The History Book Club discussion

This thread is dedicated to music which features the piano. We can also discuss famous piano compositions, pianists, etc.



This thread was requested by group member: Garrett.

Oh dear, my favourite! I love works from Chopin and Beethoven.


Prelude Op. 28 No. 15 in D flat major 'Raindrop'

Can I also suggest the following books on Chopin:



by Tad Szulc

Fryderyk Chopin: Pianist from Warsaw (no cover) by William G. Atwood

by William G. Atwood

by Adam Zamoyski

Great adds Aussie Rick.

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A few books for the serious classical piano student:

Robert L. Marshall

John Caldwell

R. Larry Todd

Hi Garrett, nice adds there, sorry to say I can't play a single musical instrument but I do love to listen to the piano, the violin and the cello.

Here is what a 1848 reviewer said about one of Chopin's performances:

"...'the sylph of the piano, the ineffable artist, attached to this mortal world by the merest touch of a finger and nourished by dreams from on high, and compared his playing to 'the sighing of a flower, the whisper of clouds, or the murmur of stars'." - Le Menestrel

Is't that great, to compare his playing to 'the sighing of a flower, the whisper of clouds, or the murmur of stars'.

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Oh dear, my favourite! I love works from Chopin and Beethoven.


Prelude Op. 28 No. 15 in D flat major 'Raindrop' "

Lovely Aussie Rick.

by David Crombie

This is a coffee table book for piano history lovers with beautiful pictures.

The cover and write-up look good. What is really strange is someone from goodreads gave it one star and then without a comment. It is a shame when someone does this for whatever reason.

It is expensive but would this person give it that rating because of the price of the book. The book looks beautiful.

I own a copy. It is what you would expect. A lavishly photographed book which takes you through the history of the piano through it's illustrations. Unless you are expecting something else, it does what it sets out to do.

That is what I believed too Garret; you might want to add your review to the cited book so that there is balance when somebody is looking at this book and deciding whether it is for them. Right now there is just the lone disgruntled and unhappy reviewer who probably is unhappy with more things than just Crombie's book (smile). Some folks are just dissemblers.

David Crombie

Done!

Terrific. I felt bad for the poor author.

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http://www.jazzvideocafe.com/?v=JycfQ...

Jazz piano history via video: Rare video of the legendary Art Tatum playing. This is an excerpt from a video documentary hosted by Chick Corea on jazz piano history.

Who are some of your favorite pianists?

Hi Garret, is that in history or current? As I love Chopin as you may have already guessed :)

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Garret, is that in history or current? As I love Chopin as you may have already guessed :)"

Either way, it is all welcome here.

My favorite pianists would have to be:

Martha Argerich
Arthur Rubinstein
Vladimir Horowitz
Glenn Gould
Leonard Bernstein
Alicia de Larrocha

Ah, I could go on and on!

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Jason,
I love your picks and I am sure we will be adding others giants to the list.

Moving on to a different style of piano playing, here is a link to an article about an influential jazz pianist who is usually remembered as a pop vocalist Nat King Cole .

Jason wrote: "My favorite pianists would have to be:

Martha Argerich
Arthur Rubinstein
Vladimir Horowitz
Glenn Gould
Leonard Bernstein
Alicia de Larrocha

Ah, I could go on and on!"
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Those are some of my favorites as well. Here are some video links:

Martha Argerich
Arthur Rubinstein
Vladimir Horowitz
Glenn Gould
Leonard Bernstein
Alicia de Larrocha

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A few books on these pianists.

Harvey Sachs
This one got great reviews when it came out.

both by Artur Rubinstein
These autobiographies created a stir for their frankness when they came out. Amazing life he had!

Harold C. Schonberg
I read this years ago, but remember that I couldn't put it down.

David Dubal
These were interesting reads.

There are many books on Gould and Bernstein. Anyone have a recommendation?

Ahh Garret what great videos.
Perfect for a beautiful Sunday!

Garret wrote: "Jason wrote: "My favorite pianists would have to be:

Martha Argerich
Arthur Rubinstein
Vladimir Horowitz
Glenn Gould
Leonard Bernstein
Alicia de Larrocha

Ah, I could go on and on!"

Those are ..."

Thank you so much Garret...terrific.

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Sviatoslav Richter plays Ravel "Pavane"

That's lovely music Garret, thanks for the post and link :)

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Van Cliburn plays Liszt's Twelfth Hungarian Rhapsody in Moscow in 1962

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Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli plays Frédéric Chopin - Marche Funèbre - Funeral March

One of the great pieces of music, lovely!

Garret wrote: "http://www.jazzvideocafe.com/?v=JycfQ...
Jazz piano history via video: Rare video of the legendary Art Tatum playing..."

I love Art Tatum.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyeadN...
Ken Burns Jazz clip, 5:31 (extended version of above)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib_3iZ...
Tiger Rag, 2:13

Thanks for the links, Carol.

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Byron Janis plays Prokofiev
Concerto for piano and orchestra No.3 in C major
Orchestre national de la RTF
Paul paray conductor

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Aldo Ciccolini plays "Gymnopédie No. 1" by Satie.

A beautiful piece and very well played (Ciccolini playing Gymnopedie No 1)

very nice piece of music, great post Garrett.

Bill Evans trio-Spring is here

Great add Garret.

Herbie Hancock: Sonrisa

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAFH_K...


(with Wayne Shorter, Brian Blade and Dave Holland)

Joe Sample: Carmel

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH3D9I...

Joe Sample: A Rainy Day in Monterey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIokSY...

I've recently discovered the music of Alan Hovhannes and bought several CDs containing his symphonies and guitar concerti. Does anybody here know if there are recordings available of his piano compositions? (surely he must have written some, he was so incredibly productive).

Currently I am a bit obsessed with minimalist music, and one of my great recent discoveries has been Philip Glass's Tirol Concerto, the slow second movement of which I listen to over and over when I am stressed (often). Treat yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxIHxJ...

PS. This has reminded me of another recent obsession, Philip Nyman's Piano Concerto (based on his music for the film, 'The Piano') to which I am going to listen right now!

André wrote: "Joe Sample: A Rainy Day in Monterey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIokSY..."

Thanks for the links.

Chopin's Berceuse Op. 57

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Hi Garrett, nice adds there, sorry to say I can't play a single musical instrument but I do love to listen to the piano, the violin and the cello.

Here is what a 1848 reviewer said about one of ..."

Great quote, Rick. Reminds me of another by a 17 year old contemporary named Charles Halle (founder of the Manchester orchestra) who heard Chopin play and wrote to his parents:

"I heard- Chopin. That was beyond all words. The few senses I had quite left me. I could have jumped into the Seine. Everything I hear now seems so insignificant that I would rather not hear it at all. Chopin! He is no man, he is an angel, a god (or what can I say more?). Chopin's compositions played by Chopin! That is a joy to be surpassed... There is nothing to remind one that it is a human being who produces this music. It seems to descend from heaven- so pure, so spiritual. I feel a thrill each time I think of it."

It must have been magical to have heard Chopin play.

Anyone like Schubert? Horowitz playing . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq1CgN...
Schubert Serenade, (5:42 -- still visual)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6_Sbf...
Impromptu in G flat major D899 No.3, (7:28, slight delay)

Nice quote Max, thanks for sharing :)

Nice music there Carol as well, also thanks for sharing, its very nice to listen to, very relaxing.

On the subject of Chopin, who could forget his great contemporary and good friend Franz Liszt? He was another of the great pianists of the day, who would cause ladies in the audience to faint during his performances. He also wrote an account of Chopin's life:

by Franz Liszt

His piano compositions are well on par with Chopin's...

Liszt's Consolation No. 3 & No. 4

Great pieces, by the way Carol, Schubert is one of my favs!

There is so much great piano music to post! I could go on forever!

Here are some piano concertos...

Grieg's Piano Concerto in A minor

Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5

And more of Liszt's compositions:

Un Sospiro - "A Sigh"

La Campenella - "The Little Bell"

I'll have to stop myself now or else I'll just keep on going, haha.

Keep the great links coming everyone!

But, Max, could you pleaeaease add who's playing.
After all that too makes a huge difference...
Thanks!
André

Andre, sometimes it doesn't say on the video who's playing- so I wouldn't know. That aside, in most cases it should say in the video description but if it doesn't it's because no one of note is playing (Horowitz, Rubinstein, Gould...) as is the case with the recordings I've posted.

Max