Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor 1st movement

I first wrote the piano part for this piece nearly 20 years ago, for that reason it has a less developed style than my more recent work. I always wanted to do something with it and this last month, I have been working on orchestrating it. I also took the opportunity to rewrite the piano part a bit. It's currently in it's "pre-finished" state, so I would really appreciate any input on how it might be improved.

Thanks in advance to anyone who may feel like commenting.

Regards Mark

Hi there!

I cant give you any feedback on romantic technique , but I really like the style! What I cant say is that this is very good music! Congratulations!

For me the best section is the opening, very classical in style! In my baroque mind that is a perfect ritornello, I was just waiting for the music to return to it.. That is my problem with romantic music though, a more free form and less structure, simply "too many notes" 🙂

Thank you Simen, I really appreciate that.  You are right in that although the theme does return a few times, the style is mixed between a more classical form and a more romantic form, and so somehow it doesn't have quite the same impact as the opening.  I'm not quite done with it yet however, I will be editing and polishing for a while yet so I will keep that thought in mind.

"Just cut a few and it will be perfect"!

Anyway, thanks again for you comments, I'm glad that on the whole, you enjoyed it.

Regards Mark

Congratulations with this amazing, very inventive composition!

The style is original: classical, romantic and some modern touches.
I really love the piano writing and the harmonies are beautiful too.

The orchestration is very thin, which is a great choice in this case!
I can't mention something I don't like about the music!

There could be some more articulation markings in the piano part.
Of course you still need to look at the lay-out.

Very well done, you may be proud!

Thank you Maarten, I really appreciate it.

I always seem to omit the piano articulation, which is odd since I am pianist, but I think mainly it's because Sibelius seems to play the part just fine without it, however I do intend to polish the piece some more and that will be one of the things that needs attention.  

The orchestration is intentionally thin to let the piano shine a bit more but I still have problems in some areas to have the piano separated from the rest of the sound, but that's down to mixing I think, which I don't do very well yet.

I already have the 2nd and 3rd movements in progress so keep an ear out for them, I would love to have your opinion on them when I get them to this stage.

Thanks again for your kind words

Best regards

Mark

I agree. I like this mix of classical and modern feeling. The piano part is really interesting.

Thanks Luis, I do appreciate it.

I've been working on a cadenza and polishing the rest.  Just in case anyone's interested, here it is, now more or less finished.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/qt639kvqu3yx152/Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor Movement I (with Cadenza).mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/35896vdyi93aimw/Piano Concerto No in G minor Movement I (With Cadenza) - Full Score.pdf?dl=0

I can't comment on anything orchestral, I know nothing of orchestral writing.

Your piano writing is strong and colorful. Virtuoso writing is fun, but I appreciate your restraint here with the piano.

My only concern is that the leash on the poor piano is just a little too tight, and he is frustrated and hungry. I kept waiting for a satisfying, powerful burst of bass or a wicked lash of... something to happen, that never did. Perhaps it's because that's to come in the 3rd movement. Overall, the piece really sounds great and accomplished, though.

Thank you Serge, I really appreciate your comments, and I can agree to a certain extent about the leashing of the piano.  I was trying to concentrate (at least for this movement) on the melodic aspect of the themes, rather than taking them to a virtuosic (is that even a word) extreme, even the short cadenza doesn't get too far out of it's own space.  The second movement is almost finished now, but that is a more traditional slow, lyrical movement.  The third movement is also under way and here I do intend to have some fireworks, I just hope it will be enough to balance the piece as a whole, we'll see.  

Thanks again for taking the time to listen and to say something.

Kind regards Mark

Amazing piece. I even sometimes listen to it when I work👌 Has a nice baroque structure and is very palifonic 

Thanks a lot arielbibo, sorry I haven't checked into the site for months so I missed your comment.  I really appreciate it.

Can't say much more than what has already been said. VERY captivating beggining, i wish you'd used more the theme throughout the piece not in expense of the development you already use because i genuinely enjoyed it, but in addition at the end of some parts. Extremely fitting and intense ending, Beethoven would be proud..!

Thanks Pavlos, I really appreciate your comments.  I've been working on this concertino for some months now.  The first movement now has a cadenza and a reintroduction of the first theme, as I also thought it needed to reappear somewhere.  The second movement is finished, and the third is almost finished.  I haven't yet posted them here as I wanted to wait till it's all ready, once it is, I will post them and see how it goes.

Thanks again for your comments

best regards

Mark