Nuovo York

Edited and re-posted - I hope that's OK.

This is an atonal piece for cello and piano. Gets a little slow in the middle, but i like the overall effect.

I chose the title actually as something of a joke - I often stay in a Manhattan apartment which has a piano that probably hasn't been tuned in 30 years, rendering even the simplest melodies atonal. Beyond that it doesn't have much significance.

While the criticism has been a bit harsh I will go back and try to make things more interesting.

I confess that I really don't understand this kind of music, but I'll try to comment meaningfully anyway.

It seems to me that if you're going to name a piece of music after one of the great cities of the world, the music should evoke something of the character of the place. When I opened up the file in Finale, the tempo specified was crotchet = 60, and the funereal quality of the music didn't seem to call New York to mind; even at 3:00AM in the middle of winter, that city is vibrant and lively. I'm not sure why you chose the title you did. Can you explain?

The texture seemed quite thin, with most of the potential of the piano forsaken in two part writing. Perhaps that's what you were going for, but I found it unsatisfying.

I like the way you arrived at the final chord...I would never have guessed that that was where it was going. It was rather satisfying to come to such a consonance, and the way you voiced the chord was interesting.

Other than that, I'm not sure what else to say.

What I DIDN'T like about this piece:

1. each phrase, in and of itself, is far too diatonic to be "atonal".

2. phrases tended to turn around the same note and return to the same note in a rather meandering way. it stopped the piece from really gaining any impetus.

3. the piano writing was dull.

4. the cello writing was equally dull.

5. some of the contrapuntal/harmonic ideas seemed a little too happenstance

what I DID like about the piece:

1. it actually wasn't "atonal"

2. the last measures

3. every once in a while some of the harmonic frictions really DID create some beautiful ideas.


Overall, I'd say that more time was needed spent experimenting with what worked and what didn't work in this piece.

The meandering nature of the writing gives too strongly the impression of music that was just written measure by measure without thought for what preceded and what succeeded..

The opening message of this thread said very little about this piece and what the intentions on composing it were. It helps to explain more as stated in the guidelines for posting.

The sombre mood and slow pace make me wonder if it has to do with 911, the World Trade Centre disaster - does it? If not, what aspects of New York City are you depicting?

Also, is this a piece for beginners, and for that reason the parts are kept simple?

To add to what was said above, I also thought the piece had some good moments but needs work - for example, there isn't much rhythmic variety.