Download/listen here.
Apparently Chopin thought anything to do with 'E' should be slow, as the Emaj prelude is also Largo. I was turned onto this piece by a friend in Boston, and it's a fun one. I apologize for kind of botching the first trill, but alas. I can't find anything suitable on the web that explains it, but this piece is sort of a rhythmic oddity. The right hand plays triplets throughout, while the left hand plods along in a more standard meter. The weird thing is the inclusion of 16th and 32nd notes in the triplets against similar notes in the right hand. There is some debate about what Chopin really meant when he did this. This is a very hopeful piece, with nice rising action that leads to two big climaxes.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Prelude (Amaj - Andantino) - Chopin, Op. 28, no. 7
Download/listen here.
This is a wicked little piece. The tricky part is managing the pedal to blend the sound in some kind of appealing way. In previous attempts, I would actually "cheat" with the pedal and clean the sound in the particularly difficult parts. Hopefully by not doing that here, it doesn't sound cacophonous.
This is a wicked little piece. The tricky part is managing the pedal to blend the sound in some kind of appealing way. In previous attempts, I would actually "cheat" with the pedal and clean the sound in the particularly difficult parts. Hopefully by not doing that here, it doesn't sound cacophonous.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Prelude (Cmin - Largo) - Chopin, Op. 28, no. 20
Download/listen here.
Again, a sad and foreboding Chopin work. To me, this piece is basically a funeral march. It starts out loud and broad and then slowly fades, finally culminating in that last Cmin chord. I like the sense of tragedy that hangs over the whole thing. It was the first Chopin prelude I ever learned, and it's still a bit of a finger twister in places. I actually got in trouble playing this in a competition back in Houston, as it didn't meet the minimum number of measures, due to the 2nd half repeat. (Interestingly, the repeat isn't actually in the ur-text I play from today, but was in the cheap copy I had back then. I claim I was therefore unjustly accused.)
Again, a sad and foreboding Chopin work. To me, this piece is basically a funeral march. It starts out loud and broad and then slowly fades, finally culminating in that last Cmin chord. I like the sense of tragedy that hangs over the whole thing. It was the first Chopin prelude I ever learned, and it's still a bit of a finger twister in places. I actually got in trouble playing this in a competition back in Houston, as it didn't meet the minimum number of measures, due to the 2nd half repeat. (Interestingly, the repeat isn't actually in the ur-text I play from today, but was in the cheap copy I had back then. I claim I was therefore unjustly accused.)
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Prelude (Emin - Largo) - Chopin, Op. 28, no. 4
Listen/download here.
This is one of the saddest pieces I've ever heard or played. Really, it's a very simple construction - a series of suspensions - and can sound extremely droning if played badly (a fate I hope I avoid here). According to wikipedia, this piece was played at Chopin's funeral, but I consider it representative of a existential crisis (even though existentialism hadn't been "invented" yet). To me, the suspensions represent being out of rhythm with life, leading to the emotional explosion 3/4 of the way through, and then hitting some kind of (hopeful?) resolution with the Cmaj chord in the last line. That chord breaks my heart every time. From there, the resolution falls apart and the piece descends to blackness and a silence. (again, a fermata rest) Finally, the damning resolution.
This is one of the saddest pieces I've ever heard or played. Really, it's a very simple construction - a series of suspensions - and can sound extremely droning if played badly (a fate I hope I avoid here). According to wikipedia, this piece was played at Chopin's funeral, but I consider it representative of a existential crisis (even though existentialism hadn't been "invented" yet). To me, the suspensions represent being out of rhythm with life, leading to the emotional explosion 3/4 of the way through, and then hitting some kind of (hopeful?) resolution with the Cmaj chord in the last line. That chord breaks my heart every time. From there, the resolution falls apart and the piece descends to blackness and a silence. (again, a fermata rest) Finally, the damning resolution.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Vals (Waltz) - Grieg, "Lyric Pieces", op. 12, no. 2
Download/listen here.
As sometimes happens with pieces, you can't ever get them perfect. There are a few glitches here, but ultimately I'm sick of trying to get it absolutely perfect. Besides, the piece is pretty good musically, just lacks some articulation touches in the middle. Although friends have described this piece as Spanish in nature, it was written by a Scandinavian. The whole set of these pieces by Grieg are worth listening to. I like the folksy nature of this one. Plus the ending is a little ambiguous. That last low A note can be haunting.
As sometimes happens with pieces, you can't ever get them perfect. There are a few glitches here, but ultimately I'm sick of trying to get it absolutely perfect. Besides, the piece is pretty good musically, just lacks some articulation touches in the middle. Although friends have described this piece as Spanish in nature, it was written by a Scandinavian. The whole set of these pieces by Grieg are worth listening to. I like the folksy nature of this one. Plus the ending is a little ambiguous. That last low A note can be haunting.
Bright Orange - Starer, "Sketches in Color: Seven Pieces for Piano"
Download/listen here.
This piece has some obvious jazz influence, with some interesting syncopation. And each run ends with that off-key "bang bang bang", only to start again quiet. It's tricky because the rhythm works against one's natural (and learned) tendencies to be on the beat. You want to compress the rests or ties to put yourself back on beat.
This piece has some obvious jazz influence, with some interesting syncopation. And each run ends with that off-key "bang bang bang", only to start again quiet. It's tricky because the rhythm works against one's natural (and learned) tendencies to be on the beat. You want to compress the rests or ties to put yourself back on beat.
Waltz in A-minor - Schumann, "Albumblatter", op. 124, no. 4
Download/listen here.
I find this waltz pretty crazy. From the opening, where who knows what key you're in, to the fiery b-flat stroke, to the abrupt change of mood (and key) in the middle, to the odd ending. It also has an interesting two note phrase over top of a waltz (3 beats) in the middle. I played this in a recital a few years ago, but I think it sounds much better here. If you don't know anything about Schumann, he's worth reading about on the web. An interesting character to be sure.
I find this waltz pretty crazy. From the opening, where who knows what key you're in, to the fiery b-flat stroke, to the abrupt change of mood (and key) in the middle, to the odd ending. It also has an interesting two note phrase over top of a waltz (3 beats) in the middle. I played this in a recital a few years ago, but I think it sounds much better here. If you don't know anything about Schumann, he's worth reading about on the web. An interesting character to be sure.
Postlude (a la Shostakovich) - Fiala, "Ten Postludes", op. 7, no.6
Download/listen here.
When Sophia introduced me to this piece, she called it "beautifully wrong". And I must agree. I like it, but it does sound cacophonous in places. I promise I played every note correctly, but there are a number of strange harmonies here, not the least of which are the diminished 7ths that make up the right hand phrase about 3/4s of the way through. This "postlude" is in the style of a Shostakovich prelude from that composer's 24 preludes and fugues. (I can't remember which one)
When Sophia introduced me to this piece, she called it "beautifully wrong". And I must agree. I like it, but it does sound cacophonous in places. I promise I played every note correctly, but there are a number of strange harmonies here, not the least of which are the diminished 7ths that make up the right hand phrase about 3/4s of the way through. This "postlude" is in the style of a Shostakovich prelude from that composer's 24 preludes and fugues. (I can't remember which one)
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Jest - Bartok, "For Children v.1"
Download/Listen here.
The second piece that Sophia and I worked on had a measure or two of total silence near the end. It was surprising to me how much she gushed about these measures (the irony of a pianist loving silence and all), but over time I've learned to really enjoy those kinds of stops and starts in the sound. There are a number of such places in this piece, along with more than a few tempo changes. So although it sounds like I lose my place a few times in the middle, the pauses are just whole rests with fermata over the top. The piece takes on the personality of a toy (either human or mechanical) that gets wound up, spinning 'round and 'round only to collapse in a heap on the floor.
The second piece that Sophia and I worked on had a measure or two of total silence near the end. It was surprising to me how much she gushed about these measures (the irony of a pianist loving silence and all), but over time I've learned to really enjoy those kinds of stops and starts in the sound. There are a number of such places in this piece, along with more than a few tempo changes. So although it sounds like I lose my place a few times in the middle, the pauses are just whole rests with fermata over the top. The piece takes on the personality of a toy (either human or mechanical) that gets wound up, spinning 'round and 'round only to collapse in a heap on the floor.
Monday, February 9, 2009
To a Wild Rose - MacDowell, "Woodland Sketches", Op. 51, no. 1
Listen here.
This will conclude the MacDowell portion of the program. This piece is pretty simple, but it creates a powerful emotional response with a pleasant, almost wistful, but still clear melody.
This will conclude the MacDowell portion of the program. This piece is pretty simple, but it creates a powerful emotional response with a pleasant, almost wistful, but still clear melody.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
A Sad Tale - Kabalevsky, "Thirty Children's PIeces", Op. 27, no. 3
Listen here.
I've always liked this work, but it's included here more because my sister once told me how much she enjoyed it. I consider it a deceptively difficult set of notes, as it has a tricky pedal component, plus the driving measures to the end. But Kabalevsky is always fun and surprising.
I've always liked this work, but it's included here more because my sister once told me how much she enjoyed it. I consider it a deceptively difficult set of notes, as it has a tricky pedal component, plus the driving measures to the end. But Kabalevsky is always fun and surprising.
Novelette - Kabalevsky, "Thirty Children's PIeces", Op. 27, no. 25
Listen here.
This was the first piece Sophia and I did together. I've always liked it, as it seems pretty complex given that it's in a book of "children's pieces". The ending is especially nice with the soft right hand accompaniment.
This was the first piece Sophia and I did together. I've always liked it, as it seems pretty complex given that it's in a book of "children's pieces". The ending is especially nice with the soft right hand accompaniment.
At an Old Trysting Place - MacDowell, "Woodland Sketches", Op. 51, no. 3
Listen here.
As with most MacDowell pieces, this one is very atmospheric. The sheet music states it should be played "not too sentimentally", and hopefully it's doesn't sound that cute.
As with most MacDowell pieces, this one is very atmospheric. The sheet music states it should be played "not too sentimentally", and hopefully it's doesn't sound that cute.
Friday, February 6, 2009
The 2002 Christmas Album
Most people who will be reading this know I started playing again in July of 2001. In 2002, HP had a forced Christmas shutdown. My extended family decided to spend Christmas in Houston, and rather than Christmas shop, I spent my time recording a subset of works I knew up to that point. I dug out these recordings to add them to the list. These are not recorded from an acoustic piano, but rather my old P80 keyboard.
- Ecoassaise - J. N. Hummel
- A Short Story - H. Lichner
- The Happy Farmer, Op. 68, No. 10 - R. Schumann
- Minuet (from Anna Magdalena's Notebook) - Petzold
- Minuet BMV 822 - J. S. Bach
- Minuet K. 2 - W. A. Mozart
- Cradle Song - C. M. von Weber
- Arietta - W. A. Mozart
- Melody, Op. 68, No. 1 - R. Schumann
- Sonatina (Romance) - L. van Beethoven
- Blue Christmas - Billy Hayes and Jay Johnson
- Flamenco - Rollin
From an Indian Lodge - MacDowell, "Woodland Sketches", Op. 51 no. 5
Listen here.
This piece is kind of a fun one. Especially the left-hand tremolos and the loud ending. It is very vivid in terms of imagery - you can imagine the proud chief. I like the "drum" that pulses in the bass.
This piece is kind of a fun one. Especially the left-hand tremolos and the loud ending. It is very vivid in terms of imagery - you can imagine the proud chief. I like the "drum" that pulses in the bass.
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