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Kvitske -
Question - how long have you been composing?
Goodridge offered plenty of good suggestions but I also ask -
Have you studied any counterpoint? ear-training?
Goodridge's rep suggestions are excellent but you MAY benefit more from a little less extensive material (people can spend a lifetime studying the Rach and Beethoven variation goodridge mentioned). Get Mozart's variations on "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" which will be titled by its original source an old French folk song called - "Ah Vous dirai-je, Maman" and look at variations 3,5, 10, and 11. Also, look at the first movement of Mozart's famous A major sonata after you have looked at "Ah, Vous dirai - je ... ".
Then onto Beethoven - first Variations on a theme by Paisello, then Eroica variation. The Eroica will be an especially rich vein. Finally, the Diabelli.
So how do you "study " this? Get the score. For the Mozart "Ah dirai variation ... " look at variation 5. The first bit of this theme (eg Twinkle twinkle) is as you know ccggaag in quarter notes. Well, Mozart turns the melody in the right hand into C quarter note value, eighth note rest, C eight note, G quarter note, eighth note rest, G eighth note to A quarter note, eighth note rest, A eighth note to G quarter. So he has elongated the orginal theme from 2 measures to 3.5. Look carefully at the left hand which supports harmonically the melody but also imitates the rhythm and rising stepwise motion. I could go on and on but our focus is to compose.
Now do that to your theme - elongate the first phrase by rests and delays. Use the left hand to imitate the right while supporting it harmonically. You could do Mozart's rhtymic pattern or you could come up with you own -- as long as the phrase is doubled (or almost) in length and the left hand imitates and supports harmonically the right. It will take some time but it is worthwhile.
Good luck and keep writing! Only way to get better is to study, write and share.
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