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Hi each, It's a long time since I posted a new piece, I've been working other things, but I have got this one to a stage I'm considering finished. However, there is always room for editing and polishing. It's a short Piano Sonata that was inspired by one of my cats "Lily". She's a bit skitty and at times quite timid. We have quite a zoo here with 4 cats, 2 dogs, 5 chickens and a duck, but Lily is always on her own, she prefers it that way. Anyway, as always I would welcome any constructive criticism and suggestions on what may or may not be working. I do value the comments I get from people and always try to act on them in some way. I know that my style is not to everyone's taste, being classical and tonal, but I do try quite hard to give it my own voice within these constraints and I hope that it shows. Thanks in advance for any comments, good or bad. Kind regards Mark

Hi eternum, You have some interesting harmonies going on here, but I would urge you to experiment a bit more with the left hand. For what it is, it's not bad, but you could do so much more with it, it's quite rhythmically static at the moment. Also, you don't really develop your melodies to their full extent. Try playing it backwards, upside down, keeping the rhythm but changing to notes, keeping the notes but changing the rhythm, there's lots you can do to broaden melodic elements into a better, fuller piece. I listened to your waltz also, and it suffered from the same lack of development. That's not to say your ideas are bad, they're not, only that each time you start a new round of the first or second themes, they remain much the same as the first round. I would take both of these pieces and see how many different ways I could change the themes, and vary also the left hand parts. The left hand should never really be "just" an accompaniment, it should also have a life of it's own if possible. These are some of the things that make music more interesting, and in that process, you will also learn a lot about what is and what is not possible. I hope you don't mind my comments, it's just my opinion, but if you do try some of my suggestions, I'm sure you would have fun, and produce some really interesting music. Good luck Mark

This is what I do. When I learn something, whatever (a scale, a mode, a rhythm, added chords, chords by fiftsh, etc.........) I write short things to aprehend those elements and to feel how they work and sound. These are not compositions, only exercises. I don't care if they are good or not. With time, I try to combine what I have been learning. This is, perhaps, more difficult, but it is the essence of composition: taking many tools you know, and pick those that fit in you idea.

Thank you @eternum1968 !

Thank you, @eternum1968! I really appreciate it! All the best, Theo 🙂