// Variations in A minor for violin and piano \\

It may not appear that way, but I would say the third is the hardest variation.

Wait, are we talking violin or piano here?

violin

OH ok... I was confuzzled for a few seconds. This piece should be performed.

Sir Violinist1 here might just make that possible.

Do you have a pianist, who can play it? (You kinda need both...)

Why thank you for the complement MisD and though it may take some months to get It done, I hereby promise to practice it every night or other night! And yes I do know some pianists that may take up the job.

His name is Tom

How long have you been playing violin MisD?

10 years so far, Sir Violinist1.

Some of the artificial harmonics in the 2nd and 3rd variation aren't that great to have in the middle of those runs, and for timbre purposes, I would suggest displacing them in their actual non-harmonic octave. The sound would be fuller, and wouldn't be that whistle like harmonic sound. And for something as brilliant as this, it fits better.

Also, more interesting writing in the piano would be helpful. Maybe more flashy, like in the violin? Also, I would suggest a more prolonged ending, where the piano has the arpeggios at the end- even just expanding by 2 or 4 measures would sound more whole.

I will certainly consider your suggestions about the harmonics. We'll see how it turns when in some months Sir Violinist1 can perform the piece. The only reason I didn't give any more interesting material to the piano is because it's essentially a violin show-off piece. The concept of a show-off might be wrong in all aspects, but it's what happened here :P I also felt a need to have those deep percussive left hand notes in contrast with the violin arpeggios near the end.

Wow- very fine piece. Some things I want to mention-

1) You have crescendos for multiple measures that you don't need. A good pianist will be able to play this if they are told to play it expressively... at least they should.

2) I like the Piano part, but do you think that you could create a counter melody when the Violin is playing the melody for the second time? I like how you combine the same melody with something different, but it doesn't keep me hooked to the piece. Oh BTY, the piano develops perfectly!

3) This is probably the most difficult Violin part I have ever seen or heard! You definitely understand the instrument, and everything is theoretically possible, but I wouldn't hold my breath... It is VERY hard to start playing sixteenth note harmonics and doublestops in octaves in sixteenth notes at this tempo, yet I think a pro violinist could handle it with a bit of practice. Sure, I am a one year student of the Violin, but I have heard enough concertos and live performers to understand what's hard and what's not.

4) I favor the sixteenth note passage at the halfway point of the piece. It's the right difficulty, and isn't exceedingly virtuoso.

5) I like all of your variations really, but the way you label them in the score makes me think "Etude". Perhaps if you simply got rid of those- They aren't really needed anyway. A good performer will realize that they are variations.

6) Now how exactly do you intend the violinist to play the arpeggios on page 17?? You HAVE to slur those for sake of convenience, either that or I just can't see a violinist playing that!

Excellent piece! While I had some things to say, I liked the piece. I would love to hear it performed!

Thanks for the comments :)

1) I notated the crescendos mostly so that Finale would play back the music the way I want. However, I do want to make my point clear, so I write the important stuff.

2) Definitely an interesting proposition. It's written the way it is mostly cuz it's based in the classic variations format, which works like this.

3) Indeed it is. It's what scares me :P

4) Thanks :)

5) Well, I've *always* seen variations labeled in the score, and I feel it makes it clearer.

6) True, they'll have to be slurred. I didn't so that a potential performer would have the choice of writing his own slurs.

Thanks again for the comments!

Do you have a pianist, who can play it? (You kinda need both...)

I could play it, maybe even sightread it!

Oh, that's another thing- I noticed how simple the Piano was compared to the Violin. Normally the Piano accompaniment is a ratio-factor as hard as the violin part. If I saw the solo instrument part alone, I would think that the piano part would be incredulously hard!

M is D- I'm glad you like the comments! I was expecting to be ripped to pieces. Maybe I've been in the Off-topic section too much...

In response to 6)- Performers HATE it (and I know I do) if they have to write thier own markings in that the composer refused to put in, so I try to write as much in as I can without putting markings all over the page.

Just some food for thought!

They do? Most performers I know disregard the markings that come with the music for their own, myself included. It's why I did it.

They do? Most performers I know disregard the markings that come with the music for their own, myself included. It's why I did it.

Hm. It could depend on where you are. I'm in the US, so that could affect it...

They do? Most performers I know disregard the markings that come with the music for their own, myself included. It's why I did it.

Wow, here in Texas, it is herecy to change dynamic marks..

FANTASTIC!!! Great piece. I think you used the violin in a great way, really showcasing the instrument. Also your variations were very good. I loved the overall build up of the piece. I was so relived when it picked up, it was a nice suprise. Maybe to many repeats, but overall fantastic piece.

Congrats!

Oh, thanks, I'm flattered ^^

Um... I disregard stuff all of the time.

The way I've been educated, you PLAY WHAT'S ON THE PAGE!!! If you don't, you aren't a worthy musician!! :O :angry:

*ahem* Anyway, that's how I learned, and I think that it should always be that way. Composers write all their markings for a reason, and when they do write them, you should play them. It's an insult to the composer not to! Granted, in things like concertos, often times classical composers will NOT write in markings so that the soloist can use thier own artistic interpretation, much like a singer, and in this situation, that would work just fine, but if you feel that something should be played a certain way (going back to the slur over the arpeggios), then WRITE IT!! Most performers are grunts, and will play something in a certain way if it is written that way. The worst that can happen is they can't play it the way it is written (in which case, why are they playing it??), and they would have to change it. :D

This piece reminds me of some of Tartini's work, which is a good thing

The crescendo of the violin difficulty throughout the piece I think is a very nice touch.

I'm not much in the mood to leave a long comment today, but I just thought I'd say that it's cool

The way I've been educated, you PLAY WHAT'S ON THE PAGE!!! If you don't, you aren't a worthy musician!! :O :angry:

*ahem* Anyway, that's how I learned, and I think that it should always be that way. Composers write all their markings for a reason, and when they do write them, you should play them. It's an insult to the composer not to! Granted, in things like concertos, often times classical composers will NOT write in markings so that the soloist can use thier own artistic interpretation, much like a singer, and in this situation, that would work just fine, but if you feel that something should be played a certain way (going back to the slur over the arpeggios), then WRITE IT!! Most performers are grunts, and will play something in a certain way if it is written that way. The worst that can happen is they can't play it the way it is written (in which case, why are they playing it??), and they would have to change it. :D

I agree, this would make a good debate in the Composer's Headquarters Forum.

Very nice piece. I liked it very much. The piano was also well-written; it isn't the easiest, but it's doable, and it's well-composed.

Some violin parts nearly burst my eardrums, but I'm sure that's just due to crappy MIDI sound quality. The violin part was also excellent, too.

In general, very good. ^_^

Just an idea Tom

Okay, so it's fairly simple harmonically. I wouldn't mind seeing some chordal notes that aren't 1-3-5-7. But that might not be what you are into.Those fast harmonics might be a little hard to pull off, maybe? I'm not sure. Have you had a violinist look at this yet? Probably not, now that I think about it, since you just wrote it. EDIT: I see now that you are a violinist, and I a fool. Nonetheless I will keep my comments, so maybe you can better clarify the limits of string instruments for me.

Variation #2 reminds me of Dance of the Jesters, with that god-awful run that I had to play on xylo once. It was fun, just...ridiculous :D

So variation #3...that seems hard for the violin, but doable I think. I think the biggest problem would be moving to different strings?

Variation 4 is cool, not sure about those octaves though...or the double stops in 132

Same thing with 147-153. If the repeated note was on an open string, that might be easier. I don't know, I'm not a violinist, and I feel a bit nitpicky about the violin part. I think I definitely write more conservatively for strings that I have to, so this might all work, I don't know.

Thanks,

JWhitmarsh

Okay, so it's fairly simple harmonically. I wouldn't mind seeing some chordal notes that aren't 1-3-5-7. But that might not be what you are into.Those fast harmonics might be a little hard to pull off, maybe? I'm not sure. Have you had a violinist look at this yet? Probably not, now that I think about it, since you just wrote it. EDIT: I see now that you are a violinist, and I a fool. Nonetheless I will keep my comments, so maybe you can better clarify the limits of string instruments for me.

Variation #2 reminds me of Dance of the Jesters, with that god-awful run that I had to play on xylo once. It was fun, just...ridiculous :D

So variation #3...that seems hard for the violin, but doable I think. I think the biggest problem would be moving to different strings?

Variation 4 is cool, not sure about those octaves though...or the double stops in 132

Same thing with 147-153. If the repeated note was on an open string, that might be easier. I don't know, I'm not a violinist, and I feel a bit nitpicky about the violin part. I think I definitely write more conservatively for strings that I have to, so this might all work, I don't know.

Thanks,

JWhitmarsh

Thanks for the comments.

I agree with most of what you said. All the bars you indicated as having particularly difficult passages are indeed the way you say they are. The point is it's a piece written in part for the sake of being difficult - which can, however, have a musical reason. I just wrote it that way to express what I heard. It's certainly very hard, I am completely conscious of it. You asked me if I've showed it to another violinist: YC's own member SirViolinist 1 said he'd try to perform it in some months, we'll see how that goes.

As to the simple harmony - it's variations. I follow the theme's harmonic progression, and variate more upon the progression than the theme's melody itself. I felt that orchestration and variety in the violin writing would keep the same repeating chord progression from getting too boring.

Oh, and you also asked about the limits of string writing and the such. I wouldn't advise anyone to write the way I did in this piece, it's terribly demanding, although it's possible. Overall I sense you had a bit of a "wtf reaction" at the violin writing in the piece :P completely understandable.

Variation 3's problem is, indeed, changing strings - which is why I already told SirViolinist 1 he doesn't have to play it as fast as it is in the .mus/.mid, and Variation 4 is again quite tough but possible. measures 147-153 are nothing too demanding.