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Sooo...

Say you go to a party and there's a piano. Of course, somebody asks you to play something. What do you play?

Heart and Soul.

Sorry, I could not resist

Chopins "revolutionary" etude!

Yeah, I knooow that´s not the official title (op.10, no.12), but I´m tired of being the only one still calling it that. Even many pianists and professors nowadays seem to accept "revolutionary" as a suitable title, or at least the theory that that´s the likely theme the piece want´s across, considering the time it was composed.

I´m as conservative as they come, and I´ve called it op.10 no.12 forever, but it´s not catching on...I´ve noticed that by calling it "the revolutionary etude", people remember what the piece is called when they´re asking for a reprise!:-)

Of course I´m talking about parties now, if it was like an examination concert at my college or something that formal, I would stick to the official title.

(Sorry if this was a bit off-topic, I just needed to vent)

I've mentioned this recently, but for this thread I'll say it again: Leonard Bernstein called Copland's Piano Variations his "party piece."

Gershwin's 3 preludes...

You're not the only one, I try to avoid silly nicknames. Though I find I'm mostly annoyed by names that try to suggest a mood of the piece, like "Moonlight" "Revolutionary" "Appassionata" etc. A nickname like "the Waldstein" doesn't bother me as much.


There are way too many variables that would determine what I might decide to play spur of the moment. My mood, the audience, the piano, background noise, etc etc

Since I'm not usually surrounded by people that know/appreciate much classical music, I like it to be quick and painless, and would likely play something like Schumann's Vom fremden Ländern und Menschen. Or I might go for Chopin's Berceuse, or his "Minute" (couldn't resist due to earlier comment ) Waltz, his Op 24/2 Mazurka, or a subdued version of Bach's famous C Major Prelude, possibly with the Gounoud Ave Maria melody, that's always pretty popular. Horner's "the Ludlows" from Legends of the Falls always makes people excited for some reason.

Around Christmas time, my "Oh Holy Night" is usually received very well.

If the piano is crappy, then I won't play anything at all.

Daniel

Sorry, not currently a 'classical' piece. I recently went bonkers over Ivor Novello's divinely beautiful song The Land of Might-Have-Been.

I memorized the words and music in one weekend. But then you wonderful folks need to be in love...

It is an insult to the composer to play his music at anything but one's best. If I know I'm going to be asked to play, I'll practice for the party and give them the Chopin Waltz Brillante.

Then again if they are a non classical crowd I'll play a popular standard. Elton John or Billy Joel are easy enough. Or Bumble Boogie by Jack Fina. That's really fun. Good job I don't drink.

I would play either De Falla's Ritual Fire Dance or Villa-Lobos' Polichinello.

Chopin op.10 no.3 - most non-classical music lovers know it.

Or if feeling mischievous either Bartók's Allegro Barbaro or the Stravinsky Tango

I have no tact. I feel no need to posture to impress others. I play what I like- as inaccessible as it may be.

Scriabin 8-12 Bis is substantial, short, and visually appealing, although I can't play it well on many of the uprights that I'm asked to play upon- there's something to be said about action and proper seat height.

That being said, I've recently come to love Catoire's miniatures. Koji has inspired me to look at the Etude Fantastique in particular. I would like to use that in the future.

Chopin C-minor Polonaise. It's the only thing currently "performance ready" and it exhibits several moods. But I never play at a party unless they ask me BEFORE I've had a drink.

Maple Leaf Rag

Hee hee. I play ragtime too. Usually one of my own ragtime compositions (I've got quite a few by now). But if I'm at a non-ragtime-friendly party, I play Chopin - a mazurka or a waltz or something.

I don't really have a lot to work with, since most of the music I know are choral accompaniments and I don't own a lot of 'regular' piano music. I have a lot more to play during Christmas time since I can adapt many of those songs out of a hymnal and I do have book of Christmas songs for piano/vocal. My parents did have a Barry Manilow book, so I'll usually play and sing Mandy if people ask me to play and it's not Christmas time. I used to do mvt 3 from Moonlight sonata, but it's been a couple years since I've played anything that advanced, and my piano teacher owned all of that music, so I don't have it now.

Hi,
I like a lot of the previous selections; wish I could play them. For me it's St. Louis Blues (Handy), Don't Get around Anymore (Ellington), Now's the Time (Parker) and occasionally Lady Madonna (Beatles). Wish I had better technique and memory for some of the classical or rags I play at home.

I always keep the Intermezzo (fourth movement) of Schumann's Faschingsschwank aus Wien, Op. 26, ready for just such occasions. It is short, flashy, passionate, and beautiful, and (as I play it) exactly 120 seconds long.

...the last part (Friska Bb-maj) of Liszt's HR #6; sometimes, everybody will actually stop talking and drinking and listen.

I can usually do fine with that Allegro section even if I've finished an alcoholic drink. I will not play a piano after a second drink is close to being finished; control slips away too much.

Depends on the mood, who is listening and the patience of the listeners. Usually one or more short pieces like:

Bach Prelude BWV 887
Bach Prelude BWV 883
Bach Prelude and Fugue 881
Brahms Intermezzi 117 #3 or 118 #2
Adagio from Mozart Sonata K457

Haydn Sonata Hob XVI:6 if they are interested in something longer.

I just look at them with this "you think my art is some party trick I do on demand??" look. And then I go and sightread Chaminade's Scarf Dance, with a bunch of wrong notes, or some other cheesy thing, whatever junk music is lying around on the piano. The main idea is the make the person who asked regret it, so they won't do it again.

wr is a jerk. :p .
Right now I just play some piece i composed with a little extra flair, or I play some pop song like Mad World, some muse songs, or some coldplay. Once I learn the pieces though, I'll use Brahm's Opus 118/3 in Gm, the Mozart's Sonata K283 3rd movement, and Chopin's Revolutionary Etude. The Sonata and Revolutionary Etude are gonna [hopefully] be in my next set of pieces to learn after what I'm doing now. Of course those pieces are the flashy ones I'll be learning...Clair De Lune is also quite popular since almost everyone knows it and I play it rather well, and if the audience is musical I might play my Chopin Waltz 34/2, but that piece only entertains those who appreciate music not just flash. :].

WR, that's rather a harsh attitude. Are you talking about total strangers or friends?

It seems like not only will they not request you play something, they won't even re-invite you to any more gatherings.

Chopin, Op. 25, No.1

I played the whole piece once at a party. All the talking quiet down immediately just after a few opening measures. And the last part, isn't it the best party piece?

LisztAddict,
I can actually think of one that's even better; and not HR#2 either. How about Liszt's Grand Gallop Chromatique ?
Now that's party music, dare I say Circus music?
Too bad that one's not in my fingers

Yes, I think Grand Gallop Chromatique is more of acrobat/circus music. It's a great piece if you are surrounded by highly trained classical pianists.
HR #6 is probably more attractive to the general audience because it has sing-able melodies.

Why? It's nothing other than exactly what they asked for, and they are the one to blame, not me. I'm only the innocent victim of their presumption that anyone who plays the piano must also be a pathetic attention glutton who is always just salivating at any chance to perform, no matter what the circumstances.

Actually, that post was just a fantasy - I've never really done that. But as you may have guessed, I really don't like the idea that guests should be expected to perform unless it has been discussed beforehand. I mean, if you're a great cook or maybe a professional one, do you think it's okay to ask you into the kitchen to whip up some canapes just because we know you can cook? Or if you're a doctor, is it okay for people to buttonhole you to ask about their aches and pains? Do all the other guests have to do something special to justify their presence? Just because I can play the piano doesn't mean I want to play right there and then, or for that group.

In real life, I've sometimes said I didn't have anything prepared (which was true at the time and will probably remain true forever, so it is the perfect excuse). Or if there are other pianists at the party and someone else has broken the ice by playing something, I may dig through whatever music is handy and play something I find that I more or less know. And this is nice because it demonstrated that I don't have anything prepared without having to say it. Or, and this is what happens most often and I enjoy it, I'll end up sight-reading 4-hand stuff with someone, which is a lot of fun and there's something about the interaction of the players (or maybe it is just that there are two people playing one keyboard) that often seems to amuse the other guests, I think.

Here is the perfect party piece.

Of course it helps greatly if your audience has a variety of percussion instruments at their disposal, and they all know how to play them on cue. :p

Mine is one of the many simple, short ragtime pieces that I can play offhand anytime. Everybody (I hope) loves ragtime!!

You've also gotta have hair like that to play it right!

That's the best version of tico tico no fuba I've seen.

Piano Man and Killer Queen.

Matt