Piano Quartet (First movement)

I intend this to be my entry to the 2023 Manx Music Festival (Original Composition Class). There are a few areas that I still need to touch up on therefore this movement is not complete, however I feel that the structural and tonal aspects of the work are sound. In terms of style, this is perhaps a later classical style than some of my other work, particularly with the slow introduction as is characteristic of later classical works of a larger scale. However, there are places in the development that are predominately lyrical, of which one could say are influenced by composers such as Johann Christian Bach. Please provide constructive criticism where it is due. There will be 4 movements in total of standard classical form.

I am not too familiar with the Classical idiom so I cannot offer any technical advice. I can tell you that I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to the piece though!

On the recording: I think the delay set on the violin is too long. It makes places like mm. 27-32 and mm. 50 sound like the violinist is lagging behind.

Nice job!  A pleasure to listen to.  I have to agree with @muchen_ about the reverb on the violin.  Also, there are many places in the score that would be less cluttered if you used the standard tremolo notation used for strings instead of writing out all the 16th notes in the violin part.  Formally the piece is very well rounded and complete with a graceful and soft introduction before getting into the thick of things at m. 18.  Thanks for sharing and good luck in the music festival!

16 hours ago, muchen_ said:

I am not too familiar with the Classical idiom so I cannot offer any technical advice. I can tell you that I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to the piece though!

On the recording: I think the delay set on the violin is too long. It makes places like mm. 27-32 and mm. 50 sound like the violinist is lagging behind.

 

Thank you for bringing that to my attention. I do like using some reverb as I rather my work not to sound like an 8-bit track on Super mario Bros!! But I perhaps can tune that down a little.

6 hours ago, PeterthePapercomPoser said:

Nice job!  A pleasure to listen to.  I have to agree with @muchen_ about the reverb on the violin.  Also, there are many places in the score that would be less cluttered if you used the standard tremolo notation used for strings instead of writing out all the 16th notes in the violin part.  Formally the piece is very well rounded and complete with a graceful and soft introduction before getting into the thick of things at m. 18.  Thanks for sharing and good luck in the music festival!

 

Thanks for the comments. I will apply the tremlo notation as you suggest. Many thanks.

This is a well-constructed piece of music. The imitative voicings are extremely reminiscent of the Classical era to which you ascribe your inspiration, so well done for staying true to form! I particularly enjoyed the instrumentation: percussive, double-reed, single-reed, and bowed. This gives the work an added layer of texturing in timbre. I think it's also worth noting that the piece is extremely playable — not saying that it's easy, per se, just that each instrument features balanced, idiomatic writing. Nice job!

Musically, this is very well-crafted, with clean, almost surgically precise harmonies throughout. The imperfect cadence that rounds out the opening Adagio, the Allegro's announcement in the tonal proceeded by counterpoint over the dominant, the following thematic variations in related keys all with masterfully-rendered transitions — very Mozartian, the height of elegant musical classicism.

There are some things to point out notationally, however. I'm not so worried about adding the tremolo to the violin section as others have pointed out, although I don't see any harm in doing so. Here are the issues that I noticed:

1) Dynamics in the piano. As a two-handed instrument that shares staves, the piano's dynamics must be written between the two parts, and not above and below as in the score. Indicating separate dynamics implies two different instruments... which is not the case here. Just omit the dynamics from the bottom stave and you'll be fine.

2) Trills. Throughout the piece, I notice you have put a flat sign next to many of the trill symbols. This indicates that the interval separating the trill's top and bottom notes should be shortened to a semitone. In the example below, the clarinettist would interpret this to be played as a trill between A-flat and B-double flat. This is not reflected in the recording provided. (I realize you were probably just trying to notate that the auxiliary note should be B-flat, which is already represented by the key signature. If that's the case, just get rid of the flat signs. A trill with no flat/sharp/natural signs will already be played between two notes that follow the key signature.)

3) Slurs. While you have supplied some slurs to the quick sixteenth notes in the Allegro section, I think you ought be even more liberal with them, especially with the wind instruments. This clarinet passage, for example, is going to sound a bit staccato if you expect the player to tongue each of these notes:

I think it would be better and more realistic to provide slurring among each group of sixteenth notes, at least for the clarinet and bassoon.

4) Repeat bar. Where is this bar repeated from?

If it's meant to be repeated from the end, you should probably notate this by adding an ending repeat bar there.

All right, that's all from me. Again, great piece of music. I wish you the best of luck in the music festival!

On 7/1/2022 at 4:34 PM, Tónskáld said:

This is a well-constructed piece of music. The imitative voicings are extremely reminiscent of the Classical era to which you ascribe your inspiration, so well done for staying true to form! I particularly enjoyed the instrumentation: percussive, double-reed, single-reed, and bowed. This gives the work an added layer of texturing in timbre. I think it's also worth noting that the piece is extremely playable — not saying that it's easy, per se, just that each instrument features balanced, idiomatic writing. Nice job!

Musically, this is very well-crafted, with clean, almost surgically precise harmonies throughout. The imperfect cadence that rounds out the opening Adagio, the Allegro's announcement in the tonal proceeded by counterpoint over the dominant, the following thematic variations in related keys all with masterfully-rendered transitions — very Mozartian, the height of elegant musical classicism.

There are some things to point out notationally, however. I'm not so worried about adding the tremolo to the violin section as others have pointed out, although I don't see any harm in doing so. Here are the issues that I noticed:

1) Dynamics in the piano. As a two-handed instrument that shares staves, the piano's dynamics must be written between the two parts, and not above and below as in the score. Indicating separate dynamics implies two different instruments... which is not the case here. Just omit the dynamics from the bottom stave and you'll be fine.

2) Trills. Throughout the piece, I notice you have put a flat sign next to many of the trill symbols. This indicates that the interval separating the trill's top and bottom notes should be shortened to a semitone. In the example below, the clarinettist would interpret this to be played as a trill between A-flat and B-double flat. This is not reflected in the recording provided. (I realize you were probably just trying to notate that the auxiliary note should be B-flat, which is already represented by the key signature. If that's the case, just get rid of the flat signs. A trill with no flat/sharp/natural signs will already be played between two notes that follow the key signature.)

3) Slurs. While you have supplied some slurs to the quick sixteenth notes in the Allegro section, I think you ought be even more liberal with them, especially with the wind instruments. This clarinet passage, for example, is going to sound a bit staccato if you expect the player to tongue each of these notes:

I think it would be better and more realistic to provide slurring among each group of sixteenth notes, at least for the clarinet and bassoon.

4) Repeat bar. Where is this bar repeated from?

If it's meant to be repeated from the end, you should probably notate this by adding an ending repeat bar there.

All right, that's all from me. Again, great piece of music. I wish you the best of luck in the music festival!

 

Thank you that is such a constructive comment. Very insightful indeed for my work. and regarding the repeat sing, I had originally intended to repeat both sections of the Allegro (as was often customary of the time) although I later felt this as unnecessary.

In terms of inspiration, the form (particularly regarding the adagio introduction) is somewhat influenced by a late symphony from JCF Bach's surviving catalog (unfortunately much was lost in allied bombing of Germany during WW2) that I have encountered recently. This work, completed around 1791, is notable as it reflects not only the later developments of sonata form and orchestration, but also Bach's choice to retain the basso continuo. I am modelling the second movement on same from this symphony, which features a rondo with 5 sections. Should you be interested, you can hear this fascinating work here:

JCF Bach is also interesting for us use of the concerto grosso form as late as 1792!.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-J8wzFukCh0&t=656s

  Not much to add to the above comments--

   The tremolo notation stood out and has been mentioned.   I did think that the development beginning had a bit of trouble finding itself.  

          That said-  really enjoyed this.  Idiomatically solidly classical, interesting instrumentation, and well handled thematically/harmonically.

                              Thank you for posting!

  I'm mulling over a piano trio c. 1800, and this piece's polish is something to shoot for.