# A second offering - Lucia's Waltz



## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

I would like to say thanks to everyone for the welcome and for the kind comments on my first piece, the String Quintet.

Having received such nice comments, I thought I would take the plunge and submit a second piece for your expert ears.

This is another traditional piece (as is my style), this time a waltz featuring the piano (which is my instrument). Most of the pieces I write are either for solo piano or at least feature the piano as I've been playing the piano for 40 odd years (still badly, but no one's perfect), but my writing style very much reflects the style of pieces I prefer to play.

The Lucia in question is Donizetti's Lucia Lammermoor. The piece has no relationship with Donizetti's Masterpiece, but it's an imagining of how a ballroom scene might go if she went waltzing off to a ball with the blood still on her hands!

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ygzsqhdbd1tgf9l/Lucias Waltz.mp3?dl=0

Mark


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi all, just to let you know, you can say if you don't like it too, I don't mind, the point (for me at least) is to learn and improve, so if on one wants to say anything because it's bad, don't feel bad about saying so, I don't bite LOL


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

MarkMcD said:


> Hi all, just to let you know, you can say if you don't like it too, I don't mind, the point (for me at least) is to learn and improve, so if on one wants to say anything because it's bad, don't feel bad about saying so, I don't bite LOL


I do think this has to do with the festive season, I bookmark it but didn't get around to listen so, watch this space.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi Pugg, yes I think you're right of course, but when nearly 100 people have looked at it and no one says anything, you start to think Oh dear, it's a pile of pooh lol. As you know, I'm quite new to this forum and to forums in general, but I think that possibly there are only a core hand full of people who actually leave comments, this is not an accusation by the way, just an observation, I too only really comment of things that I like and of course time is also a constraint, I do understand. 

Thanks again for taking the time.

Mark


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## nikola (Sep 7, 2012)

I really like this piece and its quirky atmosphere. It would fit in some Tim Burton movie 
Really good stuff.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Thank you Nikola, I really appreciate it. I wish I knew how to better mix it, I love the Sibelius program, but I don't understand it's finer points, but like anything I suppose, practice practice practice. Have a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

Mark


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Although I am reasonably pleased with how this one is at the moment, again it has it's faults, for example I'm not sure about the repeated sections, although the writing for the piano is elaborated differently each time, I'm not sure how obvious this is. Also I'm not sure if the ending is a bit too abrupt.

I love, as I'm sure we all do, hearing that others like what I present and I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to listen and to comment but I really want to learn the art of composition and orchestration and I would really like some pointers as to what I could do make it better, to make me better at it. Any thoughts are welcome and if you have any suggestions for good reading material on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Mark


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

I'm currently doing a re-write of the flute part, as it is, it does nothing for the piece being that it mainly doubles the piano, I'm going to add some dynamics to the score and then post the amended piece and score. It would be nice to know if you think I've made it better or worse lol.

Happy new year!


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## KjellPrytz (Dec 16, 2016)

Hi Mark, I like this music, nice themes and instrumentation.
If you intend to develop, why not letting the piano rest a while to see if you increase contrast and dynamics. Just a thought from a non-professional listener.
Your tune reminds me of Sibelius' Valse Triste (?). One difference is the side theme Sibelius include which gives his composition a remarkable additional dimension.

Good Luck


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## Xinver (Aug 26, 2016)

Finally, I could listen to this one, too.

In this case I don't mind the repetition of the section. It's always different and it's not boring at all. 
The orchestrations is fine, too.
I think, also, that a contrast would be nice. The whole piece seems to be in an average "mood". Putting the piano at rest in some spots is a good idea, perhaps another instrument could lead then, like the flute (so important in Lucía's madness scene; well it was a glass harmonica). And what I said: a part where the mood is slower or more peaceful. 
Great work. If you make changes I would love to hear it again.

Respecto al hecho de no recibir comentarios... Este foro es peculiar, como todos. Hay mucha gente y muchos entran a los posts, pero es cierto que comentar, pocos. Yo a veces he pensado que también es porque lo que subo les importa un bledo, cosa que admito. En fin, también hay que pensar que este no es un foro de composición, y esto es solo un apartado pequeño de todo el foro.
Saludos......
Creo que haces muy buena música por lo poco que he oido hasta ahora.
Luis.


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## MarkMcD (Mar 31, 2014)

Hi Kjellprytz and Xinver,

Thanks for your kind words, they do mean a lot. I have just finished a revision of the the piece earlier today, but having read your comments, I think a further revision might be in order, because you both mention letting the piano rest and the the flute for example, take over for a while. I like this idea too much to let it pass without exploring it. I think what happened is that originally this was a piano piece that got dressed up to go out lol, but lets see what happens next. I'm so glad you both liked it. :tiphat:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wm81irdoqmrxb1k/Lucia rewrite.mp3?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1oz3r3ht7wwc8g8/Lucia.pdf?dl=0

Here's the (first as it would now seem) revision and the score if you fancy a squint.

Luis,

Creo que si tienes razon, aqui hay poca gente que quiere comentar, pero no me quejo, la mayoria me han dejado buenas notas o sea que estoy contento. Ahora he entendido que esto realmente es una parte pequeña de un foro mucho mas grande, sin embargo me ha servido muy bien para darme ganas de continuar con mis nenes (la musica).

Muchisimas gracias y hasta pronto.

Mark


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