Classical piano fans or pianists?

[Ortho_cat]

Hello, just curious if there are any classical piano fans or pianists out there? If so, speak now or forever hold your 'piece'! 

[Opus118]

Yes there are. I am an avid fan and a really lousy pianist. I am particularly fond of Opus 118 no.2.

[Ioannis Climacus]

I am quite a fan myself (especially of Chopin, whom I consider the world's greatest composer to date). I have, in the past, played a good deal of the piano, but as of more recent times, ceased to played regularly.

[PeterTheAleut]

My undergraduate music studies required that I pass an exam showing my proficiency with the piano, but I never studied piano beyond that. Even so, I certainly enjoy listening to a good piano work. I am particularly fond of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos No. 2 & 3.

[Ortho_cat]

Yes there are. I am an avid fan and a really lousy pianist. I am particularly fond of Opus 118 no.2.

I love Brahms, and this piece especially! I am just getting ready (to attempt to) play it, wish me luck! 
Are you able to play it well? It seems to be very difficult to interpret musically...

[Ortho_cat]

I am quite a fan myself (especially of Chopin, whom I consider the world's greatest composer to date). I have, in the past, played a good deal of the piano, but as of more recent times, ceased to played regularly.

Agree completely! Do you have any favorites of Chopin's work? I am especially fond of his Etudes. I think they are some of the most intricate, complex, and sophisticatedly beautiful series of compositions for piano I have encountered.

I'm able to play his Nocturne's 9,1 and 9,2 decently, and am looking for more to start playing. Any recommendations around this skill level?

[Ortho_cat]

My undergraduate music studies required that I pass an exam showing my proficiency with the piano, but I never studied piano beyond that. Even so, I certainly enjoy listening to a good piano work. I am particularly fond of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos No. 2 & 3.

Yes, I am very fond of Rach's works, as well as his playing style. I especially like his interpretation's of Chopin's works on youtube (such as this):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj3CHx3TDzw&p=A447AFEC70CEFA43&playnext=1&index=33

[Ortho_cat]

I also like Scriabin quite a bit. I learned a couple of his etudes and preludes, and really enjoy playing them.

I recently started listening to Liszt and am addicted to him right now. I am currently learning his Consolation 3. I think Horowitz interpretation is far and away the best I've come across of this, which is utterly sublime and transcendant:

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

I don't have an acoustic piano of my own, but I have a Roland HP207 digital in my room which is convenient and plays well enough.

[chatelaa]

My father was a concert/classical pianist, a wonderful interpreter of Chopin.  The story goes that when I was brought home from the hospital, after I was born, my parents put me in my little bed, as close to the piano as possible; then my father began to play Chopin's Nocturnes.  To this day, if my spirit is unsettled, I just have to play a Chopin CD and I will instantly relax: part of my bone marrow now.  Classical music is wonderful for the Soul.  My brother became a classical music critic and I am a painter---with Chopin playing in the background as I paint.  BTW, a great book to read if you like pianos:  THE PIANO SHOP ON THE LEFT BANK: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier by Thad Carhart.  Favorite piano (to listen to)?  The 1840's Pleyel; Chopin's favorite.

[PeterTheAleut]

My undergraduate music studies required that I pass an exam showing my proficiency with the piano, but I never studied piano beyond that. Even so, I certainly enjoy listening to a good piano work. I am particularly fond of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concertos No. 2 & 3.

Yes, I am very fond of Rach's works, as well as his playing style. I especially like his interpretation's of Chopin's works on youtube (such as this):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj3CHx3TDzw&p=A447AFEC70CEFA43&playnext=1&index=33

Or Rachmaninoff's rendition of Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 2... This from the 3rd movement, the Funeral March: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6mIk90ORmw

[PeterTheAleut]

I am quite a fan myself (especially of Chopin, whom I consider the world's greatest composer to date). I have, in the past, played a good deal of the piano, but as of more recent times, ceased to played regularly.

Interesting... With my university orchestra last year, the piano prof performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2. Excellent work for piano, but not all that well orchestrated... Chopin was a wonderful composer indeed; proper orchestration of a work, however, was not his forte. But then this thread is about the piano, not about the orchestra.


Arthur Rubinstein's performance with the London Symphony Orchestra (dir. Andre Previn) in 1975

Movt. I: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ge-V8PwR9hI

Movt's. II & III: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DZ1B3Kd6ZE

[Opus118]

Yes there are. I am an avid fan and a really lousy pianist. I am particularly fond of Opus 118 no.2.

I love Brahms, and this piece especially! I am just getting ready (to attempt to) play it, wish me luck! 
Are you able to play it well? It seems to be very difficult to interpret musically...

I should have put five more reallys in front of lousy. I haven't been able to play it all the way through yet.

[scamandrius]

I am way out of practice but I love classical piano.  My favorite composer over all is Beethoven and I love playing his bagatelles and sonatas.  I used to be able to play some Liszt Rhapsodies but not any more.

[Fr. George]

My days of mediocre playing are well behind me, but I'm still a huge fan of classical piano.  Huge fan of Rach 2 and 3; Chopin is either #1 or #2 in my eyes (I hadn't really thought through a ranking before now).

[PeterTheAleut]

Lest we forget this fact in the shadow of his mastery of the genre of the symphony--he composed some of the most powerful, revolutionary, and popular symphonies ever performed--I think we need to recall that Beethoven was also a master of the piano sonata. Does anyone have any favorite Beethoven piano sonatas?

[Opus118]

Lest we forget this fact in the shadow of his mastery of the genre of the symphony--he composed some of the most powerful, revolutionary, and popular symphonies ever performed--I think we need to recall that Beethoven was also a master of the piano sonata. Does anyone have any favorite Beethoven piano sonatas?

The Waldstein, Tempest and Pastoral. The 32 variations in C minor is/are also a favorite.

[scamandrius]

Lest we forget this fact in the shadow of his mastery of the genre of the symphony--he composed some of the most powerful, revolutionary, and popular symphonies ever performed--I think we need to recall that Beethoven was also a master of the piano sonata. Does anyone have any favorite Beethoven piano sonatas?

Waldstein is his best, in my opinion. I can listen to that for hours.

[Ortho_cat]

I love Op. 57, 'Appassionata'. Bravo Beethoven!  

Here is a great clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEptNFzLpjk&feature=channel

This lovely lady is coming to play in our city next season, I will definitely be in attendance!

[Ioannis Climacus]

Agree completely! Do you have any favorites of Chopin's work? I am especially fond of his Etudes. I think they are some of the most intricate, complex, and sophisticatedly beautiful series of compositions for piano I have encountered.

I'm able to play his Nocturne's 9,1 and 9,2 decently, and am looking for more to start playing. Any recommendations around this skill level?

Ah, Nocturne 9,2 is one of my favorites (and definitely one of the most well appreciated). I don't know why, but I have always been a fan of Prelude 20 (which is a relatively simple piece, yet one of the most beautiful). Have you played any his waltzes (I would personally recommend 69,2)?

[Ortho_cat]

Agree completely! Do you have any favorites of Chopin's work? I am especially fond of his Etudes. I think they are some of the most intricate, complex, and sophisticatedly beautiful series of compositions for piano I have encountered.

I'm able to play his Nocturne's 9,1 and 9,2 decently, and am looking for more to start playing. Any recommendations around this skill level?

Ah, Nocturne 9,2 is one of my favorites (and definitely one of the most well appreciated). I don't know why, but I have always been a fan of Prelude 20 (which is a relatively simple piece, yet one of the most beautiful). Have you played any his waltzes (I would personally recommend 69,2)?

I haven't, but there are some great ones 69.2 being one of them. The only other pieces I've played of Chopin other than the two i've mentioned are a Mazurka (I can't remember which # at the moment), the 'dragonfly' prelude 11, and his etude 25.9 "butterfly" (I was able to play this at about 75%, far from well) After my hands/wrists started getting sore from practicing it so much, I just gave up...  

How about yourself?

[HandmaidenofGod]

As a matter of fact, I'm listening to Ferruccio Besoni now...

[Heorhij]

I love classical piano. Among my favorites are Mozart's piano concertos, Beethoven's sonatas (8th, 23d, 27th and pretty much all of them), Chopin's Polonnaise and mazurkas, Lizst's "Grandes Etudes de Paganini" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-nfP6QV78&feature=fvwk), Rakhmaninov's 2nd and 3d piano concertos, and other.

[Ortho_cat]

I love classical piano. Among my favorites are Mozart's piano concertos, Beethoven's sonatas (8th, 23d, 27th and pretty much all of them), Chopin's Polonnaise and mazurkas, Lizst's "Grandes Etudes de Paganini" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-nfP6QV78&feature=fvwk), Rakhmaninov's 2nd and 3d piano concertos, and other.

Some great selections there, Heorhij. Do you or did you ever play?

[scamandrius]

I'll just come right out and say it: I can't stand Chopin.  I know piano enthusiasts adore him, but I just don't see the appeal. Maybe it's just me.

[Heorhij]

I love classical piano. Among my favorites are Mozart's piano concertos, Beethoven's sonatas (8th, 23d, 27th and pretty much all of them), Chopin's Polonnaise and mazurkas, Lizst's "Grandes Etudes de Paganini" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-nfP6QV78&feature=fvwk), Rakhmaninov's 2nd and 3d piano concertos, and other.

Some great selections there, Heorhij. Do you or did you ever play?

Thank you. No, unfortunately I cannot play any musical instrument. I have an excellent ear for music, I can repeat most complicated tunes with my voice, but I have always had a very poor finger coordination. When I was little, my parents tried to teach me piano (my mom actually played quite well), and sent me to an evening piano school when I was in my third grade of my general school. But I only lasted one year in that piano school. At the end of that year, we had a "concert," a recital, and after that recital, according to the tradition, our teachers had to say something about how we performed, so that we, the students, and our proud parents would hear. My teacher just said, "well, you performance was very, errr, LOUD!" Thank God, my parents got the message and pulled me out of the piano school. But I did sing in a very famous Ukrainian boys' choir "Dzvinochok" ("The Little Bell") from 1966 till 1969. I participated in many performances in my home city of Kyiv and also in Moscow, and we were on TV and all. ))

[Heorhij]

I love classical piano. Among my favorites are Mozart's piano concertos, Beethoven's sonatas (8th, 23d, 27th and pretty much all of them), Chopin's Polonnaise and mazurkas, Lizst's "Grandes Etudes de Paganini" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-nfP6QV78&feature=fvwk), Rakhmaninov's 2nd and 3d piano concertos, and other.

And mind you guys, growing up in the former Soviet Union and not knowing much about the Hollywood classics, I had begun to love Rakhmaninov's 2-nd piano concerto LONG before I saw "The Seven Year's Itch"!

[PeterTheAleut]

I love classical piano. Among my favorites are Mozart's piano concertos, Beethoven's sonatas (8th, 23d, 27th and pretty much all of them), Chopin's Polonnaise and mazurkas, Lizst's "Grandes Etudes de Paganini" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5r-nfP6QV78&feature=fvwk), Rakhmaninov's 2nd and 3d piano concertos, and other.

And mind you guys, growing up in the former Soviet Union and not knowing much about the Hollywood classics, I had begun to love Rakhmaninov's 2-nd piano concerto LONG before I saw "The Seven Year's Itch"!

Good for you! I was also privileged to hear the Rach 3 concerto many times for many years before I watched Shine. Sure, David Helfgott is a wonderful example of what someone can accomplish while dealing with a debilitating mental illness, but compared to the truly great pianists like Vladimir Horowitz or Evgeny Kissin, he isn't very good.

[Ortho_cat]

I'll just come right out and say it: I can't stand Chopin.  I know piano enthusiasts adore him, but I just don't see the appeal. Maybe it's just me.

What in particular do you not like about him?

[Ortho_cat]

Just came across this and thought it was so good I had to share it with someone:

Glen Gould Goldberg Variations 1-7 (ignore the commentary):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7LWANJFHEs

[stashko]

I love the accordion sound , Plus some accordions have piano keys ,does that count....

[minasoliman]

subscribing to this thread...as much as I am a fan, I am lousy at identifying my name a piece of music that I can recognize.

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