Sonata for Viola and Piano in D Major

Hey all,

Here is my viola sonata in D Major for viola and piano. It's in three movements and not in classic sonata form. I wrote it a while ago and have been trying to get someone to perform it, but I haven't had any luck. This is the first time I'm really opening it to the public, so all and any opinions/critiques/advice is greatly appreciated!

Some history:

I originally wrote the third movement first, and then decided that it would make a better third movement than a first movement. I then wrote the first movement and ended with the second. I wrote it because I felt that there wasn't many famous works out there for violists. I think the viola has a beautiful range and a much deeper and darker sound than the violin. So, here is my ode to the viola - enjoy!

Movement I - NOTE: there is one beat where there is no sound towards the end...for whatever reason, it didn't record :P

Mp3 - Sonata for Viola and Piano Mvt 1.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

PDF - Sonata for Viola and Piano in D Major - Movement I.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Movement II -

Mp3 - Sonata for Viola and Piano in D Ma 1.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

PDF - Sonata for Viola and Piano in D Major - Movement II.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

Movement III -

Mp3 - Sonata for Viola and Piano in D Majo.mp3 - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

PDF - Sonata for Viola nad Piano in D Major - Movement III.pdf - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

hi there. i would really love to hear this piece, but for some reason the site is not loading. im not sure if its my comp or what. is there any way you could upload a MIDI? thanks

hmm....that's strange....it's working for me....

is anyone else having this problem?

I would upload a midi, but it's too big! :(. I can send it via AIM if you'd like. PM me your screen name and I'll IM you.

You need to be extremely careful when notating double stops for any string instruments. Typically thirds and seconds are extremely difficult to do. I would avoid them. And since you insist on them throughout the piece, I would reccomend you asking a violist if it is reasonable to play them.

Otherwise, nice piece. (I'll comment on the other two movements later).

Morgri - thanks for listening!

Yeah, while writing the piece I didn't realize how difficult double stops were, or at least, the ones I created. I asked my friend who plays viola about them - he said they were difficult, but not impossible, so unless someone state's otherwise then I'm keeping them. I look forward to your other comments!

I'm not sure it would be to your advantage to keep them. You can easily keep the meaning of the peice and not distort it one bit by taking away some of the double stops. The easier it is to play the more likely you are going to find someone to play it for you.

Corbin, While it maybe manageable for proffesional or even advanced violinist, In terms of getting it performed I think it would be best for him take out a few. I know sixths and fifths are fine, however, jumping all over the place with them isn't the best idea, especially if all he has are intermediate or a little bit better violists to play them. And since he says he's been trying to get it performed, I think it would be to his advantage to take them out.

So yes, they maybe be manageable for a proffesional or advanced violist, but not neccesiraly true for on that isn't at that skill level yet.

Thanks for your input Corbin!

Yes, the first movement isn't that great, is it? I will rework it, one day. I love parts of it, but other parts never sat well with me. My favorite is the second, followed by the third.

Also, I realize that my knowledge of double stops is limited. I plan on looking more into composing for the viola and seeing what would and wouldn't work..

thanks though! I look forward for more comments from others :)

This is a very substantial work. I can see why the 2nd movement is your favourite. It is the most together of your movements in terms of using your material well without drifting off on to other ideas. The first movement seemed to ramble from The Carpenters into an Irish Jig via a slow movement and back again. There seemed to be enough material for another sonata in there. I'm sorry but I didn't listen to the whole movement. The third also had the same problems. It starts with a slow intro after a slow movement. Then there are some ideas again from The Carpenter and Queen. There is a lot of material and not much harmonic contrast in the music. You could get at least another 3 movement out of this movement with more judicious development and some key contrasts. You don't seem to have development sections just new ideas. Fecundity is a great asset to have but you need to use it better.

Biddy, this is an ambitious and noble undertaking. I regret I only had time this morning to hear the first movement, but here are my impressions.

I have to agree with some of the prior comments about the technical demands you've made of the viola. While not impossible, many of the double stop passages are awkward because of the rapid changes in position necessary; one sees such things in Paganini, and in etudes specifically written as musical calishthenics, but you have to ask yourself whether you only want your piece decently playable by five to ten percent of the professional violists out there. Also, the arpeggios in the viola solo at 225-226 are, in my opinion, unplayable; the shifts back and forth from 3rd to 1st position at that speed are prohibitive. The others in the same section are fairly straightforward, though.

There is a curious mix of technical knowledge and nievete in this movement. There is plenty of rhythmic variety, and you seem to know something of what the capabilities of your forces are, yet the piece is harmonically quite static - whole sections going back and forth between two chords in various inversions, sometimes outlining the same chord for many measures on end, as if you didn't know what to do, so you did nothing. Finally at measure 159 there is some harmonic interest, but it seems incongruous, having nothing whatever do with what came before. If I were you, I would work on greater harmonic variety, as well as modulations and transitions.

Thanks for you comments Lee! I will admit that the first movement needs to be reworked, but I really do look forward to your comments about the other movements. If the double stops in the first movement were bad then just disregard them in the second :p - I'm going to rework those as well.

You know, it stinks not being in a composition program. I have to learn all these little tricks and things on my own, so the more feedback the better!