Posted on 11/30/2008 6:25:54 PM PST by billorites
It was May of 1829 and Frederic Chopin was 19 when he went to hear the great Niccolo Paganini perform his first concert in Warsaw. He was called "a wizard, " "the devil incarnate," "super-human," "a violinist without equal" wherever he performed. Chopin was mesmerized by his playing Paganini's technique was positively acrobatic. What could he, Chopin, compose for the piano á la Paganini, something different that would echo what he had just heard? A few months later, he wrote to his best friend, Titus Woyciechowski, that "I have written a big, technical exercise in my own way." Shortly afterward, he wrote again: "I have composed a few exercises. I would play them well for you if only you were here."
< SNIP >
The highly original and experimental mind of Chopin gave birth to the "Black Key Étude" -- where, for the first time, the right hand plays only on the black keys from beginning to end. Incredibly, with changing harmonies, he creates a theme despite all that virtuosity. The great violinist Jascha Heifetz, whom I had the good fortune of knowing very well, walked into the room where I was practicing this étude. He asked, "Would you just play the left-hand accompaniment?" I thought, "Is he going to try to play that very difficult right hand on the piano?" But, instead, out of his pocket came an orange, which he held in his right hand. "Ready?" He rolled the orange back and forth over the black keys, sounding almost like the real thing -- almost! We were in hysterics. I thought, maybe this étude should now be called the "Orange Étude" -- though I am not sure Chopin would have agreed.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
OK now, help me find a CD of the 24 Etudes by Cuban pianist Juana Zayas.
Etude Brute?
*runs*
Juana?
I coulda, but now I canta.
I've got several recordings of the Etudes by a bunch of nameless eastern European pianists from 15-20 years ago that would knock your socks off.
The late Claudio Arrau did some nice recordings as well.
If you have all the time in the world you could get drunk and wait for me to work my way through one or two...
Seriously, some of the Preludes I can handle, but the Etudes are just for the pros.
Paganini’s 24th caprice is brilliant. He wrote it just to show off his skill. I will check if there’s one on youtube.
As I've heard the story told, Mrs. Heifetz would always flee from the room blushing at this point...
I’ve played about half the etudes, but few of them well.
I saw the young violinist James Ehnes play that caprice in the living room of a home in Seattle as part of a fundraiser. I’ve never witnessed anything like it since.
If I could play nothing else on the piano, I would be satisfied with a handful of Chopin.
They sound beautiful and they feel good under the hand. It's tactile music.
In my teens, he was my favorite composer.
Juana’s interpretations are supposed to be THE best (in recent times.) Outta print, too!
I don't doubt it.
Any pianist who isn't deeply compelled to wrestle with Chopin needs to consult an endocrinologist.
Chopin’s Berceuse Op. 57 is a relatively simple piece, nothing like some of his waltzes and impromptus, but it’s sublime. There is no other way I can describe it.
Ok maybe not that simple. :)
Musician ping.
Ever notice a ledge either side of the piano key? That was indented. Chopin used to lay his gloves there.
Chopin introduced me to the word sublime.
Part of it has to do, I believe, with developmental age too.
I've heard Chopin since early childhood, who hasn't? It's in cartoons, advertisements, etc.
At some point, for aspiring pianists anyway, a bell goes off. As if all at once you hear the music as if for the first time.
Suddenly this elevator music that has always been in the background starts to speak to you. Like it's calling you by your name.
Make a sublime click Here.
Here are all the Etudes as mp3's.
Plus all the sheet music as pdf's.
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