02-23-2006, 06:01 AM
|
 |
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,317
|
|
Wanted: Piano music that's upbeat + catchy + sad
Sorry but I suck at searching with most forum's search engines. I am good with google and my search string of "piano (upbeat + catchy + sad + romantic)" gave me nothing in return (maybe the server caught on fire trying to think too hard).  
Anyway yah so that's what I want, any recommandation?
There's something about the piano I just love. It seems like music from a piano can be very simple to very complex. It's also emotional to the point it brings the sadness out from my heart. It can also make my feet tap with joy when the tune is right.
So what do you recommand for each category? The only CDs I own and like are by Ben Folds (Five). There are many other songs I've heard on radio or in movies before but I just didn't bother to find out who played it.
__________________
~There is a little bass-head inside of us. For everything else, there is Sony V6. ~
|
02-23-2006, 07:37 AM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus:
Ceremonial old guy, bifocals and all.
All the philosophy he can muster can't solve the mysterious double-post.
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 4,618
|
|
One way to get lots of examples in each category is Chopin's Op. 28 preludes: 24 short pieces with a very wide emotional range! 
__________________
I Can, therefore I am!
|
02-23-2006, 07:44 AM
|
|
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 1,020
|
|
Suite Bergamasque by Debussy.
|
02-23-2006, 07:59 AM
|
 |
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Finland
Posts: 1,299
|
|
"piano (upbeat + catchy + sad + romantic)" = Billy Joel? 
For a great piano album I'd recommend Bebo & Cigala - "Lágrimas Negras". Cuban son meets spanish flamenco meets south-american boleros and tangos and so on. A great album.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=glance&n=5174
|
02-23-2006, 03:03 PM
|
|
Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Germany
Posts: 53
|
|
Also give Tori Amos a try - On her earlier albums like "Little Earthquakes" and "Under the Pink" it's mostly her singing while playing the piano. The songs range from very emotional (e.g. 'Winter', 'Silent All These Years') to catchy-upbeat like e.g. 'Cornflake Girl' or 'Happy Phantom'. The album after "Under the Pink" called "Boys For Pele" is also very nice, shows a broader musical range and also has her playing cembalo in a few songs. I highly recommended these three albums if you like emotional piano music accompanied by a beautiful and versatile voice.
|
02-23-2006, 03:38 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: New Yawk City
Posts: 2,612
|
|
I hear you-I look for the same thing...
One of my favorites is the soundtrack to "The Piano" by Michael Nyman.
Some gorgeous piano pieces that are dark, haunting, romantic and deeply emotional. An album to listend to on a rainy day...
I would also definitely buy the soundtrack to "Shine" which is a movie about the brilliant David Helfgot (i think thats how you spell his name) and is a kind of "greatest hits" of powerhouse piano players. Contains some Schumann, Rachmaninoff, Liszt and Chopin-all classical romantic classics.
EDIT:Be sure to buy the soundtrack that titled "The Complete Classics" which is a double CD. The original Movie Soundtrack cuts many of the songs short.
__________________
HF-1 (with comfy earpads) is all I be needin
"You learn a lot about people when you listen to the songs that mean something to them"-Unknown
|
02-23-2006, 04:28 PM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 4,498
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Pepsione1
Sorry but I suck at searching with most forum's search engines. I am good with google and my search string of "piano (upbeat + catchy + sad + romantic)" gave me nothing in return (maybe the server caught on fire trying to think too hard).
Anyway yah so that's what I want, any recommandation?
There's something about the piano I just love. It seems like music from a piano can be very simple to very complex. It's also emotional to the point it brings the sadness out from my heart. It can also make my feet tap with joy when the tune is right.
So what do you recommand for each category? The only CDs I own and like are by Ben Folds (Five). There are many other songs I've heard on radio or in movies before but I just didn't bother to find out who played it. |
Upbeat and Catchy: Scott Joplin -- my preferred recording is Joshua Rifkin. You will also find wistful and romantic qualities here as well.
For complexity nothing beats Scarlatti who encompasses every single emotion with his music. Ofcourse, this is not Romantic music (actually Baroque), but it's really yummy -- definitely for connoisseurs who really love the piano. My preferred recordings are by Horowitz, Pletnev and especially the new Sudbin release which is spectacular.
For Romantic, sad, heartbreakingly beautiful piano there is the wonderful music of Chopin (try anything by Claudio Arrau on Philips), but if you want something just slightly off the beaten track and amazingly beautiful, try Schumann, expecially Pletnev's recording.
 
For fiery, deeply emotional piano music there is also Rachmaninov -- especially his Preludes by Alexis Weissenberg.
If you want an amazing concert that will give you an amazing taste of the power of the piano, then try and get some Vladimir Horowitz recordings. This one is a favorite of mine.
Edit: I could kick myself, but I just remembered another great piece of piano music (actually about a million other pieces -- we haven't even touched the Beethoven Sonatas which are the New Testament of music). Schubert's Piano Sonata in Bflat, D960 is probably one of the greatest pieces of piano music ever composed. There are dozens of brilliant recordings of it, but this new (2004) recording has risen to the top of my collection -- Leif Ove Andsnes on EMI. Schubert wrote intensely emotional, melody driven music. This one was composed in the last year of his life when he learned that he had contracted syphillis and was dying. This is music that will never leave you.
Note: The recording also contains three Schubert lieder sung by Ian Bostridge which are jewels of that genre. If you don't care for the lieder immediately, just give them some time. They will grow upon you and the accompaniment by Andsnes is one of amazing subtlety and control.
|
02-23-2006, 05:05 PM
|
 |
500+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 582
|
|
there are final fantasy piano albums that are pretty good, if you ever played final fantasy these are great
|
02-23-2006, 06:18 PM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 225
|
|
Satie's music is catchy and sad, but not upbeat.
As Meatloaf says: Two of out Three ain't bad.
|
02-23-2006, 10:35 PM
|
|
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,317
|
|
Wow thanks for all the suggestions so far. You ppl sure does have unqiue taste in music. I dont' even know where to sample or buy these music. Anyone have a clue?
__________________
~There is a little bass-head inside of us. For everything else, there is Sony V6. ~
|
02-23-2006, 10:38 PM
|
 |
100+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Honolulu
Posts: 117
|
|
Edit, sorry I missed the reference to Ben Folds in your initial post.
__________________
"I accidentally touched my head
and noticed that I had been bleeding,
for how long I didn't know"
The Flaming Lips
"The Spark That Bled"
|
02-24-2006, 01:19 AM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Outside LA
Posts: 1,786
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by daycart1
One way to get lots of examples in each category is Chopin's Op. 28 preludes: 24 short pieces with a very wide emotional range! |
I second this.
I am listening to Idil Biret's Naoxs recording, and, yes, she is another great musician to trained by the "American Conservatory in Paris," AKA Nadia Boulanger's one-teacher class. 
__________________
Source: Sony DVP-NS900V, Benchmark DAC1, PreSonus Central Station, M-audio Transit
Headphones: K1000, K501, SR225, HD595
Head Amps: Cayin HA-1A, DAC1, Central Station
Speakers: Athena S2+P2, Athena S5, Jolida JD301
Speaker Amps: Sophia Baby Clone with EL84, Jolida JD301A, Sonic Imapct T-amp
Work Rig: Tivoli Model 2 Radio->KSC-75, Laptop->PX100
|
02-24-2006, 03:10 AM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
Music maven
Organizer for Can Jam '09
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Sunny Southern California
Posts: 3,680
|
|
__________________
FIRE PHOENIX AUDIO - My mastering website!
READ MY BLOG!!
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
|
02-24-2006, 03:26 AM
|
 |
1000+ Head-Fi'er
|
|
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: texas
Posts: 1,065
|
|
Keiko Matsui -- Walls of Akendora
__________________
Sources: IHP 140 & 120, IRiver T30,Sansa Fuze 16g, Sony 555es Sacd/cdp, Squeezbox 3 & Duet, Stello DA100, Micro DAC,
Amps: , SinglePower PPX-3 Slam, Pint, MicroAmp, Rockhopper M^3
Headphones: [I] e4c, I Grado, RS 1, Headphiled Darth Beyer, HF2, ATH ESW9
|
02-24-2006, 03:29 AM
|
 |
Headphoneus Supremus
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,154
|
|
If you can stomach a 2-hour piano cycle, then you must try Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues: there is an incredible variety of music in this set, although it is not particular "catchy".
If you want something more lyrical and catchy, then perhaps BTTB by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT. The time now is 07:07 PM.
|
Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
Head-Fi Blogs
and Facebook |
|
|
Head-Fi's Sponsors
(Premier Sponsors bolded) |
|
|
|
