Prelude No 2 in c minor

This prelude in c minor is part of my endeavour to write a small collection of six preludes in various imitative styles. It follows a more associative development typical for imitative-figurative preludes of baroque music and is heavily indebted to this article by Vasili Byros, “Prelude on a Partimento” (http://www.mtosmt.org/issues/mto.15.21.3/mto.15.21.3.byros.html). However, this prelude is not based on a partimento but on a simple plan I devised myself. 

The score still needs some improvement, but should be readable.

As this prelude has a really baroque feeling, I opted to use a harpsichord soundfont, “Petit Italien“ from Soni Musicae. (see: http://sonimusicae.free.fr/petititalien.html ) 

Critique and other comments as always welcome!

I enjoyed listening to the piece. Personally, I didn't see the point of the half-notes since they are sounding like a rest. I don't know if a real harpsichord can sustain a note that long. I suppose it can. But if not, then I don't agree with the use of those half-notes. Overall, the piece is idiomatic of the harpsichord and the Baroque style. Maybe you could have made the ending a little longer and more impactful.

Edit: I realize that the half-notes I am talking about are the arpeggios. So perhaps it's a software problem.

Beautiful sound this harpsichord. The motivic development and the counterpoint are real y good. 

@luderart Thank you for your comment. Yes, the arpeggios are not played like they would sound when performed on a real instrument. Theoretically, I could have worked around the limitations of the playback software with an elaborated hidden score but alas, I lack time. Regarding long notes on the harpsichord: On a real instrument, though the sound decays quickly, the open string has still an audible effect. Therefore, many composers writing for the harpsichord employ long held notes for added colour (provided partly by string resonance) though the effect is of course weaker than on a modern piano.

@Luis Hernández Thanks!

Reminds me of the way I improvise with the Harpsichord setting on an electronic keyboard. Some of the dissonant intervals are a bit off putting,  (mainly the A to G seventh that resolves to the A to F sharp sixth in bar twenty but it sounded better the second time I listened) but then I don't know much about counterpoint.

Edited June 6, 20187 yr by Eddy67716

@Eddy67716 Thanks for your comment. Indeed, I aimed for the sound of an "improvised" prelude, though it is anything but.