Scarlet Woods - woodwind quartet piece

Terrific! Any woodwind player would be happy to play the piece. There are so many things to like in this.

First, you used your resources well. By constantly changing which instrument is resting, you explore a variety of colors and increase interest. I especially like the bassoon part.

Second, the harmony is very intriguing adding interest. You move back and forth between G aeolian and G phrygian which keeps the sound fresh and creates a vaguely middle ages atmosphere.

Third, the development section is wonderful. You break apart the theme and use each little bit to maintain continuity but keeping the piece interesting and fresh to the ear.

While this is a "little" piece, you should be very proud of your work.

 

First, what you need to do is take a large section of the piece and just repeat it, without any variations or anything.
That really impresses people.

Well, here comes darkness ! No, I am only joking. Of course, take what Paul said to heart. I too think it is a fine piece, and in particular great that you realized it has been awhile since you composed anything, so bravo for taking action to correct this.

To give my comments a proper context, imagine a piano lesson. The more advanced the student the more you can pick on them for smaller things. It does not mean a questioning of talent/ability, rather it is a natural progression to ensure one keeps on learning.
The more critical the more it means one has faith in the student. Otherwise you just smile, say something polite and move on.

Let me first offer a few small comments on your piece, and then comments on woodwind writing in general that I would suggest for you.

1. Overall the oboe writing is the most problematic in your piece. The oboe is unique in that it's dynamic curve means the lowest register is the loudest and hardest to control. Places like measure 34 and 35 where you have the clarinet and oboe in unison are going to be tricky. I would harmonize them. You really aren't gaining anything by doubling them, in fact it makes the passage harder to execute properly (with real players). Same with 56. The oboe is just naturally louder there and you don't gain much by doubling with the flute.

57 the dynamics for the oboe are not clear. Give them something to diminuendo to.

2. For the 16th note triplets, you would most likely get the exact same sound result by using mordent symbols. It would look a little less difficult from a sight reading view point.

3. I feel you are giving the baronies too much power in spots. For example cutting off the Clarinet right before measure 5. From a horizontal viewpoint it feels like the goal of the line was cut off. Same with 20 and the oboe. 25/26 flute. 64/65 flute etc.

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General comments on woodwind writing:

Not exactly. Remember the reeds. Oboe blends with Bassoon, and Clarinet blends with Flute. That's the most similar blend.

• For chamber music, you can take a lot more advantage of the colors woodwinds provide. With the exception of ContraBasoon/Bassoon woodwind players are pretty comfortable doubling instruments. This means Piccolo, or Alto Flute (even Bass Flute) or English Horn, or Bass Clarinet (fuck the Eb clarinet. I hate that thing)
• There are not a lot of established woodwind quartets that play regularly as an ensemble (at least over here anyway). Quintets you do find. They have the addition of a horn. This means you can experiment with the grouping. Ie. Clarinet quartet, and so on
• The reason large orchestra will have 3 of each instrument is that a single triad can be filled out. Thus, going back to the principle found in many orchestration books of having each section harmonically complete on their own. So, flute, alto flute, and bass flute will give you a perfect blend. (or other combinations: 3 flutes etc.)
• Solo woodwind writing very beautiful and expressive. You can always have passages that highlight solo's for individual instruments. I would also offer this is where people often let the playback of samples sway them. It won't sound as interesting on a playback with the computer so they shy away, when in live performance it is very effective.

Some suggestions for practice:

Take some piano music and orchestrate for woodwinds. Pick something you like of course.

Take solo pieces for woodwinds, and using that as the basis of the work compose background parts

Take piece for solo woodwind and piano, and orchestrate the piano part for woodwinds.


Keep on exploring. I like your work, and I think with more time/experimentation you will be writing very idiomatically for the enables

 

Strongly concur. I seldom hear it played well, even by pro's.

Back to OP's piece:
Congrats on getting back in the saddle and writing again. It is a colorful and rhythmically energetic piece. @Doug Gibson and @Paul T McGraw have good critiques about the form, themes, and orchestration, so I will make a couple of comments about the score/sketch.

Consistency of rest groupings matters when reading. It is confusing when the rhythm is ambiguous, especially when reading syncopated passages. There's a couple of conventions on 1-beat rests in compound time (6/8, 12/8, etc.):

• Dotted-Quarter rest (my preference)
• or Quarter + Eighth rests (seen in many older manuscripts)

Pick one, and stick with it. And don't count on Sibelius or Finale to do this correctly.

On the mordent vs written 16th-triplets topic:

I agree, but it can be a challenge to read all of the chromatic alterations. I think you can use appropriate markings to denote diatonic vs chromatic ornaments, but if you want to keep it more or less how you have it, then consider beaming across the beats to show the meter more clearly.

See the attached reworking of your sketch for more detail. I don't claim to have exactly transcribed this, so any errors are on my part.

 

Jesus.... you must be the most helpful person in the world.

Just fyi: The only time I have ever been emotionally moved by the piece of shit Eb clarinet is in a Strauss Opera.
I'm too lazy to look up the real title, but the english translation is "the woman without a shadow." One of the best Operas I have ever seen. This is Strauss channeling Wagner, and even some Debussy sounds. (Not the Korngold/Mahler sounding Strauss.)

Anyhow, the story is too fucked up to try and explain. But there is a flacon who is going to try and steal this woman soul to bring to the Gods ( I told you it's fucked) and the Eb Clarinet gets the Falcons theme. It's really amazing. Makes no sense, but it's a wonderful journey.

PS. I think if you made a clear decision on what the tonal center is for the mordents it would be no problem. Or, leave as shown. Too my eye it makes it all a little more quantized than I think intended.

 

True. A quick (30ish minute) take down of the piece from the PDF, but hopefully helpful.

I saw this live in 2001 or 2002 in Vienna. An INCREDIBLE production (blue body painted nude Tenor, bed suspended upright from the ceiling, and of course the incomparable Staatsoper orchestra). Die Frau ohne Schatten.

We're in agreement. I tend to over notate when I do "legit" music, which can be mixed bag. My intent is clear, but removes some agency from the performer. @Francesco Bortolussi - Redbanned....we report, you decide (/smirk).