Ballade #7 in C Sharp Minor

Here is another romantic free form work of mine. I finished this piece in a 7 month time span, but I would go weeks sometimes without working on this composition. I pulled my hair trying to conclude this piece, but finally, I finished it!

I will provide the score sometime later, but I need to produce it first. It will take some time. In the meantime, enjoy!

Ballade #7 in C Sharp Minor

ballade7.pdf

Wow this is beautiful!

I loved the middle section, and I think the self inflicted hair loss was definately worth that superb ending!

If i may say one thing, There was a point about a third of the way through the piece that began to get slightly repetetive, but thats just a personal opinion.

Beautiful!

Another piano masterwork from you, Mike. Lovely.

The influence of Chopin on your work continues, yet with each piece of yours I hear there is more of your individual voice coming to the fore, and your harmonic language is becoming increasingly adventurous. I like the way you develop your straightforward thematic material throughout the piece, and I like the way you gradually unwind the subtle tension with the repeated phrases at the end - that section feels almost minimalist to me, in the best sense.

All this and beautifully performed as well. My compliments!

It will be interesting to see all of these collected into one volume.

There will definately be an evolution clearly evident from one to the next.

As I've listened to them, I've heard hints of Ravel and Faur

This is exactly how piano music should be. It sounds like it wasn't so much composed as poured straight onto the keyboard. The lack of sudden changes in texture or tempo means that a sense of evolution dominates the work - it's never self-referencing or metanarrating. For this reason, I'm tempted to say it sounds more like an emotion, landscape or painting than a piece of music.

Another piano masterwork from you, Mike...

Mike is chopin? He can't be

Sorry for any confusion. Michael happens to be Chopin's (the Administrator, that is) given name as well. Didn't mean Mike, the other Administrator.

Sorry for any confusion. Michael happens to be Chopin's (the Administrator, that is) given name as well. Didn't mean Mike, the other Administrator.

Oh, that's ok, I didn't know :)

Ah that's a lovely piece. Nice melodies and harmonies, especially nice use of chromaticism, and just the right length. Your themes are well developed and the piece manages never to get boring. I have nothing negative to say.

Looking forward to #8 :)

Thank you all for the compliments. Unfortunately I haven't composed a single note since I last posted this piece, I am not sure why. I need to get back into the swing of things. But during this time, I copyrighted this piece for those of you who may be curious to learn it.

Ballade #7 in C Minor PDF

This wonderful piece sounds like Romantic with strong signs of Impressionism. From a purely creative point of view, it sounds well solid! You have a very good sensitivity of harmonies and it sounds true to its style.

Although you said it's free form i still think it's more like theme and variations. (The other themes after the introduction sound loosely related to the first.) In this way it also has formal strength.

I haven't heard any of your previous compositions, but i thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Mike I'm listening to this now, and I can say right away that it is a very beautiful piece of music! I havn't got time to write a more detailed review right now, but from a first listen I'm already very impressed. It contains some fairly astonishing Chopin/Debussy-esque flourishes.

Apoligies that I havn't got time to listen to the whole thing right now (I must get some sleep!), but I certainly will tomorrow at some point! However I'll say this (I'm incredibly picky), the 2nd section (or the homophonic bit) would sound better to my ears with some kind of arpeggiation in the left hand as an accompaniment. Despite this, I'm immensely impressed, and I can't wait to hear the whole thing tomorrow! Actually, as I'm writing whilst listening the piece is getting better and better and I'm tempted to listen to all of it right now! But I must get some sleep!!!

Trying to listen to it but computer is acting up.

The score looks very good. Just a question.

In mm 13 - 36 and mm 69 - 89 are you intentionally aiming for a cross rhythmn between 6/8 in the lh and 3/4 in the rh. My reading of the score suggests these sections should be written in 6/8 - as I think you want to break up the pulse of half note to dotted quarter. If it is in 6/8, you would also have to provide a little more info (eg does the quarter in 4/4 equal the dotted quarter? etc).

wow... shear pianism, reminds me of Scriabin with a hint of Chopin and Debussy. AWESOME

This is quite beautiful, like a rich, dark, chocolate cake. The score is quite beautiful as well. Is it lilypond? It has a lovely handwritten feel to it. There are a few spots were the accents collide with the slurs. I noticed that there was an '8' underneath the bass clef. Does this mean the left hand is played an octave under? If it is just one note, why note use 8va instead? Some people might not see the small 8 under the clef.

Like others have said, there is a strong french and russian turn of the century sound to this.

I always find it interesting to hear music by progressing composers. Your music is always picturesque, and it's nice to see the direction you are heading in as you grow as a musician/composer. As always, I look forward to hearing more of your brilliant piano music. :)

Vince

I really enjoyed this. It almost feels like you painted a memory for us, very, very, touching

Its rare Ill find music on this board which hits a cord like that.

chopin chopin

it really look like chopin music

dark-enjoy

Somebody said this was like cake... I have to agree. :laugh:

Actually, I find a ton of F.F. Chopin's works rather empty and bland. Just a bunch of notes that sound good together but really don't do much besides that. It's just always been a subjective opinion I've had of his works. As I'm listening, I'll just say that the march-like waltz section really caught me off guard (not watching the score, just listening) As I was saying, while this reminds me a lot of and shares a lot with F.F. Chopin's style of pianoism, I find something else to this, Mike. At times I heard the mild impressionistic influence, possibly slight Debussy who I have an affinity for, even Scriabin, another composer I'm not all that fond of. Yet somehow I feel that you've brought all these styles ruthlessly into one harmonious relationship in this piece. 'Tis actually more a pleasure to listen to than any Chopin I've heard than perhaps a Polonaise or two, which I adore for their energy.

This work seems troubled. As per the Chopin influence, I don't get much emotion from it, it's very subdued - easy listening. But I can't help but feel that it is restrained. It feels like it never really got a chance to say what it really wanted to to me, which is perhaps an interesting message to send - almost pain and suffering, maybe reluctance.

I'd say 4 cheers out of 5, just because I like to mentally rate things I listen to. It wasn't perhaps the journey I was looking for in a great piece, but it was certainly beautiful music and I commend you for being able to express yourself so vividly.

P.S. how many of these Ballads do you plan on writing before publishing them all together and moving on to other musical forms?

Thanks all for listening and for all of your thoughts.

P.S. how many of these Ballads do you plan on writing before publishing them all together and moving on to other musical forms?

Since the definition of the Ballade is a "free-form" poem, I don't see myself moving onto other musical forms. I am a fan of not conforming to standards, and I like to develop my own musical formats. This is the reason why I call my pieces Ballades. I could adopt a new naming system I suppose, but my method of composition will most likely always be "free form" works. My earlier pieces are in some sort of form. For example, I have written 3 scherzi, and some waltzes. But I always go back to writing free form works. It is my addiction.

By the way, just noticed... in light of this work I think you need to update your signature. Only 5 Ballades? :P

Cheers! =D

Quite Beautiful

Very nice music, a chopin feel yes :)