Metamorphosis

Hey everyone!

Happy to share my finished piece - Metamorphosis!

I'd love to hear any and all feedback 😁

Metamorphosis - (Score).pdf

This is a massive improvement from your other versions of this theme. Honestly, I can't believe this is the same piece you've been working on, it's the same theme, but an utter transformation. Apparently this also works very well as a string quintet! Your themes are beautiful and memorable, and the harmonization is gorgeous. I can seriously sit down and listen to this a few times in order to learn from your work. This version just goes to show how good structure and a good recording can completely transform the same melody (something I've been trying to tell you for awhile). Your key changing is also really well done.

Honestly I feel like you made a massive leap from the previous version(s) to this version. Whatever happened, something must have clicked!

1 hour ago, chopin said:

This is a massive improvement from your other versions of this theme. Honestly, I can't believe this is the same piece you've been working on, it's the same theme, but an utter transformation.

Thank you thank you thank you!!

After getting feedback, I went and reread some Caplin, and brushed up on my counterpoint a little bit and chord voicings. I played with the idea of a core in the developmental section (C section), and a dominant pedal, all that fun stuff.

1 hour ago, chopin said:

Your themes are beautiful and memorable, and the harmonization is gorgeous. I can seriously sit down and listen to this a few times in order to learn from your work.

WOW - that means a LOT. Wow. Thank you so much.

I really wanted to push myself as a composer and really just commit to the material I had, and instead of scrapping it, repurpose it and find a way to improve on it and make it work. I am very pleased with the end result.

Hey @BlackkBeethoven !

Glad to hear this piece finally in its finished form! There are many idiosyncrasies in the piece that are characteristically you. Your strongest writing is during the chorale-like hymn sections, first in F major and then in Eb major, a tritone away from your original key of A major. One of the unusual things that make the piece unique is some of the 7 measure phrases that make the melody almost feel like a run-on sentence. Like in the very beginning, the first phrase is a 7 measure phrase. That might perhaps be due to an elision with the beginning of the following phrase. The following two phrases seem to both be 9 measure phrases. However, you do make it work somehow.

The modulations also ended up working. While following along with the score I thought I saw/heard something objectionable in the modulations. But that impression disappeared when I just let myself listen.

Some of the quick sextuplets/flourishes in the Violins weren't quite audible in this rendition. I know that in Musescore Studio those kinds of things can sometimes be fixed by putting in staccatissimo markings on all the notes. Thanks for sharing and congratulations on finishing it!