# Piano Concerto N0.1 in G minor



## MarkMcD

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I posted anything here, but I've been working on my first fully orchestrated concerto. I really like it (obviously) but I know that working with Sibelius is in no way like working with a real orchestra. It may sound great (to me at least) with note performer for Sibelius, but I know that certain harmonic structures and dynamic balances etc., will probably be all wrong for a real orchestra.

However, since a real orchestra is never likely to play it, then I figure what the hell, right?

I've had the first movement done for about a year now, and a few months later, the second, but the third took a long time. It just wouldn't go where I wanted it to. As I said, I'm really quite pleased with the results, although I know also that it wont be to everyone's taste, being that it is again, in my usual style. To me, not a pastiche, but what moves me most, after all, that's why I do it, to be moved in some way. It's certainly not modern in any case.

Anyway, I hope you like it and again, any and all comments are welcome, good or bad. I'm interested most in the orchestration, and how you think I've handled it. Being my first concerto, and also not knowing anything really about orchestration as such, other than what sounds good to me, I would be interested to know what I've done badly on, so I can make it better next time.

Thanks a lot for listening.

Mark

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tcighqnj57ztjoq/Piano Concerto No1 in G minor Movts. 1,2 and 3 .mp3?dl=0

The score is a mess and so I haven't yet posted it, but if you really want to see it, then I will post it.


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## KjellPrytz

Hi Mark,
I have listened to your new third movement and I find it both eminent and elegant. Although being old-fashioned, this one I place in wien-classicism reminding me much about Mozart and Beethoven, I like and appreciate your music very much. Most of modern music, being either atonal or bombastic, doesn't appeal to me so I guess you have found a genre which could appeal many other music-lovers. There is a group on FB called tonal composers which I believe is of the same opinion.
Continue on your track Mark, you have such a talent. Maybe you could just add some modern instruments to make your music a little bit more modern.
Greetings,
Kjell


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## MarkMcD

Hi Kjell,

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate your comments, and I hadn't thought about doing the same sort of music with more modern instruments, so that's one to look into. I'll also have a look at the facebook page you mentioned, might be interesting.

I haven't heard anything new by you for a while at least on sound cloud, what are you up to these days?

Thanks again
Kind regards
Mark


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## Cygnenoir

Great work! This is a perfect example that new music doesn't have to sound modern to entertain or engage your feelings. I mostly listen to late-romantic or modern/jazzy stuff, but I liked this! It's not Mozart, but I think maybe he would have approved.

As for modern instruments, I'm a big fan of the bass clarinet and marimba (why not in combination!)  I like how Stravinsky made use of modern instruments in classical style. In Pulcinella especially. You have maybe heard that one?


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## MarkMcD

Thanks Cygnenoir,

I'm really glad you liked it, and even more so that you found it engaging, after all, that's why we compose music right, to engage people in some way?

I'm going to consider more modern instrumentation when I start a new piece, I also like the bass clarinet and the marimba so who knows...

Thanks again for your comments and for listening.

Regards
Mark


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## level82rat

This sounds like something an established a composer would write. Well done Mark. How long have you been composing/learning music theory?


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## MarkMcD

Hi level82rat,

Thanks for your comments, I appreciate it. In reality I've been playing the piano for 40 odd years, but I never really took exams, only to grade 3. My music theory is not very advanced, but I like to think I have a good ear and I know what I like. There's an argument for NOT learning too many rules, at least beyond the basics. However, on the other hand, the argument goes that you must first know the rules before you can break them. I think for me, I just spend a loooooooooooong time over what I write. First get the idea, write down the skeleton of the piece, and then refine, refine, refine.

I think if you work in this way, and you have a good ear, you end up complying with many of the rules of music theory, without really trying to follow them, just by virtue of creating something that sounds good, at least to your own ear.

Anyway. thanks again for your comment.
Regards
Mark


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## MarkMcD

I've recently made some small changes and am looking to improve the orchestration and the score, which I can make available if anyone has any suggestions.


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## Phil loves classical

Couldn't put my finger on it before, but it sounds like you're ending a lot of phrases with something like a V V7 i chord motif which sounds kind of cadential. I feel it is always just around the corner, during a passage, whenever I hear a V or V7 sort of chord, even when it goes some place else, just a lingering anticipation.


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## MarkMcD

Hi Phil, is that a good thing or do you think it's over used? As I said, I'm wanting to edit the piece again so I could look into that cadence a bit more closely, thanks.


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## Phil loves classical

MarkMcD said:


> Hi Phil, is that a good thing or do you think it's over used? As I said, I'm wanting to edit the piece again so I could look into that cadence a bit more closely, thanks.


I feel it's overused, I think I heard less of it in the 2nd movement which I think worked the best.


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## SergeOfArniVillage

Whatever samples you're using sound awesome! Close to the real thing. Wish I had that piano sound.

I think overall, it just sounds really great. Your writing doesn't seem to have any "holes" or unfitting phrases. Your development feels natural and fluid. It's all just really well thought out and realized. Impressive.

My only complaint: it's a little _too_ pleasant :lol: There's really nothing wrong with that, and in some ways may not even be a criticism at all... but, what I mean, is that there's no moment of surprise. Nothing unexpected happens, and feels kind of by the books. It all feels very _safe._

I don't mean that you should add some forced gimmick to try and stand out, or anything. I'm saying, take a look at Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto, for example - http://conquest.imslp.info/files/im...SIBLEY1802.18602.bfe9-39087009348535score.pdf - on pg. 21 of the score, Rach repeats his beginning theme, and takes it in a different direction. Pg. 22, these dramatic piano bass notes begin to creep up, and suddenly, things begin to feel more tense than at any point thus far. "What is this? What's going on? Where's this going?" The bass notes disappear soon after, and are replaced for a moment by these anticipatory higher 3rds. Soon after the bass notes come back, followed again by the 3rds, and it's unmistakable that this is leading up to _something_, but what is it?

I'm on the edge of my seat now. After the 3rds disappear, the piano gets this eerie, mysterious segment from pgs. 25-26. Then, the beginning of an awful revelation: pg. 27! The soft, loosely flowing triplets are replaced by a harsh one-*TWO*-three-*FOUR* rhythm. (On a side note, notice Rach's clever decision to leave an eighth-note rest on each first and third beat for the piano. You can actually feel your own _heart_ thump as the drum on the 1st and 3rd beat, with the piano answering with the unpleasant truth.) Then, pg. 29. An fff *EXPLOSION.* Horror. Disbelief. Sickening dread. Pg. 31 continues this with the piano playing a couple of very twisted scales, while the other instruments play these little 2-note chromatic phrases that sound like lacerations on the psyche. The cadenza is now an inevitability.

That's what I mean by "unexpected." There are ways to signal to your listener that you are foreshadowing something, and make them curious: "Huh? Where's he going with this?" How subtle or forceful with that you want to be is up to you, but I think that adding this element to your music would add an entire dimension of depth, and really take a next step to absorbing your audience into the music you write.

Just my two cents.

Thanks for sharing, I really enjoyed listening to this. Really well done! :clap:


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## MarkMcD

Actually, I completely agree with you. Hi Serge, by the way. But, that's why he's Rach, and I'm me lol. I LOVE the 3rd, I'm working toward being able to do things like that but I think I'm a long way off yet.
There may be places where something could be introduced to give some more depth, but perhaps it's too late for this first effort, as you say, I don't want to wedge some obscure divergence into a place where it shouldn't be, however you never know, there's always time. 
I'm actually working on my second now and I'm trying to find that extra level. This one took around a year on and off to get to this stage, so I would wait with baited breath (as if lol). I do feel though like I learned a lot from the first and I will keep in mind your passionate description of the Rach iii and look for those twists and turns if I possibly can. 
Thanks a lot for your comments, I really appreciate it. 
To anyone else reading this and thinking "can't this dude just let it go now, always asking for advice"? Well no, how is one to learn of you never ask for help? 
Thanks a lot to all who have helped me with this, I really am most grateful.
Kind regards
Mark
By the way, the sound set is noteperformer it really is worth the 100 bucks, they do a 30 free trail and a lifetime update of you actually buy it, give it a try!


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## SergeOfArniVillage

"There may be places where something could be introduced to give some more depth, but perhaps it's too late for this first effort, as you say, I don't want to wedge some obscure divergence into a place where it shouldn't be, however you never know, there's always time."

Oh, I agree. If I were you, I'd just leave it alone, and move on to the next thing. After all, it's a great piece of music.

I know that for me, once I've finished a piece mentally, I have no desire to go back and rework and rework it. Revision on a piece while I'm working on it is one thing, but I'm not overhauling a finished piece ^_~

"By the way, the sound set is noteperformer it really is worth the 100 bucks, they do a 30 free trail and a lifetime update of you actually buy it, give it a try!"

I'll have to look into that. It honestly sounds SO good!


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