String Quartet No. 5 in Bb major Movement 1 by Benjamin McLean
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- Yes, I'm back to writing string quartets. I really love string quartets, I've discovered. It's also nice to write not just one, but a bunch of different pieces in the same form, I feel like I'm getting more comfortable with this form (do you agree? maybe I'm getting worse 😂)
Fun fact: 24 hours ago this piece didn't exist 😂 This piece was mostly written over the course of 2 sessions, each a few hours long, starting yesterday and finishing today.
This first movement is in Bb Major, Allegro con moto, Sonata form. Pretty classic style and nothing too out there.
I'd be thrilled if a quartet group somewhere would perform one of my pieces sometime.
I'm aware I have some unfinished pieces that I've posted parts of already. On my list to finish is the 'Invisible Cities' suite for solo piano, so that will appear one day.
Please comment if you would like the sheet music for this piece (free), or you can DM me on instagram if you prefer: / benjaminpiano3110
Also sheet music for my other pieces are on IMSLP:
imslp.org/wiki...
FYI I am on Spotify, currently have 2 albums of improvised piano works (link in bio)
Please like and subscribe! Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed, or if you have any suggestions for music I should write :)
![Benjamin Britten: Simple Symphony, for string orchestra, op.4 [with score]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cSvSOWbNNMI/mqdefault.jpg)
This is gorgeous
@@debussyman88 thanks a lot 😊 much appreciated
Very helpful to read your comment section as I also want to composed for string quartets. Keep it up💪👍
Glad you find it helpful 😊
It sounds great! I could try playing it.
0:00 Introduction: Seventh chord + staccatissimo/First theme?
0:10 Legato part
0:21 More staccatissimo
0:40 pizzicato
0:41 repeat
1:22 Development
1:29 1st Violin starts playing hard parts/
2:21 Cellist starts feeling bored
2:48 this sounded familiar
2:52 Recapitulation
3:20 Ending
Glad you like 😊 I’d be thrilled to have my music played 😊
I’ll be down if you need a second violin!
Sorry... I realized that I don't have time for that, and I forgot to tell you.
Sounds great! As a cellist I'd like to give you a few tips to write more idiomatically.
The eighth note staccato thirds, while possible, aren't very comfortable. The cellist needs to shift nearly every single time the chord changes and at even moderate speeds they're likely to face some intonation difficulties. I'd recommend redistributing the chord between the viola and cello to have wider intervals or single notes where possible.
The octave D at mm. 38-39 is also possible but uncomfortable, and rather difficult to get in tune, as the cellist has to use their thumb to play the lower D. Fine in certain passages, but not really good for anything at speed.
At mm. 41-42 and 45-46, the switch between pizz and arco is very fast and liable to cause the bow to bounce or produce an unstable tone. I'd figure out a way to restructure that part if possible.
Again, these passages aren't impossible, and if you can't rework them in a way that sounds like you want it to then that's ok. Learning the weird idiosyncrasies of every instrument that you don't play is tough lol
Thanks so much ❤specific feedback is really useful - as someone who doesn’t play the cello it isn’t always obvious what is good writing and what isn’t 😅 thanks for taking the time to go through the score 😊 I will have to make a ‘2nd edition’ edited score which incorporates feedback from you and others to make the piece more playable. I’m glad you liked it and if you or anyone ever plays it feel free to change anything you like haha 😊😊
@ Maybe I'll try to convince the peeps I meet up with to play chamber to record us sight reading this at some point :)
this is fire
@@napatruankaew thanks so much, I’m glad you like :) best of luck with your compositions and violin playing! 😊
good work!
@@aramkhachaturian8043 thanks very much 😊😊
I had to give this piece a few listens. I love the fun and wintery feel to some of the sections, plus the bolder opening measures. Excellent piece.
I think this piece would really shine with a live quartet. Musescore gives the violins this annoying glissando sound if you write in legato. It's to the point where I wont upload the compositions that suffer from this the most on my RUclips channel
@@hergestthered thanks so much! I’m always thrilled when someone likes the piece 😊😊 Yes I agree a live quartet would be ideal haha, but until then MuseScore will have to do 🙃 Recently I’ve been using paid sound libraries in MuseScore different to the default ones - for example the ‘CineString’ library for solo strings is ~$20 on MuseHub and gives a possibly more realistic sound, which you might find helpful in terms of improving the sound quality, although it might not be the best solution and nothing beats real musicians 😂
Nice!! I can’t hear the viola part though?
Thanks very much glad you liked it :) the Software I use (MuseScore) sometimes automatically turns the volume down on certain parts (ie viola) and turns it up on others (1st violin as you can probably hear). I’ve since realised I can override this lol but for the playback for this piece the viola is probably too quiet, as you say 😅😅
It's pretty fun! I would suggest you incorporate more contrapunctal writing in your music, it would level it up quite a bit. You have good ideas!
@@gonasjoss thanks 😊 I love contrapuntal music, and I should indeed write some music which includes this (to the extent I can manage contrapuntal writing haha 😅)
Now could you create a tuturial on how to write a string quartet (I'm too lazy to correct my spelling)
I’ve actually been thinking about making a video of composing a piece, this is a good suggestion and I should do it soon!! 😅😂
Wonderful!
I felt that the violin 1 sound was very unique. Any insights as to why?
Thanks very much I’m glad you enjoyed :) the software I use is MuseScore 4 which has pretty good timbres for their instruments (although real musicians are always best 😅), what do you mean by unique?
Usually, for however much my opinion’s worth, I use the solo sounds for viola and cello but use the orchestral violin 1 sounds for violin 1 & 2 because it makes it much easier to work with.
@@EthicalEthicsEnteringEthically thanks for the tip 😊 anything to make the sound quality better in MuseScore 😂😂
You should be writing for the BBC
If they have a job opening I’d be honoured 😂😂😂
@@benjaminpiano3110 It's worth checking out. Soundtracks for indie films, documentarys, etc.
it's pretty good - WAY too violin oriented (like most string quartets). Move more of the melody to the viola / cello sometimes.
I agree with you 😅 I hope as I get better at writing music I will give better/fun parts to all instruments 😊
Sounds like something a viola player would say 🤨
Bowing 👎
Places where needed legato, you didn't put, where is not much needed, u put.
Hi thanks for the comment - I’m not a violinist 😅😅 working on improving writing for violin and other string instruments 😂 if you or anyone plays this feel free to play with whatever bowing you prefer
@@benjaminpiano3110 ok👍
Your approach to functional harmony is oversimplified and lack interest. The music doesn't take you anywhere
Hopefully I will write more exciting/interesting music as I improve 😅😅 thanks for your comment
How does it not take you anywhere? How exactly? You're just stating non-arguments. Where are your compositions? Let's see them.
I'm all for criticism but it should be meaningful.
I do think it may linger too long around 2:30 but the piece isn't long enough for it to be a big issue. I really like the way he shifts from the more modern commercial sound when the strings are playing 8th notes in unison back to a more traditional sound. I don't think any given part or melody is that interesting on it's own but I love the structure and the fun attitude the whole piece gives.
I can appreciate this piece as someone who really struggles with giving music interesting and cohesive structure.
@@hergestthered thank you for your thoughtful and insightful comment 😊 May we all continue trying to compose music with a cohesive and interesting structure! 😂😅
Plus or minus unuseful, save the children.
@@salvopappalardo4956 not sure what you mean by this 😅😅
what software are you using? i recomend musescore native strings, but be careful, the articulations works in a different way
It’s MuseScore using the default sound library :) I agree that it doesn’t always sound realistic haha 😂