Here is another composition that began as a draft track in the Mario Paint "Composer." Like the previous Prelude that I showcased in my last post, I needed to revise and expand several parts of the piece. I wrote the original track in 3/4 time and applied the Dorian mode, albeit within the confines of diatonic notes and limited keys: in this case, C Major and A minor, which feature no accidentals within their keys in relation to the "Circle of Fifths." I also experimented with cluster-like trichords and triads in the original track, primarily to push the limits of the three instrumental layers in the "Composer" program. MuseScore 4 allowed me to rewrite the "Prelude No. 2" with greater harmonic variety. While I still applied trichords, I did so mainly within an established key (D minor) and to accentuate transitional moments with tonal ambiguity by including accidentals. I additionally changed the meters in the piece so that the work did not stay in 3/4. I included several moments throughout where the meters change or alternate from 4/4 to 5/4 or 3/4 to 2/4. I wrote the music this way to keep the composition more engaging than what I originally wrote.
I intentionally wrote these Preludes by focusing primarily on postmodern tonality. In that regard it adheres to a similar approach that I used when composing the Piano Sonata (2020-2024). I perceive "Prelude No. 2" (and "Prelude No. 1" for that matter) as potentially pedagogical material for the piano. The music can function as an introduction to contemporary piano writing in the twenty-first century and can help encourage students to try "modern" music by living composers without being intimidated by the overall soundscapes and compositional or pre-compositional techniques. I intend to include more Preludes in the near future to expand the set.
I intentionally wrote these Preludes by focusing primarily on postmodern tonality. In that regard it adheres to a similar approach that I used when composing the Piano Sonata (2020-2024). I perceive "Prelude No. 2" (and "Prelude No. 1" for that matter) as potentially pedagogical material for the piano. The music can function as an introduction to contemporary piano writing in the twenty-first century and can help encourage students to try "modern" music by living composers without being intimidated by the overall soundscapes and compositional or pre-compositional techniques. I intend to include more Preludes in the near future to expand the set.
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