About this time last year I was finishing up a multi-week exploration of the greatest piano sonatas from each period from Classical to contemporary. This topic may not be as cosmically significant as the Spider Nebula (pictured above), but I think it's worth discussing in the piano community. I always meant to create a landing... 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 →
In the year 1828, Franz Schubert stared down his impending death from syphilis and produced an astonishing amount of music. In his desperation, with the clock running out, he achieved some of his greatest art (see my post about his B-flat sonata). Thankfully, he also left most of it in a finished state, but the... Continue Reading →
Can we just talk about how neat duets are for a minute? Whether it’s a teacher/student duet for educational purposes, an arrangement of a Disney song, or a straight-up classical piece written specifically for one piano, four hands, playing duets is almost always fun and satisfying. There are so many fresh elements that you never... Continue Reading →
#2: Schubert - Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960 (1828) It’s probably worth mentioning that this piece is one of my all-time favorites. I started playing it in high school, polished it in college, and continue to play through it (especially the second movement) when I need a good pianistic catharsis. Another thing worth mentioning:... Continue Reading →
Hal Leonard Classical Piano Blog 