Even though I denote this as my first Minimalist Piano Sonata, this isn't actually my first attempt. In 2022, after a year away from school, I went back to school. At that time, I knew it meant cutting all the way back on music-writing. I improvised an attempt at combining minimalism with Sonata form, that I liked so much I created a chord sheet in Microsoft Excel (with some changes from the recording to fit the Sonata structure better). But I knew that it would be my last attempt at any music-making for the foreseeable future. Still, it was a recording and a sketch that opened my eyes to what other music possibilities were out there that haven't been tried yet. However, I have yet to complete music sketches made for this improvised and modified movement, let alone for subsequent movements (I have about 2 pages of what could be a third movement) that I cannot call it No. 1 in this series.
So the Minimalist Piano Sonata in F gets the No. 1 denotation because it's the first to be complete. And the sketches for this all came together in about two months' time. Praise God! I will say, taking a minimalist approach helps save on ideas, but it's also a good stretch as a composer trying to find something new that hasn't been done before. I've listened to some Philip Glass since completing these sketches and I've come to admire the simplicity, elegance, and popularity of his work. He didn't use anything close to Sonata form, at least in the works I've sampled.
The form of the first movement is as described: Sonata form combined with minimalism. My aim was to still make the texture as intelligent as I can. Although I hadn't begun to listen to Glass's music yet, I can hear some of his influence as well as droplets of Johann Sebastian Bach in certain spots as well. I'm sure there are other composers as well.
This track was created and mixed in GarageBand, with a simple piano patch and minimal effects.
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