Prelude No.3 - Live Performance by Henry Ng

Alright, well, this post will be a bit different.

I had this whole plan, and no.3 was in the works. Sort of a jaunty jumpy upbeat kind of thing. I've been conscious of the order I'm writing these in, as I've almost been treating this like a suite. 

But as with anything in life, it takes it's turns. And recent events have made me write this one instead. I've noted everyone's comments so far, and am very thankful for all the feedback. My main goal with all these pieces is to make it friendly to any intermediate player, myself included. It's been fun so far, and I think you'll find the playability in this one the easiest of the first three. 

But, unfortunately I'm ending this post on a sad note. When I went to work today (for those that don't know, part of my income is teaching guitar and piano. I have a piano in my office/room), I couldn't help but to start hitting the keys as emotions have been heavy with me. For a little bit, this piece came out, and when I was done at work, came home and notated it all out. Honestly nothing has felt easier to me than writing this one. What it make lack in technicality and possibly musicality, I think it makes up for in mood and the words I've been wanting to say. I hope you enjoy this one, even though it's on the darker side. 

I'll also take this opportunity to those that venture in my post, to say that I'll be leaving YC for a while. I don't feel right being here right now. This piece is written about and dedicated to someone here, who I viewed as a friend. But I'm heartbroken from recent discoveries and events. I feel rotten, and gross, and cheated, and lied to. Maybe I'm overreacting, as I've been told I do, but I just can't hold back. I can't and I'm not able to bury some things deep down; this is something that I take very seriously. And when trust and honesty is broken, I feel broken.

I don't know, I'm just rambling now. But what I'm getting at is that I love this place, and hope you all keep composing. I'm very excited to hopefully find the courage to come back and cast my emotions aside to hear all the wonderful and great pieces so many members here are capable of. But I just can't do it now. 

Good luck with music to you all, see you after a while. 

EDIT: another fantastic @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu performance

Nice score friend, the more it went on the more I enjoyed it. 

Henry

Hi Vince,

Music-wise it is very touching and grievous. I deeply enjoy the sadness in it and appreciate your output.

20 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

What it make lack in technicality and possibly musicality, I think it makes up for in mood and the words I've been wanting to say. I hope you enjoy this one, even though it's on the darker side. 

What is musciality actually? For me is to able to express something you feel and think musically conVINCEingly. This is very successful in depicting the sadness you have. It's of course sad to hace sadness in life but to express the sadness through music is great aesthetically and therapeutically. This piece is definitely a bitter one with that predominant blue notes and minor-major seventh and major seventh chords. Simple, yes, but there are many stories under that simplicity. It's very difficult to bestow meaning and stories to those seemingly simple chords and melodies but you succeed in achieving all these. Technically it's not easy at all if you have to play the music with this kind of heavy emotions. I am sad and glad at the same time you make this. I am sure I will play this and record this since I utterly enjoy the sadness in it (ofc I am not being masochistic).

20 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

When I went to work today (for those that don't know, part of my income is teaching guitar and piano. I have a piano in my office/room), I couldn't help but to start hitting the keys as emotions have been heavy with me. For a little bit, this piece came out, and when I was done at work, came home and notated it all out. Honestly nothing has felt easier to me than writing this one. What it make lack in technicality and possibly musicality, I think it makes up for in mood and the words I've been wanting to say. I hope you enjoy this one, even though it's on the darker side.

This is the best creative condition we can have: There's a must we ought to finish our works. I hope by writing this you will feel better, and beware of hyper-creation since I had a similar experience: I finished the Wind Quintet piece in 9 days in a period of hyper fascination but I had become ill for nearly a month after that. 

20 hours ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I'll also take this opportunity to those that venture in my post, to say that I'll be leaving YC for a while. I don't feel right being here right now. This piece is written about and dedicated to someone here, who I viewed as a friend. But I'm heartbroken from recent discoveries and events. I feel rotten, and gross, and cheated, and lied to. Maybe I'm overreacting, as I've been told I do, but I just can't hold back. I can't and I'm not able to bury some things deep down; this is something that I take very seriously. And when trust and honesty is broken, I feel broken.

I don't know, I'm just rambling now. But what I'm getting at is that I love this place, and hope you all keep composing. I'm very excited to hopefully find the courage to come back and cast my emotions aside to hear all the wonderful and great pieces so many members here are capable of. But I just can't do it now. 

I don't know what happen between you and your friend, but I want to say that we all have to take good care of ourselves in order to enjoy and review works from others. Of course I would love you to come back asap since I am very happy and grateful to have known you and received your warm compliments and encouragements, but I also know that it is a good choice to leave for a while to take care of yourself to preserve your love for YC and music. I know you are very busy recently and need time to recover from that, and I hope you can recover soon. I also hope that next time you will come back with the prelude set finished and share them to us again if you are couragious enough to come back.

Henry

On 3/6/2023 at 5:15 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

conVINCEingly

my man 😄

Hey thanks for checking it out as always Henry.

It's been fun writing these preludes, and this is one of my favorites so far. I'll share the others I have written in time, but I'd like to take this opportunity to tell you how awesome it's been hearing you practicing these ones. How cool is it that this site has allowed me to get to know someone as awesome as you, willing to take the time and work on the music I write, and you're on the other side of the world from me!

I know you keep refusing my payments haha, but seriously, in time let me make it up to you in that way or someway else just as sufficient. I'll keep in touch, but in the meantime, I just wanted to share those words with anyone else that may be reading this, as the rest of this community deserves to know how wonderful you've been to me and how great of a friend you've become. Count me in as someone who will always support your music and share insight into your continued evolution as a composer and musician. Again, I'm very grateful to hear your words about my music, and even more so the recordings you've sent me. 

1 hour ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

It's been fun writing these preludes, and this is one of my favorites so far.

Yeah this is my favourite one of the three you have posted here!

1 hour ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

I know you keep refusing my payments haha, but seriously, in time let me make it up to you in that way or someway else just as sufficient.

Muahaha, you can try to return by playing my piano pieces instead  (Just kidding!) I play your pieces just because I find them beautiful and very enjoyable to do so! I have never cared about money issue at all for music since the enjoyment in music, whether it's playing, listening, composing or analyzing, is intrinsic and I don't want them to be measured by extrinsic money value at all!

1 hour ago, Thatguy v2.0 said:

How cool is it that this site has allowed me to get to know someone as awesome as you, willing to take the time and work on the music I write, and you're on the other side of the world from me!

I am very grateful too to have discovered YC and meet you guys!!!!!!!

Henry

This is a very turbulent piece, it's raging quietly, it's almost frustrating.

Very precise scoring, though the whole piece suggested C minor and yet you decided to put no starting key.

Regarding your last paragraph, and seeing that you have (I believe) uploaded the next prelude, I will assume you came back so welcome back ma dude.

What to say about this prelude that hasn't been told already either by Henry or yourself? 

It seems definitely easier than the prior one, and it "strikes" much more directly than the first one. So in my opinion, this is my favourite out of the three, I still have the fourth one pending. Hopefully, not for long. The constant blur effect that you achieve and that is the key of this piece in my opinion is as distinguishable as the first motive on your first prelude. I'm sure they're gonna be a great series, they get better as a whole with each new prelude you make and publish.

On a final note, the melody somehow preserves traces of that flow one has when improvising, at least in my opinion. 

Again, hope you're already back and in case you don't, hope your come back soon Vince.

Kind regards!!







 

On 3/17/2023 at 12:11 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

Muahaha, you can try to return by playing my piano pieces instead  

ugh, bro, do you really want me to ruin your music for you? Lol, I have yet to dabble at your music, but I'd love to try out a few of your pieces. 

On 3/17/2023 at 12:11 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I play your pieces just because I find them beautiful and very enjoyable to do so! I have never cared about money issue at all for music since the enjoyment in music, whether it's playing, listening, composing or analyzing, is intrinsic and I don't want them to be measured by extrinsic money value at all!

Your dedication to others' music is inspiring, and helps keep me motivated when I spend minutes to hours on someone's music and they don't return the favor. During those moments, I think of you. Thanks for being as awesome as your are, you may not know the impact you have here, but it's noticed by me for sure

On 3/17/2023 at 12:11 AM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

I am very grateful too to have discovered YC and meet you guys!!!!!!!

best mod team ever 😄

22 hours ago, Omicronrg9 said:

This is a very turbulent piece, it's raging quietly, it's almost frustrating.

this is actually really cool to hear, I'm glad it had that impact on you. I felt a sickening pit in my stomach while writing this.

22 hours ago, Omicronrg9 said:

It seems definitely easier than the prior one, and it "strikes" much more directly than the first one. So in my opinion, this is my favourite out of the three, I still have the fourth one pending.

I took your comment to heart on no.2, but just sayin', 5 and 7 are way harder 😕 My hope is that they all stay in the intermediate level.

22 hours ago, Omicronrg9 said:

The constant blur effect that you achieve and that is the key of this piece in my opinion

I think some things that are obvious aren't realized until said by another. This makes sense considering the feelings when writing this. 

22 hours ago, Omicronrg9 said:

On a final note, the melody somehow preserves traces of that flow one has when improvising, at least in my opinion.

I had the chords, then improvised the melody. Astute observation...Daniel you're so smart, it's like you're a physicist or something...

Thanks @Henry Ng Tsz Kiu and @Omicronrg9, you guys are the best. It's like the most active members here are mods 

well well

well well well

HENRY

you're amazing

updated the mp3 of Henry playing this

On 4/8/2023 at 2:21 PM, Thatguy v2.0 said:

well well

 

well well well

 

HENRY

 

you're amazing

 

updated the mp3 of Henry playing this

Well I listen to my own recording and still feel touched lol. It's like another unknown person who plays this. I certainly enjoy playing your preludes very much that's why I keep trying to play them!

Henry