The Little Piano Sonata in B Minor

[calebrw]

Finale 2005 came today, so I finally got to save something as .MID file, and the first one is "The Little Piano Sonata in B Minor." The piece is for solo Piano. I gave it the number of Opus 1, Number 1, although it is by no means the first one I "published." Anyway, the key is B Minor, although there is a short section in the key of F Minor about 1:24 or so. The Piece is 2:11 minutes long.

The "Piano with Strings" (Op. 1, No. 2) is nearly the same except for where, in a few places, some of the Strings deviate from the original piano part. Voices: Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Piano.

Piano: http://calebrw.tx.com.ru/music/TheLittl ... BMinor.MID
Piano with Strings: http://calebrw.tx.com.ru/music/TheLittl ... trings.MID

Please tell me what you think.

[John_Hamby]

I don't know much about form but I don't know if that's really a sonata (needs more movements, I think).

-Rhythmically I didn't find it very interesting. I really don't like the sound of repeated notes at that particular speed; it's too slow to use an even rhythmic grouping like that for a single note passage (unless an arpeggio kind of thing like Moonlight Sonata 1st Mvmt, but even then, the note choice has to make up for it).
-The part right after that long, single-note thing in the middle was probably my favorite part. Interesting note choice and you formed some cool chords. I really didn't like that long, single note passage though, maybe add something under it, do it faster, I dunno, it just seems to go on and on.
-Overall, it just felt somewhat empty. I think in many places (including the part I said was my favorite) I got an impression of what you were trying to do, but you just didn't really take advantage of the versatility of the piano. The chords could have been bigger and wider; in general there could've been more polyphony and it could have sounded thicker and fuller.

Really not bad though. It sounds to me like a skeleton of what could be a pretty good piece, just build more onto it. I wrote a waltz awhile back that I posted and after getting some suggestions I went back and added a second melody to go with the first melody and the waltz accompaniment. It ended up sounding MUCH better. I think this piece mostly just needs stuff added to it, not stuff taken away.

[calebrw]

I don't know much about form but I don't know if that's really a sonata (needs more movements, I think).

That's why it the "little" piano sonata

I-Rhythmically I didn't find it very interesting. I really don't like the sound of repeated notes at that particular speed; it's too slow to use an even rhythmic grouping like that for a single note passage (unless an arpeggio kind of thing like Moonlight Sonata 1st Mvmt, but even then, the note choice has to make up for it).

I have tried at a faster speed, but I think it ruined the effect of the song.

-The part right after that long, single-note thing in the middle was probably my favorite part. Interesting note choice and you formed some cool chords. I really didn't like that long, single note passage though, maybe add something under it, do it faster, I dunno, it just seems to go on and on.

I would have to say, that is my favorite part too, the transition into "42," the halfnote cords, just turned out great, but that's just me...

-Overall, it just felt somewhat empty. I think in many places (including the part I said was my favorite) I got an impression of what you were trying to do, but you just didn't really take advantage of the versatility of the piano. The chords could have been bigger and wider; in general there could've been more polyphony and it could have sounded thicker and fuller.

To tell you the truth, I think it is too thick in some place, or perhaps the cords are just too forte, but I'll look in to this...

Really not bad though. It sounds to me like a skeleton of what could be a pretty good piece, just build more onto it. I wrote a waltz awhile back that I posted and after getting some suggestions I went back and added a second melody to go with the first melody and the waltz accompaniment. It ended up sounding MUCH better. I think this piece mostly just needs stuff added to it, not stuff taken away.

Like I said a above, I'll look into it. Currently I'm working on a Jazz band arrangement of the piece...

[Rach4]

I quite like it. There were some unusual chord progressions in there which make the
piece much more interesting, but don't over-do them! I think you should avoid things
such as in the ending, where you introduce a section in a different character as a
coda, but imo it ends too soon. I think if you bring a new character into the piece, you
need to let it "sink in" properly before the piece comes to an end, I was expecting a
few more phrases in that section when it finished, it just seemed a bit unusual.

I thought that you could have expanded the texture in some areas such as at 1:28,
maybe you could fill in the down-beats there with some chords.

This is a sonata in one movement. I think this could get away with being a movement of
a sonata, perhaps the penultimate, but for a complete sonata it is rather short, this is
why I stick mostly to composing minatures. I just can't seem to make pieces last very
long, perhaps you should consider calling it a Sonatina instead.

The rhythm of the piece, for me, doesn't seem to work with the melodic material,
I am sure that if you experiment with the texture you can make it fit better.

I'll give this a 75

[calebrw]

I think you should avoid things such as in the ending, where you introduce a section in a different character as a coda, but imo it ends too soon. I think if you bring a new character into the piece, you need to let it "sink in" properly before the piece comes to an end, I was expecting a few more phrases in that section when it finished, it just seemed a bit unusual.

Hmm...i'll have to look at it and see if i can put together a less abrupt ending.

This is a sonata in one movement. I think this could get away with being a movement of a sonata, perhaps the penultimate, but for a complete sonata it is rather short, this is why I stick mostly to composing minatures. I just can't seem to make pieces last very
long, perhaps you should consider calling it a Sonatina instead.

I believe I addressed this with the title. lol, but i do agree with you in spirit

Thanks for the feedback.