hi,

I have been asked to play with a concert band a "solo piano feature with concert band" medallie of the Pride & Prejudice, so before i started learning this, i thought i would get your opinion on any difficulties i may face, as well as any expressive features i should imput

thanks for you help,

Zac

I have the piano book for the soundtrack. Lots of arpeggios with pedaling. Also tempo changes including three versus two rythms.

Edit added: Regarding expression, quite a few youtube videos feature various songs, also mini movie videos. Those can give you some ideas if you haven't read the book, seen the movie, or heard the CD. Search by Marianelli and P&P.

I need to get the piano book from the soundtrack, but I think the most problems you'll have are conveying the message. I would watch the actual movie before attempting to play. It would be an asset to your playing if you saw the situations that the music was revolving around.

Yes, it is ideal to the see the movie. But sometimes not possible to do the ideal things. If possible at least get a plot summary. As a shortcut I would hope the conductor would be able to explain the mood for each section of the medley...I read an interview and the gist of it I believe was that the movie director wanted Marianelli to write pieces that would have been in vogue for pianists in that time period. Another review of Marianelli's score was that generally it was very good but parts of it venture off into George Winston territory instead of staying in the period. Googling the composer or pianist (Thibaudet) may yield some tidbits.

I have the score from the recent movie (I assume as the other posters do that you are referring to the Marianelli score and not the 1995 BBC miniseries).

The piano score is not that difficult, although playing the piano part of the orchestrations may be different.

The earlier comments here are accurate--don't have much to add. Think Mozart or other 18th century composers as you play. If you can't get hold of the movie, you could do worse that read the Jane Austen novel.

rustyfingers, I like your Lady Catherine de Bourgh quote.

Me too

zp3929, let us know which songs are in the medley and you may get more opinions on how to play them musically than you ever bargained for

It's a way to find kindred spirits.

ok there's dawn, mrs. darcy, then it goes onto a part saying flowing (solo piano) there's no name on this one

That sound like it will be fun! Dawn and Mrs. Darcy are very similar. I wonder if the flowing solo piano is more of either of them, these songs occur at the beginning and end of the movie. If the flowing solo piano is some other piece from the middle of the movie I would find that a bit odd, but it may be...

Phrasing, having a light touch on the runs up and down the keyboard, keeping a steady tempo I have found to be the challenges. I'll stumble on certain parts then speed up too much on the easier sections. Good luck!

I appreciate your taste - and, as Frank Churchill once observed, taste is of much more value than execution