Passacaglia in C minor

This is based extensively on Bach's famous passacaglia in c minor, with the same bass theme. I simply wrote a new right hand line for it, and I think it turned out pretty nicely!

Let me know what you think about how this piece met the standards for a passacaglia (development of the melody, form patterns, etc.) and if the piece is enjoyable.

Thank you! :angry:

Passacaglia.mid

Passacaglia.pdf

Are you intending classical 3-part counterpoint? There are some part leading faults - consecutive 5ths in bar 19, approach to an octave by similar motion in bar 22 (outer parts to D in beat 3), and probably a couple more - my counterpoint is rusty. These could be fixed fairly easily. Generally the piece flows well - the initial repeated part in bars 10-17 is the most enjoyable.

I like the part following the repeats the most. As for meeting the form of the passacaglia, this is more than strict. Modern theorists seem to define a passacaglia as a triple meter repeating bass piece and the ciacona as a triple meter repeating harmony piece. But Baroque composers never felt this distinction; to them the difference was more subtle (see Passacaglia and Ciaccona: Genre Pairing and Ambiguity from Frescobaldi to Couperin), and many composers wrote passacalias without ostinatos and ciaconas with ostinatos. The old spanish form kept its dance character in the early Italian pieces (like Frescobaldi's 100 variations on the Passacaglia) and later French ones (composed by almost all the clavecinistes), although French passacaglias were often rondos. It was the Germans, starting with Johann K. Kerll (who studied with Frescobaldi), I believe, that made the passacaglia into a virtuoso showpiece of a more organ-like character, gradually building up in rhythmic complexity. Other fantastic German passacagalias were written by Johann Fischer, Johann Pachelbel, Dietrich Buxtehude, and finally Johann S. Bach. It is that Germanic tradition that you seek to enter.

Of course this piece can't compare to Bach... but I thought that it was very enjoyable in its own right. The harmonies don't follow all the rules, but it does flow nicely. You probably could have put repeats around each variation (not just the first) to make it longer (many Baroque passacgalias did).

Hmmm, it's probably just as well that I didn't comment on the form issue as you seem to know more about it than I do. Also I see a mistake in my comment - I should have said that the repeated part was "most enjoyable" not "the most enjoyable" because, after the slight part leading errors I noted, if such they be, the last part of the piece is excellent.

Thank you so much for the comments! I plan on editing most of the pieces I've written up til now at a Junior Composers Institute in Minnesota this July. There will be excellent faculty who will help me with any voice leading errors they find :P

Thanks for the tips on the style of the passacaglia echurchill! I think I will end up putting repeats around each variation like you suggested.

I enjoyed this on first listening. It certainly possesses a Bachian studiousness and intensity.

If I may be permitted to make three suggestions, already brought to attention by Euler:

Firstly, it does sound like you are alluding to three-part counterpoint in bars 9 to 26, and again in bars 35 to 42. I think it would, therefore, be a good idea to separate out the voices on the score, so that it is notated as two voices in the treble and one voice in the bass.

Secondly, there are parallel fifths in the piece, such as in bar 19. Watch out for these! It would be a good idea to fix them.

Thirdly, the piece contains a number of open fourths and fifths, such as in bars 10, 20, 22, and 38. These intervals can often give a sparse, dry texture. I'd recommend that some of these be filled in with thirds and sixths, which will give a richer texture.

Aside these, you have written a very charming piece, with freshness of invention and warmth of expression. You also have a good sense of form and development, with the pace and tension gradually building up until the magnificent explosion of semiquavers between bars 27 to 34. After polishing up some of the technique, it'll be excellent.

If you make any further drafts, I look forward to hearing them. Good luck!

Hane Htut Maung