Nostalgic Music Submission - il vento (the wind)

Please ensure your YouTube playback settings are HD (1080p).

music video:

score video

“il vento (the wind)” for piano, choir & orchestra… a tribute to the late, great, “il maestro” Ennio Morricone and my submission for the September 2020 “Nostalgic Music Contest”.


About this composition if you are interested: :thinking: :face_with_monocle:
The theme I used was “the wind”, which I thought suitable for the flowing repetitive figure in the piano.

I used the following musical elements to help convey the “Morricone” film-score sound:

  • repetitive figures (in the piano and doubled in other instruments)
  • use of fender guitar
  • use of vocal sounds (choir, solo soprano)
  • use of triads (in the acoustic guitar and other instruments)
  • sound effects (I used a loud “oil drum” sound combined with other percussion for various hits throughout the piece)

I extensively used minor 6th interval voicings, which to me sound nostalgic or sentimental (think Love Story Theme). I believe it’s the use of the minor 6th over minor AND major chords here that give the piece it’s sad, yet hopeful reflective sound.

The form is ABA. The first A section being the primary theme (Dm - G, F, G, Dm - G). The B section modulates a whole tone higher and intensifies with a variation of the minor 6th motif and brass/percussion stabs. Em evolves back to Dm. At the climax of the B section and the piece, Dm figures morphs into a new sound: Bb/D, then to an even newer sounding Eb (to tritone A!) and finally back to our familiar and powerful F, G turnaround. The last A section sticks only with the Dm - G progression as things simplify and fades out with “the wind”.

While it’s fun to share this post-creation analysis, I hope you don’t think about any of this detail when listening and instead simply enjoy! :cowboy_hat_face:

Brandon

8 Likes

This is really really good :slight_smile:

3 Likes

Not much more I can add. It sounds like Ennio Morricone, it´s beautiful and it suites this contest perfectly.
Thank you for this work.

2 Likes

Brandon - this is one of the best tracks that i have ever seen in here so far. It is absolutely brilliant in terms of composition and mixing aswell! The sounds are absolutely clear.
And - even if I focused more on the western part and sounds of Ennio - this has to 100% the Morricone vibe in it. Very well done!
Michael

2 Likes

Very Morricone! Good use of drumming and Morricone like instruments. I think that having another different musical section would have helped. It has a very accurate rhythm.

Jorge

1 Like

Thank you everyone so far for the feedback and comments. This month was a good exercise for me. Although I knew who Morricone was, I hadn’t really appreciated his writing style, vast film score output as well as his concert music. He was truly amazing. Most of all, with this new familiarity, I feel as if I have another set of tools in my toolkit for writing and orchestrating.

1 Like

Thanks Jorge. The playback and rhythms are all from StaffPad, entered with an Apple pencil. SP does a good job of playing dynamics and samples w/o being too rigid. The piano part was played live, however, to give more emotion in the track that I couldn’t fully get with the app.

With the piece being a tribute I didn’t want to stray too far from the primary theme and wanted to keep it homogenous. I had to time box this as well for this contest. But you may be right, another section might have been appropriate. If I ever do more with this piece, I think I would expand it with another section or so.

Thanks again for the feedback. Brandon

I’m one of those people who likes hearing complexity in music so I appreciated hearing the nice counterpoint and different surprising sounds. I also like how catchy the main melody is and how you add instruments to create more dramatic effects. I probably should appreciate simplicity more but I honestly get bored when I hear too much repetition and lack of rhythmic/harmonic interest.

2 Likes

Thank you Justin. I’m glad you like the piece and appreciate the detail. :grinning: The detail is fun for me when orchestrating, having so many colours to work with. I think there is a place for both complex and simple at the right times however. Both can be great.

Brandon

Again top quality Brandon. No fisures. No Achilles heel. Full of resources and intelligence. Well chosen elements and well used. Technically and emotionally perfect. I’m running out of good calificatives. :scream:
Lucky me that can share this space with such talented creators. And learn :ok_hand:.

2 Likes

Incredible composition, with all the right sounds, including the characteristic jarring percussion strikes. I love how there’s a fair bit of stuff going on, but everything is in just the right place, with flawless details and great sound. Excellent!

2 Likes

We are all learning here, so thanks to you as well! :smile:

1 Like

David - much appreciated.

This is awesome Brandon! My favorite so far. It really sounds like Morricone with the instrumentation and vocals. I really love the melodic theme. This could fit so many film/TV/game soundtracks. Always look forward to your work!

1 Like

Appreciated Matt. Take care

1 Like