Sonata of sorts

Ive attached the exposition and start of the development for a Sonata form movement.

I dont know really where to go from here and I'm not sure if I'm happy with how I've presented the first subject

Hi @malumCompositor,

The opening reminds me of Beethoven's Pastoral Sonata no.15 with the drone bass, but yours begins in second inversion. If you add some sounds call of horn will make it even more pastoral.

That 10th in b.21 can be real hard to play for the right hand. You should mark a m.s. there to indicate that in lower B is played by the left hand.

For me the first subject is way too short with the one in a bar meter, and uncharacteristic when you are going for many triadic things like the transition in b,13 and sections starting from b.19. I think you should invite melodic elements before heading to the second subject. 

Is the tone clash in b.34 (A# and A natural) intentional?

The 2nd subject is also diminutive, with the melody repeated twice, first with rhythm altered and LH accompaniment changed and then the role reversed for the hands. I think you can add contrasting themes, since both themes sound alike with the pastoral feeling and triadic chords and melody.

It's a good move to pretend to return to the beginning of exposition before heading to F# minor, just make sure you don't stay in the key for a long time in the development section!

Thx for sharing.

Henry

Thanks for the feedback.

1 hour ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

The opening reminds me of Beethoven's Pastoral Sonata no.15 with the drone bass, but yours begins in second inversion. If you add some sounds call of horn will make it even more pastoral.

I was definitely taking inspiration from the Pastoral Sonata, but my original intention wasn't actually for a specifically pastoral sound. Interesting that you heard that.

1 hour ago, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

Is the tone clash in b.34 (A# and A natural) intentional?

I don't like the sound of having an augmented third next to a major third.

6 minutes ago, malumCompositor said:

I don't like the sound of having an augmented third next to a major third.

Sorry I quote the wrong bar number. It should be b.33 when the left hand A natural is clashing with the right hand A#s. 

Hello there, 

The drone bass in the start bass of the movement echoes one of Beethoveen's Sonata. Drone basses, usually, a written for transitional sectionals between primary and secondary themes. Beethoven used it when he wanted to modulate to a tonality that was not related to home key. (i.e. through a common note).  The pedal point in the bass (the drone bass) estabish the tonality rather well: and, with the simplicity of the exposition, it has an excellent affect.

The thematic material is stated well and devopled nicely.  I can't wait to hear more of this. 

This isn't bad and to me seems like a great candidate for orchestration into a symphonic movement!  There's many different kinds of textures and many moments which remind me of Beethoven.  There would have to be a great variety of different kinds of classical/romantic scoring in the orchestration.  Although I don't know if I recommend you starting an orchestration of this if you haven't yet finished the piece.  Right now you seem to be right into the development section - you don't have far to go to get back to a recapitulation and a conclusion to the piece!  Keep going - I'd be stoked to hear this finished, whether for piano or orchestra!  Thanks for sharing.

Although now that I listen again to the end of this piece it seems like the development section already contains a fake-out recapitulation of the A theme in it - that might be whats holding you back as it might be too early to bring back the A theme.  I would keep a sketchbook of variations of all the themes you've used in the sonata so far and use whichever ones seem appropriate to build a development section out of them.  But that's just how I think - I always work with variations/variation techniques.