Gershwin and RavelRavel, touring America in 1928, was approached by George Gershwin for composition lessons. Ravel refused, stating “you would only lose your own spontaneity and end up by writing bad Ravel!” Cited in: James, Burnett (1983) Ravel: His Life and Times. New York: Midas Books, p.120
Debussy improvisingDebussy would sit himself down without speaking at the piano of the little study-cum-library and start to improvise. Anyone who knew him can remember what it was like. He would start by brushing the keys, prodding the odd one here and there, making a pass over them and then he would sink into velvet, sometimes […]
Just as we checked the tuning …In 1853, Brahms went on a tour of German cities with the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi. In the town of Celle, they were scheduled to play Beethoven’s Sonata in c minor (op. 30, no. 2): but it was found that the piano in the hall was tuned a half tone too low. Reményi refused to […]
Bugs Bunny can save classical music“The future of classical music lies with the younger generation, which must be weaned away from the cacophony of rock and the neon glitter of “American Idol”-type TV shows. Instead of dragging children to concerts, where they squirm with boredom, rent some old movies featuring soundtracks of classical music. Even toddlers can be exposed to […]
The Lord Has Done Great Things For Us – Psalm 125 (126)Title: The Lord has done great things for us Text: Psalm 125 (Psalm 126). R. v.3 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and organ Related products: – SATB, woodwind, brass, and organ Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
Lullaby for BerkeleyTitle: Lullaby for Berkeley Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano duet Level: Piano I – Level 1 (5 finger hand position, left and right hands) Product medium: PDF score & MP3 accompaniment track SAMPLES: (Audio sample of accompaniment track only)
The nature of music“A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. Music is immediate, it goes on to become.” – W. H. Auden, English Poet Auden, Wystan Hugh (1988) The Complete Words of Auden, Princeton University Press, vol. 3, p. 251.
Rafal Blechacz on interpretationMost of all, I give myself plenty of time to get familiar with the composition, to “grow into” its concepts. The composition “congeals” under your fingers and in your heart; each phrase becomes yours, and the artistic expression, which emanates from the piece, becomes your expression. Artistic intuition also plays an important role, although it […]
The price of an encoreAt a concert in London in December 1911, Rachmaninoff was received to great acclaim: perhaps a little too much from the orchestra's view point, who wanted to play the rest of their program: The London Philharmonic Concert given on November 7, provided an object lesson in this study of the relation of applause to encores. […]
Franz Schubert: Six Moments Musicaux (Musical Moments), op.94(i) Moderato (C major) (ii) Andantino (A-flat major) (iii) Allegro moderato (f minor) (iv) Moderato (c-sharp minor)/ (v) Allegro vivace (f minor) (vi) Allegretto (A-flat major) In 1929, Oscar Bie reflected on Schubert: That face! . . . It is the face of a teacher, but not of a strict one. The hair curls about […]
