I sent Monica's beautiful recording of Nefeli to a friend who would really like to play this piece now. I checked out the sheet music (Monica, you're right, it is pricey), and I found the Eden Roc book for $13 or The Best of Einaudi for $23. Both have Nefeli in it. I am wondering if any of you have played other pieces by him and whether it would be worth it to get the "best of" book. Maybe it would be too many similar pieces, I don't know.

Nancy

Hi Nancy,

Is this the book you are thinking of:

http://www.musicroom.com/images/catalogue/fullsize/m215106598.jpg

If so, then its a better buy than the Eden Roc book alone. The 'Best of' book has all the sheets from Eden Roc, in addition to two other complete albums' worth.

Also, $23 is a ridiculously cheap price for it. I paid around 55 for my copy. (money well-spent, though )

I'm wondering if this is the same one. There's no picture on this one (Amazon), but it says it's 175 pages. It was originally $34.95. I saw something like it for over $50 too, so I'm a little confused. I'm glad to hear that even at $55 you are pleased. It must be good.

Nancy

Yes, 175 pages is about right.

Thats a really good price! Recommended, because if your friend likes the music and wants to look in Einaudi further, the music is already there.

I think it's well worth the extra $10 to get the bigger book. As to the question of whether it has "too many similar pieces," well, that depends on the listener. Einaudi does have a distinctive, rather minimalist style. I love it, and I want to play it all. But someone who doesn't like his music would say it all sounds alike.

Could someone point me (or post)someone doing something by Einadui please?

I am interested in anyone who has a "rather minimalist style" for some unknown reason.

Thanks

Well, here's my recording of Nefeli that Nancy was talking about:

"Nefeli" by Ludovico Einaudi, recorded on Zoom H4

Check out Euan's recital pieces, too; he's done several by Einaudi. The latest was Limbo , which is very minimalist.

And here's kawaigirl's rendition of "Una Mattina," which may be the most minimalist of Einaudi's works:


"Una Mattina" performed by Kawaigirl

Or, go straight to the horse's mouth... here's a thread Euan started that has a link to a 35-min video of Einaudi himself.

Wow - cannot believe I am this lame. Thanks Monica for the files - ever since my horrible system crash last month when I lost all my music files, my brain does not seem to work either.

Many thanks to Monica, Euan and Kawaigirl1 for posting. This guy is good. Looks like I have another book on the way....

BTW, I also need to start a "composer" file as well, as I can't seem to make the connection...oh, well.

Thanks again

Thanks for the link to the earlier thread, Monica. I haven't had a chance to watch the video yet, but I did listen to Euan and Kawaigirl's pieces, and I liked them a lot. I can see what you mean about thinking they sound alike if you don't like his music, but for me sometimes that's only a first impression. It takes me several "listenings" of many pieces before I really can begin to find the things that stand out about it. "Nefeli" really jumped out at me the first time I heard it from Monica, so I imagine I will enjoy lots of his things. I think I'll recommend that my friend get the larger book, and I can split the cost with her if it seems too much.

Right now I'm working on the theme to the movie "The Piano," and these pieces remind me a bit of that.

Euan and Kawaigirl: Really nice job on those recordings. It must be hard to keep steady on his pieces because it would be so noticeable to change rhythm, but you both sound great.

Considering I'd never heard of Einaudi before this weekend and am now poised to be a fan, it makes me wonder what other great music I am ignorant of!

Nancy

That is funny. I let my piano teacher borrow my cd and she said it made her nervous and all the songs sounded the same.

I showed it to my mother as well and she looked like she wanted to puke!

I just do not get it. It all sounds different to me. Maybe I am just simple.

Haha, I'm curious as to why your teacher felt 'nervous' whilst listening. It has the opposite effect on many people, it relaxes them.

Certainly the left-hand patterns in Einaudi songs are very similar from album to album. Most of the time it is octave/9th arpeggios.

I think the music carries a certain emotion with it and not all people like it. She said it made her not feel good.

It really is not her type of music though. She is strict old fashion gosple and blues.

OK, I got so inspired by kgirl's in un altra vita, I decided I'd give it a try. Finally got the sheets today, and I have to say I'm even more impressed with you traditional sheet music players than I was before (you guys and gals must be schitzo masochists to play this stuff the traditional way)...holy crap there's a lot of notes

I've broken down the chord structure and rearranged it as a fake sheet, inverted it all to hell, drop a bunch of notes and still just barely got it to sound like music; really love pages 2-3 with the bell-like melody. I think I'll take this on as a long term project, maybe improvise it a little once I get the melody down...

So, kudos to those of you who managed to play this the way it was written, I still think you're insane, but no more jokes about cristofori's dream

I'll post it if I ever get it to the point where I won't be laughed out of this forum, maybe in a year or two

Einaudi's music is really, really nice; one of my (new) favorites.

...better make that < or = 9 months, I've decided to take on funburger's challenge and deadline for this piece, my own arrangement.

Just spent all night working thru a couple of the passages, this music is amazing, transcendental, incandescent; I swear my brain's on drug when I play this thing, huh.

kawaigirl, thanks again for introducing me to this remarkable music.

Mr S-H, I totally agree with you, stuff like this makes life almost worth living.

sid, I can't wait to hear your rendition of "un altra vita." Just one look at the sheet music was enough to convince me to put it away for a while... say, ten years.

It's odd, I think it's you improvisers and play-by-ear folks who deserve the kudos! Following sheet music doesn't require much mental effort: Just play the notes as written. But to break the chord structure down and create a fake sheet and then try to improvise requires a solid grasp of music theory and a hearty dose of artistic creativity.

I like your description of Einaudi's music: "amazing, transcendental, incandescent." Yes!

monica,

If I could play this as originally written I would in a shot, but that's impossible at my current skill level, so improvise will initially mean simplify

Breaking it down will be easy compared to building it back up...but if everything works as planned then by the time I'm done I'll own this piece and can add things back to it over time. It should be educational in any event.

Wish me luck.

Hey Sid,


Monica took the words right out of my mouth in that I can't wait to hear your rendition of this piece. I've said it before about the fact that I envy all those who can improvise and play by ear.

Oooops..double post

Hi everyone

I have just joined pianoworld. I have been lurking for a couple of weeks.

I was inspired to join pianoworld by kawaigirl1's performance of In Un'altra Vita. I just wanted to say how beautifully she played it. I had never heard of Einaudi and am going out to buy I Giorni today.

I also wanted to say how useful I am finding this forum. I have just ordered a Roland HP101e digital piano and just cannot wait for it to arrive (the forum helped me with my decision - along with a trip to my local piano store)

So when my piano arrives then the journey will begin. I have never really played piano, just tinkered. I played the organ when I was younger but have not really touched a keyboard for about 20 years.

I have to say that the forum topics that I have read have all been contributed to in such a positive and friendly manner. I am really pleased that I found this site. I hope to be able to add my contribution at some point.

text

welcome, text, you've got great taste.

Hi text, welcome to the forum!

I'm sure you will enjoy the Einaudi album! And even better - he will be touring the UK next year to promote his new album

Txs for listening and welcome to the forum text.

Einaudi's music is very addicting both listening and to play.

Enjoy

Welcome, text! I was tempted to tell you to get the greatest hits Einaudi album, but then I realized that if you're like me you'll love it so much you'll go back and buy the individual albums, too. But Eden Roc and Una Mattina are heartbreakingly lovely, too.

Thank you all for the welcome.

I will keep an eye out for the tour thanks Euan.

Text, persevere, this music is really worth it.

I'm so excited tonight I can't sleep, finally had a (relatively) clean run and the music's starting to come thru and smooth out.

Thanks again, everyone for introducing me to this piece, and drawing me back to the sheet music, I've learned so much just trying to figure out how to play this. Things I thought were impossible are now doable and I can see it becoming easier with practice and time. Every morning I see an improvement, it's as if nanobots are busy at work forming new synapses while I'm asleep...I'm just so encouraged to see the visible progress and it's becoming a positive feedback loop (the better I get the more I want to play).

Most valuable lesson learned so far, never give up, never let a seemingly impossible piece daunt you, just keep picking away at it and the grey cells will do the rest.

And best of all, after working thru the piece so often, it's still as pretty as ever and has lost none of its charm.

Can anyone advise about what difficulty the pieces are in the "best of" book.....if they are advanced, I'd be wasting my money for sure....anything on the easy side?

They vary in difficulty, rocky; some are pretty easy, others I'll be waiting a year or two to attempt. Maybe Euan and kawaigirl will have other suggestions, but I found "Limbo" very easy to learn, and "Una Mattina" looks bizarre but is actually not bad. "Nefeli" only has about 4 tough measures.

I think it's a book you could be working out of for ten years, starting with the easier pieces and then moving on. At least my goal is to eventually learn them all!

I may just have to order...guess "someday" I could play something from the book

Rocky, I'm sure you will be fine with the music

There are pretty much no 'crazy' bits - no 128th note scales or large jumps. The left hand usually just plays repetitive chord arpeggios.

On the whole, its just pretty straightforward stuff.