Mazeppa

I wish I could critique this piece, because I feel it deserves a nice, quasi-depth analysis done to it. I really enjoyed it; gave me a flair of Ligeti inside of it. I did feel the momentum built up, but unfortunately died a little bit down (as mentioned before) yet overall the tone was great. I really would like to have to knowledge of contemporary music to give you something more. I'd love to hear more 'recentness' from you soon. Ciao.

This is very nice, however, I take it you've heard of Chopin. ;) I am loving this piece, but not for the reasons you might think. I feel this is only a representation of your skills to copy Chopin's unique music and style. You did a great job musically impersonating him, but I cannot "give you credit" as a composer yourself--only a historian. This is quite common with all of your music. Do you feel yourself as a continuation from Chopin or that your music just happens to resemble such a unique, delicate and impactful style? I just feel a little lost listening to this music (as well as your other pieces). By the way, before I forget, re-write Measure 42's right hand fill.. it doesn't sound quite good (it isn't "in key" as your other fills were). I am not questioning your passion or knowledge for music and the piano, (it's quite impressive, I must say!) but I feel disconnected, especially with this piece. I hear a distinct theme and the feeling is noticeable, but it doesn't immediately feel good, if at all. I won't keep saying the same thing over. My point: It's great and I know your credentials are there, but where is your identity?

I am at school right now, and the computers don't have sound and I don't have my earbuds with me to "listen" to it. But looking at the score at the moment... Measure 14: Some *might* Complain, but I wouldn't worry about the crossing. Measure 20: [First] Chord in left hand might be too big for some pianists. You won't get the same effect, and many people will have to roll. Measure 22: [First] Chord in Measure isn't as commonly playable as written, and the second isn't much better. Must roll such as in Measure 20 (By the way, this would all be automatic by the performer, but you asked and I'm bringing it up). Measure 26/27: I haven't heard the recording, but I think the left hand is way to muddy; many thirds below middle C (and this is two octaves LOWER) will sound bad on the piano. [but, I'm not here to critique the music part at the moment.] Measure 31: [First and Second] chords in left hand are very awkward. But, the music portion is when awkwardness is eliminated. Measure 36: Last chord in right hand is an awkward stretch (not the range, but the finger-placement). Measure 51/52: I must say when I first saw these left hand chords, I said to myself, "What the hell?!" Definitely re-score these, because at first glance the performer will be confused with what you want them to do, as I am. A grace note tag on the bottom note, perhaps? Measure 65-67: Bb minor chord played with R.H. and Bottom 5ths with L.H. --- Most of the things I was talking about were very picky. The score itself isn't very messy and it's obvious what notes you want the pianist to play, but at some instances (which I brought up) it's a little confusing to how you should play them. There aren't any pedal markings and you don't specify if the right hand shold help out the lower staff (left hand). I would suggest you feel that the performer is stupid. I take it you do not play the piano (or very much) yourself? But anyway, looking at the score, it looks like an interesting piece; many chords I use myself! Looking forward to listening to it.

Would it be too much to ask for a score? An etude (especially for the piano) needs to be judged with a score. After all, this sounds like a study for fingers and the hand for arpeggios? I would love to help, so a score would be nice to start!

BGM is the universal term for "Background Music."

I'll post a more in-depth analysis on this piece, in the mean time I want you to focus on a couple things which are just big ideas that I want elaborate on with you and to praise upon. -Good use of thematic material; clear themes and opening -Transitions? As in, between themes; I would put a little more threads between them to feel a better move from colour -Nice orchestrating; perfect compliments with the piano, no doubt -[However] The piano part has a lot of problems; not very pianistic; too repetitive (where it's "duh-difficulty" as I like to call it; empty and repetitive virtuosity) -Closing These are the big points that I'll get more in detail possibly tomorrow or this weekend. I have much respect for you writing a concerto; I, myself, am beginning to under go writing a full-scale concerto starting this year (eventually..)

Okay! So... The first piece sounds very improvised, however, natural. They are two different things, because improvising can be very show-offy and distant, while when something is natural it just "feels" good. However, that natural touch looses itself after a short while. I start to feel less and less being able to follow your piece; I think the melody is more of a "harmonic" motif actually than a melodic one. Overall, it gets kind of tedious. Wow! The second pieces sounds almost like a direct quote from Chopin's Prelude No. 20 in C minor. Heheh, but I am not caring, since I've probably quoted more "similarly" in my own pieces. I do enjoy this piece, but once again, it feels a little too improvised; maybe it's just your performance? I CAN'T feel a tempo; there's too much rubato, too much that I can't really properly critique this piece. It has a lot of nice moments and transitions! (I am beginning to wish for a score, but as you've explained, it's kind of hard to do so.) Your pedaling needs to be cleaned up, and your chord spelling and chord "range" (how many notes and WHICH notes/intervals should be played in the left hand) should be closely monitored-- they're too close, mushy and "gooey." In short, all of your chords sound ugly and the left hand sounds very random with the low notes going at un-suspecting times (in a bad sense, however). But moving on, I feel that I-too-am starting to repeat myself. And the third I am not liking. It sounds exactly like a continuation of the second movement. It's too improvised, and I am really beginning to feel that you just sat down (at the times you said you "composed" them) and started playing. There's no feeling of tempo (which is characteristic of improv.) and the transitions aren't great, and there's a lot of sloppy playing. I know I am not in the position to talk about your playing, but it's DISTRACTING from your pieces, which have gotten so much praise thus far. I am not trying to rip on these for the sake of being an donkey, but this just isn't good. How do you believe to come across as a composer, for any such reason or seriousness, when I-myself-cannot comprehend what is given? I don't feel any melody in any of these, I don't feel a harmonic theme, I feel no progression or transition from the seconds from your goal of Major to minor; it's bland, boring and I hope you take this to heart, both my commentary and your own work. I would really suggest you give more of a try. Even the great composers tried to write a melody to go along with compositional studies of their own, so there's no excuse for ill-followable music such as this. I wish you good luck in future works.

This sounds like it'd be a piece from the movie Amelie. It's a French movie; I think you'd be curious to at least check out the soundtrack. I am sure it's here and there on Youtube, just search for it. Your "Silveria" is a very enjoyable piece. It stays in character (both written music and the performance) and I can feel a little bit of a flow in it, which is needed for this type of soft, almost BGM. I feel, though, you can add some more interesting chords in this; maybe the way you can spell them could be differently? The piano's possibilities are endless, and compositional are even more endless. I wish to hear what you have now!

Being a new-comer, I have been listening to quite a few pieces today, and I am still going off my philosophy to especially comment if it's a piece I like, if it's a piece I see with potential, or if there's a lot of room for improvement (possibly harsh critiques). I, sadly, had high expectations for this piece. Not knowing your background, other than the title of minimalist composition, I had a less an ear to hear structure and virtuosic piano. This is, no doubt, the style of piano you hear in Ravel quite a bit. However, even Ravel can variate his piano parts and give variation, which this piece does not. You were trying to get away from minimalism, correct? All I hear is arpeggio after arpeggio and a "every-ly-getting" boring chord progression/progressions over and over. Another point is that the melody is quite the same. I have improvised and started to write piece upon piece that are A LOT like this, and I've seriously had to just stop myself. I noticed how boring of melodies I had come up with to go with that wind/oceanic feeling, and how arpeggios and ultra-similar chords and progressions got so - damn - repetitive. I would really suggest you do something about that, especially if you intend to write a sonata or what have you. The last thing I want you to feel from this is discouraged. I am a harsh one, yes, but I am not harsh to be mean, quite the contrary, I am "nicer" in the end when I am harsh, because I am giving you room for improvement (and, in this case, a LOT of room is needed). Get a melody, get some variation and never make someone second-guess if something repeated or simply copied and pasted. I encourage you to continue, because I can see that you can do something even from one piece. You and many other people have been posting comments and such the past few months, so it's in interest, but don't get biased the least bit, because (at least to myself) there is need of improvement. Good luck!

I am new here, but it seems that this would go under pop or even accidental music? Anywho, not to be playing Moderator here, but this piece is a nice one. I am not to "fond" in this genre, but it all fits together nicely. It has a recognizable theme, although it is very chordal. The piano part isn't too badly written, actually. I would like, however, to see more variation and more parts (sections) to the piece, since you really only hear that theme over and over again; the violin solo could have more done with it, since it comes in as a melody then goes into the background really quickly, I feel lost when it does come in. And at 2:00, when the drums and the strings come in, I feel that it should continue on A LOT longer than it already does. It has this long piano intro. then it has this climax which settles down after playing the theme a couple times and then vamp. out (funk term XD) to the end. This piece, re-thinking and analyzing it, is pretty basic. It feels like a background to a more lyrical-based song-- sounds a lot like Coldplay or even Elton John. Are you good with lyrics? I would suggest you write a melodic lyric to go with this. Your "ballad" has a lot of potential, you just have to aim it in the right direction. Good luck!