# Harpsichord Sonata in A Minor



## fernandoamartin

Hi.
Recently I posted on Youtube a Harpsichord Sonata in A Minor that I composed to be played using Blanchet 1720 virtual harpsichord available at: http://sonimusicae.free.fr/blanchet1-en.html
I would like to receive some comments about this piece. I know that each one has its onw taste and opinion but i would appreciate some technical comments.
Here is the video:


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## Il_Penseroso

fernandoamartin said:


> Hi.
> Recently I posted on Youtube a Harpsichord Sonata in A Minor that I composed to be played using Blanchet 1720 virtual harpsichord available at: http://sonimusicae.free.fr/blanchet1-en.html
> I would like to receive some comments about this piece. I know that each one has its onw taste and opinion but i would appreciate some technical comments.
> Here is the video:


I enjoyed your composition dear, and technically I think it's quite alright (i.e. harmonic and polyphonic lines). I think you only need to study more about the 18th. century style and particularly methods of composing a complete harpsichord sonata or, let me say, how to tackle some problems which definitely appear while composing, mostly involved with the late baroque sonata/concerto form (some of the modulations or phrasings sound just rather than the pure baroque music to my ear)... Bravo ...Good luck... Wish to hear more from you soon.


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## violadude

fernandoamartin said:


> Hi.
> Recently I posted on Youtube a Harpsichord Sonata in A Minor that I composed to be played using Blanchet 1720 virtual harpsichord available at: http://sonimusicae.free.fr/blanchet1-en.html
> I would like to receive some comments about this piece. I know that each one has its onw taste and opinion but i would appreciate some technical comments.
> Here is the video:


The first technical issue I can hear right off the bat is that your bass movement is pretty awkward in some places. For example, listen around 0:08 or 1:00 again and ask yourself if you really want the bass to move that way in relation to the rest of the voices and the overall harmonic progression of the piece. It's hard to say anything specific without looking at the score.


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## regenmusic

Personally, I don't see why a piece written today should try to emulate everything done 250 years ago. Wouldn't it then just be like a variation on something someone else did? I like this piece because it sounds like a modern harpsichord sonata, and isn't trying to do everything someone else did 200 years ago. It seems like it has enough standard form to work. If it was more "proper" it would maybe not be as good. This is the best thing I've heard so far in the composers section, although I am just starting to explore.


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## EdwardBast

The cadences throughout are distracting and divert attention from the work's good qualities. Each one screams out: "Here I am on the leading tone!" At 5:31 and 5:40, we have virtually the same ending of a phrase on the dominant, which is too repetitious. The more important the cadence, the more problematic: The final cadence of the movement (6:30) rises to the leading tone, B, and then arpeggiates the dominant descending to tonic. This does not work. That kind of emphasis on the leading tone in a melody will always sound cheesy. It happens in first movement at :40 as well. The same problem with cadences and the use of the dominant is found in the other movements.

The other big thing is you need to change key and mode. There is not enough contrast 

Advice for how to proceed: Avoid "ti" like the plague in your melodies. Never end a phrase hanging on it. Never end a phrase with ti-do — unless you delay the arrival (through a suspension or the like) until a weak beat. Learn how to end phrases somewhere other than "do," especially on the third of the chord. The melody should never sound like it is thinking about grammar — the other lines should take care of the grammatical "grunt work." One of the best ways to keep the ends of phrases fresh is to learn how to use suspensions, delaying the arrival to weak beats.


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## fernandoamartin

Thanks for the commendations and for the advices also.


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## fernandoamartin

Thank you for the commendations.


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## fernandoamartin

regenmusic said:


> Personally, I don't see why a piece written today should try to emulate everything done 250 years ago. Wouldn't it then just be like a variation on something someone else did? I like this piece because it sounds like a modern harpsichord sonata, and isn't trying to do everything someone else did 200 years ago. It seems like it has enough standard form to work. If it was more "proper" it would maybe not be as good. This is the best thing I've heard so far in the composers section, although I am just starting to explore.


 Thank you very much!  I feel glad that you appreciate my work.﻿


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## fernandoamartin

Il_Penseroso said:


> I enjoyed your composition dear, and technically I think it's quite alright (i.e. harmonic and polyphonic lines). I think you only need to study more about the 18th. century style and particularly methods of composing a complete harpsichord sonata or, let me say, how to tackle some problems which definitely appear while composing, mostly involved with the late baroque sonata/concerto form (some of the modulations or phrasings sound just rather than the pure baroque music to my ear)... Bravo ...Good luck... Wish to hear more from you soon.


Thank you for the commendations.


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## Samuel Kristopher

I enjoyed this too! It's interesting to hear modern harpsichord compositions. My only critique would really be to echo EdwardBast and suggest more tonal contrast. Otherwise, it's brilliant!


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