my composition - short prelude for piano

[furiouzpianist]

Finished it today, for my piano pedagogy class. It is mostly in d dorian.

my own recording.

[pianowolfi]

For beginners?  

Anyway, it sounds beautiful and interesting

[furiouzpianist]

well, at least the assignment was to write 2 pieces for beginners. I tired to make it easy technically, but still sound full.

I also attached a score.

I haven't started the second piece yet.

[pianoplayjl]

A nice element of subtleness in your music. can't wait for your second one.

[kellyc]

Very nice. Not over done and you didn't seem to force the music as so many do when they compose. I have only one small thing to add.  One of the things that I found very helpful for any of the pieces that I composed was after they where finished and graded, I went back to them and attempted to write 2 or 3 variations. It did wonders for my ability to truly delve into the harmonic and melodic material I had written. 

Again very nice, and I hope you continue to compose and explore your own musical ideas.

Kelly

[furiouzpianist]

Very nice. Not over done and you didn't seem to force the music as so many do when they compose. I have only one small thing to add.  One of the things that I found very helpful for any of the pieces that I composed was after they where finished and graded, I went back to them and attempted to write 2 or 3 variations. It did wonders for my ability to truly delve into the harmonic and melodic material I had written. 

Again very nice, and I hope you continue to compose and explore your own musical ideas.

Kelly

many thanks for listening, and your kind comments.

by variations do you mean a different version of the same composition, or do you mean the actual form "theme and variations", based on a theme from the composition.

also, what should I do for the second piece? It has to contrast this one but must be very easy technically.

[kellyc]

Hi Again. Theme and variations. Not only does it teach you a great deal. its a blast seeing what you can come up with using the same melodic and harmonic material. As far as your next piece well, maybe move to a bright cheery major key and change your rhythmical  structure. Example. Edward Mcdowell  , " To a wild rose" .  Just a simple idea.  Cant wait to hear it. 

Kelly

[starstruck5]

You have the beginning of a recognisable style there. I can't pay you a higher compliment really.

There is one thing I have noticed about really great melodies - they have a powerful rhythm which can be counted differently to the way you count a pulse. For example: Symphony No  40 G Minor - Ist movement - there is a very strong grouping of notes - 3+3+4/ repeated 2 times more - until it is varied.  

Another example is Rachmaninoff 3rd piano concerto - the main theme of the first movement -

da da da dum - da da da dum - da da da dum - da dum - dd da dum - or 4+4+4+2+3

What about Chopin in his Etude - op 10 no.3

da dum -da da dum -da da da dum - da da da dum -da da da da da dum - da da da dum

There is a beauty to the way the number of attacks build here, and die back at the end of the phrase - 2+3+4+4+6+4

I have not really formulated a system for analysing melody this way - but I am convinced all the great composers understood this instinctively - I didn't hear such logic in your melody - but I am interested if a person interested in composing feels there is any value in thinking about melody, with this idea of the way phrases and motifs can have a fascinating number pattern?

[pianowolfi]

For beginners?  

Anyway, it sounds beautiful and interesting

I might need to elaborate on my comment.

I intended to say that your composition is interesting and beautiful for us musicians! But you would have to face a really hard time if you tried to teach it to real-life average beginners without losing them completely! As a composition for very talented beginners (musically talented ones I mean, who are mostly not really eager to learn music reading btw...) it might be great to teach them by rote. But you can't stick to teaching by rote or by ear. You will also have to teach them reading music (firstly because school doesn't do that job anymore) from scratch! You have to teach them to discern between right and left hand, you have to teach them very very basic things regarding music reading, like "where is middle c" sometimes for years...

[liszts139]

Beautiful composition, I like the atmosphere of this prelude and its delicacy it's interesting, great! Keep posting, I'm looking forward for your other compositions!

Jason

[furiouzpianist]

hi all,

thank you for the kind responses. I finished my second prelude today, I will scan the hand-written sheets and record the piece tomorrow.