Matusleo

Steven,

There is a great deal in this Concerto movement to like. Pretty much at every point in the work, I was enjoying the music you were stating at that time. However, as a whole, I did not find this movement nearly as convincing as I should. Let me explain why.

It is not because of the length of your work that this movement suffers. On the contrary, many piano concertos have large first movements (my own among them). But when constructing a movement of that length, careful thought has to be applied to ensure that the movement has a feeling of wholeness. Everything in the movement should make sense in regards to everything around it. I do not have that impression of your work. While most of the music seems to flow well, the themes you employ are not clearly related, nor are they developed together. I am not saying your themes are not good (I did enjoy them), just that at present they do not seem to make sense together.

My understanding of the structure of this work is that there seems to be three distinct themes. You state each one of them, then restate each one of them, then conclude with a coda based on the opening theme. That we reached the ending of the movement was unmistakable, which means you did a good job there. However, at a few other junctures, I thought you could have ended the work and it would have sounded just as nice. That is a product of my inability to place myself in the piece.

Now, let's sit down with the music and examine it more carefully. Your opening fanfare has shades of the Tchaikovsky 1st (which is a good thing), and leads to a dramatic almost Lisztian piano solo. Measure 13 has a quasi-Arabian twist to the tune that I like, placing it squarely outside the Classic-Romantic Era. When you bring the vibrato strings back, it also works nicely, allowing the pianist to be dramatic about their quavering voices. And if I am not mistaken, in measure 24 you quote the Dies Irae.

In measure 37 we switch to a new theme which is still in G minor, but it does not seem to be based on what came before. And in measure 53 you move this theme to the piano. I think it is important to have a softer theme after the bombast of the opening. You might want to blend the two more carefully together, perhaps by having some figurations that more clearly recall the opening. Hmm, measure 82 brings back the quasi-Dies Irae... and just as we are having an interesting orchestral section develop around measure 100, you cut back to solo piano. You need to give the Orchestra more time to play, otherwise it is a piano work with obligato Orchestra, which is not the proper way to balance a Piano Concerto. I think you are doing a good job of developing your second theme, however, we are still in the home key of G minor.

Measure 108 brings the third theme. While the connection between this theme and the second theme is a little clearer, you normally only have two themes in the Piano Concerto. Also, I note that you've modulated to Bb Major, which really isn't much of a modulation from G minor. While it is permissible to modulate to the relative major, it is often more convincing to modulate to the Dominant. Another thing that bothers me about this section is that it is even more peaceful than the second theme. By this point all the excitement we felt at the opening of this work has been sapped. We should feel relief when we reach this section, not drained.

What's up with the two beat silence in measure 127? Cut that definitely.

The section from around 150-160 does a good job of disguising your tonality. By the time the music dies and you bring back the opening theme in measure 161, we've forgotten what our home key is. That's some good stuff there.

The tutti in measure 166 is a welcome change. We haven't heard the full orchestra in a long time. It is unfortunate that it lasts so briefly. I am confused though if you are attempting to start a Development section here. At this point we've lost track of your original structure. And you are back to G minor. A development section should take us through several different keys. That's been the case since the Sonata-allegro form was fashioned!

Okay, we must be in the development section because the tutti that shows up abruptly around measure 230 uses portions of your third theme. Good tutti too, and it does seem to mask the home key a bit. You follow this up with your second theme, but the piano line there is a bit clunky and overpowering with its repeated ostinato. This sort of winds down again like we heard the first time back into the third theme proper. I feel like the whole piece is only given a certain allotment of energy, and we move through your themes that energy begins to wane. This is especially noticeable in the slowness of measure 302. Dang, will it ever end??

The section starting immediately after with strings and woodwinds joining the piano is very nice. But we are still in the relative major, so keywise, we haven't gone anywhere. We've heard some lovely themes, but harmonically the piece has not gone anywhere, and that's a shame.

I love the section around measure 320. It is very peaceful, and seems to carry some of your themes in a delicate way that really speaks with me. You could end this piece with measure 331, and I would not have complained.

The coda starts back with the opening theme, and on solo piano too. I think this is a mistake. If you want to build up to that tutti in measure 339, you ought to consider a more stately approach, one that builds the dynamics slowly, but intensely. I suggest you study the first movement of Franck's D Minor Symphony to see what I mean (specifically, letter T - measure 473).

But I do enjoy the coda, from measure 359 on, we know we're rushing to the climax, and it sounds good!

Overall, I think you need to add more orchestral colour to this work. Further, you WILL want to add more harmonic vitality. Right now, your key signature never changes, and that is a weakness in the first movement to a work, especially one of this length. I think if you can accomplish even only these two things, you will have dramatically improved this work.

I understand how inspiration can be slow to strike. I have been working on my own Piano Concerto for years, and I only have one and a half movements complete (I finished the first but I am now revising it). So don't give up and keep at it. I think you have some great material here.

Matusleo