Urbanite-Piano Duet

Well, this is my first post ever, so let's see what you all think.

I wrote this piece for a high school music class, and was thus on slightly tight timelines (which, of course, I didn't quite make). As such, I threw in the repeat of the A section, rather than writing a more extended recap of it. Then I just got used to it, so never bothered rewriting.

I was trying to depict the hectic pace of life in the city, contrasted with a brief period of relaxation (coming home in the evening to family?), and was at the time quite inspired by Steve Reich's repetitive rhythmic/melodic structures.

Anyway, hope you all enjoy. For an audio recording of a midi playback, visit my myspace www.myspace.com/patrickmurraymusic. I've attached the NWC file.

Cheers,

Pat Murray

final composition.nwc

I really enjoyed it. A lot. The ending was a little weird I suppose but you said you were short on time so it doesn't matter so much. It describes city life very well (IMO). The repetitive structures reminded me of people's mobile phones going off lol. It was just very cool in almost all of it. I found the slow section a little bit too quiet in places but that might be my speakers. It reminded me of music from a TV series but I can't remember what it was called (don't worry it didn't sound as though you'd plagarised it at all. Just similar in style). Ach well. It was good stuff.

Thanks. I'll be sure to listen to some of your stuff when I get the chance

Wow... I am definitely impressed. I really want to find somebody else who plays the piano and perform this piece somewhere. This is one of my favorite non-classical-era-pre-1800 piano pieces I have heard on this site (and I have heard a lot). Thanks for sharing your music but I do have a suggestion as to the ending of this piece, however I would need to show you and I don't know how on the site... unless I saved the thing as an image file but whatever, could you give me your email address and I could send you the file with the idea?

This piece is really cool! For some reason, it reminded me of the music from 'The Sims'. . . so it instantly brought to mind city life, the hastle of advancing in a career, and made me remember countless wasted hours on that oh-so-addictive-but-not-particularly-enjoyable game. The piece is awesome though. I have no criticisms at all. It functioned brilliantly for what it was. . . I particularly liked the sort of printing/scanning/information-sending feel that the repeated notes gave it.

I liked the ending. It gave a sense that it was unfinished, unresolved. . . ongoing. Which is exactly how it should have ended.

Again, I'd like to thank you all for your feedback. Very insightful. I'll post some more stuff soon.

That was a very interesting listen. I am waiting to hear more music from you.

Very impressive. Too abrupt an ending, I agree... what you could do, I think, to fix that, is to put in a ritardando in the preceding four measures or so, getting pretty slow, then rather than ending on a repeated staccato, give the last chord a heavy, forte, accented dotted-quarter note followed by a short eighth! How would that sound? I think it would be grand, and fit your ideas much better.

I loved the rhythms... though you do not have any really memorable melodies in here, the figurations and rhythms are addictive and engaging. That definitely makes it a fun duet! I would love to play this myself, along with another pianist, of course, but only once you go back over the ending. That ending just isn't conclusive enough.

I am currently trying to decide whether or not to rewrite the piece, or write another one that's been brewing in my head along similar lines for some time (possibly a piano quartet, which if all you pianists have never tried you definitely should; it's FUN!) If I do rewrite it, there will probably be an extended return to the A section, and I'll definitely see if I can work in your (Johann's) suggestion for a more decisive ending.

It reminded me of news programmes. :D

It reminded me of news programmes. :w00t:

:) I had hoped this one didn't so much. I find myself always coming up with ideas that sound like they came from the news. Oh well...!

I liked the piece and it does create a hectic mood. I was looking at the NWC score. The long held chords in the upper part in bar 14 might have a pedal to make them last. Also you haven't used any slurs - a pianist would likely slur the 16th notes in groups of four ( RH lower bars 7 to 10, upper LH bars 10-12). From bar 18 to 26 (which is a great section) the eighth notes in the RH of lower part could be slurred depending on what effect you want. Quibbles I admit. I look forward to your next piece.

Thanks for the suggestions Euler. NWC sucks for trying to do slurs; I remember trying a couple (although I don't remember if they were in the sections you recommended), but I have to admit, I hadn't thought about the articulation of the piece in depth. That's definitely something I will keep in mind for the future.

:) I had hoped this one didn't so much. I find myself always coming up with ideas that sound like they came from the news. Oh well...!

I think it was the constant do do do do......

No-one else seems to have made the connection between your piece and the news so I think you're all right.

i feel a little carribean beat but then it kind of changes to a slow love feel, but over all good job.

First part sounds like it's in an irrengular form of 12/8, am I correct? (couldn't look at it).

First part sounds like it's in an irrengular form of 12/8, am I correct? (couldn't look at it).

If you mean the part after the intro (which is regular 4/4) then yes; I wrote it as a 6/4 (same thing!), subdivided into a group of 4 beats and a group of 2 beats. I really love that rhythmic pattern for some reason.

Good Ears - and a fitting user name!

P