Piano Concerto in G Minor, Op. 1

I've decided to scrap this work.

unfortunatly i dont have the option to listen to your music right now, but i did review the score to the first movement...and i really dont think its very piano concerto like. the piano has hardly any material besides repeated themes, it seems more like a backdrop instrument. the material seems good however, i would suggest more material from the piano and more solo instances if you wish to keep it a concerto. i DO like your music, i just dont honestly see how it fits as a piano concerto, for the first movement at least.

None of the mp3 links seem to work on my computer

You're right, it is a lot of repeated material, but it was more for compositional practice, as it is the first orchestral work I've written. I will work on a new Concerto with more extensive solos and what-not.

I will also fix the links.

I'm mainly going to make a few comments on the orchestration of the first movement, since any critique of the form from me would only echo what others have already said. I would, however, seriously consider giving the piano left hand more material, because right now it plays mainly block chords, which are not very interesting at all. With the baroque-like sound that you already have, the first movement sounds like it needs some more counterpoint - perhaps the left hand imitating the right?

* In mm. 28-35, the pizzicato basses are not going to give you much of a bass line at all. Consider doubling with celli at the octave.

* Keep in mind that the flute's optimal range is actually above the staff. You're not getting much use out of them by mainly doubling oboes and violins in unison.

* I notice that you are asking the clarinet player to go up and down in the middle of the staff a whole lot. Keep in mind that the clarinet, in particular, has a "break" between written B-flat and written B-natural that is fairly awkward to finger quickly. Although crossing the break occasionally in a melody is not going to draw objections from clarinet players, it is more effective to consider the clarinet to be almost two separate instruments: one playing from the bottom of its range to written B-flat, and a second instrument going from B-natural to the top of its range. It is also notable that the clarinet has a big change in timbre right at the break.

* In general, this is two- and three-part writing within a limited span. With an orchestra, you can definitely use a much wider range of pitches, and fuller chords. The piece sounds somewhat baroque, but even Vivaldi made fuller use of his ripieno strings. As it turns out, most orchestral music is four- and five-part harmony with doublings.

* And speaking of doubling, you can get much more dramatic effect by doubling at the octave than by unison doubling. For example, right at the beginning, I might suggest the following: double the melody at the octave, either by moving the 1st violins up an octave, or by having the violas double the melody an octave below; and have the second horn play an octave below the first horn. Instantly, without adding any parts, you get a much more solid sound out of the orchestra.

Thanks for your help! I will consider these tips for the new Piano Concerto I am writing.