Length: 5:31

The piece is structured around two major motifs: the atonal string figure which opens the piece is the main theme of the fire, while the woodwind melody which ends the piece represents the forest and its inhabitants. Some fragment of one of these motifs is playing at nearly any given time. I don't want to over-literalize the "story" of the piece, since music is so subjective, but suffice to say the music encompasses the entire event, from the first spark which begins the fire to the extinguishment of the final ember. Listen for the motifs and fill in the details yourself.

A career as a film composer beckons, at the very least. Still it’s very old-fashioned in a new-fashioned kind of way, though it does rather lack any real sense of terror. The main thing is that it shows enormous promise and a good facility at using the various parts of the orchestra fairly effectively. A lot of ground covered in just five minutes of music. Well done!

By: wobbie

This piece suffered from the lack of a real beginning and a real ending, there were some fine moments, lots going on but the feeling of a lack of structure ultimately weakened it. The notes mentioned “dissonance” and “chaos” and “atonal” in relation to melodies and lyricism. I could not really hear that going on, and this is where the lack of structure let the piece down. Even chaos has to be bound by structure - otherwise the chaos is formless and therefore inaudible.

By: Judge No. 1 (See Notes)

By: Judge No. 2

General

1. Complexity - A very bizarre song. I can't say I liked it. Things seem a bit all over the place a little.
   

2. Instrumentation - A simple orchestral template, but the way each instrument is played out is very awkward. A bit too awkward for my taste. As I have said, everything seems all over the place. I can't say I like the percussion, though.
   

3. Composition - The melody of the song is very interesting. Although I am not sure what the melody is, exactly. The harmonics sound really messy, too. Towards the end, at around 4:30, it flowed pretty nicely, though.
   

4. Initial Inspiration - There is intensity, there is peace, there is too much that makes the picture seem more like a confusion rather than what is really happening, or maybe I am misinterpreting something...
   
   

Specifics

1. Opening - Interesting intro. It started off with the feeling that something was about to happen. but I don't like the choice of percussion usage.
   

2. Middle - The entire song, from what I've heard, is so out there and so strange, I don't think I have the power to understand it. There is a part in somewhere towards the center of the piece that really stands out from the rest of the song, however.
   

3. Ending - The ending has a nice mellow major tune. It's a good way to end a piece that is supposedly chaotic.
   

Nope, I'm not feeling it. I'm just trying to listen to the song, but I get so lost while listening to it.

From the composer of: Abysmal Flames

From the composer of: Affordable Wisdom

From the composer of: Blisters

• 0:20-0:23 there was a jump here, I don't think its intentional but i should list it out.
• 0:40 starting - the pause was too long.

There are a few dynamics issue here. I am not sure whether it is supposed to be like that but I'll just list out what's wrong anyway.

• From around 1 to 2 min... the accompaniment was too loud for an ending of the melody.
• 1:10/3:00 starting - I heard FF7?
• 2-3 min... too sudden loudness after a soft note, not ear pleasing at all.

Tempo - Ending of 3 min to the end - I am not referring to the whole thing but some specific parts has a very consistently slow rhythm with little modification = static/boring which kills the music

Overall it is fairly good for a MIDI. Your work today has raised my perception of tone poem. Nice!

Just as I have commented for Music for Trumpets and Strings, if possible use a more appealing name, it matters a lot.

From the composer of: Fate of the Forest

The first time I listened to this piece, I did not hear any motifs. Then I read the composer’s notes, and listened closer, and did indeed hear the manipulations of the main melodies. I appreciated this link from the peace of the forest to its fury. The motif becomes as warped as the forest itself during the blaze.

From the composer of: Inferno

From the composer of: Music for Trumpet and Strings

From the composer of: Of Desperation, Death, and Hope

From the composer of: Prelude for Solo Piano

From the composer of: Tell Me About The Forest

• Harmony: Very Good. I enjoyed the complexity and interest of your harmonies. The piece really moves somewhere harmonically speaking. This piece is one of two works in this competition that has a much more complex harmonic language. The work lacks maturity but that comes with time and practice.
• Development: This is where the piece suffers the most. It feels like one idea after another. Granted, these are all very good ideas and your potential to be a great classical composer is clearly evident. The problem is in the continuity of the piece as a whole. The thing that makes a work grow is developing material rather than continuously introducing new material. I’ve listened to a number of Sibelius Tone Poems and it is very striking how he continually reuses musical ideas in a different guise throughout his works. The feel / mood of the piece changes throughout but it always feels related.  Below is a paraphrase from a theory text by Reti:
   

  MOTIVIC TRANSFORMATION Inversion Reversion and Interversion The direction in which the motive is expressed can be changed by which direction the melodic and pitch content of a piece is stated.  This concept can occur in several ways and the different expressions of it are termed Inversion, Reversion and Interversion.  (Example) Inversion is essentially flipping a melodic shape ‘upside down’ so it’s melodic contour is expressed in a contrary motion as to what it was originally.  i.e.  If a melodic line initially occured as an ascending sixth followed by a descending fourth the inverted line would occur as descending 6ths followed by an ascending fourth.  Reversion is explained as when the last note of a melodic shape is used as the beginning of another melodic shape.  Beethoven uses this feature quite regularly in his writing. When the process of inversion is followed but the exact pitch/ rhythmic content is altered, this process is named Interversion.  This process is often necessary to accommodate the harmonic or contrapuntal content of a piece and is used to make a melodic or harmonic structure fit within the context of what the composer is trying to express in his work.  Change in Tempo, Rhythm and Rhythmic Accents The rhythm in which a motive is expressed can also be changed whether it is by lengthening note values, embodying notes or changing the accents of the motive.  When the motive occurs in smaller rhythmic values in relation to the tempo of the piece, it is said that the motive appears in diminution.  Contrarily, when the motive is expressed in larger rhythmic values in relation to the tempo of the piece, it is said that the motive appears in augmentation.  When the rhythm is altered via a change of rhythmic accent or by altering the appearing rhythms, it is the melodic content which retains the identity of the motive and it is that which remains identifiable to the ear.  Conversely, and indeed more important to the study of the 5th Symphony, the pitch content can be altered while the rhythmic values remain the same.  Thinning and Filling of Thematic Shapes This is a concept that is simple in theory but powerful in it’s application.  For example if our motive consists of a leap of a third this is seen as the thin version.  If we then fill it in with chromatic passing we ended up with a filled version of the motive.  Conceptually, a filled motive can be used to create a theme or a part of one or a theme can be reduced by thinning to create a motive.  Cutting of Motivic Parts A whole motive need not be stated for the unit to retain it’s identity.  In the act of ‘cutting’ a motive, part of the musical entity is removed.  This is usually done in order to make the melody, harmony or counterpoint of the musical work flow since the whole motive is not always necessary for the piece to function.  Change of Harmony Both the pitch content of a motive and the harmonies which surround it can be changed.  For instance, in a tonal world, a motive expressing the note values C and E can exist in the context of C major, or A minor. Furthermore, if the pitches are altered to C and Eb the motive can now exist in the world of C minor, Ab major and F major.

   

• Orchestration: Mostly well done. Keep in mind that the piano will be difficult to hear.
• Form: The idea of having programmatic sections was nice and it works fairly well. The problem is in the disjunct feeling of the work.

Musicality [16/20]:

Relevance [20/20]:

• Need I say more?

Overall Thoughts [A / Good Work].  Your ideas are very good.  You are a promising young composer.

From the composer of: The Dance of the Clumsy Bear

From the composer of: The Wildfire Suite