Scriabin’s fiery D#-minor Etude, with its relentless triplets and huge leaps, used to just fall under my fingers, while the Lento final movement of the Copland Sonata was a minefield of wrong notes. Why is that? Is it just because we practice hard music 20 times as much as easy music, or is it psychological, or what?”
Kyle Gann ponders music and the mind…
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Kyle Gann, “Post Rehearsal Musings”, Arts Journal, 26 May 2009.
Difficult music is the easiest to play
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Mahler’s bowing instructions
Rachmaninoff played his Third Concerto in January 1909 in New York, conducted by Gustav Mahler. Rachmaninoff recalled the rehearsal: Suddenly, Mahler, who had conducted this passage a tempo, tapped his desk: “Stop! Don’t pay any attention to the difficult bowing marked in your parts. … Play the passage like this,” and he indicated a different […]
Rachmaninoff’s concert routineReporters described Sergei Rachmaninoff on a concert tour (c. 1940): His punctuality is a legend. If a reporter asks for two minutes of his time, two minutes and no more are given. Consequently he arrives at a concert hall on the dot of 8 and goes on the stage precisely at 8:30. If the concert […]
October from The Seasons (Tchaikovsky)Title: “October” from The Seasons, op. 37 bis Composer: Pytor Illich Tchaikovsky Arranger: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Cello quartet Product medium: PDF score and parts Sample:
Ravel on DebussyIn a lecture in 1928 in Houston, Texas, Ravel described the differences between Debussy and his approach to composition: For Debussy the musician and the man I have had profound admiration, but by nature I am different from him. Although he may not be quite a stranger from my own personal heritage, I would at […]
Climbing Mount Fuji with a cello in hand“In 2007 Italian cellist Mario Brunello climbed to the summit of Mount Fuji and played selections from Bach’s cello suites, declaring that “Bach’s music comes closest to the absolute and to perfection.” Source: Siblin, Eric (2009) The Cello Suites. Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin. p.6.
Try, try, try“Try, try, try, and keep on trying is the rule that must be followed to become an expert in anything.” – W. Clement Stone, American businessman
Feeling FineTitle: Feeling Fine Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano duet Level: 1 (5 finger position) Product medium: PDf score & MP3 accompaniment track (Audio sample of accompaniment track only)
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Sleepy BearTitle: Sleepy BearComposer: Greg SmithInstrumentation: PianoPerformer: Greg Smith (22 March 2009) Your browser does not support the audio element. Sheet music
What is an artist?“What is an artist? An artist is a tortured being who, when he opens his mouth to scream, only beautiful sounds emerge.” (Or something like that.)… Do I believe this at all? It was John Cage who first exposed us to this gorgeous phrase. In 1945? Cage the Romantic? Ned Rorem (2000) Lies: A Diary […]