Trio Variations in D Minor: A submission to the 2025 Halloween Composition Competition

https://musescore.com/user/96214813/scores/28339009. This is my work. It is a theme of variations piece of music. It has a length of exactly 5 minutes. It consists of an introducion, a theme, and thirteen variations (coda in last variation). It is written for two pianos and a violin, and it also has a cadenza for  both types of instruments. 

This is easy. 10 out of 10. Simply outstanding. And a perfect five minutes? Great. 10 out of 10. Winner here.

(This is just a joke lol)

Hey Tristan

Well, I think this piece is definitely a front runner for most unique ensemble, more so than mine at least haha. Cool choice to use two pianos and only one string player, I was curious to see how you'd pull it off. 

I like the variety of variations you have, it made it interesting all the way through. My favorite was probably 5, but I also really like the subtle build of the last variations leading into the coda. It's also smart to have ones like variation 10 to help break up the monotony. 

Cool music! I hope the competition gave some inspiration to music you would otherwise have never written. It did for me 🙂 

Cheers buddy, good stuff. Keep writing and practicing!

2 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Hey Tristan

Well, I think this piece is definitely a front runner for most unique ensemble, more so than mine at least haha. Cool choice to use two pianos and only one string player, I was curious to see how you'd pull it off. 

I like the variety of variations you have, it made it interesting all the way through. My favorite was probably 5, but I also really like the subtle build of the last variations leading into the coda. It's also smart to have ones like variation 10 to help break up the monotony. 

Cool music! I hope the competition gave some inspiration to music you would otherwise have never written. It did for me 🙂 

Cheers buddy, good stuff. Keep writing and practicing!

 

 

Thanks for your feedback!

2 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

Hey Tristan

Well, I think this piece is definitely a front runner for most unique ensemble, more so than mine at least haha. Cool choice to use two pianos and only one string player, I was curious to see how you'd pull it off. 

I like the variety of variations you have, it made it interesting all the way through. My favorite was probably 5, but I also really like the subtle build of the last variations leading into the coda. It's also smart to have ones like variation 10 to help break up the monotony. 

Cool music! I hope the competition gave some inspiration to music you would otherwise have never written. It did for me 🙂 

Cheers buddy, good stuff. Keep writing and practicing!

 

 

Also, you might be surprised at the end because of the picardy third. That is because I put a have put a quote in there. Read it, (maybe).

Hi @TristanTheTristan!

This one has a cool atmosphere in it! And I like how you vary the theme.

I am more on the playability issue here. The quadruple stops in b.31-38 are unpractical to be played on a real violin, like in b.32-36 any notes lower than the E string would be unplayable with the E string to achieve the quadruple stops. The double pizz. in b.152 variation can also be difficult to play too, as well as the seconds in b.198 for 2nd piano and the octaves for pianists in b.296.

Also, I hope there are moments when the first piano's melody isn't the same as the violin's melody!

Nonetheless, good attempt to write in a variation form!

Henry

On 10/12/2025 at 10:58 AM, TristanTheTristan said:

This is easy. 10 out of 10. Simply outstanding. And a perfect five minutes? Great. 10 out of 10. Winner here.

 

agreed

(this is not a joke lol)

23 minutes ago, Kvothe said:

Melodies Themes Motives	Harmony Chords Textures	Form Development Structure Time	Originality Creativity	Score Presentation	Instrumentation Orchestration Playability	Execution of Given Challenge	Taste
9.5	8	8.5	9	7.5	7	9.5	9

Entry: Trio Variations in D Minor

Hi @TristanTheTristan

I am going to highlight areas the areas that believe could reworked. 

As a pianist, I think those 32nd notes could be replace by tremolos instead.  They have a similar effect.  The readable in the piano section is hard at times. I do not where the beats are. You have difficult rythmn patterns that make it hard to play. Also, those single note tremolos, are not idiomatic. You will see them more in strings. What you need to do is write them out. Trust me!  That is why you scored 7 in playabity and in 7.5 score presentation. 

You score higher in the other areas for it was original, creative, and you knew how to create variations. You carried through this competition.  And you melodic material was spot on. It just needs better notation and idiomatic writing. 

7.4/10 

 

 

Thanks! ( I would react that, I just can't react more today) I am pretty sure the average would not be 7.4, though. I am pretty sure it would be 8.5. Anyways, (again) thanks for the feedback!

1 hour ago, TristanTheTristan said:

Thanks! ( I would react that, I just can't react more today) I am pretty sure the average would not be 7.4, though. I am pretty sure it would be 8.5. Anyways, (again) thanks for the feedback!

 

 

Oh you are correct. It would be 8.5. My math was wrong.  

7 minutes ago, Kvothe said:

Oh you are correct. It would be 8.5. My math was wrong.  

 

thanks!

@TristanTheTristan
As I am still getting accustomed to the site, I have taken it upon myself to get familiar with some of the other forums and type of music people have put on YCF. I have been interested to explore what people have to offer, and from my curiosity, I decided to also start giving feedback on scores submitted by people for this Halloween Competition.

This said, to whomever I comment on, I will be treating them like a professional and write based on the expectation that they know, at minimum, intermediate music theory. For now, I will avoid making a table of my rating, however, please find the following to be my review of your submission. As a final note, I like to be straightforward with colleagues, and by no means am I coming from a place of bad faith. I want to push my peers to new heights, and I will be honest with them so they know the truth and can evolve from there.
__________

While fitting the criteria of the competition, I do not see this piece as a practical work made for performance. I have noticed multiple errors where a professional concert pianist would have a high level of difficulty playing this work; specifically "Variation 4" where you employ single note tremelos. However, they are not uncommon to use as Liszt, and Debussy used them in their music. Liszt in the Friska from "Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2" and Debussy from the Prelude "...Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest". In comparison, your usage of them is more difficult due to the amount of note shifts a pianist will have to do, versus the raw technique.

In a similar mindset, I do not believe the first section from measures 1-40 to be realistically playable on the piano. Continuing on, the engraving for the score concerns me heavily. The measures seem to be too small or placed too closely together throughout and in spots, like measure 128, you have two different spellings for the same note (G# and Ab). Musically, is it rather interesting and I did enjoy the theme you created. I love to write in D-minor when given the chance, and I was vibing with the "sinister" nature the key provides in your theme.

If you would like to talk more or explore these comments, I would not mind doing so. Thank you for taking the time to read this 🙂

3 hours ago, MK_Piano said:

@TristanTheTristan
As I am still getting accustomed to the site, I have taken it upon myself to get familiar with some of the other forums and type of music people have put on YCF. I have been interested to explore what people have to offer, and from my curiosity, I decided to also start giving feedback on scores submitted by people for this Halloween Competition.

This said, to whomever I comment on, I will be treating them like a professional and write based on the expectation that they know, at minimum, intermediate music theory. For now, I will avoid making a table of my rating, however, please find the following to be my review of your submission. As a final note, I like to be straightforward with colleagues, and by no means am I coming from a place of bad faith. I want to push my peers to new heights, and I will be honest with them so they know the truth and can evolve from there.
__________

While fitting the criteria of the competition, I do not see this piece as a practical work made for performance. I have noticed multiple errors where a professional concert pianist would have a high level of difficulty playing this work; specifically "Variation 4" where you employ single note tremelos. However, they are not uncommon to use as Liszt, and Debussy used them in their music. Liszt in the Friska from "Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2" and Debussy from the Prelude "...Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest". In comparison, your usage of them is more difficult due to the amount of note shifts a pianist will have to do, versus the raw technique.

In a similar mindset, I do not believe the first section from measures 1-40 to be realistically playable on the piano. Continuing on, the engraving for the score concerns me heavily. The measures seem to be too small or placed too closely together throughout and in spots, like measure 128, you have two different spellings for the same note (G# and Ab). Musically, is it rather interesting and I did enjoy the theme you created. I love to write in D-minor when given the chance, and I was vibing with the "sinister" nature the key provides in your theme.

If you would like to talk more or explore these comments, I would not mind doing so. Thank you for taking the time to read this 🙂

 

Firstly, Thank you. (Why can't I add any reactions today? It was my first one today!)

Anyways, I was able to play the opening for the pianos.You just have to plainly memorize the notes for piano 1, and play chromatic notes for piano 2.

At bar 128, it meant that the sharped note should be played with a slightly more stronger accent, because written with a sharp. You see, the bass clef seems darker to me (except if the treble clef behaves like feux follets or the opening of the piece).

I really like to use tremolos. 

And again, thank you very much for the positive feedback and comments. I appreciate it.

11 hours ago, MK_Piano said:

@TristanTheTristan
As I am still getting accustomed to the site, I have taken it upon myself to get familiar with some of the other forums and type of music people have put on YCF. I have been interested to explore what people have to offer, and from my curiosity, I decided to also start giving feedback on scores submitted by people for this Halloween Competition.

This said, to whomever I comment on, I will be treating them like a professional and write based on the expectation that they know, at minimum, intermediate music theory. For now, I will avoid making a table of my rating, however, please find the following to be my review of your submission. As a final note, I like to be straightforward with colleagues, and by no means am I coming from a place of bad faith. I want to push my peers to new heights, and I will be honest with them so they know the truth and can evolve from there.
__________

While fitting the criteria of the competition, I do not see this piece as a practical work made for performance. I have noticed multiple errors where a professional concert pianist would have a high level of difficulty playing this work; specifically "Variation 4" where you employ single note tremelos. However, they are not uncommon to use as Liszt, and Debussy used them in their music. Liszt in the Friska from "Hungarian Rhapsody no. 2" and Debussy from the Prelude "...Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest". In comparison, your usage of them is more difficult due to the amount of note shifts a pianist will have to do, versus the raw technique.

In a similar mindset, I do not believe the first section from measures 1-40 to be realistically playable on the piano. Continuing on, the engraving for the score concerns me heavily. The measures seem to be too small or placed too closely together throughout and in spots, like measure 128, you have two different spellings for the same note (G# and Ab). Musically, is it rather interesting and I did enjoy the theme you created. I love to write in D-minor when given the chance, and I was vibing with the "sinister" nature the key provides in your theme.

If you would like to talk more or explore these comments, I would not mind doing so. Thank you for taking the time to read this 🙂

 

Yes, it does take a while to know what forms are.  I agree.  That's why I am thinking doing composition master course soon on here. It will tons of topics. 

7 minutes ago, Kvothe said:

Yes, it does take a while to know what forms are.  I agree.  That's why I am thinking doing composition master course soon on here. It will tons of topics. 

 

I believe you have misread my opening statement(s). I said "Forums" not "Forms". I have a thorough understanding of musical forms, however, appreciate the sentiment lol

Just now, MK_Piano said:

I believe you have misread my opening statement(s). I said "Forums" not "Forms". I have a thorough understanding of musical forms, however, appreciate the sentiment lol

 

Oh yeah. I did. Forums it does that while.  🙂 My bad

8 hours ago, TristanTheTristan said:

Firstly, Thank you. (Why can't I add any reactions today? It was my first one today!)

Anyways, I was able to play the opening for the pianos.You just have to plainly memorize the notes for piano 1, and play chromatic notes for piano 2.

At bar 128, it meant that the sharped note should be played with a slightly more stronger accent, because written with a sharp. You see, the bass clef seems darker to me (except if the treble clef behaves like feux follets or the opening of the piece).

I really like to use tremolos. 

And again, thank you very much for the positive feedback and comments. I appreciate it.

 

I must confess, that with enough time, it could be possible for myself or peers to sit down and play this. However, mainly because myself and my friends are high-in-skill concert pianist's capable of complex repertoire. My logos in thinking comes from the idea of the music being "theoretical" or "practical". In my opinion, practical music is a lot stronger than "theoretical" music.

While on surface level/ on paper, this score seems possible in theory. This does not mean it is the most practical or effective way to write the music. You have to keep in mind the type of performer capable of playing this. Humans need time to move the hand, their fingers, turn the page, and more. A high schooler or middle school pianist will not be able to play this unless they have had extensive training. Even I hesitate to pick it up because simply be looking at the music, and comparing it to all the music I have played, I can tell it will be uncomfortable to play in certain spots. If I were to give this to my mentor, who is a student descendent of Chopin, he would never play 4 note tremelos, only 3 notes long and switch. On the trill variation (no.3) he, and myself, would only play the trills as mordends versus proper quarter note trills. 

This said, challenging music is okay to make, as you can't write music to conform to everyone. Two things can be true at once, and while it may be a challenge to play, it is also uncomfortable for the average pianist. To end, your ideas are good/ fine, and I don't mean to say this piece has no merit. Instead, if you were to ask 3 musicians to sit and play this, they would have a tough time and may ask you if changes in their part would be okay.