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What are some of your favorite themes, melodies, or parts of pieces? I'll name a few of mine:
-Beethoven: Opening theme of the 3rd movement of the Waldstein sonata -Chopin: Main theme of 4th Ballade -Schumann: Beginning of Carnival (that 2-chord motif reminds me of D major coda of 3rd movement of Rach) -Liszt: The huge D major entry in the B Minor Sonata three or four minutes in (Grandioso) -Brahms: The galloping octaves parts in Brahm's Scherzo for violin and piano. -Busoni: 2:30 in THIS video. Part of the third movement of Busoni's piano concerto. -Ginastera: B Major part of the last movement of the first sonata. (Left hand octaves, right hand arpeggio/chord sort of things.) -Griffes: Beginning theme of White Peacock
I have tons of favorite melodes and themes...I'll probably think of them later.
As for favorite PART of a piece, there's this certain part in Mozart's piano concerto 21 that just gets me every time. I don't know how to describe what part it is except that it's about 4:45-4:50 in this video and it comes back a couple times later. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5HecOfJxb4
Lyrical theme of the 4th movement of Prokofiev's second concerto, slow part of Chopin's 4th scherzo, the last section of the Waldstein rondo when the theme goes in minor key in prestissimo (pretty damn hard to play too).
Working on: Chopin - Nocturne op. 48 no.1 Debussy - Images Book II
.....there's this certain part in Mozart's piano concerto 21 that just gets me every time. I don't know how to describe what part it is except that it's about 4:45-4:50 in this video and it comes back a couple times later. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5HecOfJxb4
In my little opinion .......GREAT JOB.
In other words: I agree. From when I first heard it, and ever since, it has struck me as simply, miraculously spectacular.
When I worked on the piece, I would play that little part over and over, way more than I needed to, just because of how great it was and how much I loved playing it.
Another one: Couperin, 'Les Baricades Misterieuses' - I think it works equally well on harpsichord and piano. It's a simple piece, but boy it is mesmerizing - it's hard to believe this was composed so long ago. It boggles my mind, to this day.
I also like the buildup, the sweeping arpeggios, and the arrival to F Minor with the chords afterward.
There are parts in this piece similar to Ballade 2... The chromatic scales in the left hand right before the sweeping arpeggios at 8:36, and a section at 3:44 is like the beginning of Ballade 2.
I couldn't say anyone as my favorite. I do urge people however to listen to Beethoven's Op10/2 2nd mvt. ! Its got alot of meaning to me, I would like to hear other people's opinion about it!
edit: here is a youtube video of it, else nobody is going to listen to it it seems:
Its better played by Andras Schiff, but he's not on youtube.
Last edited by Victor25; 08/10/1001:32 PM.
Currently working on: Perfecting the Op 2/1, studying the 27/2 last movement. Chopin Nocturne 32/2 and Posth. C#m, 'Raindrop' prelude and Etude 10/9 Repetoire: Beethoven op 2/1, 10/1(1st, 2nd), 13, 14/1, 27/1(1st, 2nd), 27/2, 28(1st, 2nd), 31/2(1st, 3rd), 49/1, 49/2, 78(1st), 79, 90, 101(1st)
The theme at 1:40 - 2:05 that later returns in the climax from 4:05 - 5:06, which is my favorite moment in all piano music I've heard so far....and everything else about the whole piece is awesome too.
Currently working on: Perfecting the Op 2/1, studying the 27/2 last movement. Chopin Nocturne 32/2 and Posth. C#m, 'Raindrop' prelude and Etude 10/9 Repetoire: Beethoven op 2/1, 10/1(1st, 2nd), 13, 14/1, 27/1(1st, 2nd), 27/2, 28(1st, 2nd), 31/2(1st, 3rd), 49/1, 49/2, 78(1st), 79, 90, 101(1st)
Currently working on: Perfecting the Op 2/1, studying the 27/2 last movement. Chopin Nocturne 32/2 and Posth. C#m, 'Raindrop' prelude and Etude 10/9 Repetoire: Beethoven op 2/1, 10/1(1st, 2nd), 13, 14/1, 27/1(1st, 2nd), 27/2, 28(1st, 2nd), 31/2(1st, 3rd), 49/1, 49/2, 78(1st), 79, 90, 101(1st)
I think Rachmaninov was an outstanding melodist.One of my favorites is the clarinet solo from the adagio of his second symphony.I actually took up the clarinet a few years ago for the express purpose of learning that solo, but it didn't work out too well.Just producing a decent tone is a work of art. The clarinetist on this Ashkenazy recording has been criticised quite a bit over the years, and they may have a point, but overall it's my favorite recording of this symphony.
Ok I seriously just can't get enough of this melody, it just reaches out and touches my soul. A perfect example of a Beethoven melody. It shows the drama, the reaching higher and higher, but in the end being human, and returning (melody folding in itself). Its just... wow
Currently working on: Perfecting the Op 2/1, studying the 27/2 last movement. Chopin Nocturne 32/2 and Posth. C#m, 'Raindrop' prelude and Etude 10/9 Repetoire: Beethoven op 2/1, 10/1(1st, 2nd), 13, 14/1, 27/1(1st, 2nd), 27/2, 28(1st, 2nd), 31/2(1st, 3rd), 49/1, 49/2, 78(1st), 79, 90, 101(1st)
Ok I seriously just can't get enough of this melody, it just reaches out and touches my soul. A perfect example of a Beethoven melody. It shows the drama, the reaching higher and higher, but in the end being human, and returning (melody folding in itself). Its just... wow
The vast majority of the 1st movement of Chopin's piano sonata no.2 and the trio section of the 2nd movement. Also the opening section of Schumann's Humoreske
All theory, dear friend, is grey, but the golden tree of life springs ever green.
The theme at 1:40 - 2:05 that later returns in the climax from 4:05 - 5:06, which is my favorite moment in all piano music I've heard so far....and everything else about the whole piece is awesome too.
Good choice!!!
All theory, dear friend, is grey, but the golden tree of life springs ever green.
I think Rachmaninov was an outstanding melodist.One of my favorites is the clarinet solo from the adagio of his second symphony.
While I am a pianist (well, I play the piano decently enough), my musical tastes run more toward the orchestral. The Rachmaninoff (sp?) clarinet theme from the Second Symphony is just heart-melting.
But if I started listing, I would never stop. Just think about things like the last movement of Mahler's Third, when the main theme returns with the pianissimo solo trumpet. This brings me to tears every time I hear it.
Currently working on: Perfecting the Op 2/1, studying the 27/2 last movement. Chopin Nocturne 32/2 and Posth. C#m, 'Raindrop' prelude and Etude 10/9 Repetoire: Beethoven op 2/1, 10/1(1st, 2nd), 13, 14/1, 27/1(1st, 2nd), 27/2, 28(1st, 2nd), 31/2(1st, 3rd), 49/1, 49/2, 78(1st), 79, 90, 101(1st)
Rachmaninov's Prelude in B Minor has a a nice theme. I like how it's consistent, yet develops adventerously without seeming repetitive. Sometimes I wonder how the heck he did it and I think "dang, there goes another genius idea taken." He always made it seem like there's so many possiblities in music.. and he discovered most of them. It's one of the best melodies I can remember. I liked the melody from Prelude in G Major aswell.
One of my biggest challenges I have is creating a nice melody of my own that doesn't sound like it came from Rach. I guess I have to consider the fact that using the same rythmic scheme (syncopated triplets) isn't necessarily stealing ideas.
.Makes me want to boogie!
.......GREAT JOB.
