# Piano Trio in a Classical/Haydnesque style



## BWV582

Fellow music lovers: I wanted to share with you this piano trio, which I wrote in a Classical style. Haydn was my primary inspiration, and hopefully that comes through. Hope you enjoy:


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## MJTTOMB

I'm working on writing a quartet in the style of Haydn, but it's nothing of this caliber. This is fantastic.

I absolutely love it. When I find some time I'll be sure to listen to the other works you've posted.


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## Rasa

Exellent job!

Quite refreshing to listen to something that came out of study and consideration, rather then the blarg modern composers dare deliver.

I only listened to the first movement (train to conservatory is leaving ;p) but I must say that I enjoyed it both as an object of study aswell as one of art.


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## BWV582

Rasa, you raise an interesting question. Is there value in this sort of a piece beyond it being an object of study. Also, I'm interested to know how one's perception of a piece may change depending on what you know about it before listening. If one were told that this piece were written by an obscure Classical period composer, would that change that way it is heard or enjoyed? In any case, thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. What conservatory are you at?


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## Rasa

The question of wether anyone would enjoy it before knowing it was a modern day piece, and if their perception is changed after learning it is is exacty why I came to the conclusion that yes, pieces in old styles can still be objects of art.

Ofcourse it would have to be a very good piece to stand up against the time (and relative quality filters.


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## Aramis

> Also, I'm interested to know how one's perception of a piece may change depending on what you know about it before listening. If one were told that this piece were written by an obscure Classical period composer, would that change that way it is heard or enjoyed?


Personally I'm enthusiastic about your piece, but I didn't enjoy it. If I would hear it knowing that it was written by obscure composer in XVIIIth century I wouldn't even pay attention.

Such pieces, like your trio, cello and violin sonatas (I've listened to all pieces on YT channel, not entirely though) or MJTTOMB's string quartet are kind of historical recreation - they have little artistic value but as far as they are new, fresh and written by composers that belong to present and future times are worth of attention and deserve recognition because they are promising.

Someone written about you the following:



> Maletz brings a unique style of mixing classical and Romantic composers masters like Bach and Mozart with his own more contemporary composing.


I can't see anything entirely yours and original in three presented works. Not to mention innovative and contemporary. But seems that you're still relatively young and have some time to develop something more valueable than these, I would say, composing exercises.

That's why I care to write couple of positive words of feedback in this thread, something that I wouldn't care to do at all if this thread would be named "Music of Gaetano Vulcano: 1704-1783".


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## BWV582

Thanks for your thoughts, Aramis. You're certainly not alone in your viewpoint. People in the music field tend to see this kind of music as a well executed academic exercise but don't seem to get any emotional charge out of it. On the other hand, people who have no training in music but are simply music appreciators tend (not always) to enjoy it as they would any other well crafted piece, that is both on an intellectual and emotional level. Aramis, perhaps you don't fit into either category, and I don't mean to lump you in. Anyway, I can't step outside myself, so I don't know how I would react as an objective listener, but I wouldn't be surprised if I had the same reaction you did. But I think I would have it for a different reason. I could imagine myself being incapable of deriving emotional pleasure from a piece that appears to be derivative and/or insincere. For example, if you played me a piece of Mozart but told me it was written by a computer I wouldn't be surprised if I found the experience rather disturbing. What I can tell you is that writing this music, for me, doesn't feel insincere. Otherwise I wouldn't write it. We would all agree that a big part of being an artist is self expression. We get pleasure from communicating sincere emotion with the audience through music. One of the reasons I use Classical style is because it's a good medium for communication. Most people understand it. Creating your own, new musical language is an important part of being a successful contemporary composer. However, we all know that new languages are more difficult to decipher, particularly for the average person who exists outside of conservatories. I'm going to get killed for saying this, but I think the artistic purpose of contemporary composers is significantly different from that of composers of the Classical and Romantic periods, and I think it's unfortunate that this is never acknowledged. Many of today's composers want to believe that they exist on the same continuum that began with the old masters. However, they forget that Mozart and Beethoven based their careers on appealing not only to connoisseurs but also to the masses. We know from Mozart's own words (let me know if you want me to find the quote) that he strove to reach both of those sectors of the population; that was key to his success. And we know that he got great pleasure from his popular hits, from knowing that lots of people enjoyed his music. Composers today, however, have to content themselves with the enthusiasm of a much smaller sliver of the population. I would also argue that the task of attaching precise emotional function to harmony in new languages is much more difficult than it is with traditional tonality, which is based on the physics of sound, and which appeals to our emotions naturally. Therefore, the expression of emotion through new languages, I would argue, can be impaired. This is not to diminish the value of contemporary classical music. But I would argue (at my own peril) that it does often mean less of an emotional experience and more of an intellectual one. Maybe I'm musically dense, but I spent a number of years as a music student, undergrad, grad, writing atonal music myself, surrounded by young composers trying to find their own voices, and yet I can't remember having a single emotional experience anywhere close to how I feel when I listen to Classical and Romantic works. So there's my theory: today's classical music and yesterday's classical music are two different arts; different categories altogether. Neither is better than the other. They're just different. As a composer, I want to express what I hear in the music that I love most, which happens to be music from the Classical period. I can't seem to recreate these feelings using languages other than the Classical style. I'm willing to admit that maybe I lack the musical intelligence to appreciate contemporary music on an emotional level. But if I don't get it then god help the average person on the street. In the end, I also have to admit that my own music might be emotionally mute to musically sophisticated people like Aramis. As I said, Aramis, I might very well have reacted the same way. Fortunately, for my own happiness, performances have been received well, and I find the writing of this music fulfilling.


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## Rasa

oh god the block


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## Aramis

I belive there is big difference between prefering other aesthetic ideas than contemporary and falling into, like I said, kind of musical historical recreation. I understand your point and fact that you feel more at home in classical style. You're not the first and definitely not last composer of this kind, and because there were many other "I don't fit my era!" artists we can learn on their examples - first thing they teach us is that falling into epigonism and trying to ignore fact of living in diffrent times leads to disaster which cost us wasted talents. 

You brought example of Ludwig Van - he was more fond of baroque composers like Bach and Handel than his contemporaries but instead of aping them he reforged all that was before into something new which he liked even more than all other music. That's why he was so great and why all composers should follow his example. 

Even if you're not insincere and academic I think there will always be little insincerity in your works, as long as one of your main goals is to model your music in typically classical manner.


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## HarpsichordConcerto

BWV582 said:


> Fellow music lovers: I wanted to share with you this piano trio, which I wrote in a Classical style. Haydn was my primary inspiration, and hopefully that comes through. Hope you enjoy:


Thank you for sharing your work, member BWV582. I enjoyed it. I listened to it twice in a row and I would agree it sounds Haydn-esque. (I have listened to all of Haydn's piano trios recorded on CD). Yours was an interesting and nice piece. Whether it was composed in 2010 in view of pieces over two centuries old, is irrelevant. Many folks who simply understand the Classical idiom as music (irrespective of training, which I don't have) could enjoy it.



BWV582 said:


> ... I spent a number of years as a music student, undergrad, grad, writing atonal music myself, surrounded by young composers trying to find their own voices, and yet I can't remember having a single emotional experience anywhere close to how I feel when I listen to Classical and Romantic works. So there's my theory: today's classical music and yesterday's classical music are two different arts; different categories altogether. Neither is better than the other. They're just different. As a composer, I want to express what I hear in the music that I love most, which happens to be music from the Classical period. ....


Yes, you are in a "tough business". Damned by those who think atonal music is void of emotion (by majority of simple folks like me), and challenged by those who think looking back is anacronistic. But as a composer, if your voice is felt to be expressed by this piece you composed and posted for example, then that's your idiom. Whether or not listeners and posterity value it are different questions, and perhaps irrelevant questions (but maybe not, as you suggested that Classical folks wrote music to appeal to a lot of people, which I agree).

Good luck.

P.S.
As for member Aramis, I don't think he has ever posted _his_ compositions for those of us keen to listen and judge.


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## Rasa

HarpsichordConcerto said:


> P.S.
> As for member Aramis, I don't think he has ever posted _his_ compositions for those of us keen to listen and judge.


He has, but not as good as the one posted here


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## Aramis

> P.S.
> As for member Aramis, I don't think he has ever posted his compositions for those of us keen to listen and judge.


So good to know, after all those threads with zero answers, that it wasn't because people didn't have anything positive to say but because they didn't notice those threads :tiphat:


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## Rasa

Aramis said:


> So good to know, after all those threads with zero answers, that it wasn't because people didn't have anything positive to say but because they didn't notice those threads :tiphat:


Nobody wanted to be impolite, perhaps.


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## ScipioAfricanus

Great job. I admire the sincerity and clarity of this piece.


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## Victor

Thanks Drew, I liked your 2nd movement particularly. I'm delighted to hear a such a charming modern composition in the classical style. You are very restrained in use of the piano, providing balance but allowing the violin to shine through. I'm also interested because I also have posted my amateur composition to YouTube, similarly entitled "Piano Trio in D major" by Victor Gomersall, but without your marvellous advantage of a splendid live performance. 

I've read the other posts, and I've tried to listen to several modern compositions in "modern" styles posted on this forum, which leave me cold. So please, "courage mon vieux!", keep up the good work, proclaim your delight in the classical idiom, and don't be discouraged by the people who scoff at you. I'm with you all the way.


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## Victor

Thanks Drew, I liked your 2nd movement particularly. I'm delighted to hear a such a charming modern composition in the classical style. You are very restrained in use of the piano, providing balance but allowing the violin to shine through. I'm also interested because I also have posted my amateur composition to YouTube, similarly entitled "Piano Trio in D major" by Victor Gomersall, but without your marvellous advantage of a splendid live performance. 

I've been listening to modern works in the modern idiom, posted on this forum, trying to discover some that I can enjoy, without success so far. So, please, keep composing in this idiom, don't be discouraged by those who may scoff at you.


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