Hi. When I listen to classical music (which is all the time) I prefer piano solos over an orchastra piece like a symphony, or even a piano concerto. Although it can be very beautiful music, I beleive that the sound of the other instruments playing takes away from the piano. I like pure piano a lot better. What are your opinions?

[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: jgoo ]

I used to like strictly piano solos also. But after I started to listen to Bach's Piano Concerto's and more of Beethoven's I dismissed the idea that I could only enjoy piano.

You'd probably like pieces like Beethoven's Concerto No 4 where the orchestra and the piano take turns. I forget which movment it is, but it's an off and on thing between the piano and the orchestra. It's as if the orchestra and piano are conversing with each other sharing ideas and thoughts rather than speaking at the same time battling to be heard more than the other.

Also good works that don't involve the piano are Vivaldi's Seasons pieces. He made Violin concertos for each season. You should check out his violin concerto in G minor, summer, if you haven't heard it already.

But still, even though I do enjoy the other forms also...like you I prefer over them all, a piano sonata or piece. =0)

Zeldah

I enjoy solo piano, concertos, and orchestral music. If I had to choose one, i'd pick solo piano but I do listen to the others as well.

When I listen to classical music, which is almost all the time, I listen to almost every genre of classical music and enjoy it all equally: solo instrumental (including piano, of course), orchestral, chamber, vocal, opera, choral and it all - each as much as the next - has its place in helping me understand what music is all about and in helping me become a well-rounded and, I hope, a well-educated person, musically. Moreover, it all satisfies various parts of my musical appetites, and my world would be much diminished if I had to eliminate any from my on-going listening experiences.

I have not yet moved into the realm of rock and punk, but there's time; I'm not dead, yet, I don't think!

Regards,

jgoo, try some 'piano trios' (I love Beethoven's). You still get the full piano performance, but with a cello and violin...not a full orchestra, and each of the three instruments can be enjoyed for their own brilliance. And Beethoven's are so passionate and exciting In my humble opinion, of course

Susan

For me, it depends what kind of mood I'm in. Of late, I've been listening to a lot of choral music, but then that's because we've been working on a lot of interesting stuff, and I enjoy the music more, especially after having performed it. Lately, I've been feeding myself a steady stream of Rutter's Requiem, as conducted by Rutter himself (the next big project). I'm pretty sure I'll be tiring of that soon, and besides, once we start learning it, I won't be listening to it that much (although it is nice to get the interpretation from the fellow who wrote the whole thing in the first place).

I think that you mean Beethoven's piano concerto #5 "Emperor"? The third movement has the whole back and forth thing. I have it on a CD recorded by Arthur Rubinstein. ("Piano Greatest Hits" its a great CD). All of the phrases are played by one (orchestra or piano) and then repeated by the other in a "joyous game of tag" as written on the CD cover. I do like concertos, just not as much as solo piano. As I said before, the other instruments take away from the piano.

[ August 20, 2001: Message edited by: jgoo ]

I really like Beethoven's "Kreutzer" sonata for violin and piano.