Piano Solo - Level 3 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1244847

By Gabriel Lagos. By Gabriel Lagos. Arranged by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,Chamber,Classical,Romantic Period. Score. 2 pages. Lagos Music #839768. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1244847).

I wrote this one over the last week, but the amount of hours that it took was quite ridiculous. I wasn't expecting this one to take as much work as it did, but I'm happy with it. The second movement of my first sonata is complete! I'll admit the trio section is a bit more of a scherzo - I was looking at Beethoven's Sonatas and realized he commonly wrote scherzos after his minuets (or similar compositions). I probably should have titled it that way but, oh well. I'm self-titling this as The Empress Minuet because it reminds me of a gig I did where I played for a huge ball at The Fairmont at The Empress in Victoria, BC. This ball was Jane Austen themed, so everyone was dressed in costumes and danced to Minuets and more - all played by a live String Quartet. I was hired to play piano during the breaks and dinner, so I had to play music from the classical period and it was so much fun :) especially since most of my favorite music of all time was composed in that era of history! This took me longer to write than expected, but that's ok. I really wanted to get the feel right. Sounds I'm trying to get: royalty/nobility, and a balance between strength, beauty, and dignity, like our late Queen Elizabeth. I hope you like it.
Thank you, 
Gabe.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1254257

By Gabriel Lagos. By Gabriel Lagos. Arranged by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,Classical,March,Romantic Period. Score. 5 pages. Lagos Music #847828. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1254257).

The third movement is done! Plenty of crunchy diminished and augmented fifth intervals in this work to give it some darkness. I also chose to keep the register fairly low. The feeling I'm trying to capture: despair; knowing that everyone's fate is to fade into the wind and there's nothing anyone can do about it. There's nothing wrong with that; I've come to a place where I no longer fear death, but it's a reality of life that, at times, is impossible to ignore. There is a positive side, though. For one, the contrasting section is in A flat major and picks up tempo briefly! Before inevitably falling back into F minor... Also, on a funny note, the entire main theme is based off of an old song I wrote for my high school rock band (in like, 2004-ish?), using a commonly used chord progression: I, VI, iv, V7. This was when I was first learning to write music but I remember always thinking it would sound good as a funeral march. The song was called One More Life and the lyrics were about shedding the old, beginning anew, asking the universe for one more life. It feels good to finally have written this movement, though. I hope you enjoy it :)

Thank you,

Gabe.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1256816

By Gabriel Lagos. By Gabriel Lagos. Arranged by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,21st Century,Classical,Contemporary,Romantic Period. Score. 20 pages. Lagos Music #850201. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1256816).

This is the complete version with all four movements:

I. Allegro
II. Minuet and Trio
III. Funeral March
IV. Rondo.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1256758

By Gabriel Lagos. By Gabriel Lagos. Arranged by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,21st Century,Classical,Romantic Period. Score. 12 pages. Lagos Music #850130. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1256758).

It's kind of cool that I've finished an entire four-movement sonata! It's also kind of cool how people can watch my progress as I improve as a composer over time. I hope you enjoy this one.

I think this is my best work so far, but I'm curious what others think! Inspiration for this piece came from the Rondo in Mozart's Concerto in E Flat for two pianos and his Finale in Symphony 40 (which I think is a Rondo as well), and all the Bach harpsichord concertos. Why is the cadenza in the style of a Bolero, I hear you ask? Well, it's hinting at a future work. With this Sonata, I set the intention of four movements: sonata-allegro, minuet/trio, funeral march, rondo. For the next work, the intention is a Latin Suite which will consist of a romance, tango, and milonga. That may change, but that's my idea so far and I didn't want to forget that theme...so I put it in the cadenza of this sonata!

I will record a more live version of the full sonata on one of the University Of Victoria's Steinways soon.

My dream is to write for orchestra, but for now I'll be using piano works as practice and maybe, just maybe, one day I'll find a way to compose for orchestra. I used to want to write for film but I'm now realizing I may want to write for the classical world, instead.

This would be an absolute dream come true.

Thank you,

Gabe.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1243451

By Gabriel Lagos. By Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,Classical,Romantic Period. Score. 5 pages. Lagos Music #838413. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1243451).

This is my first full attempt at writing sonata-allegro form. Currently I have no title for it. I wrote Minor Celebration in my sheet music, since it has an upbeat tempo and is in a minor key, and I have a reason to celebrate: two years without a single drop of alcohol! I think my influences come through a lot in my composing. In this piece in particular, the ones that are most apparent to me are: Mozart, Beethoven, Inti-Illimani (group), and Koji Kondo. Especially my opening theme, which is based on Beethoven's F Minor Sonata opening, just in reverse (it also hints at Mozart's D Minor Concerto). It took me about a week to compose this movement from start to finish. I will upload movements 2, 3, and 4 when they are finished. The plan is for: II. Andante (Minuet and Trio), III. Adagio (Funeral March), and IV. Allegro (Rondo), but I have not started writing these yet. I hope you like it :) Thank you, Gabe.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1314564

Composed by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,Classical,Contemporary,Romantic Period. Score. 5 pages. Lagos Music #903318. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1314564).

My second piano sonata. This is just the first movement. I will upload the rest soon.

Piano Solo - Level 4 - Digital Download

SKU: A0.1213628

Composed by Gabriel Lagos. 19th Century,20th Century,Classical,Film/TV,Romantic Period. Score. 7 pages. Lagos Music #810822. Published by Lagos Music (A0.1213628).

This piece was initially intended as an ode to Beethoven. You may recognize my subtle nods to: Sonata Op. 2 No. 2 (Scherzo), and Sonata Op. 7 (Rondo). What I'm trying to emulate is the struggle between: anxiety and calm, stress and relief, struggle and motivation, etc. Themes we all deal with in our lives, to some extent. The left hand is relentless, in an etude style, like a fast heartbeat, just like relentless anxiety. The right hand switches between simple horn lines and swelling melodic lines, commanding authority. The middle section offers a lengthy relief, though the 16th notes still persist. Entering back into the main theme it's difficult to maintain a slow build, but the emotions swell up to a deceiving finish: a surprise coda just for fun!
Enjoy!  
Thank you,
Gabe.