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Hello. A brilliant piece of work. I have to say I really liked it. It strikes me as fresh, well-crafted and natural all at once. I think the three movements complement each other. There’s just one thing I wouldn’t have done – though this is purely a matter of personal preference – and that’s repeating the opening section in the first movement. I know it’s a sonata, but this sort of piece, with such an ‘progressive’ musical character – constantly adding new elements and moving forward – doesn’t need a literal repetition. Besides, the length of the movements is just right. The first movement reminded me very much of one composer: Charles Ives. Mind you, I’m not drawing a direct parallel, as that composer’s textures were quite intense. Well, one always tries to find points of reference. And I love Ives. I found the second movement beautiful – nostalgic at first, and reflective in the second part. And the third… I liked the twist you’ve introduced here, which (this time, YES, in my view) is a neoclassical-neobaroque homage. Congratulations on your work.

@Wieland Handke Thank you for taking time to listen and provide such thoughtful feedback! I liked the idea of making preludes in the style of rotating circle of fifths, but with my own twist. For example, the 3rd prelude being both the G Major and E Minor prelude (like two mini-preludes combined into a small "whole" prelude), and playing around with ending pieces on 9ths, (so B Major in 9th prelude ends on B#, leading to the C# minor ending, which was planned from the 1st prelude). A lot of this was written with a "let's see where this goes" mentality. I like the feeling of writing music as though it's part of the creation process. A lot of times when I write music, it feels like I take the first step or two, and then the music (which is starting to form it's own "person") makes its own suggestions of where it wants to go, and back and forth, until it's finished. (And you're right, I really need to add a few clefs to certain ledger lines so it's easier to read!) @Grant Weep Thank you as well, for giving your thoughts and feedback! I like adding different levels of "spice" to my music. One day, I want to write some over-the-top spicy music, but I find it really hard to do so, because I want to write music that's both accessible and deep, and the more spice that's added, the more difficult it is for it to be accessible as well. That's a challenge that's on my to-do list to attempt. I actually can play these pieces! If I practiced, anyway. I haven't bothered to perform any of my own pieces -- it takes a great deal of work and repetition. But these are in my technical ability, yes. I occasionally do give descriptive names to my pieces, but these days, usually they are just given generic names. But sometimes I do have certain specific inspirations, ideas, or stories as to why a piece got created, or it's written the way it is. For example, I was having terrible writer's block as early as the 4th prelude. So, here I was, trying to get literally anything going -- making a series of preludes, and I'm already stumped at the 4th one, with nothing rattling around in my noggin. After a while, I thought, "what about musically portraying "beating head against wall?" So, super loud, brick wall octaves buffeted by crashing wave arpeggio figure? It felt weirdly right, and honest, and I just went with it. I mean, that isn't what the music's "about", but it's what inspired its existence. 5th prelude, I saw a cat on Instagram named Merv who could summon the demon "Bagagwa", and it amused me so much that it was the inspiration for the 5th prelude. Ms 8, lyrics are, "Who will sum-mon Ba-gag-wa?!" Cracks me up every time I hear it. 8th prelude, I started thinking of key words that I wanted to portray and bring to life. So, the 8th one was "fury". The 9th prelude, the key words were "space" and "void".

Thank you, for that example. I find it interesting, that phrygian and lydian fit so well together. I usually thought that was caused due to they are the both „extremas“ in mood – lydian the brightest one and phrygian the darkest (if taking the unusual locrian away ...). But the occurrence of all 12 chromatic steps in this combination was new to me and might be the better argument. There is, perhaps, another example for the usage (or even abuse?) of modes within a piece of tonal music – which I think is merely used for „technical reasons“: Transposing a fugue subject, which is initially major or minor, to one of the other modes. I first heard about this “trick” when I read an in-depth analysis of Shostakovich’s fugues (Op. 87) in comparison to the fugues from the “Well-Tempered Clavier”: Shostakovich often uses fugue subject entries in modes, whereas Bach does not. Ever since then, whenever I encounter harmonic problems with my fugue subjects while creating the counterpoint—especially when composing strettos—I always try to figure out whether I could alter some of the pitches in the original subject so that they fit better with the respective harmony or key, but by no means arbitrarily; rather, in such a way that the subject is “correctly” transposed into one of the other modes. Here is a short passage of the fugato in my Prelude XXI in B flat major, whichs tonality in the four bars is around G major (with also harmonies in C minor and D# major). However, the four subject entries in this stretto consist of Subject 2 in G major (soprano) Subject 1 in G major (alto) Subject 1 in B phrygian (tenor) and Subject 2 in A flat lydian (bass) which altogether finally stabilize the above mentioned G major tonality of the section. (Interestingly, there is also a combination of phrygian and lydian here – while not on the same pitch). p21--bars-65-69.mp3

Thank you @Grant Weep for your thoughtful and detailed response to this music! I really appreciate the time and care you took in giving your feedback. I agree that the first movement is bananas! And yes I do enjoy bending the rules of harmony and stretching the ear a bit, but within the context of classical harmony and form. I feel like that sort of exercise sets expectations up in the listener’s ear (they expect to hear clean cadences and traditional harmony), which allows me to defy those expectations and take the piece in a new direction. I don’t do it just to troll the listener, but instead to try and make a unique sound. I love Beethoven’s harmony and form, and I want to play in that space, but without just impersonating Beethoven. I tried here to make those forms and harmonies new, but without completely obliterating them. Was it successful? Yes and no. I allowed too many ideas to come at the listener too quickly, hence the piece starts off bananas. But I’d like to try this exercise again in the next sonata and see if I can tighten it. My tendency (in music and in this paragraph) is to try and say too much. Thank you again for your kind words, and for your time! The adjectives you use to describe the music are spot on, and really make me feel like something worthwhile was accomplished here. I appreciate you!

Here is my contribution to the "From Nothing, to Something" 2026 Summer Composition Competition:

Dear fellow composers, I’m pleased to present you today my submission to the YCF 2026 Summer Competition! I must admit, that the task of the competition was really challenging, starting from „Nothing“ and than get the right ideas for „Something“ that is reminiscent to the mood of the summer day as expressed by Paul Verlaine’s poem. The challenge. When a composer has trouble coming up with a brilliant idea for a new piece, it sometimes takes several attempts, each of which yields different individual ideas. And there are some pieces that consist of several ideas that have been “glued” together, ultimately resulting in something like a “collage song.” I’m thinking, for example, of “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles or “Band on the Run” by Paul McCartney and Wings. However, there also exists such a kind of piece in Bach’s Welltempered Clavier, the Prelude VII in E-flat major, BWV 852. That particular prelude starts with a short section with runs of 32th notes, followed by a „more serious“ part in slow motion, that reminds me at a „chorale“. The third and longest part is a fugato with two subjects that further develops the ideas from the first two sections. So with this particular Bach prelude in mind, I had thus found the model for my own prelude, which serves as the „sketch“ for the quintet finally presented here as my submission. I always start to compose the pieces for piano in order to – on the one hand, have another piece for my preludes and fugues project, and on the other hand, because I find it to hard to mix the two phases of „composing“ and „orchestrating“ together. So I have posted the piano version as a standalone piece "Prelude XXI in B flat major" on the „Piano Music, Solo Keyboard“ thread. The poem. When I came around to the second part, the “Chorale” section, I faced the challenge of treating the upper voice of this four-part harmony as the melody for a musical setting of the poem. Since I don’t speak a word of French and have no idea how the syllables are rhythmicized, I looked at Gabriel Fauré’s setting of the poem in his Op. 61, No. 7 to find out which words are pronounced or sung briefly and which are longer. As an interesting fact, I discovered that Fauré had actually chosen the same key, B-flat major, that I had chosen before. The instrumentation. Now that the decision had been made to set the poem to music, I wondered how I could orchestrate it so that it would sound like a French “chanson.” My first thought was to choose the accordion as the main accompanying instrument. And since I wasn’t sure, I Googled: “What are the typical accompanying instruments for a French chanson?”—and sure enough, “accordion,” “guitar,” and “piano” came up. In addition to these, and to take advantage of the possibility of a quintet, I use a trumpet and a cello. Both of these instruments are capable of contributing different timbres (the cello either played with a bow or pizzicato, and the trumpet either muted or unmuted), and during the poem stanzas, I always use the muted trumpet as a substitute for the human voice. The title. Another challenge. A title in French would be appropriate, but I do not really trust translation programs in such delicate situations, since I don’t understand the nuances of the possible result. Thus, I’ve chosen the simple title „Summer – A Song of Beauty and Melancholy“. The latter since the piece features more passages in minor than in major and, therefore, does not only express the joy and beauty of the summer day, but is somewhat melancholic, too. Form and structure: 00:00 (mm. 1-14) The first section is an „improvisation“ which introduces the warm key of B-flat major. 00:34 (mm. 15-29) The second Adagio section could be a „chorale“ and is used to set the first stanza of the poem to music. 01:31 (mm. 30-90) The third and longest section is a fugato based on two subjects, interspersed by further stanzas of the poem (second stanza 02:18 at mm. 48-63 and third stanza 03:37 at mm. 75-90). The first subject quotes the first four-note motif of the „improvisation“ section and develops it further, paired with the second subject, thus creating a joyful and dance-like mood. 04:22 (mm. 91-114) The piece finishes with a coda – or better to say – with a recapitulation of the „improvisation“ from the first section. Now in a more melancholic way, meandering between minor and major. I hope, you’ll enjoy it. Wieland Finally, as a kind of „non-AI proof“ I also attached my „working score“ from which the MIDI is generated. It is nearly unreadable and of cause not intended for playing but shows in detail all dynamics, articulations, agogics etc. I applied to achieve the final recording. Praeludium-XXI-B-flat-major-accordion-mix.mp3 Praeludium-XXI-B-flat-major-accordion-with-coversheet.pdf WORKING-SCORE-P21.pdf

Thank you, very much. I just had to read that sentence twice before understanding its significance (because I’m not so familiar with Brahms): You are completely right, I tried to involve the hymn not as prominent (and rhythmically unchanged) in the upper voice, but rather use its melody as support for the harmonies and the texture of the prelude! The other approach, to use the melody from the anthem as a „cantus firmus“ can be found in the corresponding Fugue XIII in G flat/F sharp major.

https://youtu.be/WIhxGSZg3o8?is=r0hzizjIDZH48DkL There is no obligation or pressure from me to respond. I just hope you found it constructive. Learning the art of composition is a processes of continual refinement over years of practice. Perfectionism is our enemy; and hindsight is our therapy.

@Markus Boyd Sorry, it's not that I've dropped the conversation (because you've cornered me into a checkmate!! ha! ... It's a light-hearted kid, folks. Don't take me seriously.😁). This conversation started around the time my semester at my conservatory started getting piled with academic pursuits and assignments. (Graduation recital prep. and all that jazz!) This weekened, I will get back to you on your points; which I've read.

Hello @Seni-G! I apologize for straying from the music itself, but I wanted to start by mentioning your profile picture. It is absolutely lovely! How are your children and family doing? I imagine the kids have grown quite a bit by now. It captures musical elements and family life beautifully—and the fact that you’re smiling at your child rather than looking at the keyboard is wonderful. That photo truly embodies the feeling that "Everything In Its Right Place," haha! As for the piece itself, the two people above have already left such excellent comments that there isn't much left for me to add in depth. Regarding the Allegro, I got a vibe reminiscent of Kapustin—especially around the 0:04 mark. I’m sorry I can’t recall the specific track right now, but if I find it, I’ll edit this post to include it. Of course, the note density and tempo are different. It’s packed with ideas—including the development around 6:49—but I did feel it was a bit long for a casual listen. It might be good to try condensing it—prioritizing the elements you most want to express, trimming the rest, and ensuring a smooth flow. Of the three movements, the Largo was my favorite. I imagine that if performed on an actual piano, the nuances of the timing and pauses would come through beautifully! Best, Lithl.

Hi! I enjoyed listening to this work! I like the second movement, which is a bit reminiscent of Mozart's Violin Sonata, but don't take my ears too seriously, haha. The second movement has a nice tempo, and although the style is different, it somehow evokes the atmosphere of a village from Lord of the Rings; it's bright and lovely. I'll listen to your other works when they're uploaded! Best, Lithl.

Hi @SergeOfArniVillage ! I really liked these pieces too! But what really drew my attention is what you said here: I re-listened to the 5th Prelude with this "Who will sum-mon Ba-gag-wa?!" lyric in mind and it brought so much more meaning to the music! LoL .. I think this qualifies under a special technique of melody generation called "melodic mining". It can be used to produce lyrics for music as well, especially with the natural rhythms of the words. But in this case "melodic mining" can be used to turn common everyday phrases into melodies by "mining" their pitch and rhythmic content and transcribing them into melodies. So from that perspective, I especially found this prelude interesting! The 8th Prelude certainly sounded furious! Also quite a notable use of the Locrian mode if I am not mistaken! It's hard to write in that mode without implying a different tonality/modality but you managed to pull it off! Possibly due to the strong featuring of the bass riff that strongly emphasizes the repeating E's. Now, looking at the score I realize that you have a G# mixed into the riff which means it's not exactly Locrian, but close! Prelude 9 certainly sounds "spacey". I could totally see this as an accompaniment to an astronaut in their space suit serenely floating through the emptiness of space. Thanks for sharing these and for giving us some backstory about how they were created!

Evening, I've decided to come out of my comfort zone and, today, compose for my primary instrument, which is the classical guitar. I have played since 9 but in recent years have lost touch with it; but I have recently picked it up again and it has been giving me a new lease for life. Of course, it will be great to play my own music and this is my intention. Composing for the guitar has added difficulties owing to the layout of the fretboard. In addition, one must work out at which position of the fretboard certain passages should be played. If, for example, I tried to play this music up to fret 7 only, there would be a lot of awkward jumping around that isn't practical. On the score, I have added numbers beside certain notes which fingers should play them. The circular numbers above the stave denote the position I have determined. The next task will be to learn to play it at a reasonable standard. Once I have done, I will endeavor to upload my performance to this thread. This piece is largely baroque in style with some hints of classical, too. I have written it mostly in two parts, due to the speed and my intention to play it (I am not virtuosic!). In terms of my influences, I have been listening a lot to Bach's Keyboard Suites lately. I love his 3/8 movements (for example, the prelude for BWV 808. Soundtrack.mp3 Score.pdf

Hello @Seni-G! I’m glad you posted this, because I’m currently studying sonata form, and it’s a good exercise for me to review it. You described the first movement as “a bit like an over-stuffed burrito”, and I must say, that was pretty close to my first impression. I still have trouble wrapping my head around it, though the structure feels clearer after a few listens, as another review noted of your Rondo. I do hear a lot of intriguing motivic development going on. I think one thing that makes it difficult for me to evaluate is that it keeps hinting at classical functions that create certain expectations for resolution or how things will continue, and then not fulfilling these expectations. Another thing I notice is that new material tends to grow in spurts from previous material, before the listener can track them. I would say that the form itself seems more self-multiplying than teleological. Again, these are more of observations rather than criticisms—my biggest critique is probably the length of the movement (430 bars!). I think there’s a certain overabundance of material that could be trimmed down effectively. There’s definitely a lot of great material and potential, but I think listeners would be able to take it better in a more condensed form. On to the second movement. Some may disagree, but I think this part is where your idiosyncrasies that I had trouble in the first movement really shine. While it’s definitely the most radical, for me it’s the highlight of the work. I find it both devastating and soothing. It’s like a tabula rasa after the organized chaos of the first movement, where half-remembered memories and desires coalesce and evaporate, the elusive fragments gradually gathering into something slightly more concrete. Absolutely beautiful! The third movement gives me a somewhat unsettled feeling, because of how much it contrasts with the previous movements in every way. On its own, or as part of a different sonata, it would work quite well. But in this context, it makes me wonder how it answers the question that the second movement posed—it seems almost naive in relation to what preceded it. I think you should seriously consider separating it from the rest of the work, and replacing it with something else. Or not—if I were in your position, I would probably keep the sonata at two movements, like Beethoven’s Op. 111, perhaps with some minor modification of the second movement. Just a suggestion! This analysis has made me really interested in your work, though. I hear a distinctive voice coming through, or maybe something more than a voice—a certain way of looking at reality. What are your musical influences? I noticed an emphasis on motivic development, that seems to be from the Beethovenian tradition, as well as some jazz undertones. Debussy, or even Boulez came to mind, though your music’s really its own thing. Good luck with your composing! I’m excited to see what developments your music will make.

Hello, Sometimes the problem with writing so much music is that it takes so long to listen to it all. I have been listening to the your pieces gradually in the last few weeks while at work to try to take it all in. I think others have made more specific comments, I'll just say a few things about overall impressions. Maybe there are more thoughts after...but I think when you've created something like this - it sort of takes on a life of it's own. I mean from the most fundamental level, I find your music interesting to listen to and I enjoyed listening to it multiple times. So in that regard, from a subjective perspective, I am a fan. I dig your style. The opening notes from your first prelude sort of says: This is Classical music, but the chords are gonna be a little spicy at times. Which is great. Listening to your music feels familiar enough for me, but also exciting enough through the nice harmonies and ideas you got going on. It's clear that you have put a lot of thought into it all. The pacing works great. I'm thinking that the 10 pieces need to be played in this order. So the second thought is...can you actually play these compositions yourself? It gets very virtuosic at points. I would absolutely love to hear a recorded version of yourself playing it. I think there is only so much that comes through in these simulated recordings. The third thought is that you clear have a style that shows through. Prelude 5 goes a bit off on a tangent stylistically from my ears, but I mean I think I hear a distinct "SergeOfArniVillage" style if that makes sense. My favorite is probably Prelude 7. The right hand accompaniment that you do throughout is so nice. Really tickles the right places in my brain, if that makes sense. While you have the "loud" songs and the "soft" songs. I think I prefer the more quite and contemplative ones. I also enjoyed Prelude 9 very much. Probably my second favorite. I'm a big fan of adding descriptive titles to your pieces. I totally get if that's not your thing, but it would be so amazing to hear your own thoughts on what inspired you and what you were sort of going for when writing these pieces.

Hello @SergeOfArniVillage, That is an exciting post and really a „project“ with a bunch of pieces worth to be reviewed! So, first, to get an overview, I have taken a first look at the scores to see how the preludes are organized. Prelude No. 1 (I) – C major (but ends in C sharp!) Prelude No. 2 (II) – A minor Prelude No. 3 (III) – G major or E minor Prelude No. 4 (V) – D major (but ends in E?) Prelude No. 5 (VI) – B minor Prelude No. 6 (VII) – A major Prelude No. 7 (VIII) – F sharp minor (but ends?) Prelude No. 8 (IX) – E major (but ends with five flats?) Prelude No. 9 (XI) – B major Prelude No. 10 (X) – C sharp minor Very interesting, the tonality of the pieces is not as obvious in every case, but I suspect, that the preludes are intended to be all in a different key and organized around the circle of fifth (the same way as Chopin’s 24 preludes or Shostakovich’s 24 preludes and fugues - the roman numbers I inserted above were the numbering according to that scheme) and therefore my first question, do you plan to complete the cycle to all 24 pieces/keys? Now, I’m going to listen the single pieces. Prelude No. 1 Yes, it starts slowly with a C major chord, but immediately asks three consecutive harmonic „questions“. They are developed further until a climax in fortissimo but retain unanswered with a finishing C#m(add9) chord. A great overture which makes curious what will happen next, after the curtain rises. Prelude No. 2 The overture continues! But now there is more movement, as the heavy chords are accompanied by driving sixteenth notes. Prelude No. 3 Although it begins in G major, I am now certain that this is the E minor prelude. And that makes sense, because it provides the first moment of calm in the cycle. With that in mind, I’m certain you should insert another piece (between No. 2 and No. 3) in G major—as a “heroic opening to the opera”—following the first two “introductory” pieces, which have built up tension that now needs to be resolved. Prelude No. 4 Now it gets louder again. The prelude reminds me somewhat at Shostakovich’s prelude No. 6 in B minor from its op. 87. However, you interestingly achieved the feeling of a „French overture“ not by double dotted notes but only by accentuating and phrasing your semiquavers! Just now – after 100 bars - I had the impression that it could become somewhat too repetitive, but you’ve presented the right answer to that feeling with your surprisingly ending of the piece with „staccatissimo strikes“ in mm. 101-103 and unexpected resolving to Em7. Prelude No. 5 As surprising the former prelude ends, the new one starts in its opening six measures. But now starts the fun! (More than) an entire bar in rest, and than we have a ragtime which continues to change into a „free jazz“! I really enjoyed your „walking bass“ whereas I really could imagine a Jazz trio on the stage (with piano, double bass and drums). A fantastic piece, perhaps my favorite from the ten ones. Prelude No. 6 Calming down with the A major prelude with the opening F doublesharp diminished 7th chords. And even more in the Adagio section with its „ethereal mood“. But the calm is deceptive as the drama begins in bar 33 (or even earlier with the first fortissimo in bar 28). Interesting contrasts throughout the entire piece as well as another surprising ending, as the finally reached A major chord is „disturbed“ or „spiced“ by an A sharp! Prelude No. 7 A good companion with the previous one, both share the contrast between „drama“ and „ethereal feeling“, but this one in a somewhat more „pleasant“ way. The combination of bass-heavy chords and pearl-like runs in the higher register lends the piece a certain beauty despite its dissonances. The deceptive „endings“ (in mm. 41) and the rests (in mm. 18-19) arise a sense of tension and curiosity about what will happen next. Prelude No. 8 Now we are back in a realm which I would describe as „Jazz“ (in a wider sense). Thriving rhythms and syncopation paired with complex chords. It somewhat reminds me at the brilliant preludes (and fugues) or concert etudes of Nikolai Kapustin, the famous Jazz-pianist-composer. Haha, and in mm. 53-53 the chords repeated eight times (from ff to fff) remind me at the famous eightfold repeated ninth in the left hand of measure 35 of Bach’s B major Prelude from WTC2 (BWV 892), so that we have even a reference there. Prelude No. 10 I changed the listening order, since in my imagination to follow the circle of fifth as arrangement scheme, we should now come to C sharp minor: Although the prelude features various, contrasting textural means, such as heavy chords, arpeggio runs and triplets, the „harmonic kaleidoscope“ of the previous preludes is now calmed down to a more tonal approach (as I see no accidentals at the ultimate chord, while being towered by a ninth). Prelude No. 9 The cycle (so far) ends with a gentle or tranquil piece with pleasant – and sometimes dissonant – chords, thus finishing the arch to the Prelude No. 1. But the curiosity for more prevails: After the expected ending in B major (over a pedal tone), you could not hesitate to create suspense or tension with the ultimate chord which leads us to the (possibly) next piece in G sharp (minor) ... Final words. It was a fun to take a closer look and to listen at your preludes and I’m very curious if that cycle would be continued – especially as my „project“ (it is somewhat a „life-time project“) is to compose 24 preludes and fugues (fortunately more than the half is already accomplished). My thoughts or „review“ is merely subjective, and I did not analyze the scores thoroughly to „find nitpicks“. The only thing I discovered is that there were some notes I am not able (or willing) to read due to the amount of ledger lines … Great work! Wieland

Rautavaara's third. "Gift of Dreams". A master piece where the composer creates different superimposed layers or atmospheres, and where tonal and dissonance live together.