# Piece for Clarinet and Piano



## ScipioAfricanus (Jan 7, 2010)

http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/6b9b769c0de1940f8d6b9c15119ce5b785c2dab6

I know my counterpoint is weak. But this was written before I undertook serious counterpoint study. I know I have parallel fifths and parallel octaves galore, but I want comments on the general structure of the piece. thanks.


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## esharpe (May 16, 2013)

Some very quick impressions (maybe not what you are looking for):

“The tyranny of the bar line”. Both the accompaniment and melody are always “landing” on the down beat (one) of the bar. The use of a rest on the down beat only reinforces this rigidity of rhythm. There is no anticipation or delay. Example in at the end of bar 7 you could have the clarinet hold the D over into bar 8, resolving to the C on the and of 1 or even on two. I think you could have made more use of the dotted quarter, eight note “motif”. Example in bar 17 the Clarinet had dotted quarter, eight two quarter notes, but then in bar 18 we have four “straight” quarter notes. Bar 18 you could use the same rhythmic pattern as bar 17 or vari it as two quarter notes, dotted quarter note, eight note. You still have the dotted motif, but changed around where it occurs in the bar. Another example bar 27 you could change the clarinet part to a dotted half note (G) followed bay a quarter note (F#) giving you the dotted motif in augmented form. But keep the piano part the same (two half notes). [Bar 30 do you really want a D in the left hand on the third beat?).

This is just a quick impression.


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## esharpe (May 16, 2013)

The other issue is that the clarinet spends quiet a bit of time in its throat register; the least coloristic part of its range.


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## pluhagr (Jan 2, 2012)

I agree with esharpe about the bar lines. When composing I try and ignore them as if to fool the listener into thinking it is not in the meter they think it is. I would also play around with the left land in the piano part. I found that it became a little bit monotonous come up with a nice litte simple thing that it can do instead of whole notes. I would also add some ornamentation to the clarinet part which could really spice things up. I also normally don't mind/care if there are parallel 5th or octaves but with so many in a row the line becomes tired and loses velocity. Also needed is slurs for the clarinet as well. This would indicate phrasing and breaths. This is a great piece of music and I can see promise.


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