A Bouquet (Original Composition)

Hello everyone! I am excited to share the next project that I have written. Last Friday (two weeks ago), I had my first music theory 2 class at school. I was assigned a 100 point project to write a piece that fit certain criteria which they gave to me (I will list it for those who are curious). The project was due on Thursday. So, I was mildly stressed about making something that sounds nice. Then, on Sunday, in the shower, I thought of a theme to set this poem, which I printed out several months ago, to. So, I got busy, and wrote this piece out (with a chorale in the accompaniment). I handed it in on Tuesday, and got a 105.5/100 (10 points extra credit for labeling my harmonic progressions, minus 5 points for not including sixteenth rests as well as dotted rests). So, after getting it back, I made the accompaniment figures, and decided to post it here. Let's get into the piece!

The Piece

List of Requirements

Grand Staff
Treble Clef
Bass Clef
Time Signature
Key Signature
Bar Lines
Repeat Sign
Labeled first and second endings
Double bar line

Whole, half, and quarter note
Eight and sixteenth notes (I removed sixteenth notes now because I hated them)
Four dotted notes
One triplet rythm
Stem direction
Eight ledger notes
Four accidentals

Whole, half, and quarter rests
Eight and sixteenth rests
Dotted rest
Rest position

Use classical functional harmony
Use one half cadence and label
End with a perfect authentic cadence and label
Use one secondary dominant functioning chord

Four measures of labeled harmonic progressions

Form

I decided to utilize an antecedent unit which ended on V and a consequent unit which ended on I, each 8 measures. This section repeated and ended with a tonicization of vi the second time through (in order to achieve my 24 measure quota. I am not sure what to call this section. The closest term I can think of is a coda, but I am not sure if that is technically correct since the piece could not end properly without this coda (it would end on vi. Name me one love song that ends on vi [that isn't by Taylor Swift]). I then moved back to D major and ended. Either way, I would probably label this as a binary piece with a coda.

Harmonic Ideas

In this piece, I utilized vi as a pivot point to ii/V in which I used it as a predominant. In this regard, I was considering V to be I. As a result, I am not sure if I lived up to the instructions to write a half cadence, but my teacher decided to count it (since I told him all I'd have to do to fix it would be to change the G sharp before it to a G natural, making it a ii of D rather than a V of A.

I also utilized several secondary dominants in this piece as well as two Italian Augmented 6ths. Overall, I am quite happy with how the harmonic ideas behind this piece turned out.

The Poem

I am quite fond of this (public domain) poem. Its words and message are quite beautiful! Here they are:

A blossom pink, a blossom blue,
Make all there is in love so true.
Tis fit, methinks, my heart to move,
To give it thee, sweet girl, I love!

Now, take it, dear, this morn and wear
A wreath of beauty in thy hair;
Think on it, when from bliss we part -
The emblem of my wooing heart!

The Piece

I would also like to mention that some of the pieces that influenced my ideas in writing this were Ich Liebe Dich by Beethoven, Liebesliederwalzer no. 9 by Brahms, and An Die Musik by Schubert. Here is the piece:

Thanks for reading and listening to this! Please remember that feedback is always appreciated! Hopefully, I will see you next time!

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