March 1, 200917 yr 01 Track 1.wma - File Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage (Score to be uploaded very soon.) EDIT: Score uploaded. I apologize, I only have a handwritten copy. Each of the below links is one page of the score; it's 4 pages total. http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/Melted_Canary/Rhapsodypg1.jpg http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/Melted_Canary/Rhapsodypg2.jpg http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/Melted_Canary/RhapsodyPg3.jpg http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww289/Melted_Canary/Rhapsodypg4.jpg Rhapsody is a piece for solo keyboard that I wrote last semester. The recording provided is a live performance by a good friend of mine at my school's biannual "New Voices" student composer concert. Although it's a much better quality of sound than midis and other digitized recordings, the performer isn't perfect and makes a handful of mistakes that unfortunately unavoidable in live performances. The piece itself is around 5 minutes long and is very quiet and contemplative in nature. It's based off of Atonal Theory, utilizing a specific group of sets as the main harmonic ideas. The 'theme' or motive is the gesture that opens the piece, and it permeates the entire piece. My main influences for the piece were Debussy, Bartok, and Webern. Debussy's style of coloristic piano writing has always been a big influence on my compositions. I also utilize a lot of Bartokian harmonic ideas often based around the octatonic, as well as adapting Webern's thin, clear sound and motivic obsession into the piece as well. I hope you enjoy it, and I would appreciate comments and criticisms of all kind.
March 3, 200917 yr Author No responses yet? :( I must warn people that the sound file is very quiet. You will have to turn up your volume to hear it.
March 3, 200917 yr Hello! I enjoyed listening to your piece! I liked the ambiance you created through your use of harmony and melodic material! Although after a while, when this landscape was painted in the listener's imagination, I was waiting for something to happen... But that something didn't come... (just my point of view). Also I would've loved to hear more contrast, harmonically speaking and most important, a rhythmic contrast would've been nice... The ending is out of context if you'd ask me... but, maybe, you intended these, so... :P Anyways, a nice piece to listen to! Sebastian
March 3, 200917 yr Hello, dear fellow South Carolinian, and (hopefully) future colleague. I hope the day finds you well. I'm going to get right down to business with this most lovely Rhapsody. First and foremost, my attention was snared and held right from the first measure. Bravo on that, because I'm easily distracted. >.> That four-note motif really had a way of drawing me in; while it was at once pensive and retenue, it had a psychotic potential to it; in my own composer's mind, I can hear a tense, fortissimo strings passage of those same four notes, screaming through the hall. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not trying to change your music. I'm merely demonstrating the different underlying feelings that visit me while reading through it. (This is something I do often, sorry...) My next comment has to do with the liberal use of the pedal throughout; this daring maneuver worked marvelously. Sebastian put it well in using the word "atmospheres;" I really could feel the presence of different levels of sound to that massive extent, and it was a lovely effect. In contrast with Mr. Sebastian, though, I did feel as though these layered globules of sound led to something, starting right about 2:33, building all the way to what I perceived as the climax of the piece around 3:18 or so. The winding down of material from this climax to the end felt absolutely natural, like it was simply meant to be. Nice job on that. My first time reading through, I did find the last three chords to be a bit odd, given the texture of the piece, but in context, it makes for a near-perfect release of the leftover tension. I think played ever so slightly quieter, and allowed to ring just a tad bit longer, my gripe would be gone. (That's more of a comment on the pianist than the composer, though. :P) For now I shall cut my commentaire merdique to a rest. I applaud you infinitely, and if you don't mind, I'd greatly love to learn this piece as well, myself being a pianist at heart. Keep up the good work, mate. ~Dallas
