Approach to long form Writing (Example BTTF)

Hey Michael

First, it is great you are doing all this. Having some kind of "journal" for your music composing is very useful.

Ultimately I think it is going to be you coming to peace, or having confidence, or acceptance (or whatever the right word is) of your piece.

Are you writing music that you like? Of course there is always more to learn.

My point is.... there is no empirical objective ruler by which you can say "This is great structure".

There have been attempts.

I don't know the exact ratio, but music is both an art and a science.(or craft if you prefer)

Some people I know, who write splendid music, hate Beethoven. Go figure.

It might also be said that great works ask as many questions as they provide answers.

What is long-form to you? 6 minutes? An hour?

Music is a series of acoustic events that unfold over time, playing with the memory and expectation of the listener for the desired affect.

So, keep on learning and putting these things in a journal.

At this point, the best answer I have for you is to try it out. See if you can use a single motif to create an entire score.

Sure, ABA'B, but what other permutations can you derive. Keep looking at those you wish to emulate.

You might want to look at early classical composers like Haydn whose entire output is basically devoted to the question you are asking.

Perhaps the most practical way to gain craft, without getting lost in the abstract philosophical side is to practice theme and variations.
This way you can have more of a Top/down approach. So let's say the A section to that piece was 16 measures long.

If you write 10 variations you now have 160 measures. Additionally looking at larger forms than strophic ABAB will helpful.

 

Well, I just think you are heading in the exact opposite direction I would advise.

Sometimes we get things in our head, and can't shake them.
There is also no shortcut for "paying your dues"

Maybe your first goal is to write a really bad 25-minute piece. Then make the second one better, and so on.
My first concerto, I certainly felt lost at sea, and I did a few things where now I go "oops" when I hear it.

Got to break a few eggs to make an omelet,


That said: I don't think long-form is what I would advise you to work on.

Well, who said that? I certainly did not. I mentioned, (just being honest) that I could not make it past the 3-minute mark.
For me, it was not that there were too many, just none that I liked.

Your bass just sat there, no harmonic support for your melody, lack of rhythmic interest.

I would say keep studying scores: write them out note for note by hand. Then write a variation on the section you like.

It would be better to work with a smaller frame and get the material really solid first.

"Moment form" is perfectly valid too. I posted a month or two ago I was transcribing this piece. It works great, and a new theme and idea every 20 seconds.

 

Stand on the shoulder of giants.

I would advise you to make scheme models of pieces you like. Wether it's back to the future, or the planets.

For example below one possible model based on Harry Potter