# Chorale in F minor for piano



## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

Hey everyone. My main goal is to become a composer, and I started out writing for my instrument(piano). Here is my first piece, the Chorale in F minor. I'd like to know what people on this forum think of it, but unfortunately I can't get the UGA performance of it off of my digital camera. So all I have to offer you all is a PDF. Hopefully some nice pianist will read through it and tell me what he/she thinks


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

I like the first line, it's a beautiful opening to the piece. After that I find the harmony a bit simplistic and the chord progressions awkward. I would experiment around a bit more on the piano and find progressions that blend into each other better and create a richer sound. For example, the repeated phrase in bars 7 and 8 (at mp) is very uninteresting, how about drop the F in the chord in bar 8 to F flat (E natural), making it diminished, and then bring the melody down (B flat, A flat, G natural). The next bar in C minor doesn't really work. You could go directly into F minor, or try C7 or something for these bars before going into the F minor. Basically get away from the major/minor chord mindset and get more daring with sevenths and diminished chords. They'll also allow you to transition seamlessly into more distant keys. Try for heightened chromaticism over your strict diatonic passages. Pieces written without any accidentals generally scream amateurishness.


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

I like your suggestion for the diminished chord on measure 8. I might change a few things in the main theme and some of the minor developments, but overall I'm quite comfortable leaving this piece like it is. I like the development section and climax before the recapitulation (which has a very tiny amount of chromaticism) very much and will probably leave that completely untouched. I think I see what I need to work on now, and in future pieces I'll take your advice. Thanks Couchie.


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

I would like to get some more feedback on this first piece of mine, and so I've uploaded a crappy midi file for all of you to listen to while viewing the score! :tiphat:

Hopefully someone else can offer some insight into my composing other than (No offense Couchie, I appreciate your advice!) the first line is interesting while the rest is all crap.


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## MusicForLife (Jul 9, 2011)

Hi,
I dont think Couchie wanted to say the "rest is all crap"...and I dont do it either, 
actually I like your piece a lot!
Sure, I would change little things (like in bar 9 and 10) but all in all youve created a nice journey here.
I also like the climax (bar 31 - 41), you did a good job there.
Since you prepared a midi, I ventured to take a nice Piano sample over it
Didnt change a simple thing to your midi, only nicer sound!
Youll find it here in mp3:

https://rapidshare.com/files/2930692976/chorale.mp3

If you dont want that pls tell me, ill delete the file immediately


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

What I don't dig is why a pianist would give MIDI performance of his piece for piano instead of his own, real recording, even if made with cheap camera.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

Hehe, I don't think the rest is crap! 
I've produced a mp3 which plays the midi on a sampled Steinway D, perhaps this will be more acceptable to Aramis's ears?

Click:
View attachment Sofronitsky_Chorale.mp3


[edit] I seen now MusicForLife already sampled it, haha. Oh well, my mastering is better!


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## Sofronitsky (Jun 12, 2011)

I would record it, but my piano is out of tune by 1 key, so it would be very annoying. That midi file really screws up the dynamics, though. I'll record it and a few other works I've almost completed in about a month. Hopefully then you all could offer advice on the more complex harmonies I've been trying to use 

In the meantime, I've reread Couchie's original comment and found it doubly helpful. I think when I first posted this I was sub-consciously expecting someone to explode with enthusiasm or something :lol:


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