I think this was a good idea for a thread, it is focused on one (perhaps the most crucial) aspect of composing. It would be interesting to have an entire sequence of such challenges, best harmonic progression, best orchestration, and so forth.

Here is a link to the B theme, the Princess Anna theme, of my piece Saint Vladimir. The theme sort of gradually morphs through several iterations. When the trombone sings with the woodwinds, the trombone represents the voice of Vladimir.

Princess Anna Theme

I think this is my best melody so far, but perhaps I will write a better melody tomorrow.

@William said:

I guess that challenge was a little obnoxious but whatever.  Here are some of my melodic excerpts though not necessarily my "best" - that is hard to judge.  I will definitely listen to these other postings - they look interesting... 

You have a real talent for melody William. I enjoyed every minute of this YouTube! You had an awesome idea for a thread. Why people are not willing to cut you a little slack (is that still an expression? it used to be) I do not know.

I followed your allusion to the old schoolyard dares of our childhood when the dare was always accompanied by taunts and accusations of "chicken" if one did not take up the dare and "prove himself." Have things really changed so much since our days of youth? I find myself sad about this situation. Your challenge/dare gave me a laugh and reminded me of those days long ago. Then I read how people were responding, and I couldn't understand how they were not seeing the humor and playfulness.

But thank you for posting some really awesome music.

@Paul McGraw said:

I couldn't understand how they were not seeing the humor and playfulness.

obviously there seem to be more people here who felt inspired to make jokes about this "challenge" than people who found notably funny what William posted initiallly. BTW I personally have no problem to take this subject (composing melodies which is definitly a sensible point in every musical esthetic) serious and don't think this would do anyone any harm or misunderstanding.

Hi William,

As you said, it's extremely difficult to pick one melody out of the lot. It would always be a very personal and subjective choice. I my case, I've written in so many different styles, instrumentations, with our without choir, for solo voices, orchestral tunes, themes of all sorts and purposes, religious, musical stage play... In Dutch we say: "It's like comparing lemons with apples". But I like the idea to come forward with one preferred melody or tune or theme (whatever you have meant).

This one could in some way be representative (from about 4:32 to 5:40). The rest is mainly a fully orchestrated Czech folk song for choir and orchestra.

My melody

Jasen I didn't hear any steaming in that example.  Also the other melodies sound better than the composer's opinions of them.  But since this topic is changing into "worst'  I have been inspired to find my worst melody now.  I have done some truly sickening ones, including one written for a golf course commercial that should have resulted in my imprisonment or at least a large fine.  

Anyway it is interesting to hear these separated from the development in the original pieces.  I was doing this partly to look over my own also, wondering what I would find.  It is impossible to judge though.

However, I do have to say that Guy's composition is one of the most magnificent examples of Post Modern Minimalism I have ever heard.  The way he incorporated a subtle nod to tradition - and therefore a connection with the past - with the V-I cadence at the end fills me with admiration.  The espressivo throughout was masterfully handled, the touch delicate yet firm. Bravo! 

Thanks William and everyone else who heartedly enjoyed my melody. It will be a great Christmas gift for me. I hope herb will consider putting it among the demos, perhaps among the top demos.

@Jos Wylin said:

Hi William,

As you said, it's extremely difficult to pick one melody out of the lot. It would always be a very personal and subjective choice. I my case, I've written in so many different styles, instrumentations, with our without choir, for solo voices, orchestral tunes, themes of all sorts and purposes, religious, musical stage play... In Dutch we say: "It's like comparing lemons with apples". But I like the idea to come forward with one preferred melody or tune or theme (whatever you have meant).

This one could in some way be representative (from about 4:32 to 5:40). The rest is mainly a fully orchestrated Czech folk song for choir and orchestra.

My melody

Very beautiful. Well done indeed.

My contribution is a piece for accordion, clarinet, and harp. I wrote it for my wedding and Becky and I got the chance to perform it live with one of the top Canadian harpists, Erica Goodman. This version though, features live accordion, clarinet, and midi harp (long before we knew how to really work with virtual instruments).

Passages for Accordion, Clarinet, and Harp

Sincerely,

Dave

This is a nice melody I had scored for a movie a long time ago, I think has some Brahms-ish qualities:

Scene from Eternal (2004) scored by Guy Bacos (All done with VSL back in 2003)

Later I used this same theme to write a "Theme and Variations" piece, and also did a version for piano and cello which will be performed in 2018, but this is the piano version.

Romantic Variations for piano solo by Guy Bacos

@Acclarion said:

My contribution is a piece for accordion, clarinet, and harp.  I wrote it for my wedding and Becky and I got the chance to perform it live with one of the top Canadian harpists, Erica Goodman.  This version though, features live accordion, clarinet, and midi harp (long before we knew how to really work with virtual instruments).

Passages for Accordion, Clarinet, and Harp

Sincerely,

Dave

Well it sounds great. A lovely melody. And since I am unused to a clarinet, harp and accordian ensemble, it sounds very fresh and like nothing else I have heard. Marvelous!

@Guy Bacos said:

 

This is a nice melody I had scored for a movie a long time ago, I think has some Brahms-ish qualities:

Scene from Eternal (2004) scored by Guy Bacos  (All done with VSL back in 2003)

Later I used this same theme to write a "Theme and Variations" piece, and also did a version for piano and cello which will be performed in 2018, but this is the piano version.

Romantic Variations for piano solo by Guy Bacos

This is a beautiful melody, and I much prefer it to the first one you posted. I find the harmony particularly pleasing and an integral part of the appeal of the melody.

Dave that is a great theme and very unique instrumentation also.

Guy I couldn't tell much from the first cue in the film score, but the Romantic Variations is brilliant.  You mentioned Tchaikovsky - well this music is on that level, simply beautiful. Very few people can create anything like this... it is Romantic but not a retread - I admire that more than anything.

Here is a another melody -

"There is Dew" by Thomas Hood

@William said:

Here is a another melody -

"There is Dew" by Thomas Hood

This is so beautiful William. Great soprano, great melodies, orchestration and production. Fantastic music overall. 

Dave...I loved your piece too....nice composition and performance, and very touching to know this was for your wedding.

Without having the delusion that I am 'competing' with the impressive posts in this thread, I felt like digging up an old peice that I wrote for a local film festival many years ago. I like to think that Ive grown much musically since then. The production and quality are nowhere near optimal, you can notice many problems in rendering  (this was not made with VSL btw) and compositionally its not quite there yet. But however...my wife thinks this is one of my best melodies, so here is my amateur contribution:

https://soundcloud.com/ankumar333/aiff-theme-anand-final/s-qqyZM

Cheers

Anand

btw being a physicist, I thought I might add a bit of math info regarding the number of possible melodies, which some here might already know about.

Even if we take a diatonic scale with an 8-note melody or theme, choosen out of 12 chromatic notes with no repetitions, the number of possible combinations are 12!/(12-8)! = 19 million. (the ! refers to the factorial function)

That means even without note repetitions there are 19 million possible diatonic melodies. But of course most of these will not sound pleasant. But even if 1/100th of these are good, we have 200,000 melodies. Now imagine if we add 7 note or 6 note or 5 note melodies, allso variations in rhythm.

There is much room for new music!

Anand

Hi Paul,

This is a fantastic melodic theme (Princess Anna). I love the way you changed the intimate mood suddenly (at 1:23).

Great music and fine orchestration!

Jos

Great variations, excellent playing!

Jos

A wonderful job, Dave, for a most special occasion. Did you (both) perform the music live at the marriage ceremony?

As an accordionist, I like the sound of the instrument and the detailed playing techniques. Very melancholic melody though for a marriage. 😉

Jos

Hi William,

All your melodies presented here are fantastic, as well as the orchestrations. The song is my favourite one.

Jos