My Moonlight piano sonata (G minor)

Hi All,

This is definitely my longest and most ambitious piece yet (every other piece I have written clocks in at 2 minutes). I know... to actually compare myself to Beethoven is blasphemy... it's just that I started out with the triplet timing of Beethoven's moonlight piano sonata in mind, and I'm sure you can see the similarities, especially with the beginning theme. However, there are some different themes in here too - if you do listen make sure you listen to the whole thing... it starts out simple enough, but it does get more complex. The 3/8 section is probably the best part. I'd like to call this a "sonata", but it is only 1 movement and I doubt I'll ever be able to write other movements for it.

It really needs some sustain pedal to make it sound better - I haven't put this in yet. MIDI doesn't quite capture the expression (especially in pp sections) as well as I would like (what's new?). I think the ending drags on a bit, and I keep ending sections on a dominant 7 chord too often. All comments welcome - positive OR negative!

MP3 recording ... Note that the mp3 is only a rendering of the MIDI data - not a performance!

moonlight2.mid

I seem to remember already commenting on part of this piece, and I'm still a fan of the 3/8 thing. I also really liked the offbeat notes in the main melody.

Could definitely sound great if not for the curse of MIDI :P

:whistling:

It sounds nice.

I probably wouldn't have thought of Beethoven's moonlight if you hadn't mentioned it.

There are a few similarities in the accompaniment but they could be in any number of other pieces as well. (What I mean is that the moonlight's arpeggiation of the triad isn't unique in itself and most music will use idioms also employed in other pieces).

My only criticism would be that it felt a bit static for its length.

At 5 and 1/2 minutes it could flirt a little more with other keys, for example.

Overall, though it has a tender melody and a pleasing somber mood.

My favorite section was about 1:40-1:50 where there were hints of underlying passion that dissipated into the more playful middle section.

I thought the ending was fine.

It served its purpose well.

I think it sounds quite similar to Beety's Moonlight... except in a house of mirrors. :laugh:

It's very playful and energetic but I agree with yrogerg in the sense that you could have played around with it a little more- after a few minutes, it sounds a little repetitive and almost... clunky? :blink:

Thanks for your comments guys... appreciated.

It sounds nice.

I probably wouldn't have thought of Beethoven's moonlight if you hadn't mentioned it.

Cool. I was under the impression that I had been a bit of a plagiarizer. But the intention was still to sound a bit Beethovenish in style without copying him directly.

I think it sounds quite similar to Beety's Moonlight... except in a house of mirrors. :laugh:

Not sure whether you are being literal or what here... what do you mean by "in a house of mirrors"?? :o

It's very playful and energetic but I agree with yrogerg in the sense that you could have played around with it a little more- after a few minutes, it sounds a little repetitive and almost... clunky? :blink:

Like yrogerg you also seem to think that its a bit static. I tend to agree. Just not sure how to make it less static though. Do you guys maybe suggest having some of the repititions of the main theme in a different key? (you'll notice towards the end I attempted a variation of the main theme in D major. But still the majority sticks to the G min). Or should I try to introduce different themes or motives perhaps? Or maybe changing the rhythm too?? (most of the time it is in 4/4 with triplet harmony)

I agree with you guys that this piece still probably needs a bit of work... nevertherless I am quite proud of it - as when I got a bit more serious about composing a few months ago I never dreamed of even being able to complete a sonata movement (most of the songs I wrote before that were just basic pop tunes or improvisations based on chord sequences).

Yeah, you could vary the theme melodically or modulate or build on some previous idea. The section at 1:40-1:50 could recur in an extended manner for example. So you hint at in the beginning but instead of cutting it short on its return, you develop it.

It is the section after the 3/8 interlude that most feels like it could use an injection of some contrast. Not necessarily that it needs a whole new theme (although that's an option) but some imbalance, interruption, change in some of the elements of music so it doesn't feel like a really long ending.

The melodic ideas are pretty though.

You might opt not to change it in any way but you can keep certain techniques in mind for other pieces.

It's very pretty. Unfortunately, it feels somewhat lost. It needs pedaling. If you've ever seen the music for that Moonlight Sonata, pedal markings are everywhere. Otherwise, If I found this in a music store, it wouuld be coming home with me faster than my car! It's great, and should be in any decent pianist's repoitoire (pardon, I have no idea how to spell that word!)

Alan

Yeah, you could vary the theme melodically or modulate or build on some previous idea. The section at 1:40-1:50 could recur in an extended manner for example. So you hint at in the beginning but instead of cutting it short on its return, you develop it.

It is the section after the 3/8 interlude that most feels like it could use an injection of some contrast. Not necessarily that it needs a whole new theme (although that's an option) but some imbalance, interruption, change in some of the elements of music so it doesn't feel like a really long ending.

The melodic ideas are pretty though.

You might opt not to change it in any way but you can keep certain techniques in mind for other pieces.

Thanks for the suggestions yrogerg :) I also think the section at 1:40-:50 is the best part of it too, so yes perhaps it would be good to expand upon it (easier said than done though). I have put heaps of work into just getting the piece to this stage, but I am not sure whether I have enough energy to go the extra mile to get it perfect (kindof afraid that if I make changes the piece will go "stale"). I am probably more likely to work on other pieces and come back to it later.

It's very pretty. Unfortunately, it feels somewhat lost. It needs pedaling. If you've ever seen the music for that Moonlight Sonata, pedal markings are everywhere. Otherwise, If I found this in a music store, it wouuld be coming home with me faster than my car! It's great, and should be in any decent pianist's repoitoire (pardon, I have no idea how to spell that word!)

Alan

Hmmmm, kinda contrasting statements there Alan!! "Should be in any pianist's repoitoire"? I think Beethoven's sonata should be in any pianists repetoire but probably not this one...

Hmmmm, kinda contrasting statements there Alan!! "Should be in any pianist's repoitoire"? :o I think Beethoven's sonata should be in any pianists repetoire but probably not mine....

Ok, that wasn't said right. What I meant to say is that in certain sections, I'm not perfectly sure where I'm going, but it doesn't harm the peice very much.

Don't put yourself down the drain! I like the peice, but if you think that it's not good enough, then think what you like.

Ok, that wasn't said right. What I meant to say is that in certain sections, I'm not perfectly sure where I'm going, but it doesn't harm the peice very much.

Don't put yourself down the drain! I like the peice, but if you think that it's not good enough, then think what you like.

Thanks Alan! Like I said earlier, I am actually pretty proud of it, considering I only started playing piano again about 6 months ago after a break of at least 5 years... I'm just not sure that the piece is really the kind of technically challenging stuff that most pianists aspire to. And yes, I really do need to add in some use of pedal!

I recently added soft pedal to the mp3 track (link in first post updated), which IMO makes it sound much better, although still not comparable to a real performance. Can't work out how to apply the pedal to both tracks in a midi file without combining the left and right hands :( Pity I don't have a real piano where I am so I could record it properly (although even then I am not sure I would be able to perform it without mistakes :blush:)

... I'm just not sure that the piece is really the kind of technically challenging stuff that most pianists aspire to.QUOTE]

While this may be true, you musn't forget that lots of popular songs aren't really that hard, but people still want to hear them. The phenomenon is known as crowd-pleasers- those wonderful tunes that aren't necesarily the most insanely difficult music one could imagine, but people still love them. This comes mainly from the performance of the piece, rather than the value of the music itself.

Hey this is my first comment on a piece. It doesn't have to be technically complex to sound good, but Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata wasn't too technically challenging and from what i can work out that's the song you modeled this on. It's a good work anyway, I liked the way it changed from being happy to mournful to turbulent and I thought the changes in speed fit well with the 3/8 pattern in the left hand like in the bridge of the Beethoven. Pretty good all round anyway.

i really enjoy this piece

and i have just a little suggestion, i think the melody doesnt stand out, but then again u rendered it and all the notes have the same volume, maybe u could make it an octave melody, it would increase the dificulty and its also used in beethoven's moonlight

Finrod

This is a nice little piece.

There could be some more variation. The part around 1:40 is great and I would have loved for it to be expanded upon.

There are a few unexpected notes that kept it interesting, but some variations would really get it going.

This is all just my opinion, if you are happy with it as is, then keep it as you wish.

Well Done.

Very nice little piece. I did hear some similarities with Beethoven's piece but it doesn't sound close enough to be considered plagerism. I thought your piece may have been a bit too repetitive but none the less, I never really felt bored. There is nothing wrong with repeating a melody a few times but try adding different types of harmony. You had some good melodies, they just felt a bit underdeveloped in my opinion. I'd like to hear some more pieces from you in the future.

A very enjoyable good piece with an interesting melody, also quite soothing. I did not get bored listening to this. The melody was a key factor in this.

Perhaps as other said, mix up the left hand harmonization to add variation.