First Pleasure Asks the Heart

An Entrancing Piano Duet. The rhythm was based off of Michael Nyman's Piano Piece The Heart Asks Pleasure First, thus the title is homage towards him.

First Pleasure Asks the Heart

I love how the intro wavers in and out like that. Very simple, yet effective.

Damn I love how simple this piece is....

I feel you on changing the piece, but I'm not sure i the lightly swung part is the best call. Thought it seems to make more sense with the pedal rhythm back.

You know, with all the repetition, that final melody doesn't seem to sit well with me... It's a pretty melody, and veery cool that it comes out, but I dunno... it's weird.

The quick-cut ending worked.

Going by the score I think you would be best to introduce the Piano 2 entrance with an octave then to a single, because a) it will be heard better 2) creates a sense of movement without really moving much (basically a horn call). BTW you do this later an octave lower in quarters later in the piece in Piano 1

Later on with Forte in lh of Piano 1 and the active accompaniment in Piano 2, I think you will again need to beef up the single note melody with a doubling. But other instances of single notes do look like they will balance. I like you divide up the active accompaniment figures between the pianists. I wrote a piece for two pianos and percussion --- most of the balances worked well live, maybe one section where the Piano 2 or 1 part is difficult as the hands are very close and I may find a way to divide between the two pianists --- but it may offer you some ideas for your piece - also definitely check the Bartok sonata for 2 pianos and percussion , fantastic work.

My piece is in Chamber titled metamorphosis. Best to click on my profile to find it. Wait found the link: http://www.youngcomposers.com/profile/music/composerorganist/composition?entry=64208

PS. There will be more of this piece. correct? The quick cut ending can work, but why not introduce something different harmonically but with similar interplay of patterns and extended development after a brief fermata over the barline? Just something to think about. Overall I like quite a bit what I see.

I love how the intro wavers in and out like that. Very simple, yet effective.

Damn I love how simple this piece is....

I feel you on changing the piece, but I'm not sure i the lightly swung part is the best call. Thought it seems to make more sense with the pedal rhythm back.

You know, with all the repetition, that final melody doesn't seem to sit well with me... It's a pretty melody, and veery cool that it comes out, but I dunno... it's weird.

The quick-cut ending worked.

Thanks

Going by the score I think you would be best to introduce the Piano 2 entrance with an octave then to a single, because a) it will be heard better 2) creates a sense of movement without really moving much (basically a horn call). BTW you do this later an octave lower in quarters later in the piece in Piano 1

Later on with Forte in lh of Piano 1 and the active accompaniment in Piano 2, I think you will again need to beef up the single note melody with a doubling. But other instances of single notes do look like they will balance. I like you divide up the active accompaniment figures between the pianists. I wrote a piece for two pianos and percussion --- most of the balances worked well live, maybe one section where the Piano 2 or 1 part is difficult as the hands are very close and I may find a way to divide between the two pianists --- but it may offer you some ideas for your piece - also definitely check the Bartok sonata for 2 pianos and percussion , fantastic work.

My piece is in Chamber titled metamorphosis. Best to click on my profile to find it. Wait found the link: http://www.youngcomposers.com/profile/music/composerorganist/composition?entry=64208

PS. There will be more of this piece. correct? The quick cut ending can work, but why not introduce something different harmonically but with similar interplay of patterns and extended development after a brief fermata over the barline? Just something to think about. Overall I like quite a bit what I see.

Could you elaborate on the "the Piano 2 entrance with an octave then to a single, because a) it will be heard better 2) creates a sense of movement without really moving much (basically a horn call). BTW you do this later an octave lower in quarters later in the piece in Piano 1" thanks! :)

Sure - Piano 1 Part - measure 5, add an E below your E. On beat 3 of measure 6 have the single top E sound (as you have written) - it will sound louder to listeners after hearing the octave. Keep the high E as you do tied over to form the 5th in measure 8.

What I meant by you do this later - see measure 16 Piano 1 part where you have an E octave go to a single E which is tied to the next chord.

As for concern over a few spots with single notes - I may be wrong when it is performed but check measure 49, Piano 2 left hand, those notes MAY get covered too much by the other Piano.

:hmmm:

Caleb, first off I must say there are actually two things I really dislike about this piece, one of them being a back-handed criticism.

1) I do not like the name. AT ALL. It may be a work that is derived from Michael's "The Heart Asks Pleasure First", but this piece is still "you", although it is not your most original work. I really think you should consider just changing the name of the piece itself, and then, if you wish, make a subtitle under the name "Inspired by Michael Nyman's 'The Heart Asks Pleasure First' ". Otherwise, it's just really distracting.

2) I'm with Ferk on the rhythmically-swung part at measure 22 -- in the context of this piece, it was again very distracting, and jarring, and not in a great way. The piece doesn't lend itself to groove at all, in my opinion -- it kind of hurt the enthralling atmosphere you have here.

But on to the good now! I love your themes, as always :) And as Ferk said, the intro was astonishingly well done -- simple, but very effective. And the developmental choices are, for the most part, really excellent! I especially enjoyed the sharp ending, that felt jarring in a far more compelling way.

Whatever you decide to do, this is definitely good enough as a Pop piano piece for me to give it a "Like". Thanks for sharing :nod: