Mogget1

If you're trying for Baroque style counterpoint then generally they wouldn't repeat. It's good to keep it moving but it's ok if you really want to/have to.

Some good general clues to deciding an overall key: beginning key? ending key? does the alternate key fit into a common modulatory plan? If it begins and ends in Bb then it's game over. Definitely Bb. If it ends in g then you basically get to choose which one you want to call it. If you're doing more than one movement however then it gets complicated. In the classical vain at least usually the keys have some relevancy to the overall key. good luck.

It's very interesting but not in A minor. In fact while you do have a key signature it doesn't seem to settle on a key. This is fine though. I think it might work quite well for an intro that is keyless because it makes the audience wait for the resolution (if there is one). The pitch unison is also interesting. It certainly is an attention grabber at the beginning but too much will bore listeners so you might want to break away and use different lines. Also I think you need to clean up your score. Most of the ties seem to lead nowhere. Thanks for sharing!

Okay I added the sibelius file if anyone wants to see the sort of score. It was changed a lot after it was printed out.

Wow thanks. Morivou I admit that much of the piece is just glorified V-I action with a I-V at the end. And yes I've never had my pieces performed live before. It's always just been me experimenting on Sibelius and listening to the horrid yet useful computer generated music. Mahlon I would like to develope a bit more. It doesn't seem long enough for a storm but it had to be max two minutes. I stretched a bit by going to 2:20 so if I was to rewrite it I would definitely try to change it up a bit. Problem is with such a short time there's little you can do other than a basic ternary. Thanks for the responses.

Okay so a few months ago I submitted a piano piece and which was okay but now I'm going for round two. I'm taking first year introduction composition at the University of Victoria and the end of each term we have to write a short piece for a concert showcase sort of thing. I basically came up with this piece when I had returned home (my school's on an island, I otherwise live on the mainland). I came home to a brutal storm that gave us a power outage for a good 20 hours, during which time I wrote this experience-inspired piece "The Tempest" which is for violin, cello, and piano. It's in ternary form because that's what a storm is in: ternary form. Don't laugh at me it's true! :D Well it's sort of in ternary form. It's to represent the coming storm, the eye of the storm and the final blow, and also the ending, I suppose a brief codetta, to represent the feeling of confusion and backwardness a storm leaves you in. The recording was a live recording at the concert so there were a few mistakes. Otherwise I hope I did well. :D The criticism my teacher gave me was that there were too many parallel octaves and that they feel empty but I don't know... it's supposed to be a sort of neo-romantic work and Romantic composers used octaves galore. Tell me if you think of anything else! Thanks. The Tempest DEC 24th: I added the Sibelius file for those who would like to see the score. Keep in mind the final score had a lot of pencil editing and a lot of other changes that are not on this version. The Tempest.sib

Well I think it's quite good. Also the recording is very well done. It certainly does seem to suggest a story which is always something positive. It is also a good mix of easy listening and stress in some parts. Well done.

You mean g minor and Bb major but I agree. You can't call something minor when it is major unless you want people to think you don't know what you're doing. And I don't see why anyone would want that. It's evident from the writing that you do know how to write a nice little piece. It could do with a bit more development however to lengthen it out a bit.

This is an amazing piece. Do not for a second think of abandoning it. Of course it doesn't show on the midi file but it is evident that this piece would sound amazing if done live. My favourite part has to be at bar 68 where the alto and soprano come in creating some intricate dissonances and consonances when the tenor and bass join in. Wow. Excellent work.

I like the ending. It's abrupt but it doesn't fall out of style from the rest of the piece. I don't know very much about string technique either but this doesn't sound like something that would be impossible to play. I did enjoy it and I don't have anything really to say on things you can improve just yet.

I think it sounds great. If it were me I would probably try and change up the left hand a bit to give it more variety in sound, but melodically it's quite a nice, relaxing sort of piece, though a bit short. Perhaps you could develop it a bit more? But I agree, great recording!

I haven't used Finale. I know one of my teachers used it though. Being only used to Sibelius (Student Edition) I have to say I find it very easy to use, but the only problem really that I have is that it's not the full version and many of the important features are not available. I'm thinking very much of upgrading to a better version.

Well a concerto needs a double exposition of course, but there are many forms you could take. Originally there was just Italian and French versions. Italian being ABA (fast - slow - fast) and French being AB (Slow - Fast), so you could think of it that way. Sonata-Allegro Form was used later on for sure. Is it often without a development? I know Mozart did it in the Marriage of Figaro but that's the only one I can think of.

I like but true enough it's not my favourite. I always think of West Side Story when I hear it.

Euler that is precisely the criticism my teacher gave me when I played it for her and I do agree completely. I will probably go back to rewriting in a week or so when I've had time to rethink it. A flair you say? You are making me blush. I don't know if it does this with your computer but on the midi, there seems to be a problem with the balance. The right hand is far too soft in parts.