a sharply dissonant polyphonic song

technique - counterpoint

goal/inspiration - based on a poem by Dom Dinis, "Nunca vos ousey a dizer", on the subject of a maid who never dared to confess her love to her beloved, and the anguish she felt by that. i tryied to express this painful mood and some of the ethereal impression of unreachable beauty he caused on her. i also drew some inspiration from the Gesualdo's Tenebrae Responses for the Good Friday.

around 2 hours for composing the main structure and more 8 h to refine the whole.

bigger obstacles - the need of meaningful, coherent and varyied dissonant effects within a consonant language

structure - AABCC'

instruments - "metal pad", but i was thinking on the family of viole da gamba

overall - polyphonic setting in a mixed renaisance/medieval style, with use of many dissonances.

enjoy! any criticism is welcome.

Interesting use of dissonance - it's rather unexpected, but in the overall scope of things, flows seemlessly in and out. I also liked your melodic line - very elaborate but again very consistent. I didn't read the description when I heard this piece, but in retrospect, I think it fits fairly well. The only thing I thought is lacking is a sense of contrast between the sections - I think it's because rhythmically, they are all pretty similar, and due to the free-wandering harmony you used basically reduces the perception of tone to "dissonant" and "consonant". The result is that the piece doesn't feel like its going anywhere until the climax near the end. I don't know if it was your intention to keep such a state of consistency, but I think it wouldn't hurt to add some extra dimension, especially if it's supposed to represent a poem.

thanks for the interesting feedback ! regarding the rhythm you are right, but that was intentional. the original poem is medieval and it is built in stanze all saying the same thing, varying only the words, so there is not really contrasting moods.
best regards!

if the title was a girl...she'd be about as hott as Freddy Kruger.

Nico then you missed the point of the piece. It would be a good thing that she would be as hot as kuger because this piece is meant to show something rather painful. That fact that it isn't pleasing to you proves it did what it was meant to do.

Howdy. I found the piece to be quite lacking in form for the most part. However the instrumentation was good. The mood was good as well. Quite isolated.
Just the one comment on form. I find the best way to convey a mood is to bring it back in a certain motif or melody. But, man, you're doing great. I'm trying out thousands of different composing methods and techniques, but in the end, everyone's style is unique and criticism is only a guide, if you choose it to be.

Keep it up.

this piece purposely has no form.

thank you guys for all your comments! i am stunned for so many replies!

well i think all you said something true about this piece, but i won't change a single note in it i like it as it is, being it hot or frozen or anything else. best regards!