This is my first post here.

I do hope I am doing it right.

This is something I composed a month ago - Prelude in Bflat Major.

WR

Definitely Bach! Or, at least, an extremely baroque style. But if someone had showed this without saying who's the composer, I'd guess "Bach" doubtlessly. Some people believ that we must not compose in old styles (like baroque), but I do believe we are free to compose however we want. I really appreciated your music.

Welcome!

A nice and cheerful prelude, well conceived and performed, neither too long or too short, that would work well as the start of a baroque suite. Apart from the sometimes unusual modulations, which give it a slightly modern twang, it's something that Telemann could have written (more so than Bach, IMO) or maybe Vivaldi had he written any keyboard works. The only criticism I can have is that the tempo seems to sag just a little bit in one or two places (but it could be my imagination). Well done !

Thank you for your comments.

It means a lot to me.

I have written quite a few pieces which I will post as soon as it is ready and refined.

A very well crafted piece. As Chris says, it would make a wonderful beginning to a suite. You appear to have assimilated the style well. There were a couple of points where you seemed to be on the verge of breaking out into new directions, which could make for an interesting fusion.

Do you have pdf of the score?

Good job. I look forward to hearing more.

Scott

Welcome Werner,
Very nice style (18th century), almost like an accompanied 2-part invention. I agree with Chris regarding the "unusual modulation." In fact, to me it sounds like modulatus interruptus. I wasn't convinced that you actually modulated; more like made us think you were going to (pseudo-modulation). I too would be interested to see the score.

I will post the score for you to see later on today.

Thanx again!

Hello everyone,

Here is the score as requested.

WR

Ah, so you are planning a suite. A good start, this Prelude. I'll be interested to see your concluding Gigue.

Thanks for the score. I can be a little more detailed now.
The work clearly starts in Bb Major with good motive and counter motive (rather than subject/counter subject as in fuge).
Measure 7 clearly begins a modulation to G minor (relative minor to the original key) that is finalized with cadence on 3rd beat of next measure.
Then, having just arrived, you immediately leave G minor and use Bb major to Eb major harmony in bar 9, that you sequence in next measure with C major to F major, and the following measure with D(7) that you use to return to G minor at end of bar 11.
In measure 13 you have a clear statement in G minor that you seem to miss sequencing in next measure. I think the only "right" note in bar 14 is the first bass note (Eb): all the rest (except last two notes of bass) need to be a 3rd lower so as to sequence (in Eb major) prior measure (G minor). This steps nicely to bar 15 in C minor (but which?). I would consider using Ab accidentals in bar 15 to make C Natural Minor.
Bar 16 starts flirting again with G minor, but in bar 17 you use F natural not F# (?).
Bar 18 uses Eb harmony (but the function is unclear: is it the VI of G minor or the IV of Bb? We can't tell). The thematic elements are from the initial bar but with motives exchanged.
Bar 19 begins with C minor sonority that is followed by D7, the V7 of G minor, but it goes directly to Bb Major in 20? This odd blow would be molified a bit if you change the F# in bass of bar 19 to F natural (it at least gives us a "hint" of what is coming and allows for an F major sonority to serve as V of Bb.

In summary you begin in Bb, do a very convincing modulation to G minor, but as soon as you have arrived, become very inquiet tonally as you play with several related keys leaving us unsure of what key we are in, but bring us back (though ubruptly) to the home key of Bb.

My specific recommended changes:
drop material of bar 14 a 3rd to be in Eb major sonority (G minor (13), Eb Major (14), C minor (15))
consider Ab notes for bar 15
change to F# in bar 17
change second F# accidental in bar 19 to F natural

I hope this is helpful.

Edit: BTW, I haven't heard my recommendations, just going by theory.

I was messing around with Eddie's suggestions and input them into MuseScore to see how hey worked. I'm uploading mp3's that were generated and the pdf of the score.

The first one follows Eddie's suggestions except for measure 19. That just didn't seem to work. But, as I was looking at it, if the bass Eb D Eb in measure 20 was moved up a 3rd to G F# G the D major now acts as dominant. It arrives at an ambiguous Bb D which is clarified upon the entry of the G in the bass as Gminor, this morphs into an Eb on the next beat as predominant to the F7 - Bb cadence.

While the sequence in measure 13 and 14 works with Eddie's suggestion, I rather liked the repetition of the melody as you had it. So, in the second one, I left the soprano the same and simply moved the bass down a 3rd. This is also consistent with measures 17 and 18 which maintains the soprano but moves the bass down a 3rd.

Scott

WOW!

Thank you all for your kind help.

I havn't had time to look at the suggestions properly but will do first thing this afternoon and let you know my thoughts.

Thank you once again!

WR

Hi Werner,

Welcome to Pianosociety. I had a listen to your prelude. I enjoyed it and the influences to an earlier musical period, as some members pointed out. I liked the uptempo and the brisk harmonic rhythm that ride the piece from start to finish. For criticism, I would suggest making the end of the piece slightly more parallel to the end, that's just my preference, it sounds nice as it has been played!

~Riley