The health benefits of tuning a piano“Tuning a piano also tunes the brain, say researchers who have seen structural changes within the brains of professional piano tuners.” BBC News, 29 August 2012. Click here to view article
I am not highbrowAfter writing his opera Porgy and Bess, producers in Hollywood started to think that Gerswhin was turning “highbrow”. George and Ira Gerswhin’s agent told Ira :”They think George is too highbrow. Can’t he write a few words and explain to them?” George wired: “Rumours about highbrow music ridiculous. Am out to write hits.” – George […]
Super-Hooper-Dyne LizziesTitle: Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies (silent film score) Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Product medium: PDF score Related products: – Super-Hooper-Dyne Lizzies (mp3 recording) Details: Film released in 1925 Directed by: Del Lord Written by: Felix Alder, Frank Capra, Al Geibler & Jefferson Moffitt. Starring: Billy Bevan, Andy Clyde, Lillian Knight, John J. Richardson. Synopsis: […]
The effects of Brahms’ musicJames Huneker, a critic with the New York Courier, wrote about the impact of Brahms’ music on him: Brahms dreams of pure white staircases that scale the infinite. A dazzling, dry light floods his mind, and you hear the rustling of wings – wings of great terrifying monsters; hippogrifs of horrid mien; hieroglyphic faces, faces […]
A motorboat experienceRachmaninoff was a great lover of motorboating and used to go out every day. He always steered himself. Often he went out alone. This hobby of his nearly proved fatal during that stay of ours. About an hour before dinner he said: “I think I shall go for a spin on the lake.” He got […]
Beethoven as a boyIn his Beethoven: Biography of a Genius, Marek provides an insight into Beethoven as a boy: The boy was looking out of the window, his head cradled in his hands. His mien was serious, his glance rigid. Cäcilia Fischer came along the courtyard and saw him. “How are you, Ludwig?” she shouted up to him. […]
Mighty Like a MooseTitle: Mighty Like A Moose (silent film soundtrack) Composer Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Product medium: PDF score (34 pages) Background: Written by: Charley Chase & H. M. Walker Starring: Charley Chase, Vivien Oakland, Gale Henry, Charles Clary, Ann Howe, Malcolm Denny Directed by: Leo McCarey Film released: 1926 SAMPLE:
Tally Ho!> Title: Tally Ho Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: Piano Duet Level: Piano I – 1.1 (five finger position with movement to the 6/4 position) Product medium: PDF score and MP3 accompaniment track SAMPLES: (Audio sample of accompaniment track only)
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.
Bernstein as a counterpoint student at HarvardThe composer Harold Shapero, who lived a few doors away from Bernstein in Newton and was a year behind him at Harvard, also noted Bernstein’s cavalier approach to counterpoint studies. “Lenny didn’t come to class at all. I was a dutiful little student. I did my Palestrina stuff and I got an ‘A.’ . . […]
