Romance for piano - Original composition

[francoisfj]

Hello, I'm posting a lot these days, but I have a lot of unfinished pieces that I'm finishing right now, so that's why I'm posting a lot
This is a piece I made originally for the harp but changed it to the piano, the influences are mostly Chopin, Liszt and Schubert, all from the 19th century
I hope you like it, and would be happy to hear your thoughts about it

[josh93248]

Okay Francois, by now I've looked at and commented on a few of your things so I hope you don't take this the wrong way but this piece had issues to me.

Firstly if you are going to post things and ask people to look at them you need to reach a higher standard before doing so, yes I am picking on your performance rather than the composition, we'll get to that, but you cannot really ask people to forever evaluate you based on the POTENTIAL of what you can do (as much as I sometimes wish people to judge me that way) but more what you can do right now, at your best.

But let's move to the composition. Yes, it would probably have worked better on a harp, but the piece has other issues. After a while it becomes very samey the piece either needs to be shorter or needs more variety. Actually I think this piece could become a lot better if shortened and made Ternary, with what you've already written made the A of ABA. You aspire to some nice romantic melodies and progressions but I feel they need more polish, the core of the work is nice enough but some bits just felt... extraneous... and not really part of the whole.

BUT despite what I have said I DO think you have potential, regardless of whether it is fully expressed in this video. I am curious to see more but first I want to know more, if you can explain, about what you hope to accomplish as a composer. What is your philosophy?

[francoisfj]

Hi Josh, thanks for your comment!
Yes you are right, I must learn the piece better before posting it, it's just that when I finish it I'm excited to share it right away, before I used to post midi rendition of the piece but now I can't stand them anymore so I try to learn them quickly (I'm quite impatient)

As for the piece being repetitive, it's somehow true, maybe I could have put more variations, but it's meant to be more of a piece with a simple song-like melody so I was aiming at it not being very complex. Also, it's a little like Schubert's impromptu op 90 no. 3 concerning the repetitions, I too used to find it repetitive but now I like it the way he's written it
As for the ternary structure, you mean like a different section?? Different in form and melody? Interesting, I'm going to try to see if it can work, it gave me a few ideas

As an amateur composer currently, I look to compose nice pieces, mainly focused on the melodies as expressive mean rather than the structure, but both are important. My pieces are often quite improvisatory, not that I'm good with improvisation, but they aren't always issues from a elaborated idea though those that are end up being better.

[josh93248]

Excitement is understandable, but you'll get everyone else more excited about your work if you work more... if you see what I mean And midi is terrible, don't go back

I get the simple song like melody but structure is really useful, it will also make the return to the original section even stronger. I was actually thinking of Schubert Impromptus as a result of this. Your one has some similarity to No. 3 but not quite as exquisite or layered. However I also thought of 2 and 4, which have that ternary structure going for them, Chopin also uses ternary to great, great effect in some of his works

I also have some ambition to compose and am presently working with a teacher on a Sonatina in the Classical style. I ultimately want to head more Romantic but I thought that was a good place to start. Anyway, good talking with you.