# Webern-ish Piano Sonata



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

This is a short piece I wrote as an assignment for my 20th century music history class I am taking this semester. The assignment was simply to write a piece in the style of a composer we had talked about thus far. Obviously from the title, I chose Webern.

Here's the sound File:

__
https://soundcloud.com/roderick-borcherding%2Fwebern-ish-sonata

Here's the score:








So I wrote this Webern-style piece in a very condensed "serial sonata form". The exposition is measures 1-5, the development is from measures 7-14 and the recap is measures 16-20. A space of a measure separates each section.

The first theme of the exposition is the first two measures. The second theme is the following three measures. Each theme is in a different tone row, like they would be in the case of keys of a sonata form. In the development the themes and each themes respective rows get mixed up. However, each theme also has a specific articulation that I kept consistent each time the themes show up. The articulations are contrasting, the first theme articulations tend to be legato articulations and the second themes' articulations tend to be staccato. In the recap, both themes come back with the same tone row (as would happen with keys in a sonata form movement).

I also tried to work some symmetry in there, as Webern was very interested in symmetry in music. For example, the first phrase of the second theme (measures 3-4), is a symmetrical phrase, as is its answer in the bass.

The score is really messy so sorry I about that. I would have it cleaned up if I were preparing it for an actual performance but since it was written for a class I didn't bother.

This is literally a composition exercise. so, not terribly original. But I thought it would be fun to post here anyway to see what kind of feedback I got.

Here are the rows I used for anyone interested.

1st theme: D, G, D#, C#, G#, F, A#, F#, E, B, A, C

2nd theme: G, Eb, C#, F#, C, F, E, B, Bb, A, D, G#

Enjoy!


----------



## Ian Moore (Jun 28, 2014)

Well done. 

Do you know that the early modernist music of Webern is nearly a hundred years old? It's amazing to think of it as an antique. 

The first section has a lot of short note values. Perhaps, I would have had more sustained notes for contrast.

Nevertheless, great work.


----------



## Ian Moore (Jun 28, 2014)

P.S. You know you left your real name on the picture of the score.


----------



## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Adding only the same, having listened only once, and frustrated with coordinating the score, it sounded quite fine to me, idiomatic as was your goal, including well-placed and strategic silences, and 'just the right' re-entry.

I also found the choice of meter 'amusing,' and it allowed for that whimsical air of a gigue, or satiric take on waltz.

Yeah, Violadude, you're very competent in working your materials, and it is clear, no matter what the theory, that you are innately musical and use your ears first, regardless. I'm pleased, was entertained, and have come to expect this of you... 
_*gasp, you're getting a reputation to uphold!*_


----------



## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Very, very effective little thing. I loved the effect of the chords (harmonically, in rhythm, timbre and the character they give to the piece). Also, I found your use of dynamics very effective and Webern-like, my favorite section in this regard is the eighth measure, it's placed at exactly the right moment in the piece and exaclty in the correct way. Also the re-entry and the silences, as PB says.


----------



## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Nice, violadude. If it exists as a MIDI file, I can run it through LOGIC and have my Yamaha P-90 play it. You'd be surprised...


----------



## violadude (May 2, 2011)

millionrainbows said:


> Nice, violadude. If it exists as a MIDI file, I can run it through LOGIC and have my Yamaha P-90 play it. You'd be surprised...


Oh cool. Do you have a way to post the results here so I can hear the difference?


----------



## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

violadude said:


> Oh cool. Do you have a way to post the results here so I can hear the difference?


Of course...there are some sites for transferring large files. You post the file at that site, and e-mail or message me a key to get it. Then I post the result similarly. It could be an AIFF file or WAV, or MP3.

I use a site called yousendit.com. Tomorrow, I'll post a sound file on there and post the key, and you can see how it works and sounds.


----------



## hreichgott (Dec 31, 2012)

I also really liked it.
Despite the use of tone rows, there's still a predominant use of low As. I think that is a good thing. It helps give the piece a sense of groundedness and unity. (It still doesn't sound like we're in A major or anything.)


----------

