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Hi guys,

I'm a professional composer rather than a good pianist, but this time I was willing to practice one of my own pieces – here's the result...

Sometimes I have the desire for writing something tonal. The last "serious" piece I wrote is a Waltz for piano in b minor, quite long and virtuoso. I began practicing it and then I got a problem with tenosynovitis so that I couldn't practice anymore. The recording I have is thus not perfectly rehearsed yet, missing concinnity and fluency. Also, there are some details I have reworked after the recording.

Score: http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/walzer.pdf
MP3: http://www.dgsp-rheinland-pfalz.de/Walzer.mp3

Hope you'll enjoy it. I appreciate all sorts of feedback!

P.S.: There are some poor cuts in the recording, I hope you don't mind... 0:)

Such a big community and nobody's interested in new compositions?
Well then...

Hi Ralph,

Okay, I'll bite. Why did you call it a waltz? There is only occasionally a pulse that is remotely danceable and in the early going almost none. This is a waltz like the waltz in Mahler 5, except that one had more recognizable themes. Some here will enjoy this piece, it's definitely modern. It's tonal (in the modern sense), but at over 11 minutes in length I have to wonder if you could have made the structure more concise. The modern harmonic sensibility seems at odds with the romantic dramatic structure. The pianistic writing is excellent as is the performance.

So what were you going for in writing this piece? I know when I compose an eleven minute piece I have something specific I want to express.

PS. Cut the group some slack, it's a weekend.

Hi, ralphb! Well, briefly put, I very much enjoyed this as a pastiche of various concert virtuoso waltzes, with differing characters and gestures -- and fortunately, you have the technique (in spite of what you say) to deliver this with the appropriate panache -- absolutely required IMO, in pieces of this nature. It brought to mind the elegant transcriptions of Godowsky, Strauss-Evler, Grunberg, et al, but with a more modern harmonic palette. Personally, I've always thought that concert pianists should program a few more of these virtuoso vehicles -- something not really relentlessly serious or "deep", but still quite sophisticated both musically and technically. Thanks for sharing this!

Thank you for your feedback. Concerning your questions, Steve: I of course think it's a waltz, through not a waltz to dance but in an artificial sense. And – as many waltzes in history - it has an introduction which is more freely in rhythm.

I honestly don't have something specific I want to express when composing. It's just music for me in an abstract way. Of course there is an emotional impact, but none which I can grasp and put into words.

Some more feedback would be greatly appreciated!