Op. 8 Ballade d'un amour inexauce

This is a ballade for solo piano that I begun composing last month and finished it today (10th of August) after long beautiful hours of dedication and hard work. :huh:

"Ballade d'un amour inexauce" = "Ballade of an unfulfilled love"

The structure is "ABA" ... I tried as much as I could to develop but the themes were too personal and intimate that I couldn't variate in the ways I did in other pieces of mine...

The "A" section is constructed of "a1" and "a2" themes. Even if the themes are not completing each other, they express the same feeling, the same musical effect...

The "B" section is immediately noticed due to the change of the musical atmosphere (around minute 4)... Here,the theme(s) are not meant to be complete, or to develop into a longer periods of time! The purpose of this section is to reveal "l'amour inexauce", to expose something so beautiful but equally ephemeral. The apotheosis of this section (even of the entire piece) is around 5'19" when everything (including the time) stops and there is nothing but "amour"...

It starts in G minor and finishes as well in the same tonality.

If you have any questions about the piece, please, DO ask!

I will post the mus. file and I will try as well the PDF but I don't know how to create a smaller file (now it has 11 MB and the piece has only 18 pages). ;)

All comments are welcomed!

Mp3:

Op.7 Ballade d'un amour inexauce.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

I would be nice if also some pianists (that have the piano as their primary instrument, and not secondary as I do :laugh:) would comment on my piece...

And I would have some questions :toothygrin: :

Is it worth being played?

Has the piece elements that would make a pianist play it?

If yes/not , why?

And is it worth listening?

Sebastian

This is FANTASTIC! The French influence is SO fresh. This is DEFINITELY something I would want to play! DEFINITTELY something I would and will listen to. It's like an almost Chopinesque feeling crossed with Parisian caf

This is FANTASTIC! The French influence is SO fresh. This is DEFINITELY something I would want to play! DEFINITTELY something I would and will listen to. It's like an almost Chopinesque feeling crossed with Parisian caf

Greetings, Sebastian! Unfortunately (?) I'm not a pianist, so...I'll comment on the other aspects...

What beautiful music! Even though 10 minutes it maintained my interest and filled my heart with passion...:)

After a while, I dumped the score, to enjoy the music...listening to it now again, I have to say that, although you tried to convey an 'impressionistic' (?) feeling, some of your chromatic work here, didn't work very well for me.

The fluctuations in dynamics were absolutely perfect! The rendering was actually VERY good!

Your fourth chords were absolutely delicious! Lllllllloved them! :happy:

Kudos, my friend, for wrtiting such a beautiful piece! :D

Greetings, Sebastian! Unfortunately (?) I'm not a pianist, so...I'll comment on the other aspects...

What beautiful music! Even though 10 minutes it maintained my interest and filled my heart with passion...:happy:

After a while, I dumped the score, to enjoy the music...listening to it now again, I have to say that, although you tried to convey an 'impressionistic' (?) feeling, some of your chromatic work here, didn't work very well for me.

The fluctuations in dynamics were absolutely perfect! The rendering was actually VERY good!

Your fourth chords were absolutely delicious! Lllllllloved them!

Kudos, my friend, for wrtiting such a beautiful piece!

Thank you so much for listening my piece!

In some pieces we just need to "inundate" our blank staffs with all the emotions we've accumulated!

You supposed that I "tried to convey an 'impressionistic' feeling"... No... :) I'm not ready yet to compose a piece in a certain style or style of a composer... This was just a very personal piece that only made me think at Chopin and some of the impressionists when composing it but it wasn't my purpose to imitate them or obey the characteristic of a certain style (not that this would be a bad thing).

Again thanks a lot for your time and appreciation!

P.S.

I hope that you'll take a look, if you have the time and mood, at my other compositions and tell me what feels right and wrong for you! I'm in the 12ve grade and I have to prepare myself for the exam with a good composition! So, with the help of your advices (I hope I'll receive some critique from the teachers here :D ) I will try to compose a piece that is appropriate for the exam! (and of course with a lot of harmony, theory, orchestration and many others to learn :) )

Sebastian

I hope that you'll take a look, if you have the time and mood, at my other compositions and tell me what feels right and wrong for you! I'm in the 12ve grade and I have to prepare myself for the exam with a good composition! So, with the help of your advices (I hope I'll receive some critique from the teachers here :happy: ) I will try to compose a piece that is appropriate for the exam! (and of course with a lot of harmony, theory, orchestration and many others to learn :) )

Avec plaisir! :D

Hi Sebastian!

This is a lovely and very very beautiful piece of music. THe rendering is very well made as well!

It is very intimate and qutie fascinating to play, with different parts and different things going on. I am a pianist (or used to be some time ago :huh:) so I can comment on your music, and yes it is playable, and yes it is something that I would enjoy to play.

There are however 2 things that I think need some work.

The first (the more "practical" one) is the score. It needs quite some work. And tbh, at that speed you could be better of with a 5 instead of a 2 and a 3 (talking about bar 131 for example, left hand). It is rather fast and it would save a lot of time if you grouped the 5 notes in equal rhythmic length. Either way the pianist won't clearly play the 2/16 and then the 3/16 (the truplet) at that speed with things going on in the right hand. and other details of the score to make it more enjoyable to the person that would study it.

The 2nd thing is the repeatition. While your harmony and your harmonic language is really beautiful and very well thought, it seems to me that that relation between G minor and C+6b get's a bit overused. Sure it's the theme, but... :-/ The piece had all the elements to be a great Ballade, and it actually is, without anything changing, but being just a bit more adventurous in the harmony, would create a masterpiece!

For me it clearly shows that you know how to compose, how to create variations and patterns, and how to keep the interest for 10 minutes!

Very very well done! And thank you for sharing!

Hi Sebastian!

This is a lovely and very very beautiful piece of music. THe rendering is very well made as well!

It is very intimate and qutie fascinating to play, with different parts and different things going on. I am a pianist (or used to be some time ago :D) so I can comment on your music, and yes it is playable, and yes it is something that I would enjoy to play.

There are however 2 things that I think need some work.

The first (the more "practical" one) is the score. It needs quite some work. And tbh, at that speed you could be better of with a 5 instead of a 2 and a 3 (talking about bar 131 for example, left hand). It is rather fast and it would save a lot of time if you grouped the 5 notes in equal rhythmic length. Either way the pianist won't clearly play the 2/16 and then the 3/16 (the truplet) at that speed with things going on in the right hand. and other details of the score to make it more enjoyable to the person that would study it.

The 2nd thing is the repeatition. While your harmony and your harmonic language is really beautiful and very well thought, it seems to me that that relation between G minor and C+6b get's a bit overused. Sure it's the theme, but... :-/ The piece had all the elements to be a great Ballade, and it actually is, without anything changing, but being just a bit more adventurous in the harmony, would create a masterpiece!

For me it clearly shows that you know how to compose, how to create variations and patterns, and how to keep the interest for 10 minutes!

Very very well done! And thank you for sharing!

Thank YOU for your comment! I agree with about the score, about the repetition :( ... I knew that it wasn't OK to overuse that harmonic relation but I couldn't help myself, I had desperately need of that theme, I needed to get it out from my mind :huh: even though I knew that will affect the piece in a bad way...

Thank you again! And in my future compositions I will keep in mind what you advised me! ;)

Sebastian

The first (the more "practical" one) is the score. It needs quite some work. And tbh, at that speed you could be better of with a 5 instead of a 2 and a 3 (talking about bar 131 for example, left hand). It is rather fast and it would save a lot of time if you grouped the 5 notes in equal rhythmic length. Either way the pianist won't clearly play the 2/16 and then the 3/16 (the truplet) at that speed with things going on in the right hand. and other details of the score to make it more enjoyable to the person that would study it.

I think the only aspect of the score that could use work is the way you number your tuplets. See, you have places that would much better be served by a 6:4, rather than two 3:2s.

Don't pay attention to people who want you to change the rhythm. You know what you want, and if you want 8:5 or 15:12, that's your business. Likewise, if you want a pair and then a triplet - that's your call, and no need to change it.

I did see your Chopin influence when I approved the piece. However, I thought it did not stray at all from the Chopinesque, beyond a little nod to Ravel and Debussy, and I was aching to hear something adventurous from it. The repetition did nothing to distract from this, either.

All in all, a good piece, despite that I found it somewhat bland. Your rhythmic work was what kept it interesting for me.

I think the only aspect of the score that could use work is the way you number your tuplets. See, you have places that would much better be served by a 6:4, rather than two 3:2s.

Don't pay attention to people who want you to change the rhythm. You know what you want, and if you want 8:5 or 15:12, that's your business. Likewise, if you want a pair and then a triplet - that's your call, and no need to change it.

I did see your Chopin influence when I approved the piece. However, I thought it did not stray at all from the Chopinesque, beyond a little nod to Ravel and Debussy, and I was aching to hear something adventurous from it. The repetition did nothing to distract from this, either.

All in all, a good piece, despite that I found it somewhat bland. Your rhythmic work was what kept it interesting for me.

Thank you for everything! Like I said, I knew that there will be people that will be annoyed by the repetition, and I 'm taking the responsability for that; it's what I ... felt, not necessarily wanted...

About those tuplets... Believe me that I tried to separate the 16ths of the 16ths triolets but they are stuck in Finale and I do not know how to fix it... I think I will post a message in the Finale/Sibelius Board for this problem, maybe someone will know what to do...

Thanks again!

Seb

Don't pay attention to people who want you to change the rhythm. You know what you want, and if you want 8:5 or 15:12, that's your business. Likewise, if you want a pair and then a triplet - that's your call, and no need to change it.

What about paying attention to everyone and everything and making a choice about what he wants to follow and makes sense, and what not?

About those tuplets... Believe me that I tried to separate the 16ths of the 16ths triolets but they are stuck in Finale and I do not know how to fix it... I think I will post a message in the Finale/Sibelius Board for this problem, maybe someone will know what to do...

Oh, skipped that, sorry!

In speed entry, after you are finished with the bar, go back and go to the place you want to seperate the beams. then press "/" It will cut the beam in two to the place you are.

Oh, skipped that, sorry!

In speed entry, after you are finished with the bar, go back and go to the place you want to seperate the beams. then press "/" It will cut the beam in two to the place you are.

Thank you!!! :thumbsup:

Well...Sebby... here I am...

I like the fact that I can read the scores in Sibelius. I still find this a very good Piano piece with some taste of Ravel. Great work with the triplets. Well done...

Well...Sebby... here I am...

I like the fact that I can read the scores in Sibelius. I still find this a very good Piano piece with some taste of Ravel. Great work with the triplets. Well done...

Nice to have you here!

Well... Welcome! :shifty:

;)

Sebastian

I loved your piece! I think it is incredibly well written (although I don't play the piano, so from that aspect, I'd have no idea what to tell you) and emotional. The repetitiveness I find rather comforting, because it is not so repetitive that it takes away from the music, but rather it gives a sense of continuity and the fundamental emotionality of the music. Great job! I'd look forward to buying a CD with this when it is recorded. :P

This piece is pretty much why I joined this forum in the first place... I was impressed (still am).

There's a lot I like about it, and it's a great piece in and of itself. However, after listening to it several times, and now having listened with the score (it took some work to get Finale notepad... their site was buggy), I think there's some room for improvement.

There are a few melodic ideas that I think could be fleshed out more, and I think the repetitiveness of the waltz/parisian-cafe sound could be toned down a bit, whereas I think some of the chopin and rachmaninov-esque themes could be brought out more.

I also think the ending (from 197 on) is a little weak... it's very close to the way Rach's Prelude in C# minor ended, but less harmonically interesting, and it doesn't seem to fit the preceding ideas.

Nonetheless, I really like the piece, and would like to maybe learn it to memorization/performance level (probably with some variation on my part.)

This weekend I'll sit down and point out better what I like and what I think could be improved. I'm a little short on time at the moment.

Jonathan

Thank you all for listening!

I agree that is room for improvement! Where is not? It's all about our own perspective... I have mines, you have yours... there is no right or wrong ;) !

But... your advices will help me in my future compositions, so thank you very very much! :P

Sebastian

I also can see a Chopin's influence and maybe something from Debussy.. as for me, you don't work enough with velocity.. As a composer, you're the only one who can shape something from your creation.. And as for me, too many "forte" here.. and too depressive.. :unsure:

I think the only aspect of the score that could use work is the way you number your tuplets. See, you have places that would much better be served by a 6:4, rather than two 3:2s.

Don't pay attention to people who want you to change the rhythm. You know what you want, and if you want 8:5 or 15:12, that's your business. Likewise, if you want a pair and then a triplet - that's your call, and no need to change it.

I did see your Chopin influence when I approved the piece. However, I thought it did not stray at all from the Chopinesque, beyond a little nod to Ravel and Debussy, and I was aching to hear something adventurous from it. The repetition did nothing to distract from this, either.

All in all, a good piece, despite that I found it somewhat bland. Your rhythmic work was what kept it interesting for me.

I concur with that Chris just said, about you deciding what you want, and it is entirely up to you to decide what you want to do with it. ;)

I as everyone else finds this piece Chopinesque with a tinge of Debussy and Ravel (As Chris also said :closedeyes:)

I guess I have to comment something else, so I don't just repeat.

You mentioned that you have problems variating your theme, I don't think that this piece has suffered at all! I like the way you 'compensate' that, by really making this piece dramatic, as if the purpose was to make your heart-broken and when the piece comes to such a dramatic point you suddenly release the tension and lay back; wonderfully done!

I am a pianist, and I find this piece very interesting to play :)

I concur with that Chris just said, about you deciding what you want, and it is entirely up to you to decide what you want to do with it.

I as everyone else finds this piece Chopinesque with a tinge of Debussy and Ravel (As Chris also said ;))

I guess I have to comment something else, so I don't just repeat.

You mentioned that you have problems variating your theme, I don't think that this piece has suffered at all! I like the way you 'compensate' that, by really making this piece dramatic, as if the purpose was to make your heart-broken and when the piece comes to such a dramatic point you suddenly release the tension and lay back; wonderfully done!

I am a pianist, and I find this piece very interesting to play :)

Thank you so much for saying these words! :closedeyes: I'm really happy that a pianist would play it!

About the tuplets, I received the "tip" in which I learned how to write them correctly, so I will post a cleaner score later!

P.S. I was wondering... what would say a composition teacher about this? I'm sure that my teacher would say that this is "retro" :) , and I should compose more avant-garde... I'm trying to do so... For now is a bit difficult to me to express myself through avant-garde... So step by step, I will try my best!

Sebastian

I've just uploaded in the front page a new mus. file with the correction of the tuplets... I also have the PDF. but it's very large (11 MB) and I can't upload it here... But if you need it, send me a private message and I will send it to you! :closedeyes:

Seb

It just hit me, that your writing for bassline is rather similar to Eric Satie's; an octave that commences every measure, very low, and after that comes the second chord etc. But that he always has and octave 'often' played alone :closedeyes:

Gorgeous... It has some bits of Chopin, but I find a lot of Debussy in it too. And from 04:51 to 05:22 the Rachmaninovian feel is unmistakable. :happy:

I love this piece! I feel the anguish and weight of night after night thinking about a loved one who we can't even touch, for the most varied reasons... Believe me, I know how that feels...

I can see the nightsky too!...

Brilliant! Allez donc realizer votre amour, monsieur! Il n'y a que moi sur cette terre suffisament perdu pour y songer sans l'avoir...