'Wind Dancing' for three pianos

This is one of my more recent works, written early last semester.

Sound: Wind Dancing2.mp3
Score: Wind Dancing SCORE.pdf

I know writing for three pianos is considered rather unusual, but it's the only way I could think of to make it work.

Suggestions anyone?

I liked it, sounded like something out of a pirate movie. I espically enjoyed the change in meter, throws you for a little loop. I like seeing something that isn't expected. I would say that I think you could actually knock that down to two pianos, I don't think the music would really suffer if you did do that. Keep up the good work.

I really enjoyed that. Echoing what the previous poster said, I think it might work better for two pianos. Aside from being more practical performance-wise, constricting it to two pianos could really tighten up the composition. Consider how effective the octave doubling is. Are you doing it to reinforce the part or would contrasting dynamic markings between the parts achieve the balance you are looking for?

I shall begin to echo the sentiment of reducing this to a duet - but... I love the idea of dividing it up into three; it would really challenge the performers' senses of ensemble playing, and besides; there really isn't all that much music out there for three pianos. You've got scores of duets, and huge stuff like the quintet writing of The Five Browns, but trios just... don't get much attention.

Granted, performing it isn't the most easy of feats to pull off, but it can be done.

Actually, I'd like to ask if you'd mind if two of my friends and myself played this this summer? It'd be non-profit, just a little show we're planning on doing at a church event. We'd have access to three pianos (or at least three keyboards), and we've already paired up to do three duets; a trio would be awesome, I think. Granted, this isn't the most astoundingly difficult of music, but again, the ensemble aspect of it all adds a certain level of difficulty, and you have been rather nicely lenient with your tempi and notation.

Anyways - would you mind? If we pull off this little show, I'm sure there would be recordings if you'd like to have one. (Notice all the "if's;" this still isn't completely certain.)

Back to the piece itself... sorry for bird-walking like that... I really did enjoy it. The part writing was divided up nicely among each instrument; too often do I see things where a secondo is always playing harmony and a primo always playing melody; the way you've made sure that all three pianists get a decent part at some time or another was not only very kind of you, but also very evident of your compositional skill (growth? maturing? y'get it...). It's not exactly easy to take an accompaniment role from one instrument and move it to another of the same instrument without some kind of break, but you've pulled it off nicely.

The piece was a tad too short to go into much thematic development, but you did show the employment of some thematic material. It did, indeed, have a very "pirate like" feel to it, now that I read what those above myself have said.

All in all, I liked it. If you ever considered writing more, like a suite or something, or just plain some other piano trios, I'll be the first (or at least intend to be the first) to give them a look. Great work!

~Dallas

Dallas, I would be elated if you and your friends were to perform it! If it happens, please send me a recording. I would love to hear it. Glad you enjoy the piece!

Nolan: as for rearranging it for two pianos, I will see what I can do, but the octave doublings are a specific sound that I am going for. Spacing notes two octaves apart, rather than one octave, for instance, seems to give the music a slightly different sound (I can't really describe it; it's just different somehow). I'm not trying to blow off what you said; just thought I would clarify a little. I am curious, though, what would you suggest if I were to make it a duet? I think it would indeed help to "tighten it up" and make it a bit easier for the performers, but I can't really figure out how to do this.

Another idea while you're contemplating various options: what about two pianos + percussion ... an encore to follow the Bartok.