My first composition "Prelude in C min"

I would love to get feedback on my Prelude in C minor.

I have put it on Box.net to stream/download in mp3 and also the score in pdf (in case you wanted to see what I was doing).

Prelude in C min

I have no idea why nobody commented thus far, but let me be the first to post here!

first of all congratulations for your very first work (I'm guesing that this is probably your first finished work, because it is quite mature, to be honest).

It's got a grasp of harmony and form, which is evident. It's small alright, but everything that could be said has been said in this tiny, one page work. It's playable with relative ease, and I'm also guessing that you worked on this with the piano (especially seeing the list of what you're currently studying). There's nothing wrong in following a few composers' works as long as you are aware that you are doing that, and I am hoping that you know you are following the footsteps of Rachmaninoff mostly.

Other than that I would like a few more dynamics in the score, but I think that this is more of a philosophical discussion (do we, composers, want to offer such precise instructions to the performer(s) or some should be left to their descretion?)

Thanks Nikolas,

yes it is my first "completed" composition. I have done sketches in the past whose musical grammar is pretty bad.

I haven't had any formal music training at a university, just my having listened to a lot of clasical music.

I was just improvising on the piano when this piece's motiv caught my ear. I can see the Rachmaninoff influence among a few others. I think it has been discussed that early on some people mimic those they admire. We can see this type of thing in the regional dialects people use when speaking.

I appreciate the comments and feedback and you flatter me by calling the piece mature.

Thank you

PS. I would love to get other's feedback too.

What I absolutely loved about it is that you had a theme in mind and you stuck with it through the whole piece, not letting yourself go off track and keeping to your message. As Nikolas said, it's obvious you have had some reading in musical theory because, as all music should strive to do, it sounds very very good. It could be a bit haphazard and times, and did end a bit abruptly, but you're definitely on the right track. If it means coming from a beginner like me, I liked it a lot!

From bar 32 the music shifts quite definitely into A minor. A new key signature at that point would make it easier to read.

hmmm. Now that's a good suggestion

Hey Dave!!!

I like your song, this sounds like a castle theme from a Zelda videogame (by the way I like so much Koji Kondo's music), who is your influence for create this???

And I could suggest a thing, the low piano is a nice base but in the final part I believe is some saturated for the lower sound, maybe you could do all the arrangement it in the high piano part

Great idea! Thanks!

Why did you end it in A minor?

While I recognize and appreciate that you normally end a piece in the original tonal key, I was going for added dramatic effect which other composers have also done on occasion.

Some people have liked it, others haven't. To each thier own I guess.

I also did it a couple of times, I just wanted to know why you did, thanks for explaining.