Summer Sonatine

I wrote this three years ago and sort of just set it aside and forgot about it. Maybe too sentimental? I don't know. But now that people are talking about using Tchaikovsky's themes for the Autumn contest, that reminded me about it. So I looked at it again and changed a few things here and there, and I think it's not bad. The piano intro is improvised and very rubato in the beginning, and I'm sorry, but I don't have a score this time to help you out with that. But I hope you like it and I welcome your comments. It's a remembrance of summer.

This was really beautiful stuff. Improvised or not, the voice leading in the piano was spot on and enhanced the experience by quite a lot.

Modulations throughout the piece were very effective and expertly led into, as well. Nothing really seemed cluttered throughout, which is a feat considering all the motifs that repeat throughout.

The intro I think may have underutilized the orchestra a little bit; for example the very first note is orchestra, then it is left out for quite a while. For me, it wasn't to the point of sparse, but it was a little awkward. The tempo modulation at 4:01 felt a little bit abrupt to me as well.

I don't think it's too sentimental at all. It gives a listener plenty to be hooked on and remember throughout which is a very clever way to get your message across.

Very lovely!

Not too sentimental, for me. Although it brings some nostalgic sensantions, I don't know why.... It's not the summer thematic. I hate summertime, you know, here is like living in HELL (hot and wet).

Back to the music, I can only say it's so pleasant that I forget everything about chords and the orchestration... It's very beautiful. Yes, there's some Tchaikovsky in it... True, some people are fond of Tchaikovsky fot the contest... I think I'm in the opposite direction... Surely I won't participate (I'm not ready yet) but I'm working in some variations on a theme by ¡¡Schönberg!! (op. 25 Suite for pianoforte). Let's see..

Listening to you piece again, one of the things I like from your music is how you control the orchestra, you never go too far, just the proper instruments. I don't mean you always use a few instruments... No. When you write for large orchestra (as in the Shakespeare challenge), you do the same, but at larger scale.

Thank you for your comments, guys. Nostalgic is a better word. It is the idealized summer of my youth that I am thinking of. Now I dislike summer for the same reasons that you do... It goes from nostalgic to blissful and back. Without the bliss there would be no nostalgia. It's not a new idea though. Sibelius used it in his Valse Triste. Then Bruno Bozetto used it in his animated film, Allegro non troppo, which you should get a hold of if you can. The sequence that uses Valse Triste is told from the point of view of a cat that has just lost his family. It is very very sad, but wonderful too.

Luis, Using that Schönberg piece for this competition might make the judges heads explode! Safer to stick with the Russian.

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The tempo modulation at 4:01 felt a little bit abrupt to me as well.

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Are you kidding? That was one of my best segues.

Just now, Ken320 said:

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The tempo modulation at 4:01 felt a little bit abrupt to me as well.

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Are you kidding? That was one of my best segues.

 

Different strokes, I suppose.

Very nice, I like the development how it transitions from a more mellow laid back piano introduction into a playful section with full orchestra and then into a more nostalgic aftersection which then seems to call back to the introduction. It reminds me of the type of piece you would find in a film soundtrack. Even though they aren't too similar, for whatever reason it makes me think of the piece 'Married Life' from Up. I guess my only thought is that at times the form/patterns felt a little predictable, but otherwise fantastic job!

On 9/14/2016 at 1:05 AM, Monarcheon said:

Different strokes, I suppose.

 

Conductor's prerogative?

On 9/14/2016 at 7:19 PM, SebastianViola said:

Very nice, I like the development how it transitions from a more mellow laid back piano introduction into a playful section with full orchestra and then into a more nostalgic aftersection which then seems to call back to the introduction. It reminds me of the type of piece you would find in a film soundtrack. Even though they aren't too similar, for whatever reason it makes me think of the piece 'Married Life' from Up. I guess my only thought is that at times the form/patterns felt a little predictable, but otherwise fantastic job!

 

Thanks. I have not heard UP until today. It sounds very French. I have a piece somewhere here in the archives that is also very French but I can't find it. But I think maybe they are both predictable in their own way.

Thanks, favi. I will repost my earlier piece which is realy really French.

This is the image I had in my head, a little video.