Schumann described Chopin’s works as “cannons buried in flowers”. Contained in Chopin’s music are painful moments, suffering, longing and much drama. Similarly to Mozart, the external impression may be one of pure beauty, elegance, exuberance or joy but, deep down, there is something else entirely, a sort of imprecise discomfort, a certain malaise. The contrast between these two facets makes Chopin’s music very grounded and approachable, since every individual can relate to these juxtapositions.
Jan Lisiecki, “Chantez, chantez”: Jan Lisiecki on how Chopin made the piano sing”, Bachtrack, 20 March 2020, https://bachtrack.com/feature-jan-lisiecki-chopin-romantics-month-march-2020, accessed 25 August 2020.
Jan Lisiecki on Chopin
by
Tags:
Featured Content
Composing in the bath
Gustav Mahler recalled: After an illness, Bruckner was ordered by his doctor to take a daily hip-bath. Loath to waste time, he would take music paper and compose while in the tub. While absorbed in his work one day, the mother of Rudolf Kryzanowski, one of his pupils, knocked at the door. “Come in!” called […]
Wexford Carol (SATB and piano)Title: Wexford Carol Text: 12th century Irish Composer: 12th century Irish, arr. Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Related products: – Wexford Carol – SATB and organ (PDF score) Product medium: PDF score and parts Sample:
A Light Rises in the Darkness – Psalm 111 (112)Title: A Light Rises in the Darkness Psalm 111 (112): 4-9 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part.
Adding quality music to the world“My music is melodic. After all, why add to the world’s problem’s with bad music.” Alexander Prior, composer. Source: Classic FM, December 2009, p.9
Musical taste in England in 1925A general perspective of musical taste in Britain in the 1920s can be seen in the letters to radio broadcasters. In 1926, the B.B.C. (at that time, the British Broadcasting Company) (1) compiled correspondence to the company. In the week ending December 4, of the 7600 letters received, 302 were critical: 125 condemned dance music […]
The length of a rehearsalRachmaninoff completed his Third Piano Concerto at his summer estate at Ivanovka in September-October 1909. He then toured America, learning the piano part on a dumb piano aboard the ship. The work was first performed in New York under Walter Damrosch in November 1909. In January 1910, Gustav Mahler conducted the third New York performance. […]
I need a better razorHaydn reached London in the opening days of 1791. He passed his first night at the house of Bland, the music publisher, at 45 High Holborn, which now, rebuilt, forms part of the First Avenue Hotel. Bland, it should have been mentioned before, had been sent over to Vienna by Salomon to coax Haydn into […]
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.
Forever I will Sing the Goodness of the Lord – Psalm 88 (89)Title: Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord (Setting I) Text: Psalm 88 (89) Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and organ Related products: – Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord (SATB, brass, and organ) Product medium: PDF score and parts SAMPLE:
Creativity“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” — Mary Lou Cook, American community activist and author Reagan, M., Phillips, B. (1995) The All-American Quote Book. United States: Harvest House, p. 68.