Arietta

Oke, here it is, a simple piano piece, based on an augmented triad, with a melody above it, and a bass in contrary motion. Some whole-tone scale stuff.

Is it too simple, or is it effective?

Score and MP3 at pianosonate Op 68 - Folder Shared from Box.net - Free Online File Storage

I personally though that the chord that was repeated again and again between the melody and the bass line, with almost no changes throughout most of the piece, made it a bit monotonous. I think that if you would've added other notes, to add a bit more color the piece would've still been simple, but a lot more beautiful. I'm not saying you should've changed the chord itself, of course, just to add to it a bit nore coloring after a while. The idea of the entire piece is very good, and I really liked the piece as a whole and the combination between the augmented chord and the melody and bass lines! :thumbsup:

I'm not very learned in the whole "12 tone scale" stuff or all those whatever-they-might-be-modern-technique-"thingy"ies yet, but I say it leaves an effect on the listener, definately. (It's just that same repeated chord that annoyed me a bit...)

This is just my opinion, and not a piece of advice, since as you can see I have a lot to learn and I need advice myself.... :D

If there was some sort of idea behind repeating the augmented chord almost without variations for so long, I'd like to hear what it was, because quite frankly - I'm not very learned in the whole "12 tone scale" stuff or all those whatever-they-might-be-modern-technique-"thingy"ies yet.

Thanks for your post. I am not learned in 12 scale stuff either, but this is more like a wholetone scale, with some deviation from it.

The Idea behind the augmented triad was not so big. I wanted to play with the fact that these notes (D F# A#/Bb) could fit in a B minor, G minor, and Eb minor chord (each time with major 7th). The melody in contrary motion adds a C# resulting in a Bm9, or an F (minor and major 7th), or an A, resulting in a strange chord with an augmented 4th. I did not use the latter, but I could, when I would expand the piece.

The division of the chord changes in ms 35. To enhance the idea of the forte dynamics, more broad.

I hope that the monotonous feel would not occur because of the different use of harmonies (G7 in ms 28 NB note the Bb in stead of A#); I experience the C in ms 30 as huge relieve of tension. Although its part of the wholetone scale, its not a part of Bminor, so a clear other harmony. Ms 35 feels as Dominant in stead of the Tonic position of ms 3, most clear when you compare ms 4 with 37.

So this is some background. If you experience it as to iterative or boring I'd really like to know, but I have tried to not let that happen...

Thanks for listening

Boogey! Interesting! I REALLY liked it!

And the score is neat!

One thing I would do: change the rhythm. It's too repeating.

Keep on composing! ;)

I personally though that the chord that was repeated again and again between the melody and the bass line, with almost no changes throughout most of the piece, made it a bit monotonous. I think that if you would've added other notes, to add a bit more color the piece would've still been simple, but a lot more beautiful. I'm not saying you should've changed the chord itself, of course, just to add to it a bit nore coloring after a while. The idea of the entire piece is very good, and I really liked the piece as a whole and the combination between the augmented chord and the melody and bass lines! :thumbsup:

I'm not very learned in the whole "12 tone scale" stuff or all those whatever-they-might-be-modern-technique-"thingy"ies yet, but I say it leaves an effect on the listener, definately. (It's just that same repeated chord that annoyed me a bit...)

This is just my opinion, and not a piece of advice, since as you can see I have a lot to learn and I need advice myself.... :D

12-tone is Schoenberg. :thumbsdown:

whole-tone is debussy, mmmmmm :thumbsup:

I thought it was great! I don't think the repeating chord was too much. To me it sounded like it was going to stick on that chord for a while (the length of the piece you have written), then slide into another mood, with another chord, gradually building up. Is this really the end or will you continue it? I really feel it should modulate, or change, or journey somewhere.

By arietta do you mean the top voice will be sung?

On my first listen I thought the rhythmic juxtapostion in bar 6 sounds too jarring, when played on the same instrument. If the different voices were on different instruments, it would sound better to my ears. I also think the 'chord voice' itself sounds very thin by the end, if you orchestrate it, I would suggest pulsing strings (maybe a bit like this

Nice idea with re-imagining the same chord with different added notes in the melody. However to my ears it did sound like the same harmony throughout. But I found this a good thing as I described above.

Just my thoughts. As you see it inspired my imagination lot!

If you intended for this piece to stand alone by itself, I would say that the simplicity of the bass rhythm is a little bit monotonous. It sounded very nice though, and I like the fact that the piece never really seems to resolve.

I think this piece would work really wonderfully as a movement of a larger suite.

Nice job, Jaap!

@Pieter: I understand the rhythm might be too repetitive, but I am not sure whether to change it. I like the current pulse, although its very simple. Taking it into consideration, but not yet enthusiastic to change...

@DJ fatuus: Glad you liked it :) This piece is written as a 2nd movement for a piano sonata (so collin, not a suite :) ). Not (yet) thinking about orchrstration. I have written recently for orchestra, and wanted to do something less complex :) But in time it might be orchestrated, and then the strings suggested to give the pulse makes sense.

I called it a small aria because I could imagine the melody to be sung, but more as a Lied ohne Worte. To be honest I should call it a duet, since the bass is equally important and function as an exact balance to the melody.

The purpose for this movement was to stay the enire piece in contrary motion, to keep that balance. The idea of mid-part in a other mood has crossed my mind, but it would be a challenge to come up with another idea thats doable in contrary motion. Maybe i'll do it... But I think I will start with another chord (already breaking the current mood because of its ostinato character)

@Collin: thanks a lot mate. Could you explain your comment on the bass rhythm?

I think I meant to say the sustained chord rhythm always being - 2 3, - 2 3, - 2 3 throughout the whole piece was a tad bit too repetitive. But since this is a movement out of a sonata, it doesn't really bother me any more.

Ok, I was confused by the word "bass", but you meant the accompaniment.

I just remembered what this reminded me of. The starting music for Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann). It's the following chord 'Eb Gb Bb D' arppegiated and played against itself in contrary motion. So, enharmonically speaking, is the same key as yours!

Sorry, I just thought I'd share that, heh.

I just remembered what this reminded me of. The starting music for Vertigo (Bernard Herrmann). It's the following chord 'Eb Gb Bb D' arppegiated and played against itself in contrary motion. So, enharmonically speaking, is the same key as yours!

Sorry, I just thought I'd share that, heh.

ow. I dont know if I've ever heard that. Looking into it... Thanks

ow. I dont know if I've ever heard that. Looking into it... Thanks

Oh it's not all that similar. It's just he holds an Eb minor chord (plus D natural) for a very long time - and this chord has the feel of an augmented chord like yours

It's here YouTube - Esa Pekka Salonen, LA Philharmonic Vertigo Suite Prelude

Hm... I've listened, but I thought there were too much differences. Well, thanks for the link anyhow ;)

anyone else want to comment (feel like a market man, selling crap)