Rich

I thought it was a fine piece. A few things: Bar 9: The thin texture needs a bass line. I'd keep the cello here. Bar 21: choir entry. Again, I'd fill the chord here by retaining the cello. A few adjustments to phrasing might be useful, but generally I liked the feel of the piece. With the reduced force, I'd certainly use what you have to the fullest-- you create a pleasant and interesting sonority.

Yes-- My main models--rondos/style I really like were Hummel (1816 piano concerto in a minor, 3rd mvmt) and Ferdinand Ries' piano quartets in general- both "early romantic". The rondo form held on into the mid-1800s. ( The simple sounding opening with the alberti bass/arpeggios should be build on/complicated later--hopefully with more romantic gestures.) UPDATE: Thinking about your comment--- I'm going to go with a semi-quaver pulse for the accompaniment--what I call "block chords"---more early romantic and amendable to intensiification /morphing...at least as a starting basis. To tired today--this weeks work, and scoring the string partial statement of theme.... Thanks for the comment--it got me thinking. Wish I had more time to "make the sausage".... I'm likely going to thin the chords in the right hand as I want there to be a build up on subsequent A theme entries--but these are where things are headed.... The ornaments (gruppettos/mordent) are pretty common as written in classical/romantic pieces. It certainly lends itself to elaboration. I definitely want to break up the melodic rhythmic patterns a bit more. Thx for the listen.

DISCLAIMER: WORKING WITH A TWO MONTH DEADLINE....! I wanted to come up with something memorable, and suitable to pair with what has been written. Fiddled with this simple rondo theme. Everything is subject to more fiddling---tempo might increase, parse down opening statement texture wise (simpler right hand), a little more rhythmic variation... But this is something close. ABACA Sonata form rondo--- This is the opening--the second half will be a partial statement with strings leading and a brief breakdown and codetta leading into a major key B section -about 1.5 min or so... Some German 6ths in there and a Neapolitan or two....learning...

Hey Markus--- Yes--- aside from the 2nd theme in F (Eb Major in recap), and the chorale, it is a minor key affair. I do note the flitting between major/minor in the works of great composers---Schubert's gift for this comes formost to mind. I simply lack the technical skill to do this at this point--though, along with more motivic digressions--I want to work on it-a looser, more ranging feel in general. So, I agree and the point is taken. I will keep this in mind as I work on the Rondo (Rondo sonata form A/B/A/C(DEV)/A--- the key plan is Cm/G major/Cm/ maybe Am,F minor?/ then Cm with a major key ending--Eb Major or maybe C major? I was just thinking how even a nominal "minor key" phrase can have a major key turn (schubert again), or major key answer....I need to be open to these ideas. I have to be patient with myself---the learning is coming in buckets right now---even touring studios /working with the pianist is enlightening.... The simpler scored violin sonata will allow more focus on form/feel, and I do plan on a more adventerous musical argument... Thank you for your comments! They help

Wow, @Rich. This is an immense work. It is difficult to provide constructive feedback on something with such depth. I would, though, like to hear more about your influences for this work. Who are your role models and the style you are emulating? Markus--- Thank you for your comments. I don't know how much depth it has!---but I did shoot for coherence and a logical form. I must admit I am proud of it as far as thematic unity--melodic and rhythmic motivic fragments help to unify it--the opening, the three sections of the developments, and even in the coda. I really just had to trust our great teachers from the past and put as much craft into it as I could. And, I know, my mom's passing fueled what feeling made it into the later portions.. I started the 1st mvmt looking to Mendelssohn and Ferdinand Ries(Beethoven's pupil and friend, and a fine composer himself)--definitely "early" romantic composers, but looked and listened to a lot of Schumann and even took to Brahms' own PQs as time passed. I think the basic musical language is early romantic--thematic vs. motivic development, clear diatonic harmony. The "quiet" interior of the piece--the chorale--is my take on Mendelssohn invention he used in developments and caught on. It worked back in the 1830/40s because it was new--- instead of amplifying as in classical development, you take a step down before a more energetic close to the development (here the fugato). More generally, I love late Schubert- the piano trios and quartets. Spiritually, he has to be an influence. The rest, I guess, is me. My own criticism of the piece is an overly formal statement of themes. The hardest portion to write was the "A" section of the development, as chopping up and playing with fragments requires the most work, musical sensitivity,and skill---rapid modulations, changes of rhythmic patterns/motifs, etc... I defintely want to focus on this more on my next piece--a violin sonata (to be written on Dorico for the first time!). ****************************************************************************** The neat score is due to my pianist holding my feet to the fire--as I asked her-- to produce a clean, usuable score/parts for performers--a new consideration! She has been great. And thanks, it took a lot of work and time!---and I'm not done! Anyhow, I just signed on my string trio, and am mentally juggling a rondo theme around in my head, almost ready for pen and paper. I would like to have it done by early may and in my pianists hands --she needs 4 or 5 weeks to work on it-- for a June workshop. I've never worked like this--with a deadline of sorts--and it is a bit unpleasant! If I blow by this deadline, my group has to bring on a new violist---a little hickup. I told them I'm not going to botch it up just to have it done, however... I want it to be fitting for the piece as a whole and tie it together style-wise. I'm thinking of a call back of the chorale from the 1st movement in the coda, and a major key ending, honoring my mother, and wishing her peace.... Mainly, I need about 50 hours uninterrupted work time!! Fat chance of that.... Thanks again for your kind words and interest! You are a fine composer, and your thoughts have weight! My life is a bit like an American country music song right now, and this gives me a real lift!

I think "narcissism" is inherint in all true creative endeavors--insofar as we have to turn inward to produce something new. Officially, Narcissism-- as a personality disorder means a chronic problem with human relationships. We stray from "self-absorption" or inward focus into trouble when we can't interact with others in a healthy fashion--see them as individuals. Read the biogrpahies of many great composers, painters, writers--and you see the conflict between artistic vision and relating to the outer world and the people in it. It's a factor that I think all creative people should be mindful of. We need people. They also need us. Learing to balance that is the trick.

UPDATED 2-11-25: Made recommended changes, created a "false start" in recap of 1st theme to add tension/avoid stale theme, tightened up dynamics, phrasing... I've started working with my pianist who is going to play in the workshop. I've cleaned up the score for performance--she was very helpful---and made the final large scale edit---creating a "false start" on the recap of the 1st theme, which then promptly lunges into the full throated piano rendition and complete theme/coda. It cut 15 seconds and is generally more concise and maintains momentum (I think). I'm under the gun to write the Rondo in 3 months with a workshop penciled in for June. My pianist is largely MEMORIZING my music--which is humbling and a wake up that suddenly, with a performance in the offing, this is FOR REAL. Getting there. The workshop will help with critical final edits. This may be Opus 1... we will see..... (2-11-25: Corrected bar 116 timing--used "hidden" markings for the first time--very handy to get a good performance score AND use the score for playback! Also corrected bars 248-250 run up to finale thematic statement. Timing/variations in tempo are difficult with computer....human players would have no problem doing things that take a half dozen markings to achieve with a machine....) Now it sounds about as close to what I intended as possible...) (NOTE: FINALE is giivng me trouble---the last bars are having volume issues, and are too loud in playback....despite numerous efforts to correct. Dorico is coming!....)

Beautiful, Henry. Very emotional--reflective, inward, then exuberant The Chopinesque turns do it credit. When I first really decided to wade into Chopin's music a few years ago, it was like getting hit by a truck! He is so original, idiosyncratic in his expression. (It makes sense, --essentially trained by nobody, born a master...) As thatguy-v2.0 points out, almost every composer was influenced by others, and modeled works on ideas passed down. Its the nature adopting those ideas that counts. I just finished Richard Maunder's book on his Mozart requiem completion--and by the end I was struck by the many, many influences, cantus firmus borrowings, thematic variations Mozart utilized from Handel, Michael Haydn, Gassman and others --including his younger self.... But the Requiem is decidedly Mozart (at least what HE wrote!). This is decidedly Henry. Wonderful. And I learned what Locrian Mode is. I like that too....

My experience with dynamics using Finale is that you have to be very fussy with markings to get a good performance. Musicians know how to work a passage intuitively. P, MP, F might often be more than enough indication.. But with notation, the computer does only EXACTLY what you tell it. Each dynamic makring is tied with a specific, unchanging volume level. I use ppp through ff to get a sound I like. I spend a LOT of time on this. The VST sound set has some impact as well. Baseline volume, and how volume is registered with the samples is also a factor. You would need to make a PERFORMANCE score for HUMANS if you wanted to workshop/ or get a piece performed.

I confess I have no idea what Dark Souls is, but THIS is a very fine muscal idea! I agree it's a little dry and would benfit from a small amount of reverb. Wondering how wonderful it would be with a string quartet and the different tibres, colors of the insturments?..... Worth expanding on, for sure! I can only once again recommend Vienna Symphonic Library for solo strings--and pretty much anythin else. The special editoins V1 is now one package (not v1 and v.1 PLUS) and you can get it at about 40% at least once a year when there is a sale. They are well supported and work with Dorico, Sibelius, etc... The new SYNCHRON SOLO VIOLIN is excellent--very expressive with a nice but not intrusive vibrato. Articulations are extensive....

Wow. I'm almost in tears (again...) That's all any composer at any level could want---listeners to enjoy their music. Thank you for the extremely kind and generous words! This is my 6th completed piece/movement, and I've been working at the very limits of my understanding for the almost 3 years I've been at this. I don't have to tell you how hard composition is, as a discipline. It amazes me how much NOVELTY we have to introduce --thematic, orchestration, rhythmic, etc... to keep a piece fresh and engaging. I've been at this movement for over a year, when I first wrote down the first theme material. The ups and downs, frustrations, blocks----makes it worth it when you get a compliment like yours. To be honest---as each of us works alone, for hours, days, months..."is it any good??" is often a secondary though to "Am I actually INSANE??" (ONLY HALF-KIDDING!). I'm going to keep at it, and hopefully get a memorable rondo (dramatic/heroic NOT sad...) out by summer. (I'm thinking of Hummel's A minor piano concerto (no.2). A wonderful composition as a whole, but his rondo is a definite ear-worm for me... You have been warned. Maybe I'll frame your post to remind me that the looney bin, for now, is held at bay! Again, thank you!

Thank you Henry. She was a beautiful person and loved music. She sang in choirs all her life, and encouraged my musical pursuits. She once told me quite recently that she had something she always wanted to express in music (she started piano lessons at age 88!). I almost broke down on the spot. I am her son, to be sure. There are occasional posts on "Why Do We Compose?" This is why! To EXPRESS--wordlessly-which to me seems to be where all the really important parts of life are hidden... Henry! I had a long think on the simple question: "How to start?". We have Mozart's unison example on his masterpiece in G minor. But this has been overused. Brahms starts with the quiet/mysterious in his 1st quartet. I settled on this rising, dramatic intro using a bit of motif and this --what I thought at the time--throw-away figuration as a filler- But the "filler" ended up being another motif through the movement! A "discovery"! The chorale gave me fits!!!! I had the melodic line very early, and the string part wrote itself, but the rules for progression here are quite strict--as you probably know. At last, after some piano/paper and pencil work I resolved my major errors and --POP!--I hope Felix would approve! I'm fond of the noodling violin in the repeat and violin /cello phrase. The fugato syncopation to start is one of the few rules I worked by! The contrast with the regular beats provides some "built in" tension. I think this is correct? I will look at your suggestions--but yes! here the transitions gave me some fits---I will absolutely look for improvements. Glad you liked the coda. This came early--the basic idea, and I knew I needed to expand on it to successfully conclude, so I again used a rising syquence from G minor to a C minor key in the two iterations---closing with a faint echo of the upward push from the opening. The VSL sound set really pops here. The piece works best when I stick to proper chamber music style--- a dialog among equals-- But the more "symphonic" sections (all voices together)have a place. I' m not done doing some patch-up (It never ends). Transitions between sections still vex me and I am looking to trim measures to keep things tight and forward moving. I'll post (probably several!) corrected version. A workshop with real musicians is coming. I'm committed! I may finish the rondo (and piece) first to get more bang for the considerable bucks. I really REALLY appreciate your comments, Henry. You, Peter, others in this community have been my true teachers and I hope you agree I am coming along-- because of your help. This is the longest, most involved, and first proper sonata form piece I've done. First fugato! And pointed criticism and encouragement have made growth possible. I've lost my great musical friend here in my "real " world. But my virtual musical community lives on, and my mother would most approve. Thank you. Thank you all.

[ 2-28-25: EDIT: ADDED CORRECTED 1ST MVMT TO THIS POST FROM LATER IN THREAD....] At long last I've gotten my Piano Quartet 1st movement into a near- final form. There are details that need attention, but I think it is time to hopefully get some feedback. It took a while--my father developed severe alzheimers, we had to move them, sell their home... And then my mother passed---who gave me my love of music. Composing has helped me commune with her..... *************************************************************************************** A Brief summary of the 1st mvmt: This is in classical sonata form: exposition, development, recap with a brief coda. Exposition: 1st theme in C minor, 2nd theme in F major, return to 1st theme and codetta Development: A: Development of 2nd theme into minor, some diminution of the theme, and looser feel B/C: Introduces a third theme, in 4/4 time a major key inversion of 1st theme turned into a Mendelssonian chorale w/ piano, leading as an intro to... A fugato passage based on the 1st theme regularized in half notes in A minor (4/4 time) Coda transforms back to 6/8 and C minor... Recap: Return of 2nd theme in Eb major (instead of F) 1s theme in strings and them a grand statement w/ piano, joined by string to finish. Coda: Introduce another complimentary motif/new material manipulating main theme to close on strong cadence. ************************************************************************************************** I generally like it, but working with recap textures/thinning and trying to abbreviate for the sake of momentum might be something I look at. The FUGATO passage is my first, and was hard won. I think it works. I learned a ton working on this piece. Third movement Rondo in C minor next... (I include an MP3 of the second movement (PQ Mvmt.II VSL WS MASTER), using the new very expressive Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron solo violin... )

Good luck with your book! It's so interesting and telling that a book on the topic of music compositions and emotions is actually a novelty today. In the baroque period, referencing particular keys, intervals, chords, figurations in the light of emotions was boiler plate standard knowledge. We are loaded up on technical analysis, various "systems" of sound, and a whole universe of extended techniques--- but forget the core "WHY? " and what this is all for. Film composers are the exception----and it is small wonder that as academic music continues its wandering in t he desert, John Willams is lauded as composer laureate of the WORLD, and so many others are celebrated. Forget Feeling, and you are working with half a toolbox....

Markus-- I liked this piece! Somewhere between late baroque and early classical--definitely in the manner of C.P.E. Bach--- too edgy for his papa! Your counterpoint is very pleasing. I had started a flute sonata last year and gave up after 10 bars--beyond me then, for sure. Counterpoint /Baroque writing is a skill set that demands tremndous dedication and focus--and you do it very well! The sound set is very good, also.