Waste no note“Never write an unnecessary note. Every note must live.” Jean Sibelius, in a radio interview with Kalevi Kilpi, 1948) Cited at: www.sibelius.fi [accessed 31 Mar 2010].
A specialized skill set“You know I’m a useless kind of man apart from my music.” – Tchaikovsky Cited in: Hanson, Lawrence and Elisabeth (1965) Tchaikovsky: A New Study of the Man and His Music. London: Cassell & Company, p.179.
Quiet minds“Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened, but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm.” Robert Louis Stevenson, author
It’s my apartment and I’ll play if I want toProkofiev and his family moved into a small top floor-apartments in Paris. Prokofiev spent much time practicing a revised version of his second piano concerto (which was to be premiered 8 May 1924). The apartment manager demanded that Prokofiev cease playing. His wife Lina recalled Prokofiev’s response: All right then, you don’t want to hear […]
Mozart’s masterpieces“Mozart makes you believe in God – much more than going to church – because it cannot be by chance that such a phenomenon arrives into this world and then passes after thirty-six years, leaving behind such an unbounded number of unparalleled masterpieces.” Sir Georg Solti Source: Kelly, Henry & Foley, John (1998) Classic FM […]
Page turning for BeethovenIgnaz Xaver Seyfried was asked to turn pages for Beethoven in a performance of Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto (5 April 1803). He recalled: In the playing of the concerto movements he asked me to turn the pages for him; but – heaven help me! – that was easier said than done. I saw almost nothing […]
Teaching in KabulEmma Ayres, a violist and former ABC Classic FM radio presenter, discusses her experience in teaching in Kabul at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. CP: You teach viola, cello, and violin as well? EA: A little bit of violin and a little bit of double bass, although I’m not a very good double bass […]
Lord, I Love Your Commands – Psalm 118 (119)Title: Lord, I love your commands Text: Psalm 118 (119): 57, 75, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130 Composer: Greg Smith Instrumentation: SATB and piano Product medium: PDF score and part Sample:
Music is for me to play“You claim that I write monstrosities which only the composer can play. What if they were meant only for the composer?” Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji to his friend Peter Warlock. Cited at: Wikipedia