Feelings on a composition

[danthecomposer]

Hello all,

I would be interested in feedback for my latest composition.  I have begun to compose heavily and at the moment, #3 is the latest online, even though 4 has just been completed and 5 is in development.  I wish to have 6 pieces in my Budapest set.

I post this having seen another user post a video of his 8 (pleasant) compositions, so I figured I would do the same as his thread was not deleted.

My video is not so long, however

I'd be happy to share my compositional approach with those interested, but in a nutshell, I seem to naturally blend classical virtuosity with the occasional jazz chord (since I'm a jazzer at heart).  Hoping to write 'unpredictable', structured yet 'free-ish' works with a memorable melody yet free in such a way that it is always a little different when played by myself and/or others... so only chords will be provided each time; no fixed score.

Many thanks to all interested,

Dan.

[asiantraveller101]

Cool. Enjoyed it very much. A question: so you only have the chord structure mapped out and not the actual notation? It does sound very improvisatory, with all the runs and figuration. What if a classically-trained pianist, like me, wants to dabble in your composition?

[danthecomposer]

Hello traveller

In a similar way to Liszt, albeit with many differences too (!), I wish to try to bring forth a new kind of piano playing and compositional approach.

I (very) personally (and probably quite uniquely) feel that the days of fixed scores are or should be coming to a small end; perhaps not 'end', but of lesser use, in the same way that Liszt and others broke away from the old ways of music.  You may be familiar with the 'new school' that Liszt headed (metaphorically) during his Weimar years and beyond?  It is about introducing new ideas and being patient against opposition, knowing that in some small way, you are correct, even if only to a certain point.

These days, sight-reading is of less importance.  Most students want to (and can) learn music quickly from online videos (many computerised instructional videos exist on YT) as well as just copying from someone who can play it already.  Whilst I agree that sight-reading is useful, if there are quicker ways to learn a piece and personalise it, why go against that?  I'm on the fence.

So, my compositional style blends elements from jazz and classical piano approaches.  The former (jazz) provides an opportunity of semi-improvisation and calls for advanced chord knowledge, whereas the latter demands advanced finger dexterity and knowledge of all keys' scales, whislt providing from both a structure and memorable melody/ies.

Thus, the answering of your question now becomes easier to understand:

The pianist, of whatever level and background (which includes yourself), is thus obliged to improve their knowledge of chords.  They are then required to develop a visual memory along with a muscle memory.  This is beneficial to any player, whether they want to play my music or not so, in a way, each piece a student wishes to play of mine provides them with some kind of 'free lesson', passively-speaking.

The primary reason for no notation is that which connects to what I said at the beginning about how sight-reading, I feel, is becoming an unnecessary chore (which I 50% agree with, I hasten to add) to new students and many newcomers to piano, including experienced pianists, would quite like to play the piano more freely without having to pain-stakingly study the black dots.

Thus, if you wish to learn compositions, you will be 'required' to first familiarise yourself with the chords involved, then listen enough to internalise the melody, and last of all, and this is what I love about my approach:  you develop your own voice 'upon'/'out of my music.

This means that every interpretation ever played will be different, albeit the same piece of music.  Classical music requires the pianist to play 99% the same as the next, depending on who revised the score, but it's absolutely fair and indisputable to say that when someone plays Liszt, Beethoven, Chopin and the like, they will all play it the same, note for note, rest for rest, pedal notation for pedal notation; the only 'difference' being their own passion.

My music provides more freedom and space since there is no notation.

I would be exstatic to hear somebody interpret this piece of music and post it online since that would be the first ever example of my own Liszt-like 'new school' of piano composition.

I hope I have answered your question well enough and also introduced others to my currently tiny world of piano music.

Many thanks,
Dan

[gyzzzmo]

I'll skip the compliments and proceed to the 'what i think you should work on'-part:

You should be more focussed on the melody and realise that the rest is decoration.
What a lot of improvisal composers like you tend to do is getting towards a chord and then fill it up with freestyle notes so you get yourself some time to make up the next chord. Meanwhile stretching the melodyline so much that it gets lost.

You're using nice and original chords, thats a real good thing. But maybe you should write down the melody first and start thinking -with- the melody. Build the rest around it

[danthecomposer]

Hello,

Your comments are gratefully received.  This, of course, is one composition.  You can find 2 others but they were recorded off my keyboard 2 years ago and are to be redone.  Number 4 is complete and is much different to this one.

I understand your comments and am unique in that I believe in listening to the critics because they usually don't critique unless something is genuinely wrong enough for the majority to avoid mentioning.

Thanks muchly,
Dan

[asiantraveller101]

Thanks for your extensive explanation of your composition style.

[thatpianoguyhezron]

I agree with gyzzzmo. You need to ask yourself, where the piece is going.
I didn't really hear a melody or riff that I could latch on to.

You have fancy technique but give the listener a clear path to take.

And about sheet music. I am a jazz musician. I play great by ear. I still learn a lot from sheet music. It will never come to an end.

YouTube videos are for complete amateurs. Professional can learn from a video anywhere as fast as you can from sheet music.

YouTube videos are for people who can't be bothered to learn how to read sheet music. Virtuoso pianist don't learn from videos and never will.

It pains me hear
To such a talented pianist to say this ignorance

[danthecomposer]

Sorry for the delay.

Thanks for your comments.  You are not alone in feeling that the piece is disjointed.

YT is indeed for amateurs (don't let Valentina hear you say that!) for the most part but I only put it up there for feedback and because it is the only place where it can be heard.  I am not planning a YT career!  This could just as easily have been recorded onto a CD and played from iTunes.

On sightreading:  I agree.  I know it will not die, but please acknowledge that you must compartmentalise my stance on sightreading purely based on my own compositions; once created, they are available to the avid pianist to learn for himself as I will not write it down as a score.  The purpose of my style (which is new, I believe) is to compose a peice and have anybody who wishes to learn it (I don't write 'for' pianists, only for listeners) to study the chords provided, internalise the 'melody' (or right hand theme, we could call it) and then interpret it themselves.

I have no desire, on purpose, to have a scripted piece, such as has been the way for, I suppose, all (piano) compositions in the past, and have it played the same by all with merely a slightly different feel but exactly the same 'result'; I want complete personalisation of my pieces should anyone wish to enjoy such freedom.  The interpretations of 'my' piece would then be numerous but always based on what 'I' wrote.  Speed, fingering, embellishment, repetition of a phrase, dynamics; all would be unique to the piansit who has studied my pieces... and I love that.

So, please do not be pained due to a misunderstanding.  I wish simply for interested parties of my music to discover the complex chords learnt, develop their ear and perhaps technique to be able to achieve a desireable interpretation.

I will shortly, if I may, post part 4.

In conclusion, this is a 6-part collection and in Part 6, as a 'surprise', so to speak, it will take the themes from each of the previous 5 parts and make them into a larger, more melodic and 'followable' piece.  If you like, parts 1-5 (of this particular compositional effort based on feelings felt when wandering Budapest at night) are parts of various melodic ideas I have that I have purposefully (my keyword) disjointed with the sole intention to keep the listener onboard until part 6.  One would not simply play 'Dan's Budapest Theme Part 3' and then move on to something completely different.

I hope this clarifies a little.  However, all comments received and acknowledged.

Best,
Dan