Brassbandpiece

[mjw58]

This is my attempt to write a Brassband piece. It’s a work in progress so it’s not finished, and I change things all the time. No title yet. The plan was to make a rather short piece. 3-4 minutes.

I somewhat cleaned up the score, but I will do the last bit when the piece is finished. There are staves with little or no music yet.

I wanted the rendition to have Brassband sound. And there were instruments I didn’t have. Cornets, Flugelhorn, Tenorhorns, Euphoniums etc. So, I invested in some sound libraries.

I haven’t had the time to do much to the rendition so it’s almost straight out of the box.

I did the following:

Notated it with Finale, saved it as MIDI-file and, loaded the MIDI-file into Cubase.

Vst-instruments used:

Vienna Symphonic Library:
Cornets, Flugelhorn, Euphoniums

Indiginous:
Tenorhorns, Baritones

EastWest:
Trombones, Tubas

Native Instruments:
Percussion

Score:
https://app.box.com/s/vk5r8urhrq29kmsfjasmwkf9c562w6df

Wave:
https://app.box.com/s/thiuc18tjckqejarmjfmcmp7ccsp3q0l

Morten

[mjw58]

I forgot to mention that what you hear is an opening, and after a little break a possible ending.

Morten

[sandalwood]

Morten, I think this is very cinematic. It has a majestic ring to it, like it belongs to a ceremonial scene where the king arrives with his entourage. Perhaps connected to this, it reminds me of the "attitude" in some Lully/Rameau works though not sounding as ancient or thick/opulent in its idiom.

With such associations, I expected to hear the brass have somewhat higher dynamics and sharper attacks (assuming they're separately adjustable) in some passages.Very possibly, however, my reading of the music is wrong and the true context calls for the more restrained manner in which they currently play.  In any case, I like this and  I'd like to see how you develop this promising start.

[gogreen]

Morten: Nice work with lots of possibilities. I agree with Sandalwood. Have you considered widening the trumpet range a bit--the Eb cornet part seems a bit low--or is that intentional. Actually, that might make a nice contrast (keeping it low for now) with what's to come. I'd probably add more percussion, too. Or percussion could make a grand entrance later (like the cornet range)?

[RJB54]

I think that this is a good opening to a larger work. I look forward to hearing what the rest will sound like.

[mjw58]

Thank you for the inspiring comments. 

To perhaps answer your questions.

I haven’t had time to do much with the rendition, but the dynamics are going to be more prominent, and yes, they are separately adjustable.
I have loaded one mid-track per chair. That means: 2 Euphoniums = 2 midi-tracks, 1 Solo Tenorhorn = 1 midi-track. That way I can adjust each track as I please.

To have a Brass band sound I’ve had to use different sound-libraries with different “play engines”. So, I had to learn how to use them.

About the soprano cornet: I started out trying to compose a not too difficult piece of music and hesitated to make the Soprano go too high. Now I have some changes I would like to try and that will raise the grade level. Then I can utilize the range of the Soprano Cornet.

Again, thank you and thank you for your suggestions. 

Morten

[mjf1947]

Hi,

I like it!  I suggest more movement in the bass line to create some forward momentum and/or counter melodic line with an expanded percussion section.

Mark

[Jerry Engelbach]

It's an interesting fanfare with much promise.
 
It feels a little heavy in the instrumention. Perhaps take more advantage of separate groupings?
 
Are you familiar with Walton's Crown Imperial? It's a good model.
 
Your solo cornet mysteriously metamorphs into three and then two cornets ...
 
Cheers,
Jer

[mjw58]

 An update on this Brass band piece. It’s not finished but I added a few bars. Well perhaps more than a few. 
The score is not quite finished yet. Some collisions, no rehearsal marks etc.

The Eb Cornet is a Bb Cornet playing very high. Poor thing. I couldn’t find an Eb Cornet as a VST, but I just downloaded a Piccolo Trumpet so I will be using that later.
The last 4 bars are a part of a new section of the piece. I let the music fade out.

I’ve been trying to load my libraries inside Finale to get a better sound and it works. Sort of. I have made templates that I use but I don’t think Finale was designed to do that. I don’t have all the tools that I have in Cubase. If someone would like to share their experience on this, please do.

This sound file is from Cubase. I think I will spend less time on the sound and more on making more music. I can always do the sound-bit later.

Any comments are appreciated. 

Morten

     Wave:
              https://app.box.com/s/bsntw8zja8enxdn7twzhux2q8n45w6a3
     Score:
              https://app.box.com/s/9zpadyck2e3d1pwnayjpupooqpg1vlv6

[mjw58]

I looked at the score and I forgot to delete the last pages. 
The music goes on til page 15, the rest is just sketches.

Morten

[sandalwood]

Morten, I like this work and enjoy listening to it. I like the melodies, the rich counterpoint. One remark I would have is, as we move into the slow section, I feel we go a bit too mushy and colorless for too long. Perhaps a 1-2 second of strong color somewhere (incl. the euph. itself), as the euphonium starts its solo for instance, could remedy it without destroying, even supporting the tranquil mood. Keep in mind, however, that's an impression of someone particularly unfamiliar with concert band music.

Looking forward to hearing more.

Reha

[mjf1947]

I LIKE IT! 

Great Fun ...... very nice development of the thematic material ... lots of energy ... definitely keeps the listeners attention.  I also liked the brass fabric/texture.  It is definitely going in the right direction~!

Mark

[mjw58]

Mark and Reha, thank you for your inspiring comments.
 
Reha. I hope I understood your comment correctly. I was trying to make a nice transition from the fanfare-like opening to the slow section where the Euphonium starts its solo using Tenorhorns and Bb Bass in bar 24-25 and Trombones and Bb Bass in bar 26-27. Going from full band via different instrument groups before the Euph. – solo starts.

I will look at that section again. I may have to do something in the last 3 beats of bar 27. Nothing really happens there.
I think perhaps these instruments will sound much clearer in a live performance.

Morten