My Greatest Piece

[demimondegirl]

I originally started this piece "Duende" a few years ago, as a pre-college student. I've been really working hard on it, and I think it's actually ferociously good.

Have a listen, and if you like it, perhaps someone here would like to play it?


It's currently arranged for 4 hands.

[demimondegirl]

Hey.

For fun, I posted a Youtube clip of the music, as it follows along to the score. Also, the piece itself is improved and elongated to include a third movement.

Enjoy!

-Kat

[furtwaengler]

I originally started this piece "Duende" a few years ago, as a pre-college student. I've been really working hard on it, and I think it's actually ferociously good.

Have a listen, and if you like it, perhaps someone here would like to play it?


It's currently arranged for 4 hands.

Kat, I love your enthusiasm and I really love your confident description, "Ferociously good." I get joy out of this...it reminds me of me in some ways.

I've listened to some of it, and it reminds me of my sweet 4 year old niece, Milly, who goes about with different things peaking her interest...She'll be a Care Bear and scream "Care Bears, STARE!" one moment and the very next see Dora and exclaim, "That's Boots." And she'll wonder at what the bird, Moonbeam is doing, and she'll want to draw a picture, and she'll want you to draw a picture, and then..."Grandma! Grandma! I need help!" and "David, David, read me this book!" and "Mommy where's David, is he upstairs? Did he go upstairs?" and "I'm thirsty, will you get me a drink?" and "No, I DON'T WANT THAT CUP!!!" and, and...all of this in the span of 30 seconds! But all with that sweet 4 year old voice.

Focus is the thing. There are so many different things happening in your piece without much development, and much of what is happening is in the category of subordinate technical devices (non of which are in and of themselves bad, but do contain aesthetic interest), and very little of it is thematic material. It could be called audio wallpaper becuase there is nothing to grab onto.

But I love your effort, and I love your enthusiasm, and I love your confidence. Do not change this or despise your youth! I would recommend that you seek someone to sit down with you, a composer or teacher of composition, because their counsel can be invaluable.

Dave

[pianowolfi]

I just found your earlier version of this which you posted in 2008 and now I face the challenge to find out which I like better. Anyway, I think it's a really cool piece, it has drive and temperament and great chord progressions

[furtwaengler]

I was just listening to the youtube link again...you have some very distinct cadences in the manner of Francis Poulenc, especially at 1:08-1:10. I get a thrill from that.

[demimondegirl]

Thanks for the input, gents.

Here's a much better mp3 of the full (updated piece).
https://www.box.net/embed/ulmnpbhexn94q53.swf

[riskarb]

I originally started this piece "Duende" a few years ago, as a pre-college student. I've been really working hard on it, and I think it's actually ferociously good.

Have a listen, and if you like it, perhaps someone here would like to play it?


It's currently arranged for 4 hands.

No offense but this sounds exactly like a Midi recording. ie. notes fed into a tone generator a la video game music. The reverb didn't even match the smallest of recording environments unless it was a feed directly form a digital piano.

So in my opinion, you either *are* ferociously good or a computer.... I'm new here and a peon myself so I'll assume the former

[pianowolfi]

Of course it's a midi.
But it's about the piece not the interpretation.

[riskarb]

Of course it's a midi.
But it's about the piece not the interpretation.

So the Midi was not the OP's actual performance and this is just a "hey, this is a cool piece; someone should play it" thread?

Not being sarcastic here. I'm new and thought people in this thread are posting their own performances...... which in the case of a Midi file, who on earth knows if they're actually playing it and very difficult to appreciate.

I'll take a video thank you very much

[thebuchertrain]

I really enjoyed this piece- you did a great job. Looking forward to hearing future compositions!

[kelly_kelly]

So the Midi was not the OP's actual performance and this is just a "hey, this is a cool piece; someone should play it" thread?

Not being sarcastic here. I'm new and thought people in this thread are posting their own performances...... which in the case of a Midi file, who on earth knows if they're actually playing it and very difficult to appreciate.

I'll take a video thank you very much

The OP is a composer looking for feedback on her composition, in the same way most people posting here are performers looking for feedback on their interpretations, and as such the type of file is irrelevant.

I think this piece had lots of interesting moments and great energy, but it didn't grab me as a cohesive whole so much... I think furtwaengler said it well.

[demimondegirl]

Okay, back to the drawing board!

Lately, I've been exhuming my underdeveloped themes (Duende included) and really trying to squeeze everything I can from them via the "Theme and Variations" method -- the following are a few of them, all in different minor keys, and are arranged each for 2 pianos...

Eb Minor

0:00 -- 0:54 My old modulating "Duende theme"
0:54 -- 2:13 Variation 1: Rhythmic and jazzy
2:13 -- 2:54 Variation 2; Homage to Ligeti, utilizing a Shepherd's scale against the main theme, rising and modulating ever upwards, to the apogee of C8, before crashing like Icarus all the way back to A0 Lots of fun!
2:54 -- 3:52 Variation 3: An "impressionistic canon"(?) that leads to a bombastic finale

F Sharp Minor

0:00 -- 0:18 A strange theme, to me, but one I enjoy, mysterious
0:18 -- 0:47 Variation 1: Expanded theme, with driving triplets in the bass
0:47 -- 2:05 Variation 2: Virtuosic, frenzied harmonies in the upper registers against rhythmic bass octaves
2:05 -- 3:05 Variations 3: A joyful 2 voice invention (that I love) leads to recapitulation of the strange theme, a couple octaves lower


i

[demimondegirl]

A minor:

0:00 --0:09 A lovely modern theme
0:09 -- 0:40 Variation 1: RIch harmonics, pleasant resolution
0:40 -- 2:08 Variation 2: Richer still, highly virtuosic, with a modulated recapitulation and strong (fake) ending
2:08 -- 2:45 Variation 3: A cheerful four voiced fughetta concludes

B minor:

0:00 -- 0:17 The most recent theme, a discussion between Heaven and hell
0:17 --1:10 Variation1: The discussion becomes passionate, tragic
0:10 -- 2:12 Variation 2: one long cadence, with occasional kibitzing above from high,  high repeated sixteenths
2:12 -- 3:00 Variation 3: A vigorous and growling recap

[demimondegirl]

E minor:
0:00 -- 0:38 very cool, sometimes dssonant theme
0:38 -- 0:52 Variation 1: Lovely cantabile, with octave leaps
0:52 -- 1:28 Variation 2: Rhythmic and fun
1:27 -- 2:08 Variation 3: Transcendent and frenzied, with a bouncing coda