What are you composing on?

I'm working on an orchestral composition at the moment.

Most recently I completed a work for string orchestra (which I got to see performed!) and a short work for solo violin.

I'm currently writing a piece for piano, viola and violin, which will be my first venture outside of solo piano writing.

I've been working on a fugue in D minor, it's a very natural 'subject' and 'countersubject' with a brake between repeating the 'subject' again, just like in Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor for organ. I wish I could make it as multi-dimensional as possible, the most natural way to do this is polyphony of course, passionate conversing voices, when I finish the work, I would like to post it here.

That sounds very interesting linz. I would very much like to hear it when you're finished - I love fugues, and listen to Bach's Art of Fugue very often.

I just purchased 'Der Kunst der Fuga' with the Emerson Quartet and it is absolutely amazing how suitable the work is for string quartet. It seems to me that Bach was mastering his fugues to a point of supremacy beyond definition. They started out as symphonically dramatic during his organ years, and then became each uniquely personal during the 'well-tempered' period, and eventually divinely abstact and perfectly balanced in his last work. Bach was more commited to mastery then any other angle of composition, the same could be said for Bruckner.

I've just finished a Chamber composition which comprises of a string quartet, piano, bassoon and flute. It's going to be recorded on Friday. I am currently writing an extended solo work for saxophone with piano accompaniment. Life's good at the moment! Ooh yeah!

mind show us an score example(don't have to worry me stealing).

Edward Elgar said:

I've just finished a Chamber composition which comprises of a string quartet, piano, bassoon and flute. It's going to be recorded on Friday. I am currently writing an extended solo work for saxophone with piano accompaniment. Life's good at the moment! Ooh yeah!

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Are you studying music at university?

No - I'm studying at college. I'd show you some scores and recordings, but I don't know how to get them onto pdh format or whatever! I hope to study music composition for media at university.

Edward Elgar said:

No - I'm studying at college. I'd show you some scores and recordings, but I don't know how to get them onto pdh format or whatever! I hope to study music composition for media at university.

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College... is that UK college (A-Level) or another definition of college (US college being the same as university)?

Sounds good. What Uni are you hoping to go to? I'm looking at the possibility of studying composition at University... but would want to it as a part of a double major in international relations. Not easy finding a good uni that blends the two.

As for getting scores onto the computer, scanning them is an option... the scanner should scan either into a pdf format or into a image format... or alternatively, taking a photograph with a digital camera?

I am writing my first symphony.

I got an idea today for a piece for wind octet (2 flutes, 2 clarinets, 2 trumpets, 1 bassoon, 1 horn) combined with a string trio (violin, cello, double bass) and vocal trio (three female voices). I've got three pages of ideas written down already.

i just finished a short composition for horn, celesta, piano, violin, viola, and double bass.

i'm quite proud of it, but unfortunately it was created on the demo for sibelius 4 with no way to save...

IAmKing said:

College... is that UK college (A-Level) or another definition of college (US college being the same as university)?

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You are correct, I'm loking at Durham, Leeds and York Uniersities as posibilities. I want to do a course in music wih a major in composition.

I'm trying to write a symphony. It's difficult as I don't want an atonal peice and I want it to sound modern at the same time. Anybody got any tips?

I'm working on a Something for piano...it sucks but it's fun. I can only work when I'm alone, which isn't often, so the score's spending most of its time under my bed.

Combined with my imperfect knowledge of theory -I just got up to learning syncopation in my piano lessons- it's rough going, but it will be worth it in the end to have something that I made.

I always wanted to compose but have never had privacy...sharing a room has major disadvantages.

When it's done -which could take a long, long time- would anyone be interested in hearing it?

It's built off of my incredibly powerful and brilliant system: Pick a key. Hit some notes with the right hand. Write those down. Now play a chord with the left hand. Keep playing that chord. Hit those notes with your right hand. Write all of that down with a pretentious attitude and behold! Composerdom!

Edward Elgar said:

You are correct, I'm loking at Durham, Leeds and York Uniersities as posibilities. I want to do a course in music wih a major in composition.

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I"ve been considering Leeds too, as they offer a double major, history and music. ANd have you considered looking at some of the colleges over here in the states? I didn't plan to, but I did, and their's some fantastic schools for music.

I'm writing a piece, I don't know what it would be called. What qualifies a piece as a sonata, or a fugue, or all those other names?

Both sonata and fugue are types of musical structure or form. Try looking them up on wikipedia if you don't know what they are.