NTS: (properly learn to play these)
All your ARCT songs:
1. Bach english suite
2. Beethoven sonata
3. Brahms ballade
4. Debussy
5. Diabolical Suggestions (maybe)
6. Revolutionary Etude
Also:
1. Etude op10. no3
2. All those Chopin nocturnes you've started
3. Scriabin left handed prelude and nocturne
4. Flight of the bumblebee
5. Requiem for a Dream (touch up on it)
6. Go find one or two other show pieces (i.e. Etude op10, no13)
Showing posts with label piano music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label piano music. Show all posts
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Beethoven Sonata no.28, op.101
This sonata was one of my choices for the sonata selection for ARCT. It was pretty much between this one, and the Pathetique. Unfortunately, with my teacher, Pathetique obviously won. And the reason was quite simple - that one, is so much easier.
But I've always liked this sonata. It's not that well known, it's super hard, but I think it's very fun to play with, and it sounds incredibly grand.
That, and kind of typical of Beethoven, it does not follow the typical sonata structure. In this one, The first movement is the relatively 'slow' one. The second movement is atypically fast, with a smoother middle section. Then, there's this tiny, I guess we could call it the 3rd movement, or some inbetween movement thing that leads right into the final, monstrous final movement. Despite it's monstrosity, I love this movement...
There's just so much play around with. (In terms of play, you're still following the music, but the way he wrote it and everything, it's just so interesting/fun to read and play.) That, and the second movement's awesome sounding too. The first one... I'm not a very big fan of that.
Here's a version of it, played by the Maestro Barenboim. It's fantastic. (Split into three parts, because it's too epic for youtube, though not split by movement)
* * *
DD: Alexander the Great
But I've always liked this sonata. It's not that well known, it's super hard, but I think it's very fun to play with, and it sounds incredibly grand.
That, and kind of typical of Beethoven, it does not follow the typical sonata structure. In this one, The first movement is the relatively 'slow' one. The second movement is atypically fast, with a smoother middle section. Then, there's this tiny, I guess we could call it the 3rd movement, or some inbetween movement thing that leads right into the final, monstrous final movement. Despite it's monstrosity, I love this movement...
There's just so much play around with. (In terms of play, you're still following the music, but the way he wrote it and everything, it's just so interesting/fun to read and play.) That, and the second movement's awesome sounding too. The first one... I'm not a very big fan of that.
Here's a version of it, played by the Maestro Barenboim. It's fantastic. (Split into three parts, because it's too epic for youtube, though not split by movement)
* * *
DD: Alexander the Great
Sunday, June 6, 2010
David Debono
David Debono - He is currently my favourite pianist (on youtube, at least)
He's simply just brilliant. His videos are mainly themes from movies, games, commercials, and self compositions. I'm pretty sure that he also has absolute pitch. I think he's classically trained... though, looking at his fingers - which sometimes perform big piano no-nos - not very sure. Either way, amazing ^__________^.
[Sept 4th, edit: He recently did his ARCT exam, so yup, classically trained.]
He puts a lot of emotions and force behind the music. And that's what I love about him - a very sure and powerful hand. A lot of artists these days have these flimsy hands, which doesn't produce a very rich tone, and cannot fully utilize the piano to it's full extent. For him, even in the softer moments, you can hear the depth behind it. The sound's very clear and pure - just enough pedal (most people tend to put too much), along with some amazing dynamics. But then of course, he does have a grand piano, which goes a long way in helping the sound.
One thing that I would possibly critique on, is that he tends to go over the top sometimes. I'm trying not to stereotype here, but I think it's mainly because of the fact that he's, well... a he. Most of his songs are super fast and forceful, and he has the slight tendency to speed up/crescendo/stretto everything. In some cases, this is good, but all the time? Most young artists do have a tendency to do so, heck, I do it myself all the time. We tend to gain more control over it as we matures as an artist. So, I'll just give it a few years.
Below are some of his videos. Enjoy =)
Kiwi Background Music
This song is how I first discovered him.
Requiem for a Dream
I've linked this song before (Note the tendency to speed up)
Pacman Theme
Absolute pitch much? XD
Underwater Ambience - Original Composition
He's simply just brilliant. His videos are mainly themes from movies, games, commercials, and self compositions. I'm pretty sure that he also has absolute pitch. I think he's classically trained... though, looking at his fingers - which sometimes perform big piano no-nos - not very sure. Either way, amazing ^__________^.
[Sept 4th, edit: He recently did his ARCT exam, so yup, classically trained.]
He puts a lot of emotions and force behind the music. And that's what I love about him - a very sure and powerful hand. A lot of artists these days have these flimsy hands, which doesn't produce a very rich tone, and cannot fully utilize the piano to it's full extent. For him, even in the softer moments, you can hear the depth behind it. The sound's very clear and pure - just enough pedal (most people tend to put too much), along with some amazing dynamics. But then of course, he does have a grand piano, which goes a long way in helping the sound.
One thing that I would possibly critique on, is that he tends to go over the top sometimes. I'm trying not to stereotype here, but I think it's mainly because of the fact that he's, well... a he. Most of his songs are super fast and forceful, and he has the slight tendency to speed up/crescendo/stretto everything. In some cases, this is good, but all the time? Most young artists do have a tendency to do so, heck, I do it myself all the time. We tend to gain more control over it as we matures as an artist. So, I'll just give it a few years.
Below are some of his videos. Enjoy =)
Kiwi Background Music
This song is how I first discovered him.
Requiem for a Dream
I've linked this song before (Note the tendency to speed up)
Pacman Theme
Absolute pitch much? XD
Underwater Ambience - Original Composition
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Nocturne in F Major, op.15, no.1
Just a little something for this calm, rainy May evening.
Chopin - Nocturne in F Major, op.15, no.1
Personally, I'd like the song to be a little slower, but then again, only sight reading it.
* * *
BD - Karl Marx
DD - Sun Ce, August Wilhelm von Hofmann
Chopin - Nocturne in F Major, op.15, no.1
Personally, I'd like the song to be a little slower, but then again, only sight reading it.
* * *
BD - Karl Marx
DD - Sun Ce, August Wilhelm von Hofmann
Sunday, May 2, 2010
ARCT
My song list for my ARCT in Piano Performance
(Which I should start focusing on... or my theory credits will expire in ... 2-3ish years... I don't know why, but they do expire <.<)
The repertoire requirements are as such:
(The numbers in the front are the percentages that they're worth)
20 - One selection from List A: Works of J.S. Bach
25 - One selection from List B: Sonatas
15 - One selection from List C: Romantic Repertoire
15 - One selection from List D: Post-Romantic and Early 20th-century Repertoire
15 - One selection from List E: 20th- and 21st-century Repertoire
10 - One Concert Etude
Theory Co-requisites:
Counterpoint (Grade 4 Counterpoint)
Advanced Harmony (Grade 5 Harmony)
History 3: 19th Century to Present (Grade 5 History)
Analysis (Grade 5 Analysis)
I have finished all of my theory co-requisites, which took a lot of time and costed a pretty buck, so now I must get the stupid performance exam done >.<
List A:
Johann Sebastian Bach
English Suite no. 1 in A major, BWV 806
-Prelude, Sarabande, and Gigue
Each English Suite is made up of several different dances, Allemande, Sarabande, Minute, etc. Luckily, we only have to do 3 of those dances. And I can't find a suitable youtube link for these dances - so lets just say, that they're very.. baroque and Bach sounding.
List B:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in C minor, op. 13 (also known as the Pathétique Sonata)
(The entire sonata is around 20 minutes, so the video is cut into the three movements [Youtube doesn't alow 20min songs])
Movement I
Movement II
Movement III
List C:
Johannes Brahms
Ballade in D major, op. 10, no. 2
List D:
Claude Debussy
Préludes, 1 - La danse de Puck (no. 11)
(Also, check out the Michelangeli version, it's brilliant, but doesn't allow me to embed)
List E:
Sergei Prokofiev
Four Pieces, op. 4 MAS - Diabolical Suggestion
Concert Etude:
Frédéric Chopin
Etude op. 10, no. 12 (also known as the Revolutionary Etude)
And here you have it, my goal for this century =.=
It seems like an impossible mountain to climb.
* * *
BD: Alessandro Scarlatti, Heinrich Gustav Magnus, Donatella Versace
DD: Leonardo da Vinci
(Which I should start focusing on... or my theory credits will expire in ... 2-3ish years... I don't know why, but they do expire <.<)
The repertoire requirements are as such:
(The numbers in the front are the percentages that they're worth)
20 - One selection from List A: Works of J.S. Bach
25 - One selection from List B: Sonatas
15 - One selection from List C: Romantic Repertoire
15 - One selection from List D: Post-Romantic and Early 20th-century Repertoire
15 - One selection from List E: 20th- and 21st-century Repertoire
10 - One Concert Etude
Theory Co-requisites:
Counterpoint (Grade 4 Counterpoint)
Advanced Harmony (Grade 5 Harmony)
History 3: 19th Century to Present (Grade 5 History)
Analysis (Grade 5 Analysis)
I have finished all of my theory co-requisites, which took a lot of time and costed a pretty buck, so now I must get the stupid performance exam done >.<
List A:
Johann Sebastian Bach
English Suite no. 1 in A major, BWV 806
-Prelude, Sarabande, and Gigue
Each English Suite is made up of several different dances, Allemande, Sarabande, Minute, etc. Luckily, we only have to do 3 of those dances. And I can't find a suitable youtube link for these dances - so lets just say, that they're very.. baroque and Bach sounding.
List B:
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sonata in C minor, op. 13 (also known as the Pathétique Sonata)
(The entire sonata is around 20 minutes, so the video is cut into the three movements [Youtube doesn't alow 20min songs])
Movement I
Movement II
Movement III
List C:
Johannes Brahms
Ballade in D major, op. 10, no. 2
List D:
Claude Debussy
Préludes, 1 - La danse de Puck (no. 11)
(Also, check out the Michelangeli version, it's brilliant, but doesn't allow me to embed)
List E:
Sergei Prokofiev
Four Pieces, op. 4 MAS - Diabolical Suggestion
Concert Etude:
Frédéric Chopin
Etude op. 10, no. 12 (also known as the Revolutionary Etude)
And here you have it, my goal for this century =.=
It seems like an impossible mountain to climb.
* * *
BD: Alessandro Scarlatti, Heinrich Gustav Magnus, Donatella Versace
DD: Leonardo da Vinci
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Requiem for a Dream Theme
The highly popular theme song from the movie, Requiem for a Dream.
Last year, I watched the movie and fell in love with the soundtrack. Fairly easily, I tracked down the piano version that everyone uses.
The song itself isn't too difficult, it is mainly composed of block chords, trills and leaps. What differs between playing it brilliantly, and just merely playing the notes, is the pianist's control over the melody; as in the beginning, the melody is share by both hands, while playing other chords and notes. But anyone with training in classical (especially Bach and Beethoven) should be able to master that without trouble (I mean, c'mon, this is nothing compaired to thosestupid fugues).
One of my favourite aspects of this piece, technical/physical-wise, is just the brutal force/energy requirement behind it. This is what's so great about modern/popular music at times - the music is fairly easy, so you get to pound at the piano all you want, and it'll be alright to do so. With classical music, you still get to do that - to do the little intricate details, to feel the subtle/giant differences, etc. But most of the time you'll have to fully learn the piece first, and even then, rarely, do you get to pound the keyboard (and usually, the ones where you do get to pound, have high technical difficulty). So yes, for RfaD, I get to hit the piano - which is why I wouldn't dare to play it on an electric keyboard, too much force behind it.
Overall, it starts out slowish and simple, no chords in the beginning - this is where the technical 'difficult' melody sharing part comes in. The arrangement in the beginning, is simple just haunting. Then, as the piece progresses, it gains a lot of momentum. There remains a hint of the intro motif, but it slowly gets overshadowed by the block chords. And by momentum, this includes physical momentum too. As I've said before, this is a very physical piece, requiring the entire arm, and if you really get into it, the entire body. And as it goes on, the tension just builds and builds up - not just emotional, but also muscle tension, etc, etc. By the end, it can literally leave you shaking and out of breath. Then the arranger just had to be cruel - he suddenly stops this build up, and ends on a very quiet, simple phrase. This obviously sounds brilliant, but to the pianist, it's almost like sprinting at full speed, then suddenly having to walk a tight rope or something, without a transitional distance to slow down and prepare. Absolute cruelty XD.
What's even worse, is that the song is almost entirely made up of octaves. I have small hands. They can reach up to an octave, but have a VERY big problem reaching anything beyond that (which is one of the requirements for a few places in this song). Plus, keeping them stretched at an octave, pounding away, for the entire piece, all 2+ minutes of it, is very painful. Of course, keeping your hand at one chord position for any song is painful, but the octave block chords just make it worse.
Here is a version of the song, played by my favourite pianist in the world (or at least on youtube) right now. This guy is just brilliant, will rec about him later.
Requiem for a Dream Piano Theme - Played by David Debono
*interesting note: regarding to what I said about how this song will leave the pianist shaking. Look at his right hand at around 2:00min, where the block chords end and the simple melody comes back for the conclusion - note the shaking in that hand, that's an example of what I was rambling on about above.
Here's another interesting version.
It's a tutorial for the song (though, whoever is willing to learn the song using this thing, is either a genius - for being able to learn it via this video - or an idiot - for even thinking about trying to do so)
It's made by a program, so obviously there's not much to listen to in terms of the musical experience.
But if you just watch it... It's like a very trippy version of guitar hero/rockband/DDR/all those type of games. Now, if you had this on one of those games, no one will be able to beat it XD.
Piano (Difficult version) Tutorial
Here is the original orchestral version from the soundtrack:
*Another note: starting at around 0:44min, where the violin starts playing that Bb repetition, it's slightly off tune. If this was done on purpose, it makes the song just that much more awesomer (because, manipulation of instruments to manipulate song, etc, etc). But, if it's not done on purpose, then it's just orchestra/violinist fail -____-, which is just bad.
And the 6 minute more epic orchestral version with vocal.
*Further note: the movie involves a lot of mature content... so all you minors + easily disturbed people, don't watch it.
* * *
Birthday: Sylvestre François de Lacroix.
Deathday: Benito Mussolini
Workers Memorial Day
Last year, I watched the movie and fell in love with the soundtrack. Fairly easily, I tracked down the piano version that everyone uses.
The song itself isn't too difficult, it is mainly composed of block chords, trills and leaps. What differs between playing it brilliantly, and just merely playing the notes, is the pianist's control over the melody; as in the beginning, the melody is share by both hands, while playing other chords and notes. But anyone with training in classical (especially Bach and Beethoven) should be able to master that without trouble (I mean, c'mon, this is nothing compaired to those
One of my favourite aspects of this piece, technical/physical-wise, is just the brutal force/energy requirement behind it. This is what's so great about modern/popular music at times - the music is fairly easy, so you get to pound at the piano all you want, and it'll be alright to do so. With classical music, you still get to do that - to do the little intricate details, to feel the subtle/giant differences, etc. But most of the time you'll have to fully learn the piece first, and even then, rarely, do you get to pound the keyboard (and usually, the ones where you do get to pound, have high technical difficulty). So yes, for RfaD, I get to hit the piano - which is why I wouldn't dare to play it on an electric keyboard, too much force behind it.
Overall, it starts out slowish and simple, no chords in the beginning - this is where the technical 'difficult' melody sharing part comes in. The arrangement in the beginning, is simple just haunting. Then, as the piece progresses, it gains a lot of momentum. There remains a hint of the intro motif, but it slowly gets overshadowed by the block chords. And by momentum, this includes physical momentum too. As I've said before, this is a very physical piece, requiring the entire arm, and if you really get into it, the entire body. And as it goes on, the tension just builds and builds up - not just emotional, but also muscle tension, etc, etc. By the end, it can literally leave you shaking and out of breath. Then the arranger just had to be cruel - he suddenly stops this build up, and ends on a very quiet, simple phrase. This obviously sounds brilliant, but to the pianist, it's almost like sprinting at full speed, then suddenly having to walk a tight rope or something, without a transitional distance to slow down and prepare. Absolute cruelty XD.
What's even worse, is that the song is almost entirely made up of octaves. I have small hands. They can reach up to an octave, but have a VERY big problem reaching anything beyond that (which is one of the requirements for a few places in this song). Plus, keeping them stretched at an octave, pounding away, for the entire piece, all 2+ minutes of it, is very painful. Of course, keeping your hand at one chord position for any song is painful, but the octave block chords just make it worse.
Here is a version of the song, played by my favourite pianist in the world (or at least on youtube) right now. This guy is just brilliant, will rec about him later.
Requiem for a Dream Piano Theme - Played by David Debono
*interesting note: regarding to what I said about how this song will leave the pianist shaking. Look at his right hand at around 2:00min, where the block chords end and the simple melody comes back for the conclusion - note the shaking in that hand, that's an example of what I was rambling on about above.
Here's another interesting version.
It's a tutorial for the song (though, whoever is willing to learn the song using this thing, is either a genius - for being able to learn it via this video - or an idiot - for even thinking about trying to do so)
It's made by a program, so obviously there's not much to listen to in terms of the musical experience.
But if you just watch it... It's like a very trippy version of guitar hero/rockband/DDR/all those type of games. Now, if you had this on one of those games, no one will be able to beat it XD.
Piano (Difficult version) Tutorial
Here is the original orchestral version from the soundtrack:
*Another note: starting at around 0:44min, where the violin starts playing that Bb repetition, it's slightly off tune. If this was done on purpose, it makes the song just that much more awesomer (because, manipulation of instruments to manipulate song, etc, etc). But, if it's not done on purpose, then it's just orchestra/violinist fail -____-, which is just bad.
And the 6 minute more epic orchestral version with vocal.
*Further note: the movie involves a lot of mature content... so all you minors + easily disturbed people, don't watch it.
* * *
Birthday: Sylvestre François de Lacroix.
Deathday: Benito Mussolini
Workers Memorial Day
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Philip Glass
Phew it's been a long week. But no worries, because it's time for March Break!!! Yeah!
I was going to feature another musician, however, lately I have been distracted by another one. So the intended will have to be posted later.
Now, introducing: Philip Glass
He is one of the most well known modern classical composer of the 20th century. Specializing in what we call art music and minimalism. Compared to some of his modern counter parts, I think his music would be one of the easier ones to 'get into', when being introduced to modern classical music. This is due to his more harmonious melodies, and wider use of consonances. More pleasant for the conventional ear than some other composers.
Personally, I think his music is just absolutely beautiful and breathtaking to listen to. Unlike my previous features, with complicated melodies and harmonies and counter harmonies and dynamics and master of all musical techniques. Glass uses simple melody and rhythmic repetitions to pull you into his music. They invoke intense/or just simple emotions, without using all of that extra flare. And it's extraordinary, how something so simple, can bring about so much. Because some of the piano pieces are so simple, it sounds so pure and brilliant and clean, there's room to enjoy each note. Most importantly, it's just so very pretty.
Though, as all musicians come to learn, what sounds easy and simple to do, often, isn't.
Some song recs:
Glassworks - played by Branka Parlic
I just simply love the songs from this series.
The Hours - played by Branka Parlic
Excerpt from Einstein on the Beach
This one's a rather fun/interesting one. I don't remember where I heard this from, but apparently, the counting in the background was not originally planned. Due to the numerous time signature changes, the orchestra had to count out the beats. So, he incorporated the counting in the the song.
The Metamorphosis - played by Branka Parlic
And of course, The Metamorphosis. This is one of my favourite piano pieces from him.
(A funny story, I was writing an essay on The Metamorphosis, by Kafka, the other day while listening to this song. At the time, I did not realize that I was listening to TM by Glass, and I thought to myself; "this song really suits/matches what I'm writing about....." Then realizing, that no duh, because the song is made for the novel. Shows you how well this song captures the book)
Birthdays for today: Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann Strauss Sr., Albert Einstein! (Hehehe, Einstein on the Beach XD).
And alas, Pi day!!!
I was going to feature another musician, however, lately I have been distracted by another one. So the intended will have to be posted later.
Now, introducing: Philip Glass
He is one of the most well known modern classical composer of the 20th century. Specializing in what we call art music and minimalism. Compared to some of his modern counter parts, I think his music would be one of the easier ones to 'get into', when being introduced to modern classical music. This is due to his more harmonious melodies, and wider use of consonances. More pleasant for the conventional ear than some other composers.
Personally, I think his music is just absolutely beautiful and breathtaking to listen to. Unlike my previous features, with complicated melodies and harmonies and counter harmonies and dynamics and master of all musical techniques. Glass uses simple melody and rhythmic repetitions to pull you into his music. They invoke intense/or just simple emotions, without using all of that extra flare. And it's extraordinary, how something so simple, can bring about so much. Because some of the piano pieces are so simple, it sounds so pure and brilliant and clean, there's room to enjoy each note. Most importantly, it's just so very pretty.
Though, as all musicians come to learn, what sounds easy and simple to do, often, isn't.
Some song recs:
Glassworks - played by Branka Parlic
I just simply love the songs from this series.
The Hours - played by Branka Parlic
Excerpt from Einstein on the Beach
This one's a rather fun/interesting one. I don't remember where I heard this from, but apparently, the counting in the background was not originally planned. Due to the numerous time signature changes, the orchestra had to count out the beats. So, he incorporated the counting in the the song.
The Metamorphosis - played by Branka Parlic
And of course, The Metamorphosis. This is one of my favourite piano pieces from him.
(A funny story, I was writing an essay on The Metamorphosis, by Kafka, the other day while listening to this song. At the time, I did not realize that I was listening to TM by Glass, and I thought to myself; "this song really suits/matches what I'm writing about....." Then realizing, that no duh, because the song is made for the novel. Shows you how well this song captures the book)
Birthdays for today: Georg Philipp Telemann, Johann Strauss Sr., Albert Einstein! (Hehehe, Einstein on the Beach XD).
And alas, Pi day!!!
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