Writing A Symphony - How Do They Do It?

[EdgeleyRob]

Suffolkcoastal and MrGongGong have written symphonies,I am so envious.
I can't read,write or play music.
I do however have bits and bobs of ideas for an orchestral piece,maybe a symphony, which I think would be in C sharp minor,floating around in my head.
It would sound a little bit like Malcolm Arnold I think.
One day.......

[cloughie]

Suffolkcoastal and MrGongGong have written symphonies,I am so envious.
I can't read,write or play music.
I do however have bits and bobs of ideas for an orchestral piece,maybe a symphony, which I think would be in C sharp minor,floating around in my head.
It would sound a little bit like Malcolm Arnold I think.
One day.......

My severe restriction is also knowledge of music theory - ideas of music clearly in four parts (ttbb) in my head which takes me an age to write down. Time signatures I find most difficult to crack!

[Suffolkcoastal]

Sadly I haven't written a symphony yet, I've written for orchestra though, and I've written some works that last over 20 minutes. Yes I could write a symphony, and have plenty of ideas for one (the opening, usually the hardest thing, is already in my head), but I can't see the point in writing out all those notes into full score if I'm never going to hear the work played, so I haven't bothered. I haven't composed anything since the end of 2011, though I'm toying with writing a Piano Quintet at the moment, perhaps when I've finished my symphonic survey I might start!

[teamsaint]

Sadly I haven't written a symphony yet, I've written for orchestra though, and I've written some works that last over 20 minutes. Yes I could write a symphony, and have plenty of ideas for one (the opening, usually the hardest thing, is already in my head), but I can't see the point in writing out all those notes into full score if I'm never going to hear the work played, so I haven't bothered. I haven't composed anything since the end of 2011, though I'm toying with writing a Piano Quintet at the moment, perhaps when I've finished my symphonic survey I might start!

do you write your scores by hand , and not use computer programmes such as Sibelius, SC?

[Hornspieler]

do you write your scores by hand , and not use computer programmes such as Sibelius, SC?

HS

[EdgeleyRob]

Sadly I haven't written a symphony yet, I've written for orchestra though, and I've written some works that last over 20 minutes. Yes I could write a symphony, and have plenty of ideas for one (the opening, usually the hardest thing, is already in my head), but I can't see the point in writing out all those notes into full score if I'm never going to hear the work played, so I haven't bothered. I haven't composed anything since the end of 2011, though I'm toying with writing a Piano Quintet at the moment, perhaps when I've finished my symphonic survey I might start!

Whoa Sc,I demand a string quartet survey when you're done with symphonies.

[teamsaint]

HS

is that not what his post suggests?

[Suffolkcoastal]

Yes, all my scores are done by hand, so everything is done via my head and the piano/electronic keyboard, as I can't afford the price of software programmes I'm afraid.

I'm not sure about a String Quartet survey, I don't have enough to really make it interesting sadly, though I have a couple of hundred or so.

[teamsaint]

Yes, all my scores are done by hand, so everything is done via my head and the piano/electronic keyboard, as I can't afford the price of software programmes I'm afraid.

I'm not sure about a String Quartet survey, I don't have enough to really make it interesting sadly, though I have a couple of hundred or so.

I thought you meant that. I just looked up the price of Sibelius student edition. Ouch !! I bought it for two of my Kids for A level , and I am sure I didn't pay anything like £180 . I had it in mind I paid around £50/60. I would have remembered £180 !!!
Anyway, keep at the composing SC...you never know what might happen. I am hoping to get the time to pick up a bit of playing again soon.....although how I will fit that in with your recommendations and all the other stuff I need to listen to is anybody's guess.
I suppose the decorating will just have to wait......shame.....

[ahinton]

I'm toying with writing a Piano Quintet at the moment

Well, don't do what I did with mine and start it, get its first movement down and then think "I can't do this" and put it in lukewarm storage for 24½ years and then think "I wonder if I could - er...", then start its third movement and then work piecemeal on the remainder with only gradual increases in creative energy only to finish the whole thing some 29½ years after commencing it! Medtner was worse than I with his; it took him almost 45 years on and off (mostly off) and his occupies less than half an hour in performance whereas at least I have the tiniest excuse in that mine plays for around 80 minutes...

I've always used a writing implement and paper, incidentally although I do print out the paper from the computer rather than using pre-printed stuff.

Good luck!

[teamsaint]

Well, don't do what I did with mine and start it, get its first movement down and then think "I can't do this" and put it in lukewarm storage for 24½ years and then think "I wonder if I could - er...", then start its third movement and then work piecemeal on the remainder with only gradual increases in creative energy only to finish the whole thing some 29½ years after commencing it! Medtner was worse than I with his; it took him almost 45 years on and off (mostly off) and his occupies less than half an hour in performance whereas at least I have the tiniest excuse in that mine plays for around 80 minutes...

I've always used a writing implement and paper, incidentally although I do print out the paper from the computer rather than using pre-printed stuff.

Good luck!

That is a nice insight into your work AH, and makes my decorating progress look lightening fast !!

Not that there is any comparison to be made, other than time scale, of course....its not as if I can blame a creative block , or something worthy like that .

Piano quintets all seem to be lovely. I just got the Elgar, prompted via the 3rd symphony by AH, and its a joy. Brahms would have been proud of it !

[ahinton]

Piano quintets all seem to be lovely. I just got the Elgar, prompted via the 3rd symphony by AH, and its a joy. Brahms would have been proud of it !

It's a wonderful medium indeed. although I do not imagine ever writing another one. Schumann, Brahms, Franck, Shostakovich, Fauré × 2, Chausson (although it's cheating a little to think of his Concert as one really!) - and for a real corker, go an investigate (if you don't already know it) another French one not by but dedicated to Fauré - that by Florent Schmitt; it's one of the greatest of them all, I think. The Elgar is indeed a joy, although I suspect that any pride that Brahms might have taken in it would have been based on the fact that Elgar - an English composer - had written something that good!

[teamsaint]

I will certainly investigate your suggestions AH...thanks, the Faure I haven't heard, and the Schmitt sounds terrific.They are on the list.
Incidentally, discovering the Elgar #3 is a brilliant experience. I would imagine seeing the score of the original material whilst listening would be quite something..... though obviously pretty tricky !

[ahinton]

I will certainly investigate your suggestions AH...thanks, the Faure I haven't heard, and the Schmitt sounds terrific.They are on the list.
Incidentally, discovering the Elgar #3 is a brilliant experience. I would imagine seeing the score of the original material whilst listening would be quite something..... though obviously pretty tricky !

Very tricky indeed, since apart from the first page and a half, there is almost no "score" as such, the remainder of the material on which Anthony Payne worked amounting to little more than a thing of shreds and patches...

[teamsaint]

Very tricky indeed, since apart from the first page and a half, there is almost no "score" as such, the remainder of the material on which Anthony Payne worked amounting to little more than a thing of shreds and patches...

Its hard to judge from what I have read exactly how much material there really is, but I am sure you know well enough.
No doubt there have been plenty of discussions about this work on boards over the years about this work...