Piano Concerto in D-Major

Hallo all!

I've recently made some developments in a piece I started writing almost two years ago when I was sitting in Theatre History class and was randomly hit with a melody. The ancient Greeks had strokes while watching Sophocles, and I had musical inspiration. Go figure. Anyways, I'm pretty happy with where this piece is going (That doesn't mean you shouldn't criticize. DO, by all means.) but my main question is: "Is there anything in there that a pianist physically can't play?" I don't play piano, so I'm going on what I've seen written out, and the advice of some of my more piano-savvy friends.

Suggestions are totally welcome! =D

Thanks a lot!

Piano Piece.mid

Thingy.nwc

PS- I just realized that the dynamics come out in a completely different way depending on if you're listening to the NWC or the MIDI.

Reason number 257 why MIDI makes me hurt inside...

Hey,

I've just had a quick listen and look at the score with NWC (YAY, I'm not the only one that uses it!) and there doesn't seem to be anything too bad with the piano part. It all looks pretty playable to me, so no worries there :)

I like your themes, they are simple, but catchy. I almost felt as if I could sing along to it without really knowing it. Some might not like that in a piece, but I think it's ok. Simple is often better...You should definately stick to it, I want to listen to it when it's finished :)

Lex.

Thanks a lot.

I'm glad to know I'm not the only NWC user either. Hahahaha. It can be kind of lame sometimes, but I've worked with it for so long that I can whiz through stuff pretty quickly.

Because you provided a NWC score, I feel compelled to listen to it. I also didn't know anyone else who used NWC until I came here!

So, my comments from listening and looking (mainly at the piano part):

Nice start. When it speeds up maybe place the accents on the beats/half-beats to give a better feel for the new tempo. Mainly I guess this is a problem with the MIDI nature of it.

The clarinet sounds loud at (bar) 28, it sticks our over the orchestra. Is this meant to be so?

At around 35 I see what the structure of it is, and how it should work, but I feel as if there is an extra half bar in there, I'm not quite sure how to change this to make it better.

Another issue I had was with the two 'transition' bars from orchestra to piano (40, 41) I would personally have the piano taking over straight away at 40.

At 51 with eh change in harmony (at last) I think you should add in some more harmonic notes in the orchestra. As it is there is a D augmented sort of chord, with the F# only being played by the viola. I think you should change this chord to a more clearly stated Bb chord or something, it just seems weak at the moment.

At first I was confused by the apparent key change to A at around 63, maybe work on this. Having said that, it does consolidate there nicely.

I expected the LH to change at 91, it feels as if it should.

Nice start to 98.

Overall impression? A bit static in its harmonies, but that is the style of piece. I also want to hear it when it's finished.

About NWC - it is a bit annoying sometimes, but it's still way better then Sibelius in my opinion! If you get the extra font for it "NWC extra ornaments" then it is even better.

George

Ill start with positives.

Its full of festivities. Always full of energy. But there isn't any time to breath.

You have an ok, yet classically cliche, motif and melody that unfortunately doesn't end, or vary at all. I saw a complete lack of motivic variance, which is what a piece needs. Or else, it will just continue at the same flat level the whole way through. This will eventually bore your listener.

When the piano started its solo part, that was slightly better, and you seemed to be a little less lost here. I could imagine you sitting there writing the piano part quite easily, because you only have 2 staves to worry about. But...again, it lacked any variety. When I saw your orchestration, sure it was full on, but again, no variance. It was just 'full orchestra - strings only - piano and strings - piano and full orchestra'. In my opinion you should have at least 10 sections of combinations of instruments in any orchestration.

I am not a master of orchestration (or counterpoint or harmony), but I know an incorrectly orchestrated piece when I see one. And im sorry to say, that yours is pretty badly orchestrated. I don't usually criticise this much, or strongly, but I just had to tell you.

Harmony: Has no direction. Its like...the piece is called Concerto in D major...and so is the harmony. the harmony never strays away from a D chord! Maybe with further analysis, i may find a few other chords, but they were rather weak. In my opinion, this whole piece was like a Coda...just waiting to end. Because, in a classical coda, you can expect long long long finishes that jump back and forth between the tonic and dominant, etc. (like...the 5th Symphony, Beethoven).

I think that it really again, lacks variety in the harmony. No contrast, no breath, no refreshing chords.

This piece really should be restarted.

I feel so mean. I think im in a bad mood. Im really never like this. But don't take it personally. Its not you im bagging out. Its the piece.

Tips:

STUDY SOME SCORES! Start with some haydn piano concertos...and then mozart, and then a few other classical composers (stay away from beethoven for a long time...he is so complex...then again, so are haydn and mozart...but not so much as beethoven). Look at small orchestral works from the same period. Then take inspiration. YOu may find disappointment at first because chances are that you will mimic a piece entirely...but, hey thats all about learning. And then you will somehow find your own flavour.

Again, im sorry to be so harsh, but I think someone had to say it.

:) Thanks for posting though, and allowing us to comment.