"Cloud Cover" (Impressionist inspired)

Thought I would share a draft of my final project for a composition course, covering the common practice period and ending with the Impressionist and Expressionist movements. I make use of chord extensions, non-traditional cadences, and modalities such as Dorian and Lydian as well as moments of E Major and E Augmented.

Ballade-like accompaniment prevails, and 2:3 or 4:3 polyrhythms are often present. The form consists of a 4-bar introduction, a repeated A section, a repeated contrasting B section, and then a final nod to the intro and the first phrase of the A section. I'm not sure what that form is called.

The music came to me before the conceptual title I have attached to it. In retrospect I noticed how the harmony seemed to constantly alternate between dark and bright, which reminded me of clouds passing over the sun. The piece has a quiet, moody opening and closing and lighter, even magical moments in the middle.

Any constructive criticism is welcome!

Thanks,
Gwendolyn

Hi @Gwendolyn Przyjazna!

Long time no see!

I like this! I love the harmonies in the 1st section, and the contrasting texture between the two sections. First section is darker, more dissonant and heavier in texture, middle section lighter, consonant and thinner texture. Ending on an augmented chord sounds nice too! I love the polyrhythm in b.13 to 17 as well.

For me in b.13 you can just write the lower part of RH with a dotted crotchet. 

Thx for sharing!

Henry

Thank you so much, Henry! 🙂 I trust your judgement on the notation. I will be making my final draft in a week and will post it here.

23 minutes ago, Gwendolyn Przyjazna said:

Thank you so much, Henry! 🙂 I trust your judgement on the notation. I will be making my final draft in a week and will post it here.

@PeterthePapercomPoser help me with that!! 🥶 You know how bad my notation was and is right!

Hi @Gwendolyn Przyjazna!

I love the modal colors of this piece!  I would have made a few different harmonic choices myself though.  My ear just yearns for a C# major chord instead of the C# minor you have in measure 5 but I don't know how well it would loop back around if you made that change.  But if it doesn't loop well with the major chord in bar 5 you could just write out the second repeat of the material with the minor version and there'd be some unexpected variety.  I also really like the mood of the piece - it's melancholic and hopeful at the same time, perhaps contemplative of both good and bad memories.  I think the rhythms of the right hand in measure 13 - 15 are as clear as they should be.  Since you're using a variety of different durations for the 2nd voice of the right hand it makes sense that you'd display the half note in bar 13 as such since you use a quadruplet dotted quarter note in measure 14 followed by a quadruplet 8th note.  And a regular quarter in bar 15.  Thanks for sharing this reflective piece!  It really is a shame you don't post more often but I remember that when I was in school I didn't compose very much either unless it was for an assignment because I just didn't have the time or mental/emotional resources for creative pursuits.