[Fmpro] A piece I wrote based on The Odyssey

[caseyedwards@comcast.net]

Hi all, I'm just looking for some constructive criticism on a recent piece I wrote for a college English course.  It was a "creative extra credit" assignment so I composed music based on The Odyssey, which we read this semester.  

The piece is at :      Myspace.com/CaseyEdwardsMusic.com

NOTE:  I'm a student composer at a university that doesn't teach film composition, but I'm being classically trained, which I'm sure isn't to far off from what being a film COMPOSER is.  I know this board is comprised of many professionals but I'm interested in everyone's opinion.  I've never been given the opportunity to score to picture so I just make it up in my head the best I can.

Also, here is a little time-line to follow if anyone is interested.

I. The first movement is a basic introduction of themes outside of a plot line. The first 2 themes stand for the love of home and family, and then for love of Penelope (a more romantic love).
0:00 – 0:26 is the love for home
0:26 – 0:51 is the love for Penelope
0:51 – 1:15 is the love for home reprised, just on a grander scale.
1:15 – 1:28 is Odysseus’ theme standing alone without harmony. I used percussion and a war like chant undertone to create a more ‘manly’ and heroic feel to his character for an introduction.

II. 1:28 – 2:06 is where mvt 2 begins. It carries a dark and mysterious tone for all the creepy things that happen in the Odyssey. This particular theme represents Circe, much more mysterious than frightening.

2:06 – 2:56 is the underworld scene. The end of this scene is a frantic run out of the underworld when Odysseus feels suddenly overwhelmed by the spirits surrounding him.

2:56 – 3:40 is his grand escape. Despite the fact he does get frightened I wanted to depict his heroicness of being great no matter what is happening. So immediately after returning to the ship he gives orders and off they sail to Ithaca. Also, Odysseus’ theme is brought back, but with an ‘epic travel ahead of us’ feel to it.

III. 3:40 – 4:33 Fast forward later in the journey to Odysseus’ arrival. He see’s Ithaca’s shores and is glad to be home. The love for home reprises here but without the romantic theme following because he cannot interact with Penelope just yet.

4:33 – 5:33 after a brief musical interruption in the love for home theme, Odysseus remembers what he must do now that he is home. Kick some suitor ass…and he does. (The suitors are the guys who took over his home while he was away at Troy)

5:33 – 6:15 is the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus with some added flavor of a quote from King Priam in the mix.

6:15 – END is the third coming of Odysseus theme which cuts off the love theme kind of at its climax. We know his journey’s are not over yet, so I felt ending with his theme felt more appropriate.