Classical piano music amplified™

Accessible Piano Repertoire from Latin America

Accessible Piano Repertoire from Latin America

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.

Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, First Movement, Amplified

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.

Burgmüller’s Opus 109 Amplified

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

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.

The Liszt Un Sospiro Amplified

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

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 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

Satie Gnossienne No. 3 Amplified

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

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.