A set of contemporary art songs on the subject of rain. Neotonal chord progressions give the piece its shimmering quality, while the violin adds pitch reinforcement for the voice as well as character to the work. 

UPDATE (5/26/16) - Live recording from my senior composition recital on 3/18/16 from Sac State School of Music.


Rain Songs - I. It Rains (Katherine Dubke)

We remember The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, as being one of the greatest adventures to ever reach our consoles, and the music is some of the best that Koji Kondo ever produced for the franchise. However, the six temple songs you learn for the Ocarina of Time ingame don't quite match their namesake. I've taken it upon myself to take what Kondo already composed, and use each small piece as a template for larger, more elaborate works, in the styles of their namesake titles.

II. Minuet of Forest (in the style of a Classical minuet)

V. Nocturne of Shadow (in the style of a Romantic nocturne)

IV. Serenade of Water (in the style of a Classical serenade)

This is the third and final movement from my Sonata for Piano Solo. Like most piano sonatas, the final movement is swift and intense. The main motif in the right hand consists of three consecutive arppegiated minor chords, one per measure, related via chromatic mediant relationship. This allows the chords to seamlessly flow from one to the next. Meanwhile, the left hand plays tremolo octave bass notes that still maintain a resemblance of a tonic/leading tone relationship, giving the tail of the motif a sense of arrival and completion at the end. The second main motif is a series of rapid sixteenth note quadruplets and sextuplets, giving the music an upward flowing sensation. Other techniques involved are whole tone scales, inversion of scales, and a multitude of meter changes. This movement was inspired by Beethoven's 'Pathétique' and 'Moonlight' sonatas, as well as Prokofiev's 'Toccata' and Erikki-Sven Tüür's 'Piano Sonata.' 

Sounds generated through Ableton Live 9.

Sonata for Piano Solo - III. Presto molto furioso

This is the second movement from my Sonata for Piano Solo. The piece is meant to be played very slowly, in a manner that is elongated and free. Low pedal tones lay the foundation, as a series of chords based off of Phrygian and Dorian b2 scales are played above. This piece was mostly inspired by Claude Debussy's prelude, "La cathedrale engloutie." (The Sunken Cathedral)

Sounds generated from Ableton Live 9.

Sonata for Piano Solo - II. Adagio sostenuto e liberamente

This is the first movement from my Sonata for Piano Solo. The piece opens with a short and gentle nine measure opening before moving to the main theme. This movement is defined by the rising motifs of 
 32nd-note quintuplets (and variations of such) which arrive at lush and colorful Impressionist-like chords. The development of the movement varies in tempo from stately to quick, with variations of the quintuplet motif, and the recapitulation trails off with a series of rising arpeggiated chords, giving the piece a more hopeful and blissful end.

Sonata for Piano Solo: I. Patetico, allegretto espressivo

This the fourth and final movement of my first symphony. A lot of various elements make up the movement, the main key element being the returning ostinato consisting of rising chromatic mediants, staying true to much of the harmonic language of the work. The movement is fast, driving, and very powerful; it is meant to impose a sense of tension and energy. The movement finishes with a call back to the main theme of the whole work, employing every instrument of the orchestra, before frantically finishing the piece.

Symphony No. 1 - IV: Presto con brio (WIP)

forever and a day (rough demo)

a song about struggling with loss and being blessed with good company.

midas touch (ROUGH DEMO)

This is an original song, inspired by bands like Pink Floyd, Nine Inch Nails, and Radiohead. All synths, vocoder, drums, etc. were programmed in Ableton Live.

Authentic Counterfeit DEMO

I am an aspiring composer and musician. Though I am limited in resources, by using Soundcloud, it is my hope to share with you, the listeners, the results of my passion and the fruits of my labor. Enjoy!

Ian Podtetenieff

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