Any Classical Pianists here

[hebrew]

ok i am composing a suite of piano minatures based upon the standard chords of the japanese mouth organ called the sho.

each minature has the chordal structure as its base

i can play it, but dont have a piano at home only work and dont have time to practice it

if there is anyone out there or anyone that knows someone that is classically trained and would like to play it and critique it offer suggestions about how it plays offer ideas to improve etc. please contact me

thanks

[Rabaelthazar]

I'd be happy to offer some feedback. I play jazz more than anything these days, but still dig on the classical side. What format is your music in? Pdf is great as I haven't got Sibelius installed on my computer at home. Feel free to shoot something through via PM.

[hebrew]

cool thanks just finishing it off, i played through it this arvo at work and noticed some doubled up notes, the faster notes i have trouble with so would be interested in feedback on playability, sometimes i write stuff that is difficult to play, i think its a little difficult, but i wouldnt of thought it too difficult i will send you a pdf, when i finish it off some.

thank you

[paradox]

i'm not classically trained but i can read & play piano some & would love to have a look at your scores... though perhaps you can just show me when you're done sounds real interesting!

edit: & i forgot to say i know some people who i'm sure would be interested in having a look & might be a little more help than me

Edited July 23, 2010 by paradox

[JDanger]

I'm classically trained but haven't played classical in quite some time (mostly synth/electro these days). More than happy to have a play of the score as well if you want a third opinion, VS.

[hebrew]

alright then i will upload it to a site and provide it the link here for the pdf

as far as i can tell the sho is a relative to the chinese version called the sheng pronounced shung, there are 10 basic chords the instrument can play and is a traditional instrument, played in imperial japanese court music from the early centuries from 5th century onwards

i am classically trained by i havent played peices for a long time, and my piano is in western australia so i dont really have the time to work it out, mostly it is in 7/4, but time is irrelevant, its the silence that marks the time, for the first section, the second section has a more consist feeling of beat, but it has slight syncopation marked in the right hand.

these are my notes which i am still working on, i have always liked the concept of ma, which is negative space

The first in a collection of 10 piano minatures based upon the 10 standard chords of the

Japanese wind instrument the Sho. This first minature is based upon 5 note cluster chord G, A, B, D and E

These notes a main motif for the composition and are used throughout, except for some transposition

to create harmonic diversity, however

the transpositions adhere to the same intervalic structure of the initial cluster chord

One of the characteristics of traditional Japanese music is a sparse rhythm.

In Japanese music, the concept of ma (間) is important part of traditional Japanese music.

a definition for ma is as follows:

Ma (間) is a Japanese word which can be

roughly translated as "gap", "space", "pause" or as "the space between two structural parts."

Space or silence is as important as the sounds themselves, this is one of the key concepts to this minature

in conjunction with the first chord of the Sho.

Traditional Japanese music flows, in an attempt to reflect the feeling of nature.

The tempo usually starts out very slow and gets faster,

returns to being slow again, and has a drawn-out ending.

I have attempted to do the same within this minature, this peice is to be played like the mist on a mountain

that moves with a gentle current.

 

i really like the idea of music that is still like this peice is, mostly. its called mountain mist, and reflects the mist clouding a mountain peak

will upload soon

obviously i need to work on my spelling and wording some.

i am a trained composer with some of australias prominent composers and have had a break for a few years writing my own work, so i am trying to write more regularly and thought an opus of piano minatures would be a good way to start

thanks

Edited July 23, 2010 by VelvetSiren

[hebrew]

expression and pedal markings need fixing

the score

[hebrew]

so did any of you guys have a play, maybe its not your thing, its really just and excercise in composition really, and has changed more since this version has been uploaded, but if you did have a look keen to hear your thoughts good and bad

[JDanger]

I've had a look at it, but haven't been home since I downloaded it, so no playing's been done. Will post when I get at it.

[hebrew]

thanks mate

[Rabaelthazar]

Hiya VelvetSiren,

I've had a play through. I liked the vibe of it.

Personally, I would have liked a little more rhythmic variation and perhaps some modulation, but I get the feeling that the lack of such is what you were aiming for artistically, based on your original post. You've certainly caught that asian feel. There were a few points where I really wanted to play F#s instead of the written Fs, particularly towards the end of the piece, umm... bar 29 for example, but after a couple of play-throughs, I found the F natural to sound "right".

From a playing perspective, how are you intending those seventh + octave chords to be played? I found myself playing the seventh in my left hand and doubling the octave with my right. Felt a little odd, but I haven't met anyone who can quite make that stretch. I liked the change in time signature and I particularly liked the section at the top of the fourth page.

From a harmonic viewpoint, I didn't like bar 11. Almost all the chords in the rest of the piece were cluster type chords and bar 11 seemed to stand out as harmonically weak. I think because the three chords are really only 2 note chords, doubled. Instead of just running parallel, perhaps you could explore some different voicing in the last of the three chords. Also, if this type of chord were repeated elsewhere in the piece, it would sit more comfortably in the bigger picture.

All in all, nice feel. As I was playing, I could hear Asian flutes and Geishas playing their plucky lyre things next to me in the living room (unfortunately, when I turned around the Geisha was gone). My only real criticism is the harmony at bar 11 I mentioned above.

Thanks for sharing.

Edited July 27, 2010 by Rabaelthazar

[hebrew]

Rabaelthazar

thank you so much for a detailed critique, i will look at those bars and look into your ideas, i cant recall of the top of my head what the chords are but i think i know which ones you mean

i will look at the score and check them out

there are 10 sho chords, and i have recently thought of extending the piece to include these other cluster chords, but maybe not as well. as i said its an excercise in composition really for me, having the concept and bring about the reality.

i actually wrote a rhythmic section in there originaly but deleted it as i was going for that nothingness.

kinda zen in its concept i guess.

those 7th + 8th chords in the base, are meant to be played like you have i should state that in the score.

maybe only franz Liszt would pull that off ever played his music, brilliant piano composer that man

the F's are only slight 2nd modulation of the original chords. GABDE to FGACD well i hope anyway, maybe out in someway, as i copy and paste a bit and then jsut move the whole chord as is down or up, not real modulation intended in the music based on the gagaku music concepts

i also tried to use the full extent of the piano's range.

ahh now i recall that bar you are talking about yes, that bar has felt not right too, when i first wrote it. i will relook at that.

i really appreciate you looking through it for me, as its always good to get other musicians perspectives.

ive also thought of using it as a beginning for something larger. but still, i am happy at how quickly it came to me, basically written in a night, with modifications over a week or something, now it has more articulation and dynamics and expression marks in the score.

once again thank you

[paradox]

sorry velvet not had a chance yet but what i can say is that 5 note chord of the first miniature piece sounds beautiful & very interesting on a guitar!

no real piano here & haven't had a chance to get the midi KB out of the cupboard yet... next time i visit my folks i'll print it out & take it with to use their piano.. will show my friend asap too..

Edited July 27, 2010 by paradox

[hebrew]

no dramas paradox, not need to apologise, when you can its good, is a work in progress anyway. maybe i will update it as it progresses too

hadnt tried it on guitar or even thought of it, i think it is a nice chord, well those sho chords are nice, they are basically extended chords but in a voicing to make them clusters

[Rabaelthazar]

i really appreciate you looking through it for me, as its always good to get other musicians perspectives.

 

No problemo

ive also thought of using it as a beginning for something larger.

 

Keep us updated if you do.

[JDanger]

Impressive analysis, Rabaelthazar.

VS, I lost two fingertips in an unfortunate but hilarious hairdressing accident last night, so it'll be a while for me

[hebrew]

ouch, hope you are ok