I am still on vacation in Idaho, but took a bit of time this morning to check in. Since I left my password at home, I had to register with a new user name to get in.

Anyway, Jodi invited me over to see her Charles Walter last night, to play for each other and chat about music. I had a lot of fun. Her piano is a beautiful red mohagany. It has a beautiful, rich tone to match. I played some Chopin and Beethoven on it, which I think sounded very good on it. But I think it sounded best when Jodi played her Brahms Intermezzo. The voice on her piano is a great match for Brahms and other late romantics and impressionists. Of course, it didn't hurt that she played the Intermezzo very well, even through all of the those sticky places that can be so difficult to make sound musical. I also got to hear her play Gradus... from Debussy's Children's Corner, and a Romance by Sibelius that I had never seen before.

It was a fun evening. Jodi is a great person in person, just as she is when posting on these forums. They did kinda have to pry my fingers from the piano at the end of the evening, so I'll have to wait and see if I get invited back next year...

Ryan

Jodi and Ryan:
Please end the mystery and tell us which of the Brahms Intermezzi Jodi is playing. I'm playing the three of Op 117, and love all three of them, although I have a particular fondness for the second in B-flat minor.
And the Sibelius Romance in D-flat is quite an interesting piece; I haven't played that one in years, but did study it at one time.

[ July 06, 2001: Message edited by: BruceD ]

BruceD,

That's No.2 in A, Op.118 with that meltingly sweet middle section.

Awesome!



Joy

PS: Hope you guys in Idaho are taking pictures. I think we'd all love to visualize your musical encounter, as we 'hear' the music in our heads. :rolleyes:

You are most definitely invited back next year, Ryan! His mom was SUCH a good sport sitting on my couch for TWO HOURS, reading the magazines (quite a selection - The New Yorker, Organic Gardening, The Nation and Ranger Rick )and listening to us piano nerds playing and talking, and me getting a free lesson from Ryan on fingerings for Widmung.
The only piece I had close to ready was the Brahms (Intermezzo #2 Op 117), but it still felt wooden when I had to play it in front of an audience. I hacked my way through the Debussy and the Sibelius - but the highlight was all of Ryan's playing. He played both the Chopin Etudes that he had played on Monday - Wow. He played the Beethoven beautifully. I pulled out my favorite Rachmaninoff prelude (G minor?) which he said he had once played a LONG time ago - and he started out slowly looking at the music, and then got it up to speed, and I realized he didn't even LOOK at the music for the last two pages. He was whipping off the WTC pieces from memory - with an occasional "oops, wrong key..." Amazing. What a treat!
Yes, I did take some pictures - as he was playing through the last movement of the Beethoven sonata - and my kids are running up and down the hall getting ready for bed - I was snapping pictures from all different angles, standing on chairs, flashing the flash, and he still played flawlessly. I will send some to Frank to post as soon as I send them to Ryan and he picks one or two. (which may take a week or so, since Ryan won't be home for another week.) I had a great time. Jodi

Jodi and Ryan (still in Idaho!)
It sounds like you two had wonderful fun. Thanks for sharing your good time with us.
Ah! So it was the opus 117, no 2, in b-flat minor. Love that one!
Regards,

[ July 06, 2001: Message edited by: BruceD ]

I think that was a typo, it was Op. 118, No. 2. I agree, Op. 117 No. 2 is also a very beautiful piece. Actually, I love the entire set of Op. 117...

Ryan

Ryan and Andrew are right - it's opus 118. But now you have me interested, and I am going to check out 117. Just what I need - more music to not practice! Jodi

Jodi:
Do check out the Intermezzi of Op 117. As I said, the second one in b-flat minor is particularly beautiful. I have the feeling from what Ryan has said that your Charles Walter will love it!
Let me know what you think of it.
Regards,