Melanchony

This piece was composed in a moment of Melanchony. Or a whole morning of melanchony anyway.

No, it's not depression. It's just personality.

All my previous compositions have themes and melodies (well, most of them anyway). This one doesn't. It's direct response to feeling. I did not try to imitate anyone - no, this is from the heart. MY heart.

It's Melanchony. It's a small piece. Some might think it's great, some might think it's worthless. I think this is the only piece of music in me that is true to the feeling.

I dedicated it to a friend of mine - who knows more about melanchony than he deserves. Jan, bless you! And thank you for beign a good friend!

I suppose there are influences of Chopin's Ballade in G minor, but I most certainly didn't try to imitate the piece. Influence, however, is apparent.

PS :ermm:

Melanchony.mid

Melanchony.pdf

Not bad, but it doesn't know what it is, early romanticism or neo-romanticism. It seems to be some sort of blend of the two, which I'm not very fond of, but that's probably just me... The piece could have been longer too. Measures 14-15 I don't like those 7ths and 9ths in the left hand, they sound unnecessarily dissonant.

Those dissonants are essential!

Oh well. I don't expect any good reviews anyway. Bless you for listening. Bless you for giving 'positive' comment. If you comment is 'negative', well, bless you anyway!

Bleh.

Those triplets don't sound right, they sound erratic and out of place. I don't like the dissonance and think it should be longer.

At the beginning of the piece I thought it had some potential, but there wasn't really a 'bridge' between the sections. I liked bars 1-7.

I don't mean to sound really evil here, but I believe you should work on it longer than a morning. You can take ideas you had that morning but to have a successful piece of work you need to take those ideas and develop them for a while, get rhythm, harmony inspiration by listening to different pieces and also by sitting down for a while and thinking hard about how the piece can 'work'.

Even a simple composition doesn't feel finished if it's not worked on for a few weeks IMO.

A good technique is coming up with the piece hiding it away for a week, revisiting it and seeing if you still like it, or if it needs changes. Do this until you think it sounds perfect on a weekly basis.

As I say my message is harsh, but I believe with the right level of commitment you could make a very good piece from this! I really did like the beginning chords and was hoping you could develop them further before moving into the triplets. As I said, erratic, but with a proper 'bridge' between them to smooth it out it can work!

Sure. The psychological side of posting a piece is much more important than the actual value of the piece itself (in my particular case - now).

I am perfectly contend. I actually composed this piece in... half an hour? I didn't compose a morning long, but today I've been quite melanchony for most part of the morning. Hmmm.

I don't need to edit this piece. It's a masterwork. I enjoy it as it is.

Oh, if I had a studio! I would record my intentions and it would sound loverly! Those dissonants are SO important. I think they are the most important aspect of the piece. Hehe. I am quite content and nothing anyone can say will influence me. Jan is happy with the piece, so should you be.

And BLESS ALL OF YOU!

I specially liked measures 14-15 in the left hand, the piece is brief & simple in structures but very enjoyable to digest. Keep elaborating.

Hey Se

I guess I could make it longer if I wanted to... but where's the miniature in that?

Melanchony is not a concerto. Melanchony is sitting on a rock in the moonlight. It's short, it's sweet and I know it complete. I felt it should be a short piece.

Beign traditional, I am a revolutionary! :) Happy smiles all the way!

I don't need to edit this piece. It's a masterwork.

No need for a review then I guess.

Pieter - The length is fine and it is successful in what you want to achieve. Stylistically not my cup of tea - yet i do like some of the chords there - the 7th and 9ths. I am not sure of your final cadence but i cannot offer a definite solution - except using a thinner texture, different spacing or adding something to make the it more ambiguous.

HAHAHA. I am sorry... this work made my day. You did some WONDERFUL things piano wise... but PLEASE explain why you would use a Picardy Third at the end? Your V-I cadence was very uncalled for. And, I would hope that the emotional effect your were going for doesn't have a picardy third in mind. I was caught SO off balance that I had to look at the score twice. I think you should just end it minor. Just my two cents..

otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I have to agree with those who found the final chord strange.

Even wtih the ending, I quite liked the piece. The length and harmony seem fine to me. The midi rendition is lacking in the subtlety and expression a real pianist could give these notes so one has to use a little imagination.

Well done.

I agree! With a bit of expression this could be a wonderful concert piece. Would you mind if I printed it off and tried my hand at it?

...Was fine with the whole piece including the final chord.

The supposedly slightly jarring triplets would be cured with tenuto marks on the two preceding crotchets or merely a small ritenuto for the bar, which would be followed by an 'a tempo' marking.

EDIT: Or maybe extend the bar to 5/4.

Oh yes! I play this piece like a cadenza. The triplets I play with feeling.. rutabo or even out of tempo. Whatever you like.

Please, feel free to perform it! Whatever you may profit form it. Bleh.

The tierce de picarde is essential. I felt it was called for. This piece should be refreshing... not just depressing. The major end is essential to my feeling. YES! I must feel it.

I really can't believe you people like this piece! Just accept it as it is - yes! :)

Okay now that I've listened to this for a while I will try to give it my best attempt of analysis.

Firstly, your opening is kind of deceiving - it sounds like the beginning to something hopeful or happy. Maybe this was your intent, to signify that the day started out ordinary, but it does seem misleading.

As you as your transition into a episode that sounds "minor" it starts sounding very dramatic, and kind of beautiful in a "exotic" way. I love those little zig-zag like passages in the right hand - (around :40) they are very beautiful. I think you could write an entire piece based around those little motifs.

The chords you use during this section aren't melancholy in my view, there more dramatic, reminded me of Mozart's Moonlight Sonata 3rd mov. in a way - very dramatic.

The majorized chord at the end is kind of a surprise ending, i was expecting a major or minor 7th/9th chord.

I think this piece is very good actually, except that it's way too short. By writing a fully developed beginning middle and end this piece would transition a lot more smoothly and feel more complete.

In all, it has a lot of potential. Good work.

...reminded me of Mozart's Moonlight Sonata 3rd mov. in a way - very dramatic.

I'VE PLAYED BEETHOVENS MOONLIGHT SONATA! MOZART DIDNT WRITE IT!

:w00t::w00t::w00t:

Hahahahaha. It must be short - sweet - it's complete. I'm happy with it and so should you be! Only 1 page.

PS :)

Wait a minute... Peter. "I am happy with it so you should be too"?!?! What do you mean by that?

Normally, I'm up for a bit of mystery but that chord at the end is so out of place. I think I was expecting the perfect ending when suddenly, wtf?

Other than that I found it enjoyable. You may want to consider extending the length of it.

By the way, why have you posted a piece if you know it's a so called 'masterpiece'? Are you expecting criticism or are you merely here to brag?

No need for a review then I guess.

Agreed.

Masterpiece? This piece? You got to be kidding me!

Oh... well. Pardon me. I'm happy with a short piece and I'm not going to extend it - that's all. :)

Brag. No. I don't brag with myself. NEVER! EVER! EVER!

You all are the only people that appreciates my music. Thank you very much. :happytears:

I Think it a beautiful skeleton & with some meat on it, it has potential to qualify as a Rachmaninovian prelude.

The ending chord was a little weird, but I liked it otherwise. I don't mind the length either.

I don't like your attitude, however.

Pardon me. I regret my attitude - it stinks.

But... hey! Good side: I'm learning to cope with bad critique and in the future will be able to block bad things.

Thank you for ALL the comments! Bless you all profoundly!

I Think it a beautiful skeleton & with some meat on it, it has potential to qualify as a Rachmaninovian prelude.

WHAT??!! Are you mad?!!!

That's like saying a stick insect as potential to become a tree, not trying to make pieter sound inferior, but Rachmaninoff's harmonic language was very advanced, detailed and unique. It's no where near a one of rach's prelude., heres why

a) has to be difficult

b)interesting harmony and counterpoint (see above)

c) longer piece with far more development and not as random sounding.

I can compare to other things, but no chance it sounds or has potential to sound like Rach.