Rich

Since you asked--- and I am aware these are very subjective things: The bar 11 lead in melissima-- (don't like it. The rhythmic feel is very jarring to me and out of keeping it seems. Another way?) The turns/gruppetos bar 24/ bars 54/55. (Single grace notes or short value lead-ins to main tone?) The grace notes figure at 42 (again-- something simpler?) Bar 21: 16th notes figure (something synchopated/another rhythmic feel??) Bar 41 milissima: (just ain't working for me--simpler?) Just my take. I know what its like for others to make suggestions--- you've spent a year on this and are very close to it. If I don't FEEL THE LOGIC of a change, I've learned just to leave it. It won't help if you don't internalize and believe. Most of these things aim to a simpler more direct effect--in keeping with lovely story you spin out. This is more about my musical sense (or nonsense!) that anything objective. Again, a lovely piece that shows the work!

A- I wonderful piece overall. The progressions, formal logic and conception are sound and convincing. My one objection would be to some of the figurations for the right hand---rhythmically jarring perhaps beyond what is necessary or congruent with the work as a whole. Also, while I get the music box-like simplicity of the right hand playing single notes, I wonder if the piece wouldn't really POP if you introduced more harmonic depth/counterharmony in the right hand at places of elevated drama/emotional importance? I must say, there are so many small, thoughtful harmonic/melodic twists that really MAKE this piece--particularly endings of phrases and transitions. Clearly influenced by Chopin's take on Field's noctures. Very nice, and thank you for posting. PS: love the piano sample.

Glad you liked it! I love his chamber and solo piano works. "On an Overgrown Path" for piano captures the same feel as the Idyll. Check it out. His open, light scoring and idiosynchratic /unusual melodic sense creates a one of a kind effect. Your piece captures this. Yes, ABA as you lay out would be great. Glad to see you are open to changing the dynamics for the "dramatic" break. If you keep an eye to preserving the mood, many things might work quite well. Cant wait to see the finished product! Good luck!

A beautiful piece---worthy of expansion. Somehow reminds me of Janacek's writing for string orchestra--the Idyll. Very nice. I am not a fan of the forte exclamation---perhaps a slightly lower volume long dissonant chord? --this seems to break a wonderful, enchanting mood that I would jeaolously guard.

I've restarted after about 8 years of lessons and an 8 year break. Warning and an Affirmation: 1. You will sound terrible at first. Very frustrating--its locked away in your cells but cant get out!!! 2. Get a teacher who gets you. 3. Practice: I practice 3 or 4 times a week, for 2 to 2.5 hours. 4. For several weeks/months, it will seem like slow progress--but you are rebuildiNG synaptic connections, fast memory, eys to hand "automation". This simply takes time for the BODY to build. Hit the old etudes, the old practice routine. Try and have FUN. 5. And one fine day/week---- you will have a BREAK THROUGH AND YOUR OLD FORM WILL COME BACK. This took me about 5 months!! Now I am in just about where I was, and working happily. Good luck and godspeed.....

I don't like the monthly service model vs. OWNING something on Sibelius. Probably more because I'm old than anything objective. Dorico is basically a DAW/notation program in one--- and VSL has a bunch of Dorico friendly products and help files.

I just downloaded DORICO Pro 5! I love finale--mainly because I'm familiar---but to be honest on the VST side there were limitations. My Vienna Symphonic Library samples will work better and better together with other products on Dorico. And the realism is important to me, especially starting out----I need accurate feedback! The first few months are gonna be hell----I imagine. But I'll figure i out. Fortunately, I can finish my Piano Quartet within the next 5 months or so on Finale, and start fresh on something smaller--maybe a Violin/Viola duo or a piano character piece.... to learn Dorico slowly.... But yeah. Sucks. I work with software/tech, and I get it. After the 200th+ patch, new requirements, modern security provisions, new VST engines,----the thing needs a reimagining while the costs are prohibitive.... I'll keep folks posted on any discoveries, through this difficult time.....😂

Be a genius. Probably the best thing. Short of that, listen to a TON of Mozart piano sonatas, and other classical composers. Work on creating a memorable antecedent/consequent theme. Mozart had a gift for strong, flowing, memorable melodic ideas--not too simple, not too complex. Lay out a road map for composition. The form: sonata form? Theme and variations? Aria/Ternary? Rondo (ABACA)?.... This assumes you understand classical forms, basic music theory, harmonic chord progressions, and have at least functional piano skills. Be prepared to revise. The first try will not work. The second will be a little better....etc...

Amazing to me--- a musical magic trick!

I don't think you can "compose" at it has traditionally been defined without reading music AND having competency with at least one instrument. I learned flute in grade/high school and learned to read music. I then self-taught on piano, and had formal lessons on violin MUCH later in life. So, I recommend a year of formal piano lessons. You will learn your instrument better, and learn to read music. If it goes well, you could stick with it, but I think you should know enough to begin to write down musical ideas so others can play them--the point of writing music. Find a teacher who understands your goals and makes it fun and to the point. A stickler for correct hand positions and endless scales might not be the right fit!... A teacher who also teaches some theory/composition would be ideal--not all do!

Thanks-- In my area, studios are no problem-- there are a dozen or more.--- $60 -$80/hr with a grand piano and a sound engineer. Finding musicians that can sight read the parts AND show up is proving the issue. But I have time...

Peter --- Thank you for the listen and comments. Yeah, the little tag leading into the repeat is being reworked into an at-tempo transition to the a theme again---trying to get away from as many ritards/pauses as I can.. In fact, a major goal after finishing the 2nd movement was making the piece more fluid---which was achieved to some extent. A bad habit of mine. I look at the complexity thing as a feature! I listened to a lot of romantic period piano quartets before and while I am writing--- and am aiming at something as close as possible to the style. While I am trying to limit the difficulty, keeping it commensurate with the reward for the effort of playing, the actual interplay of voices/motifs is something I was actually aiming for. The 2nd movement was quite staid and straightforward--which is nice, but for the allegro I wanted some more sonic interest-- a real contrast. As for spontaneity---there is NONE! This is all very deliberate, from the thematic material demo I posted, to the working out of the form, sequence in the beginning, etc... This is my 6th piece, and the most ambitious so far. The lesson I have learned is planning is my friend. Of course, this is what I call a "block draft"--just the major elements put in place. I will be starting on revisions and the development/recap in a few weeks, at which time the hope is to smooth things to the point of APPEARING inevitable and spontaneous. Unfortunately, my student status doesn't give much room for spontaneity out of the starting gate. Interestingly, the pause/echo bit you responded positively to was a bit of what I call "discovery" that wasn't initially planned--and perhaps as such is effective to me, too. Along that same line of thought, I am working to make the repeats of thematic material more varied, and break from simple reiteration to a little motivic reiteration of fragments, "extemporaneous" digressions.... But I get your argument. I am hoping to write a string quartet following this 3 movement piece. I will have had more experience by then, and am very much more comfortable with that form as a listener. Hopefully I can create with a looser feel. If the quality holds up, at completion I am going to workshop the piece with real live musicians--and am very excited at what should be an excellent learning experience. I'm sure that will help inform my approach . I will say that the first 2/3rds of this exposition were written much faster and more assured than the 1st painful outing with the Andante. I am learning! But for my parental care issues, I would have been done! Life!! I've been living with this Piano Quartet for so long, I've gained the dubious "superpower" of being able to mentally rescore everything I hear into a piano quartet! Funny and a bit annoying! I'll be well and truly ready to move on!!! Thank you again. Your right in your assessment. I just have to pace myself.... Composing is HARD!--but the most rewarding thing for me...

An atmospheric piece--- I really think it could be well served by a second linear voice as counterpoint/countermelody to the violins after the initial minute or so. (viola? Cello?) This wouldn't break the mood established but add an interesting element---

A few suggestions: Maybe give the left hand the melody here or there. Vary the rhythmic flow more Generally, I like to have two or three CONTRASTING thematic ideas as a minimum to make a piece work. Humans crave novelty. 15 seconds is FOREVER, musically. Example: if I have a step-wise a theme, I use a b theme with leaps (as an example). A staccato theme might be matched with a flowing legato theme. Not on whimsy, but required to create interest. You want the generate the feeling of sadness in the listener, maybe not make them suicidal....

The form is good, and I generally get the thematic material. My issue is with the harmonization and uniform rhythms being used in most of the voices, MOST of the time. Possibilities: Lighten up on the eights maybe in the 1st half of the a phrase-- creating more differentiation? Differentiate the parts by syncopating the 2nd violin/viola against the violin more? Where you do this now the music is very engaging. Vary the reiterations of the thematic material each new instance in some way I like the middle section but I think the theme need more punch-- it seems to linger in a fairly tight range---it needs a peak that sticks, phrasing wise. I think this piece could be highly effective. There is that Mendelssohnian scherzo quality lurking, but I think these issues will need to be looked at. That's just my take. A whole lot of good here.