Minuet-scherzando

Here is a Minuet, which I recently composed. Apart from a classical style, there are also some elements of Nordic folk music. I would be very interested to find out what you think of it.

G'day @panta rei,

As I was listening to this piece, I was going to suggest that maybe it was a bit predictable, but you blew my expectations completely out of the water with its variation of intensity and mood and progressive tonality. Serves me right for judging too soon! A very solid effort 🙂

Edited April 7, 20241 yr by Quinn St. Mark
Addition of another word

Hello Quinn,

Yea, I can imagine that you began to feel that the piece was becoming repetitive. (This is of course often the case in folk music). But then I added a surprise after bar 32, and went more in the direction of classical style music. However, in the end, I came back to the initial motif.

Thanks a lot for your response!

Hi @panta rei,

As @Quinn St. Mark said maybe the pattern is a bit repetitive, but it is greatly compensated for your modulation, which is featured in Mike’s new video on modulations! The modulations are full of Schubertian wit and light heartedness. The F major modulation and ending is so witty. You cleverly induce us to think the piece would end in tonic major, but then that Bb in b.93 surprises us and a German sixth follows. It can well named a Moment Musical for me haha! Thx for sharing!

Henry

Hi @panta rei!

Once again, I am in awe of your chromaticism and ability to always be modulating and yet in a way that allows themes to be sufficiently exposed.  You're always going somewhere harmonically, very often with pivot chord modulations or secondary dominants (or secondary augmented 6th chords?)  That makes your piece very interesting both harmonically and melodically.  Although I think it's more of a minuet than a scherzando.  It's not fast enough to be a scherzo and there's not enough surprising dynamics and the piece lacks the rhythmic drive for that kind of thing.  Thanks for sharing!

Hello Henry and Peter,

Thanks a lot for your kind feedback. I am sorry for the delay of my response, which was due to a massive overload of work. I agree that the title could be improved. A scherzo is usually much faster than my piece. Perhaps only “minuet” would be better.

I was really glad that the piece was highlighted by Chopin in his composing series on YouTube. I am now working on a longer piece, which will take me a couple of month to finish.

Best regards

Johan