Having a difficult time with Chopin:
Feb 27, 2006 at 3:11 PM Post #16 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by FalconP
[*]Lyrics Pieces by Grieg -- I suspect you'll find them rather similar to Chopin's Noctures, but perhaps you'll find something you like there.


I agree with the above recommendations. Chopin's music is often
complicated (mainly harmonically but also melodically). The Grieg,
while in a similar vein to Chopin, has more refrains and more
symmetry in phrase structures, perhaps to evoke a folksong-like
simplicity. Emil Gilels on DG is a good cheap sampler - if it should
also fail to please the OP (not an impossibility) at least it wouldn't
be a big loss.
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For Bach, I once heard a Sarabande from the French Suites (the Sixth?)
used in the movie "Persuasion" (my favorite Jane Austen adaptation
so far) to great effects. Gavrilov on EMI 2fer (including a wonderful
Italian Concerto played by Stanislav Bunin) sounds good to me.
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 1:46 AM Post #18 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel
To me, many of the Nocturnes sound cold and lacking melody.
Am I crazy...I dont hear "songs" in these nocturnes, I cant seem to follow any melody. It just seems like nice Piano play to me but nothing I could hum along to or eventually recognize.



You haven't given the one piece of information that will make it possible to give you a recommendation... Who is the pianist on your CD?

With classical music, the performer is just as important to know as the composer and work.

See ya
Steve
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 2:30 AM Post #19 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot
You haven't given the one piece of information that will make it possible to give you a recommendation... Who is the pianist on your CD?

With classical music, the performer is just as important to know as the composer and work.

See ya
Steve



Michael Nyman plays the piano on "the Piano" soundtrack.
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 2:32 AM Post #20 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by Bunnyears
Because the Polonaises are very melody driven. No one could fail to start humming at those stirring tunes. Btw, Polonaise just means Polish in French and although it was the name of a popular dance at the time, for Chopin the music was more an evocation of his feelings for the country of his birth that he had left behind.


I think it's only fair to say that it's both.

The more I think of it, the more I think only movie soundtrack composers would really write music like the soundtracks you mention. You won't really get that with other minimalist pieces, and that's basically it outside of easy listening piano pieces. Voice of Lir and Tides of Mananaun are good places to start.

Satie is a toss up because of his Dadaist tendencies. Use that preview on amazon.

Here's one more: Henry Cowell. He did some piano music like that, though some of it is experimental in nature. Which you might like, who knows?
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 5:08 AM Post #21 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel
Michael Nyman plays the piano on "the Piano" soundtrack.


No, he meant, who plays the Nocturnes?
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 6:07 AM Post #22 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by Dusty Chalk
No, he meant, who plays the Nocturnes?


Pires.
I know that it matters on who plays...but only for the trained ear. Its not like Pires is horrible and I would love Arrau playing the exact same songs.
I do have to give the album a couple more listens...

I cant believe its so hard to get a piano recommendation.
Everyone whose responded has said "you may like this, but...."-theres hesitation in every response!
tongue.gif

Isnt there just some straight basic piano that an average classical listener could get into???

Is there no "modern" piano?
Im looking for the Pink Floyds and U2 of piano...beautiful music thats not too complex and will introduce me to the genre.
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 7:22 AM Post #23 of 41
Because you're basically asking for easy listening and/or soundtrack music, not classical
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Feb 28, 2006 at 8:29 AM Post #24 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel
Michael Nyman plays the piano on "the Piano" soundtrack. Pires


Bingo! That's your problem right there. Try Moravec, Rubinstein, Ashkenazy and Pollini in that order.

See ya
Steve
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 2:34 PM Post #25 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel
Thanc for the suggestions...
Do any of the above that you mentioned play anything similar to the Glass and Nyman I mentioned above?
Is it just me that I dont hear a "song" when I listen to Chopin?
The nocturnes just seem dull and lifeless.



When you consider just how many pop songs have melodies lifted from Chopin that is really surprising! I'm Always Chasing Rainbows is straight from Chopin's Fantaisie Impromptu in C# Minor as an example. Try and get a download of that.

Masolino,

I love that album cover with Goya's Dog from the Quinta del Sordo.

CHAR-801050SA.jpg
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 2:50 PM Post #26 of 41
I 2nd the rec for Satie's Gymnopide's. Beautiful, haunting music. I'd also rec Brahm's late piano music (Opus 116, 117, 118, and 119). No hesitation or "if/buts" here
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Feb 28, 2006 at 5:42 PM Post #27 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by kwitel
I love the piano in a lot of the Movie Soundtracks like "The Piano" and "The Hours", by Nyman and Glass respectively. To me, its dramatic, emotional and extremely melodic piano play...but then again, I have NOTHING to compare it to.


Try the Preludes , and the ETUDES , all of them , they're quite dramatic too . NAXOS' Idil Biret performance add some "feminine" passion and a sense of urgency onto the dramatic-fast presentation that pertains to many of them .
Idil is my favourite Chopin performer , and her plays are very lively , quite anxious at times , very energetic and emotional , ans sweet too but only when the moment needs - you can't go wrong with her .

Naxos recordings are also cheap .
 
Feb 28, 2006 at 9:21 PM Post #28 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by bigshot
Bingo! That's your problem right there. Try Moravec, Rubinstein, Ashkenazy and Pollini in that order.

See ya
Steve



Ah, finally, someone else who puts Moravec on top for the Nocturnes. I agree!

As for the request for "pop classical piano", I'd third the Satie recommendation. Why not taste some Mozart? The Sonatas #10 to #13 (K330 to K333) are probably the most well known.

If you are not giving up on Chopin, the Polonaises and especially the Préludes are good suggestions.
 
Mar 1, 2006 at 12:16 AM Post #30 of 41
Quote:

Originally Posted by Ffodor
Ah, finally, someone else who puts Moravec on top for the Nocturnes. I agree!


Actually, I put Rubinstein on top, but folks around here seem to require digital recording.

See ya
Steve
 

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