Strengths :
From the begging, I love how it starts below middle C and eventually works its way up to being above middle C. I feel like this kind of embodies the title, it’s like you move out of the darkness, the deep end, into the lightness, the higher key. This is also a great demonstration of my use of range, I took advantage of how many keys were on the piano and tried to utilise all of the space I had. The composition starts off at a really nice tempo, not too fast but not too slow either. I think this really compliments the lower tones because it’s like they have time to feel every note and hang onto them, as well as being able to think about how they feel. It gives them time to feel but also just settle in before anything starts moving too fast.
I like the way the piano develops up in octaves, as well as in the hand movement, because I feel like it plunges us into the emotional side of the piece but it’s not too deep, like it’s a slow movement that will get repeated three more times anyway. I think having the main motif after the beginning, is really effective because the main motif carries the emotional side of the piece so it’s like they get the basic emotional side, before everything develops. I feel like it absorbs them into the piece, so they’re not just listening anymore, but they’re kind of in it too because they can really feel it. Moving from a low octave into middle C, is kind of highlighting the idea of slowly moving into lightness. Most of this piece is played around middle C, which is effective because it highlights how moving into lightness is a journey and you’re going to be stuck for a while, before you break free of darkness and move into lightness.
After hearing the motif for the first time, we move into arpeggios which is really effective because this is when it starts to get really intense. The arpeggios give like a running feel and make it feel like you’re trying to run out of the darkness. After it plunges you into the arpeggios, you’ll be feeling quite a heavy feeling so I left a little pause so they had time to just feel and process what they’ve been through, a little like how moving from darkness into lightness would feel, with the pause of stillness because you fear moving anymore forward because of what you’ve just been through.
However, the pause was only brief before moving into the motif again. I think repeating the motif here highlights how after you’ve been running for so long, you feel like it’d just be easier to fall back into old patterns. I stop the motif on the last chord by moving into a little slower melody. This is affective because it’s like how you’re just finding your feet again, before you start your journey to lightness again. I repeated the motif into a higher octave because it highlights how, after being through all of the darkness, it’s payed off because you’re out of the darkness now. There’s another little pause after the soft melody because it’s like that little pause and doubt of “is it worth it”, when you’re on your journey to light. The pause is brief again because it’s highlighting how much quicker you realise that this journey is worth the hardships. For example, in the beginning it was really slow and looped a lot of times round because you’d just started the journey so it’s almost like you can barely even see the light, however, this time, you can see the light and you’re almost there because you’ve done all of the work.
Then, we move into the most advanced motif. This version of the motif has the left hand movement too, as well as the basic notes from the original motif. I like how this highlights how, when you can see the light, you ran so much faster than you did at the start because you’ve worked so hard to get there so you’re making sure you reach lightness. With it being in a higher octave, it shows how you’re in the lightness and all your hard work has payed off. Including both hands, highlights the chaos from the journey to be there but it’s also how much more energetic and true you feel to yourself, once you reach lightness. Although this is the most intense motif, you’ll feel like you’re safe because you’re familiar with the motif. This highlights how, once you’ve been in lightness, you learn how to deal with the chaos of life and you know how to handle it, because you’ve seen the lightness, so it’s like life doesn’t effect you in the same way as when you was in the darkness.
We move back into the starting riff to end. This is effective because it highlights how, even though you’ve found the lightness, it doesn’t mean you’re never going to have any darkness. It highlights the rollercoaster that life is but, with it being at middle C instead of below middle C, it shows you how much better you handle life after reaching lightness. It shows the balance of life.
Side Note :
Whilst I love the depth, I’m not sure everyone will be able to understand this so I’m going to include it in the description so they know the true meaning.
Improvements :
There are a few things I’d change if I were to compose this again, such as the name. The name was a little last minute, and as much as I think it really embodies the song, I feel like people won’t really be intrigued by it. I’m not sure what I’d change it to but I just think it might sound a little basic and boring.
When I reached the final motif, I was hoping that it would sound more full. I think, if I was to do it again, I should have made pressed a little harder to exploit a much louder dynamic. However, I think having it life this allows you to hear the left and right being use, it highlights the chaos a little better.
Lastly, I feel like the ending could have had more to it. I loved the way it was on middle C, but I feel like the melody didn’t really sound like the piece was ready to end. I think I should have done something like the little, soft melody after the second motif.
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