Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Rostoskys serious thread. (by request)

Evening!

Now the most known side of Shostakovich: the waltz from his jazz suite No. 2. This music was used in the last Kubrick film “Eyes Wide Shut”, so surely many of you will recognize it.

Shostakovich was able to compose works with the deepest thoughts, like his piano quintet, but he also could write just lovely music like this little waltz.


[video:youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBNMaaNG2rA[/video]

Thanks Recaredo - I like Shostakovich too. I think his second piano concerto 2nd mvt is exquisite too.

Greetings everyone! I'm just dropping in briefly. Thanks Recaredo for the lovely music. I've been listening to some music by Sergei Rachmaninoff lately. Here piano virtuoso Arthur Rubinstein performs Rachmaninoff's 18th Variation.

Enjoy! Back to work for me on my Satie piece!

It's nice to see some more posts in the thread but everyone is obviously still spending more time Satiating their need for practise.

Well, I know how you all feel now. I've just submitted my entry for the ABF recital and what a revelation it has been! Since I agreed to participate in the Mendelssohn recital I thought I ought to have a trial run at this recording business. My experience under the red light was a while ago and under a different sense of pressure as I was multi-tracking on an 8-track setup rather than a solo effort where every off note and nuance screams out in anger.

Working where every take is a 'final effort' has left me exhausted. There were technical problems to contend with also but there's a lasting benefit. I haven't actually listened to my playing for some time - I thought I listened all the time but it seems I don't. I can hear flaws in the recording that I have passed off as 'just that time' but now I have to contend with hearing it every time I listen knowing it's there each time.

I've also overcome the logistical problems (barring some new cabling in the mail) so future recordings will not be so awkward.

I still have some work to finish up after the efforts of the last few days but I expect to start on the Mendelssohn on the 12th, a week later than planned, but with higher expectations of overcoming the logistical problems of recording.

My choices this week are rushed so I don't know how well they'll work together.

I couldn't decide between the Light Cavalry or the Poet and Peasant overtures from Suppé but I've settled for P&P.

Here's a sweet little piece from Debussy to give you a sense of solace on Sunday. I know what's coming so trust me, you'll appreciate this.

John Rutter wrote much of the material (texts) that I read when studying harmony and tonal composition so I feel an extra emotional attachment to his music, too.

This pieces moves me, I hope it's a similar experience for you.

Gounod's Faust ballet music picks up the pace and the pitch somewhat after the peacefulness of the preceding picks.



Sorry to be slow, my attention is in Abu Dhabi currently.

I'll keep a look out for that

Wayne, I think you'll be disappointed. I took advantage of the rules and whilst I played the harmony on the piano I played the melody on the bagpipes!!
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A sensational win for Kimi in Abu Dhabi, and a spectacular race.
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Well, here we are, at the final part of the selections for the week.

Saint-Saëns is one of those pianists who could sight read pretty much anything but, despite being gifted at the keyboard, wrote very little for it. He wrote some etudes including a set for the left hand. Not spectacularly difficult but as they're for the manus sinistra I'm reminded of his sinister opus.



Don't have nightmares but do have a good week until next week.

You pulling my plonker lol?

What is the point of this thread??

If you have to ask...

Thanks for all the postings Richard - we were listening to different piano versions of the Danse Macabre a few days ago and its a really stirring and descriptive piece.

When we did the Met recordings I was surprised by how much non piano related work was needed - such as getting to grips with technical equipment and locating a good piano to play on. It is a lot of work but I found it ultimately satisfying.
For the Satie, I've found it really enlightening to record my practice runs. Often when I think I've conveyed a particular aspect of the music, I find that in reality it hasn't come across as I'd intended, and I can learn from that.

Yes, I play a lot of the Cramer version of Danse Macabre. I won't be able to finish the Liszt version in my lifetime but I am toying with the idea, now that I've got a handle on the recording issues, of submitting DM in a later ABF recital. I don't know how long it would take to finish it and my plate seems to be filling faster than I can eat!

I've learned a lot already from my Fauré piece. I think my foot got glued to the pedal in one or two places (he says without mentioning the length of those places!) and an ancient digital doesn't convey the problem until you hear the phrasing or lack thereof. I think it may take me a while to sort that out so I'll leave the current submission and hope not too many notice. I think they're kind listeners on ABF recitals!

It's to encourage Cornish posties!

Richard, I loved Gounod's Faust ballet, great scene! We’ve posted little ballet music, and we should do it more often.

Btw, I’ve also been seeing the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, indeed the race was exciting!

Helen, glad you also like Shostakovich’s music. I think you play the second movement of that piano concerto, am I right?

Marvelous selections, Richard Thanks so much! John Rutter's Pie Jesu is indeed a touching piece. The starting of Gounod's Faust was perfect to carry through the peaceful mood, but its frightening climax was quite unexpected And Danse Macabre was a perfect choice for a dramatic finishing to this week's Sunday Classical programs. Excellent!

Richard, I was so excited to see your entry in this month's ABF recital! I've already had a listen to the piece you've selected, it's a beautiful piece! Can't wait till November 15 to enjoy your performance. Also, it'd be an overwhelming experience how you could manage to play bagpipes with piano, I'm sure Wayne will appreciate it a lot

Recaredo, I loved Shostakovich’s Waltz II very much! I was introduced to Shostakovich for the first time by PPP a long time ago, he posted a video on Shostakovich’s use of 'theremin' in his film score. At that time there was quite a bit of discussions on theremin at RST

Griffin, Rubinstein's performance of Rachmaninoff's 18th variation is absolutely charming! I don't listen to Rachmaninoff so much because his works seem too difficult for me to understand, but this piece really moved me, for the first time!

AHA, you seek a point young sir? I hope you have fortune and much adventure in your quest.

meanwhile as if sharing our music with each other/helping each other out/ having themed recitals/poking fun at pc/ and waynes haunted piano as well as pianistic recipe advice,

as if that wasnt enough for "the thread point" jeez, what do we have to do to please some folk?

Recaredo - yes I've 'played' the 2nd movement of Shostakovich's 2nd piano concerto. Its so beautiful and only about grade 6 and quite slow (if it wasn't that level I wouldn't have attempted it)

I'd recommend it to anyone!

Such delightful postings today Richard! I'm only halfway through them, but will be finishing the rest of them later...after I've Satiated a bit more ! I'll be checking in later after I've had a chance to practice and get some home chores done. Later!