Adult students who are advanced beginners need attainable piano repertoire. So I was happy to review Piano Accents: Latin America, a new piano book of nine songs arranged and composed by Neeki Bey and Gail Fischler.
Classical piano music amplified™
Bach Goldberg Variations’ Aria Amplified
Amateur pianist Michael Brazile plays the Aria from the Bach Goldberg Variations in this original video, and offers advice on how to handle the tempo and repeats.
Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, First Movement, Amplified
The first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight” Sonata is always a source of great delight and fascination. As a Steinway artist and a teacher, I have played and taught this piece—more formerly known as the first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp Minor—so many times.
Brahms Intermezzo in B-flat Minor Amplified
Rabbi David Posner, amateur pianist, plays the Brahms Intermezzo B-flat Minor: a video, his story and insight from a music masters student at Mills College.
Burgmüller’s Opus 109 Amplified
In this practice video, I play the first section of The Pearls, Burgmüller Opus 109. Unfortunately, my extended pinky problem made an unwelcome appearance.
The Chopin Prelude in A Major Amplified
While the Chopin Prelude in A Major only lasts 16 measures and takes about one minute to play, it is a wonderful study in imagination of dynamics, color, and rubato. I explore this work from multiple perspectives here, as part of GRAND PIANO PASSION™’s well-regarded Classical Piano Music Amplified™ series.
Debussy’s Sarabande from Pour le Piano in Video
Playing the Sarabande from Debussy’s Pour le piano is like losing yourself in an Impressionist painting. Shirley Gruenhut performs the piece in this video.
The Liszt Un Sospiro Amplified
A closer look at the Liszt Un Sospiro reveals patterns in the rolling arpeggios, an Impressionistic quality, and some historical background on the piece. The most striking part of Un Sospiro is its ethereal and poetic qualities, with its rolling arpeggios and flowing melodic line creating an atmospheric mood.
Women Composers Celebrated in Classical Piano Recital
Sometimes I stop and ask myself, among the stacks of Chopin and Debussy and Bach and Beethoven (not to mention Scarlatti and Mussorgsky and Copland and Glass) I’ve been playing for most of my life, why every single one of the classical composers I’m familiar with is a man?
Mozart
Mozart Fantasia in D Minor Played by Toshiko Nishino
Mozart is difficult for adults because his music is not so much simple but pure. I hadn’t played Mozart since I was a child, so when my piano teacher suggested that I pick up Mozart, I thought, I don’t know how to play this kind of music.
Mussorgsky
Anna Shelest’s Pictures at an Exhibition: A Personal Journey for this Student of Adult Piano Lessons
A week ago this past Sunday, inside one of the grand salons of the Ukrainian Institute on Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue, I watched Anna Shelest strike the opening chords to Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.
Satie Gnossienne No. 3 Amplified
Satie’s Gnossienne No. 3 is charming yet hypnotic, requiring from the pianist a flexible sense of rhythm and a probing creative streak to interpret Satie’s colorful, written indications. In this article, part of GRAND PIANO PASSION™’s well-regarded Classical Piano Music Amplified™ series, I look at the piece from multiple perspectives.
Cast a Spell with Schumann’s Album for the Young
Schumann’s No. 30 from Album for the Young has a way of casting a spell of contemplation over its listeners. Whenever I perform this music, I meditate on how I reclaimed my passion for classical piano music. I want to share with you my secrets on how to study and play the No. 30 with best effect.