Alto, while the Bass does its thing (in some fugues, there may be more than one countersubject, designated countersubject 1 and countersubject 2, etc. but I didn't want to restrict myself in this fugue).

PART 2: MIDDLE SECTION

-> You can do whatever you want in here. All you have to do is expand on your material from before. You can have episodes, sequences, modulations, motifs, and various manipulations of the subject (e.g. inversion, retrograde, augmentation, diminution).
-> In my fugue, I first started off the middle section with the Alto playing the subject in D minor, with the Soprano playing the countersubject. Then I played around with material using the ending part of the subject (in G minor to Bb major).
-> Next, the Alto is playing the subject in Eb major, with the Bass playing the countersubject.
-> Using an enharmonic shift, I modulated to G# minor. I played around some more with the material from the ending part of the subject (slightly inverted now, with call-and-response between Soprano and Alto).
-> Now, a stetto is usually found in the next part of the fugue, but I chose to sneak it in now for no particular reason. A stretto occurs when one voice is playing the subject, but before it has finished, the next voice enters with the subject. Actually, I didn't write a true stretto. Because a) I augmented the subject before the next subject arrived, and b) the next subject that came in wasn't complete and is more 'tonal' than 'real'. The countersubject is still there though. In any case, I started off in B major and ended with the C major as a dominant 7th for F major.

PART 3: RECAPITULATION

-> I'm not exactly sure what minimal requirements are needed for this part, because in my experience, each fugue is different in how it finishes off. I believe that as long as you return to the original key, it should be fine. As stated before, strettos are common here. You can also have a coda and a pedal point (an excellent example of a pedal point may be found in Bach's well-Tempered Clavier Book I: Fugue No. 2 in C minor).
-> As for me, the subject was stated in F major by the Bass, with the countersubject in the Soprano. Just as in the exposition, where I modulated from C major to G major, here I went from F major back to C major. The answer was played by the Alto, with the countersubject in the Bass. I change my modulation to remain in C major, but when the Soprano plays the subject, it is in A minor (submediant/VI of C).
-> I end my nightmare with a short codetta.

There's a whole lot more you can do with a fugue than I listed here, but I haven't studied it yet, nor would I ever want to!

Edit: Noir7 found this excellent and informative youtube video that explains quite clearly and in a non-confusing way exactly how to write a fugue, based on a popular tune you all know and adore --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgDcC2LOJhQ (I'm being sarcastic if you didn't realize!)

[Alfonso de Sabio]

BTW, Alphonso, I can't get to your link due to parental controls, so is there any way you could post it directly on the site?

I don't know if your parents will appreciate this, but I'll do it anyway. I have to do it in two parts though, because when I try to compress it, it doesn't go down enough (I don't think I really know how to use Winzip).

[Noir7]

In the voting topic though, I will use Alfonso's xthost link.