# Misgiving (cinematic strings) - a work in progress



## Rob (Oct 6, 2010)

I have decided to expand the piece I had already posted, inserting a couple of new ideas derived from the main theme... how do you feel the piece develops? Is it consistent enough? There are lots of mixing issues, but I will look into those later, for now it's basically a composition thing... thank you!

first version, new idea planted in the middle of the piece...

http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Misgiving_wip.mp3 (www.robertosoggetti.com/Misgiving_wip.mp3)

second version, the harmonic language of new ideas elaborated to better match the preexisting material

http://www.robertosoggetti.com/Misgiving_wip_2.mp3

as the piece develops I will post its transformations, in the hope that it can be an interesting subject


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## dedersen (Oct 6, 2010)

Wow, this is lovely writing, really evokes a lot of feelings. I think your new additions are tied in quite well with the previous version. I really enjoy your use of dynamics around 01:23. And I think the return to the initial melody line near the end is very well developed.

Well. Not really that useful, I guess. I just like it a lot.


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## dedersen (Oct 6, 2010)

Just played it once more and the only thing that stood out to me as perhaps being slightly off were the pizzicatos around 1:12. I'd either develop it some more - as in using a longer pizz line - or drop them completely. As it is now it seemed slightly out of place.

More an orchestration than a composition critique I guess.


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## Rob (Oct 6, 2010)

dedersen @ 6th October 2010 said:


> Wow, this is lovely writing, really evokes a lot of feelings. I think your new additions are tied in quite well with the previous version. I really enjoy your use of dynamics around 01:23. And I think the return to the initial melody line near the end is very well developed.
> 
> Well. Not really that useful, I guess. I just like it a lot.



thank you, dedersen, your comment is much appreciated!


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## Rob (Oct 6, 2010)

dedersen @ 6th October 2010 said:


> Just played it once more and the only thing that stood out to me as perhaps being slightly off were the pizzicatos around 1:12. I'd either develop it some more - as in using a longer pizz line - or drop them completely. As it is now it seemed slightly out of place.
> 
> More an orchestration than a composition critique I guess.



I feel the same... I wanted to underline the celli line at that point but basses pizz is a bad choice, also because it's too high for them, and they take a nasal quality... have to think something better. Thanks again!


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## dedersen (Oct 7, 2010)

Do you have the score available as you did with the previous version? I'd really like to see it, if you don't mind sharing it. Some quite interesting movements in this piece.


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## Rob (Oct 7, 2010)

dedersen @ 7th October 2010 said:


> Do you have the score available as you did with the previous version? I'd really like to see it, if you don't mind sharing it. Some quite interesting movements in this piece.



I will gladly send you the score (tomorrow, now I'm working on a thing), as you seem to be the only one interested in this piece :D 
It's actually rather peculiar that while in another thread people are complaining about the lack of comments in this section of the forum, nobody but you really cares commenting on the development of this piece that was really solicited by some of this forum's visitors... no hard feelings, I understand that people have lots of things to do


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## dedersen (Oct 8, 2010)

Well, I have to say. I've only visited this forum for about six months or so but it seems by far to be the most friendly and helpful forum of this sort I have ever encountered.

Giving comments on other's compositions is always difficult. Sometimes you just don't really know what to say, it can be quite tricky to articulate your thoughts about a composition. I almost didnt' write anything, because I didn't really feel like I had anything very useful to say, except that I really enjoyed the work. 

Thanks for the score. Much appreciated. It's always a pleasure (and really helpful!) to study the written music of something I enjoy.


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## Rob (Oct 8, 2010)

George Caplan @ 8th October 2010 said:


> Rob @ Wed Oct 06 said:
> 
> 
> > ... how do you feel the piece develops? Is it consistent enough?
> ...



thank you, George, this is the kind of comment I was looking for. To me consistency matters, when composing... and I agree, it's obvious that I have inserted a chunk of music in the middle of a pre-existing one. I think there's a different harmonic language in the insertion, mostly triadic, whereas the rest is more impressionistic and based on ninth/13th chords. Furthermore, the rigid rhythmic figure ta-daaa ta-daaa ta-daaa etc is too different from the flexible proceeding ot the first theme. So now I have a direction to make the piece more even, stylistically. Thanks again!


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## George Caplan (Oct 8, 2010)

ok Rob but i dont really know what im talking about compared to people here. its just an observation that may have some validity but i dont know. :oops:


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## Rob (Oct 8, 2010)

George Caplan @ 8th October 2010 said:


> ok Rob but i dont really know what im talking about compared to people here. its just an observation that may have some validity but i dont know. :oops:



I think I know what you're talking about,  when you have the time, please listen to this second version, I have modified the harmonies in the central part to make them more similar to those of the rest of the piece... also given some more space

www.robertosoggetti.com/Misgiving_wip_2.mp3


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## Rob (Oct 8, 2010)

dedersen @ 8th October 2010 said:


> Well, I have to say. I've only visited this forum for about six months or so but it seems by far to be the most friendly and helpful forum of this sort I have ever encountered.
> 
> Giving comments on other's compositions is always difficult. Sometimes you just don't really know what to say, it can be quite tricky to articulate your thoughts about a composition. I almost didnt' write anything, because I didn't really feel like I had anything very useful to say, except that I really enjoyed the work.
> 
> Thanks for the score. Much appreciated. It's always a pleasure (and really helpful!) to study the written music of something I enjoy.



you are absolutely welcome, dedersen...
if you have the time, I have done a rework of the central part, mostly harmony-wise...

www.robertosoggetti.com/Misgiving_wip_2.mp3


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## Rob (Oct 9, 2010)

Guy Bacos @ 8th October 2010 said:


> Ok, since you asked.
> 
> First, I have to agree with George. There is a lack of unity overall. Each section on its own is nice but seem to go nowhere. The first part has some lovely impressionistic sounds, but then we fall right in the middle of a Tchaikovsky or Brahms symphony to Mahler and Bruckner. At 1:22 those strings are suddenly bit too epic sounding for me, like a cinematic feel from nowhere, then it goes in that classical feel again with some suspense, trem strings, and I feel that's also too isolated from the rest. You probably have 5 pieces in that one piece. Sorry to be so harsh but you wanted more comments and that's my honest opinion.
> 
> The presentation is very nice but the ideas need to be filtered and perhaps developed in a more simple manner.



Guy, thank you, yes I was looking for this kind of feedback! 
When I asked "is it consistent enough?" I knew it wasn't, I had planted a new idea right in the middle of the piece... though from a motivic development pov everything was derived from just two basic ideas, I think I changed subject too soon and went with a serious, triadic kind of theme, so that the colour of the music changed drastically... (btw, have you listened to the second version?). I will post further versions as the piece develops, and hope you will have the patience to listen and let me know what you think...


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## Rob (Oct 9, 2010)

Hicks @ 8th October 2010 said:


> I do like really your compostion.
> It reminds me russian romantics. There is a lot of breath and I can feel the expression.
> 
> CS is doing a wonderful mockup even if it would be a hundred time bettter with real strings.
> ...



thanks Hicks, I know what you mean, though that passage is a direct derivation of the first (a-b-c#/a-b-c#) idea... still I think it's a very strong passage, it just needs to be better prepared and presented


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## Rob (Oct 9, 2010)

JBacal @ 9th October 2010 said:


> Hi Rob,
> 
> Your very first version from the older thread was a real gem-- perfect the way it was.
> 
> ...



hi Jay, your comments are always so intelligent, polite and to the point, that I'm happy everytime you post... you are perfectly right and I have already started to develop the first part more. Also, your observation that I need longer and smoother transitions between different sections is absolutely right. I am taking care of this piece in my spare time, so it may take a while, but I'll keep posted every further progress of the piece, hoping that you will bw so kind to listen again and tell me your impressions...


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## George Caplan (Oct 10, 2010)

Rob @ Fri Oct 08 said:


> when you have the time, please listen to this second version,



its still got a good sound Rob and i guess i could on and on. but i think that would bore you to death und everyone else here. so basically to me at least its 19th century stylistically and Guy has gotten it right better than i could put it. what it may need and many works like it with that kind of rich structure is what i think you guys call better sounding transitions or get real players to play it if possible. i think in a case like this one real players would give it a slightly lighter touch and take out some of the stridence. just a guess. george.


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## lux (Oct 10, 2010)

it develops very nicely. 

May be me, but did u consider the possibility to apply a low limit to the crossfade? Like not having the modwheel coming down more than lets say 20-30? Many passages sound a bit sacrified by the expression as the jump is too abrupt for my ears. 

Se mi sono spiegato da cane te lo dico in pm in italiano..

Piece is very nice, i like the way is composite and a bit sudden in the changes.

Luca


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