Piano Concerto No.1 in G minor

Hi all, 

I've not posted anything here for quite a while, been busy with other things, but I've also been working to finish my first fully orchestrated piano concerto.  The first movement was posted here about a year ago, but the second and third movements are new.  The first movement has also been edited and hopefully improved as I added a short cadenza that I felt was missing from the first movement, as well as changing the odd passage here and there.

Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the final edit.  As always, any comments are welcome and gratefully received.

Really good use of the woodwinds its amazing!

Thanks SilverWolf, I really appreciate it.

I remember listening to this gem on Soundcloud, Mark! Your command of the various timbres of the orchestra is nothing short of masterful. A breath of fresh air amid the cold, analytical serialist pieces of most modern composers.

Great job! I look forward to hearing more of your work!

Thank you so much Tónskáld, I know that the music I write is often thought of as pastiche, that's ok, each to their own, and I can understand what they mean, but I do always try hard to make it still sound like me, even though I use styles and forms that are , for want of a better word, out dated.  So it means a lot to hear that even considering that, there are still people who can put that aside and just enjoy the music.

Kind regards

Mark

Outdated, schmoutdated! It's quite astounding, really, to think that composers of the mid-to-late 20th century declared that the milenniae of music before them was outmoded and primeval. Like with most postmodern movements, their school of thought conflicted with what we consider to be 'natural'—in this case, the tonal intervals perceived by the human ear. Twelve-tone music, serialism, atonality, whatever you want to call it—it's an interesting (and sometimes useful) construct, but it greatly diminishes the beauty of music, in my opinon. Rather than flow with my soul, it goes against its grain. I'm not saying it's bad music, I'm just saying it's not beautiful. To me.

But, like you said, each to their own. I'm glad to see there are still composers out there who create music "the old-fashioned way."

It's very beautiful! I like how neat and proportional the piece is, both the music and the orchestration. Well done!

Theo

Thank you Theo,  I really appreciate it. Knowing your music, which I consider extremely well written, it means a lot to hear this from you.

Regards Mark

What a beautiful composition, and classy as I do like.

I love the first movement and the cadenza.The orchestration is well-balanced, and the piano definitely has a good character and dominance here. Well done!

J Santos and Ho Yin Cheung,

Thanks a lot for your very kind comments, I really appreciate them and I'm glad you liked it.

Kind regards

Mark

I am appreciate your first post . this is Excellent work. and I am recommend your second and third movements to all my friends.

Best Mark,

Congratulations! I like it. Nice proportions, well-established harmonies and the orchestrations works well.
To give you further feedback, I would like to see the score!

Once again, congrats!

Thank you Louderme,

I-m so glad you like it, I worked hard on it and it's nice to know that others appreciate it.

Kind regards

Mark

Thank you Louderme,

I-m so glad you like it, I worked hard on it and it's nice to know that others appreciate it.

Kind regards

Mark

Hi Maarten,

Thanks for your kind comments, I really appreciate it.

I will post the score for you if you would like to see it, however, as you know music theory is not a strong point of mine so there are lots of bad enharmonic spellings, wrong note values ie. using dotted notes instead of tied notes.  There are lots of notes tied over the bar so that Sibelius will hold them a little longer to provide a sort of fade instead of a sharp cut off.  Also one of the stranger things considering that I'm a pianist, is that the piano part has very little articulation, mainly because Sibelius doesn't really play it any differently whether there are slurs, legatos etc. and so I tend not to bother writing them in, I should, I know, my bad.  So, In other words, the score is a HOT MESS lol.

However, here it is, and once again, thank you.

Kind regards Mark

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8v7qnfojwjqsdd/Piano Concerto No.pdf?dl=0

1 hour ago, Mark101 said:

Hi Maarten,

Thanks for your kind comments, I really appreciate it.

I will post the score for you if you would like to see it, however, as you know music theory is not a strong point of mine so there are lots of bad enharmonic spellings, wrong note values ie. using dotted notes instead of tied notes.  There are lots of notes tied over the bar so that Sibelius will hold them a little longer to provide a sort of fade instead of a sharp cut off.  Also one of the stranger things considering that I'm a pianist, is that the piano part has very little articulation, mainly because Sibelius doesn't really play it any differently whether there are slurs, legatos etc. and so I tend not to bother writing them in, I should, I know, my bad.  So, In other words, the score is a HOT MESS lol.

However, here it is, and once again, thank you.

Kind regards Mark

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8v7qnfojwjqsdd/Piano Concerto No.pdf?dl=0

 

 

Nice to write with you again. If you need some help with theory, send me a private message. 

Theory is a crucial thing. Scores are as important as the music itself, never underestimate the (anti-) power of the sheet music. 

I will take a look at the score when I am browsing on my laptop. 

The Clarinet here and the bassoon a few bars afterwards might find it difficult to catch their breath:

You might want to make them take turns at playing this line. Although, maybe the tempo is fast enough thus giving them enough time to breath.

So far- very good motivic development.

You might want to change the left hand to treble here:

I highly enjoyed the ending of the first movement.

The second movement is beautiful, the colors and harmonies are just great.

It's clear that you've been composing for a long time.

Currently listening to the third movement, I'm starting to be a little tired of all these triplets.

I mean, you were already doing "triplet runs" all over the first movement.

It's still a powerful movement though, and you gave the orchestra lots of time to express themselves.

This, too, isn't very new. 

The third movement feels more like a continuation of the first one.

But maybe that's what you meant there to be?

Sweet ending.

You surely know how to write advanced well built piano sections.

I never succeeded much in making such complex ones.

Well done, other than some little notes and a few unnecessary repetitions- you've composed a brilliant piece.

5 hours ago, Rabbival507 said:

The Clarinet here and the bassoon a few bars afterwards might find it difficult to catch their breath:

You might want to make them take turns at playing this line. Although, maybe the tempo is fast enough thus giving them enough time to breath.

So far- very good motivic development.

You might want to change the left hand to treble here:

I highly enjoyed the ending of the first movement.

The second movement is beautiful, the colors and harmonies are just great.

It's clear that you've been composing for a long time.

Currently listening to the third movement, I'm starting to be a little tired of all these triplets.

I mean, you were already doing "triplet runs" all over the first movement.

It's still a powerful movement though, and you gave the orchestra lots of time to express themselves.

This, too, isn't very new. 

The third movement feels more like a continuation of the first one.

But maybe that's what you meant there to be?

Sweet ending.

You surely know how to write advanced well built piano sections.

I never succeeded much in making such complex ones.

 

Well done, other than some little notes and a few unnecessary repetitions- you've composed a brilliant piece.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Rabbival,

Thank you so much for this great input, I will certainly take it under consideration when I next get to editing the piece.  The point about the clarinet and bassoon line I hadn't thought of, not being a wind player, so definitely I will do something about that, the cleff change also for the piano part, just an oversight.  I don't really tidy up the score as I should because I know that no one is ever going to play it, so why bother?  As long as Sibelius plays it more or less how I want it.  But, it is good practice to do it anyway.

I know what you mean about the triplets.  I did get a bit tired of them also, but in my mind, the third movement, is a sort of continuation of the first in as much as I wanted to return to a similar mood and place, whilst not repeating any material from the first movement, to give it a sort of sonata feel, and the triplets seemed necessary.  I did try other things and I have tried to break it up here and there, but there seemed to be no escaping their use at this point.

I have started to plan the next one, and I have determined to NOT use triplets, at least not in such a constant manner, I'm a bit tired of them now lol.

Thanks again for taking the time to really listen and to give me some very useful feedback, I really do appreciate it.

Kind regards

Mark

It's a very attractive concerto, Mark. I found it by way of Theodore Servin, an extremely talented composer who is also a member here. I think your piano concerto has a lot in common with the Piano Concerto No 1 of Nobert Burgmüller both in mood and technique. Burgmüller was writing in the very early days of the 19th century and I think you concerto reflects this early Romantic style. Solid orchestration and balance of groups of instruments are evident. Well done.

Thank you very much John, I really appreciate you taking time to listen, it's not a short piece. I don't know Burgmuller, I'll have to go have a listen now but yes the style it of the early romantic period, not because I was looking to do that specifically, it's just what happened when I came to write it, but then I am a lover of the romantic period so.... It's my first try at a piece of such length with at least semi full orchestration so I'm really pleased you thought it well balanced. Theo Servin is indeed a very talented composer, I like his work a lot. I think he has a very bright future ahead. 

Thanks again for your opinion, I really appreciate it.

Kind regards, Mark