It’s safe to say that people are experiencing classical music differently today than in the past. The internet has put music resources immediately at hand that would have been unthinkable even twenty years ago. I can search for a really obscure piece of classical music on YouTube or whatever, and chances are I’ll be able... Continue Reading →
Years ago, I stumbled on a website where a music lover had made a list of his or her favorite pieces for a variety of moods. That list encompassed all classical genres, and it was pretty comprehensive. Some of the associations led me to discover music that soon became some of my favorite. To show... Continue Reading →
Let me qualify the “you” of the title. I’m not trying to blame anyone or swing judgmental glances at the piano-playing populace. I’ve just been thinking lately about how certain pieces get stuck with a perceived difficulty level, and if that level overshoots the reality for the average piano student, it can lead to discouragement.... Continue Reading →
For many pianists, the only experience of playing in a two-piano ensemble might be while rehearsing and performing a concerto in a conservatory setting. Outside that setting, there’s a limited availability of venues with two performance-ready pianos, unless you’re touring professionally. And I doubt that the average dueling-piano bar would be open to an evening... Continue Reading →
Not every piano concerto has a significant cadenza, but we tend to remember the ones that do. They are spotlights for the performer to show their skills without any orchestral accompaniment in the way, and often composers save both their most challenging material and some important thematic development for these sections. In the Classical period... Continue Reading →
Hal Leonard Classical Piano Blog 