Dans (dance) from Icelandic Suite

The second installment in this suite for solo piano. (The first movement is located here.)

This movement, entitled "Dans," is not a literal dance; rather, it represents the rhythm that pervades this thing we call life. The work uses a lot of whole tone chords to convey mystery, and the rhythm is in an unsettling 5/8 time. There are passages of great unrest, confusion, joy, bittersweetness, loss—the whole gamut of human emotion. I tried to keep constant movement throughout to symbolize the onward march of life. As usual, this piece is impressionistic in style: quite tonal, but chord progressions are rather free, and the key changes many times. Try not to focus too much on the melodies, but rather on the imagery the piece evokes. It will take you places (hopefully!), especially once your inner metronome jives with the strange rhythm pattern.

This movement contrasts a great deal from the previous one. It tends to lack a home key except in a few passages. There are less places to "catch your breath." And there is little counterpuntal material. But there are some similarities, as well, which I hope you will pick up without my giving it away. 😁

As always, I look forward to your comments/criticisms/suggestions. Happy listening!

Indeed, this is (one of) the kind of music I love.

When music is tonal and predictable, I don't feel it. I like it, but it's more suggestive when you change the center and use scales or whatever you like to add color. In that sense, I don't think a melody is necessary.

This piece has this things. I like when there are pedal notes as a way to establish a "home", for a while.

Hello Tónskáld,

I like your piece, although I could not make the associations of your description. In most cases this is difficult. If you would not provide a description of the emotional content as you experiece it yourself, but instead, ask people about their associations, I am sure that you will get very different answers (at least, that has been my experience)

Your music sounds to me much like the style of Vladimirov. Do you know his work? Listen to his op.15, nr 2 (Authum). You make the same kind of resolutions after a long passage (for example in bar 104), and I love it!

I think that you should consider to participate in the 2019 Vladimirov competition. (You will find it on the internet)

I think it just sounds awesome. The use of the whole tone scale is tasteful, and I appreciate that it didn’t become overused in the piece. It comes across as mysterious, but in a way that carries purpose. The con moto section is beautiful, but strangely enough, my favorite part of the piece, for some reason, are mss. 138-140. I think it’s because of the return to the whole tone scale, but coupled with those spicy sforzandos. There’s something just a little surreal about it.

A nitpick: the momentum from ms. 126 to 127 stops just a little too abruptly. Perhaps putting the riten. on ms. 125 or 126 would help it become a little smoother?

Really great job with this, looking forward to the next piece in the set 😌

@Luis Hernández Once again, thanks for your kind feedback! I'm glad this piece was a little more to your liking.

@panta rei You're right, I should have been more explicit in saying these were the emotions I felt in this piece. I'd love to know what you were feeling, however. (It's always very interesting to me how the same music can evoke so many different emotions among the same listeners.) I have not heard of Vladimirov but I will definitely give him a listen! Thanks for the suggestion!

@SergeOfArniVillage I appreciate your thoughtful feedback, as always! I agree that moving the riten. to 125 would greatly help the transition there! (I'm hoping a live player can smoothen out much of this piece—including those jarring sforzandos that are little too sforzed, in my opinion.)

The next movement (still working on it) is called "Harma," which simply means "lament" or "cry."