Hi Rui,
Thank you so much for taking the time to listen to my piece. All feedback is good feedback, I'm always eager to see ways I can improve what I compose.
I have to admit I was very frustrated when I started writing the piece. I had finished writing a big orchestral film score only to be informed that the teacher had changed the topics were were studying and I could no longer use it for HSC. That could account for the full-on nature of the composition, I wasn't in the best of moods I'm afraid. Didn't have an aim as such when I began composing, hence the lack of direction, but I think once half yearlies are over and I have some more time up my sleeve I will definitely give the piece a pretty big overhaul. I think I still want to keep a lot of the more dramatic elements for flair, but will add some calmer sections to break it up. I don't think I would be able to maintain such a high level of energy throughout the piece for much longer anyway.
I can't say I'm entirely sure what a cadence is or how I might incorporate more sorry. Here comes my lack of musical theory knowledge haha. As to your questions, I'm afraid I can't answer them very well. I'm not sure which period I am really writing for. I'd say mostly if has elements of Romantic, yet it doesn't entirely fit into it completely. I'll try and get a clearer idea of a form to structure the piece to, and organise my rather haphazard outpouring of frustration. When I was writing it I wasn't trying to follow any specific ABACA form or anything like that, it was just whatever came to my head that sounded semi-decentish.
I spent many years playing Classical and Romantic piano, so I suppose any one of those composers could have influenced me. Chopin and Liszt have always fascinated me with their complexity and elegance within their pieces, so if it was anyone it would have been those two mainly. Yet I also listen to a lot of jazz piano, lots of insane virtuosic performances. Guess I was trying a little too hard to emulate their awesomeness.
But seriously, thank you so much for the feedback. No one else I showed this to could really offer me anything since they don't play piano themselves. I shall endeavour to put all of your comments to good use and try to tame this composition somewhat. Guess I should really learn the rules of music first before I try and break them, hey? 
Music is more effective than even books and artworks at conveying one's feelings if you ask me. I'd say your reasoning for the full-on nature of the composition (thus far) was well justified. Compositions can mean a ton.
I agree that some of the dramatic elements must stay. The drama actually develops new characters very effectively, and each tell a story in their own. So the idea is to create some more calmness to contrast between the calmness now. Also, much like creatives in English, try to tell a story as you're composing. Music is subject to thousands of interpretation so think of a generic story line, and put down notes (and dynamics and etc. ) that you feel best complement what is on your mind.
So I will get you started on a cadence. You should be at the very least familiar when I start talking about scale degrees (e.g. V - the dominant, I - the tonic etc.). From your past experience of piano, you'd definitely know what a chord is. A cadence is a two-chord progression, usually designed specifically for the purpose of resolving. There are 4 principal cadences, the big one being the perfect cadence (V-I, i.e. chord 5 to chord 1) which has the most grand and complete feeling. (Which is why you should only use a perfect cadence at the very end of a section or the piece.)
When writing cadences involving the leading note (VII), your leading note should always resolve up to the tonic. Try playing just G-B-C on the piano; it will have that good feeling of completion (albeit no fanciness because you're hitting just notes and not chords).
There are tons of chord progressions. I'm learning them now in Grade 4 theory and, in all honesty, finding it really hard to keep up with all of them (we have to do harmony writing). Explore many possibilities out there. (This means that you should note that the 4 principal cadences are not the ONLY chord progressions.)
Word of advice on the other 4 principal:
- Plagal (IV - I or iv - i) - This cadence resolves down. Think carefully about if it's what you want. It's usually referred to as the 'Amen' cadence though.
- Imperfect (anything - V) - This cadence sounds incomplete. Useful for ending a phrase but you have plans to continue it soon.
- Interrupted (V - vi) - Compare this to a perfect cadence. It will sound very strange, even off. Because it resolves from the chord of a major key, to that of a minor key. This is basically put in the middle of a section/piece.
Recommended: YouTube some cadences to listen to them.
Elements of classical music and romanticism are definitely present and make sense to me. There are many quaver/semiquaver patterns being executed here and the homophonic nature of classical music is present, but the thorough usage of the pedal installs a romantic feel. You will have called upon many experiences to build up to something like this.
That being said, as you pointed out it's definitely leaning towards the Romantic Period. Romantic period composers really wanted to put emotion into their pieces. Explore change in dynamics and definitely rubato here and there. Whilst this potentially implies slowing down more than speeding up, well executed speed up (piu moto, accelerando, ...) could make the piece more interesting. (Tension!)
Also, consider things like chromaticism every now and then (recall your chromatic scales - going up/down by semitones). If you want to lean towards the Romantic period, there's no need to make your major/minor key sharply defined (no pun intended with 'sharp').
Very quickly, ABACA is characteristic of what we know as the "Rondo form". The "form" of your composition is basically the overarching structure of your composition. When people are using these forms, they try to insert subtle changes in how section A gets repeated so it doesn't become mundane. Ornaments may appear out of nowhere, and some chord progressions may unexpectedly turn into a scale pattern. Just as examples.
Finally, being influenced by a variety of composers of all periods is a good thing if you ask me. That's the good about living in the 21st century. Whilst the Baroque composers probably established almost every foundation we need, we choose what we want to make our compositions. The important thing to maintain is the flow of your music. Of course, unexpectedness is praised in music, but it shouldn't be so unexpected that what your doing becomes out of place and questionable. If the flow of the music can be maintained then you should still be able to produce a beautiful composition.
Also, one last tip - Explore the use of rests and the occasional use of fermata!
Good luck with this work! Look forward to hearing a newer version if that time comes.
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