[COMPLETE] Piano Suite ''Seasons''

Hello everybody,

I have finally finished my Suite ''Seizoenen'' for Solo Piano (Op.36). Dutch: Seizoenen = Seasons.
Maybe you have already heard some movements, but I wanted to post the composition in its complete version.

This composition is set in four movements each presenting a season. I tried to make my associations with the seasons as clear as possible.

I. Winter (Winter): Presto animato.
II. Lente (Spring): Allegro vivace.
III. Zomer (Summer): Andante sognante.
IV. Herfst (Autumn): Lento melancolico.

My favorite movement is the Zomer, because for me the music fits my idea of the hot Summer.

Enjoy the listening!

Feedback would be very appreciated and helpful!

Maarten

Technically, I say nothing. I love this Suite. It sounds contemporary and quite beautiful. Every part has its own distinct motives (melodic and rhythmic). Nice harmonies, too.

2 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

Technically, I say nothing. I love this Suite. It sounds contemporary and quite beautiful. Every part has its own distinct motives (melodic and rhythmic). Nice harmonies, too.

 

Thank you! I am very pleased that you like the Suite!

Yes, each movement was unique thematically, which is what I would expect for a suite. I enjoyed it and listened to it twice. It has a pensive quality due to the numerous starts and stops. You may have overdone this a bit, I think. I would have preferred more of an arc to each movement,the endings being a bit sudden.

here's the thing about calling a work "Seasons" or something more programmatic than No. 1, No. 2, etc., which is totally fine for a suite. The title seems arbitrary because in the work itself, there is nothing special to suggest a specific season. And that's because you didn't give the listener enough musical cliches to connect his or her experiences with seasons. I understand that many composers find cliches trite. But used correctly they are useful for programmatic music.

5 hours ago, Ken320 said:

Yes, each movement was unique thematically, which is what I would expect for a suite. I enjoyed it and listened to it twice. It has a pensive quality due to the numerous starts and stops. You may have overdone this a bit, I think. I would have preferred more of an arc to each movement,the endings being a bit sudden.

here's the thing about calling a work "Seasons" or something more programmatic than No. 1, No. 2, etc., which is totally fine for a suite. The title seems arbitrary because in the work itself, there is nothing special to suggest a specific season. And that's because you didn't give the listener enough musical cliches to connect his or her experiences with seasons. I understand that many composers find cliches trite. But used correctly they are useful for programmatic music.

 

Thank you for your constructive critique!

I think you are right about the 'sudden' stops. Structure is a very important aspect for me, so I want to have this as clear as possible. However, I agree that the transitions can be more fluent.

I have decided to compose a suite with the subject Seizoenen, before I wrote any note on paper. I tried to make the movements as characteristic for the season as possible, but I am sorry that it did not work out for you.

How could I have been better to suggest a specific season? The Summer is, for instance, of a very other kind in Holland than in New Zealand.

Maarten

*** The Summer is, for instance, of a very other kind in Holland than in New Zealand.  ***

This makes your task even harder. Don't be sorry, it's a tough job to depict things in the real world with something as abstract as music. Most composers eventually come to the conclusion that it cannot be done at all. But that doesn't stop them from trying!