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Valse Quasi una Sonata (WIP)


caters

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I had this idea come to mind a few days ago. What if I combine the Waltz and the Sonata into a single piece? Since I already wrote several sonatas, I figured I would emphasize the Waltz part of this piece by constantly having a waltz-like bassline. I have finished the exposition of this piece. I made the first theme be more scalar in nature and the second theme have more arpeggios to provide melodic contrast, since the bass couldn't really provide much contrast besides key, being a waltz and all that. For the transition, I started in F major and then went to C major and then went back and forth between C major and C minor until I finally resolved to Bb major for the second theme. What do you think of the waltz so far? I'm working on the development section right now.

Somebody else, outside of this forum asked if I was writing a "waltz in the style of a sonata" or a "sonata in the style of a waltz" and I answered that I am writing a "waltz in the style of a sonata", thus the title of Valse Quasi una Sonata, which translates to Waltz almost like a Sonata.

Valse Quasi una Sonata.mp3

Valse Quasi una Sonata.pdf

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I feel like this is a big improvement from your last pieces. Also, the ideas are more concise and make musical sense. Perhaps, a next step you could take when composing, is trying to come up with ideas that aren't constrained to the measure's strong beats. To subvert that, try not puting the most important notes, such as the ones that go along with the harmony, in the first beat of each measure. This already makes a ton of diference.

Besides that, I feel like there is too much scalar motion in your melodies, which makes them quite predictable.

Also, it's good practice to add a natural sign on the E at m.23.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Not a bad beginning. I agree somewhat with Jean's comments -but I'll add that these are subjective comments in that really, it's your personal taste that dictates these matters. 

That said, I want to strengthen his argument regarding the scalar nature of your melodic material -which this does have a lot of. In listening to the piece several times, I honestly can't identify aurally the second theme in this. I know you said it was the arpeggio material -which only is stated from measure 27 (and I'm assuming lasts until the 16th note arpeggios found towards the end of the exposition). The problem here is that these arpeggios don't seem to delineate new thematic or motivic material. Instead, they appear to strengthen your harmonic underpinning. What I'd like to see develop as your second theme is the dotted pattern that occurs measures 21 - 26. I feel this simple motif gives enough material (particularly when separated from the strong rhythmic underpinning you've setup) to add an interesting second theme (particularly with the use of a little chromaticism and imagination). 

All in all some good ideas. I look forward to seeing this worked out into a fuller piece.  

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