Piano Concerto(ish)

I started this AGES ago, and every once and a while I pick it up again and change it. But it sounds rather clunky to me, and I don't really know what to do.

What are your thoughts?

http://www.box.net/shared/bu7ah0zp2p

(Sorry about the bad sound quality, and also sorry about the cymbal, for some reason my Sibelius makes a gong sound like a cymbal...)

It's very very good. Some notes need to be cleaned up and excess material should be sorted out a little bit better, but it's a very intelligent and creative piece.

It's very very good. Some notes need to be cleaned up and excess material should be sorted out a little bit better, but it's a very intelligent and creative piece.

Thanks, do you have any suggestions or specific spots that you thought needed the most work?

I think the most important thing to mention is that you familiarize yourself better with the sections of the orchestra. Your string writing leaves a lot to be desired. There are passages where you have the first violins up in their highest position and then on the very next note there play in first position on the G string. For a soloist, of virtuosic ability, that would be fine... but for a full orchestral section your setting yourself up for intonational issues within that section. Also your use of the string pallet itself is questionable, there are passages where you have them playing unison for no reason whatsoever. Strings in unison is a very powerful sound - its not something you just use. Also, your overall structure so far doesn't quite make much sense to me overall. I can clearly tell that this is a work you've stitched together for a while - that comes through clear - BUT your overall thematic material isn't present at all - nor is 3d feel to the piece. You've got some interesting ideas in this piece. Perhaps you could rework all this.

I think the most important thing to mention is that you familiarize yourself better with the sections of the orchestra. Your string writing leaves a lot to be desired. There are passages where you have the first violins up in their highest position and then on the very next note there play in first position on the G string. For a soloist, of virtuosic ability, that would be fine... but for a full orchestral section your setting yourself up for intonational issues within that section. Also your use of the string pallet itself is questionable, there are passages where you have them playing unison for no reason whatsoever. Strings in unison is a very powerful sound - its not something you just use. Also, your overall structure so far doesn't quite make much sense to me overall. I can clearly tell that this is a work you've stitched together for a while - that comes through clear - BUT your overall thematic material isn't present at all - nor is 3d feel to the piece. You've got some interesting ideas in this piece. Perhaps you could rework all this.

Thanks, I will do my best.