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I have completed the Scherzo section of my Scherzo. Okay, let me explain. I am writing in Scherzo and Trio form. I have completed the Scherzo part of that form. At first, I didn't have a pickup measure, but I decided that it was needed for my Scherzo to feel right. The Scherzo section of it further divides into 2 parts

In the first part of it, the overall harmonic motion is from D to G and back. The Scherzo section of the piece has a motive that very frequently shows up in the melody. I end the first part of the Scherzo section with a syncopated cadence(both in the sense that it is on a weak beat and in the sense that the bass and melody are offset by an eighth note).

In the second part of it, I use the circle of fifths to modulate from D major to D minor. I then have the Scherzo phrase appear once again in D minor. Then, I have a first and second ending where the first ending has a half cadence that leads back to the modulation and the second ending has an authentic cadence in D minor that leads into the Trio section, which is also in D minor. In the circle of fifths modulation, there is a Neopolitan chord that seemlessly goes from the circle of fifths modulation to the dominant of the key. The authentic cadence in the second ending has an augmented sixth chord that I added to confirm the modulation to D minor.

I am working on the Trio right now. This is how I planned out my Scherzo:

Scherzo - Trio - Scherzo Da Capo - Coda

What do you think of my Scherzo section? Audio ends at 1:29

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1 hour ago, Luis Hernández said:

I think it's fine, although the stops in the cadence m. 16-17 sound a bit awkward. The resolution here m. 17-18 is in parallel motion but with a retardation in the right hand. I would change it.

 

Well, I was aiming for some syncopation, thus the rests and the eighth note offset between the melody and the bass in measures 17-18. Syncopation, I know is a good way to add humor to music, but more importantly, when the melody came to me, it came to me with that syncopated cadence. I tried to make it less awkward by having the melody continue to play for a bit when the bass stops and having the bass continue for a bit when the melody stops, making the length of a stop in both hands an eighth rest, even if the length of the stop in 1 hand is longer than an eighth rest.

And you're right, I do see parallel octaves with a retardation in the right hand. I can easily change it so that the left hand in measure 17 goes up to G instead of down to C#. Still a leap of a third and still consonant with the harmony, but the parallel octaves are avoided in place of a fourth moving to an octave

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@caters  I never think nor say anything is wrong. One element may sound strange or not depending on what is happening, on the background.

When something unusual happens in a piece of music (let's say a dissonance, a rest, a syncopation) the listener will think it's a mistake. But if you repeat that element, it becomes "normal". In other words: repetition legitimizes.

Here you have prepared the rests in the right hand, in m. 3 and 9, it's nice. What is new is the left hand rests. The first time I hear it it sounds odd. In the repetition, I know what to expect. So I think you're using quite well this resource.

You mix syncopation with off-time notes. I don't know how to translate into English "contratiempo", I think it could be "off-time". It's not the same.

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11 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

@caters  I never think nor say anything is wrong. One element may sound strange or not depending on what is happening, on the background.

When something unusual happens in a piece of music (let's say a dissonance, a rest, a syncopation) the listener will think it's a mistake. But if you repeat that element, it becomes "normal". In other words: repetition legitimizes.

Here you have prepared the rests in the right hand, in m. 3 and 9, it's nice. What is new is the left hand rests. The first time I hear it it sounds odd. In the repetition, I know what to expect. So I think you're using quite well this resource.

You mix syncopation with off-time notes. I don't know how to translate into English "contratiempo", I think it could be "off-time". It's not the same.

 

I never meant to imply that you said that my syncopated cadence is wrong. I was just commenting on your reply about the cadence sounding odd. Are you suggesting that I have more rests earlier on in the left hand instead of just those at measures 16, 17, and 35, like maybe at measure 10? I can easily find places within the bass line for the left hand to have a rest instead of a note, if that is what you are suggesting. And even if that isn't what you are suggesting, I still will probably add rests to the left hand in the Trio section to help provide contrast(and also to keep it from being tiring on the pianist) and possibly in a revision of the Scherzo section.

I mean, once I get the dynamic arc down, the almost constant bass arpeggiation might not fit with the piece anymore. It might be that forte moments would tend towards a sparser, more chordal bass and piano moments would tend towards a more active arpeggiated bass. Or in contrast, it might be that forte moments would tend towards a more active bass and piano moments would tend towards a sparser bass. Or it might differ from section to section as to which dynamics are more sparse and which ones are more active.

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Don't worry. All we say are just opinions.

I NEVER think there is anything wrong in music. But no one can prevent that other has a feeling about what he is listening to. It's just that. So you can write in the style or manner you like, that's all. In other words, I don't suggest you have to change anything, but I imagine how I would have done it if it was my composition (which is not).

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