Piano Lessons Resume February 17, 2009!

With piano lessons beginning again during the same week as school vacation (February 16-20), I will need to know whether or not you intend to come that week at your regular lesson time. Please send me an email or call my home phone number and leave a message on my answering machine to let me know of your plans. If I have not heard from you by Friday, Feb. 13 I will be calling you to find out if you want to come for a piano lesson during vacation week.

Week 5 - Van Cliburn plays "Reflets dans l'eau" by Debussy

Our fifth weekly listening selection is Claude Debussy's "Reflets dans l'eau" ("Reflections in the Water"). It is the first of three pieces from his collection entitled "Images," Book One, which was published in 1905.

Make sure you have a few minutes to sit and listen without interruption. As you listen to the piece, try to focus all your attention on the music, and make sure there are no distractions around you. To help you focus, here are a few questions with things for you to think about, concentrate on, and try to hear. When you are through, post your answers below in the "Comments" section, or send me an email.

Listening Questions:

1. Is this piece for solo piano, or do you hear other instruments as well, and if so, what other instruments can you hear?
2. Do you recognize this music (is this a new piece to you, is it somewhat familiar, or have you definitely heard this music before)? If you have heard it, do you know where or when you heard it?
3. What is the mood or emotion conveyed by this piece of music, and what are the notes and rhythms doing that gives you that impression?
4. Can you describe some of the musical things you hear occurring (for example, are there long scale passages, arpeggios, big chords, etc.)?
5. As you listen to it, how does this music make you feel? Would you say you like this piece, and why or why not?

Bonus Question:
Can you find some biographical information about Debussy (the composer), or about Van Cliburn (the pianist)?

Week 4 - Murray Perahia plays "Brandenburg Concerto No. 5" by J. S. Bach

This week's musical selection is the first movement, the "Allegro," of Johann Sebastian Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No. 5. Some music scholars have called this work the first-ever example of a solo keyboard concerto.

Make sure you have a few minutes to sit and listen without interruption. As you listen to the piece, try to focus all your attention on the music, and make sure there are no distractions around you. To help you focus, here are a few questions with things for you to think about, concentrate on, and try to hear. When you are through, post your answers below in the "Comments" section, or send me an email.

Listening Questions:

1. Is this piece for solo piano, or do you hear other instruments as well, and if so, what other instruments can you hear?
2. Do you recognize this music (is this a new piece to you, is it somewhat familiar, or have you definitely heard this music before)? If you have heard it, do you know where or when you heard it?
3. What is the mood or emotion conveyed by this piece of music, and what are the notes and rhythms doing that gives you that impression?
4. Can you describe some of the musical things you hear occurring (for example, are there long scale passages, arpeggios, big chords, etc.)?
5. As you listen to it, how does this music make you feel? Would you say you like this piece, and why or why not?

Bonus Question:
Can you find some biographical information about J.S. Bach (the composer), or about Murray Perahia (the pianist)?

News & Notes - February 1, 2009

Since I won't be there to hand it to you personally, here is a digital copy of the February Newsletter. Please be sure to open and read it carefully as there are important details I don't want you to miss.

Week 3 - Vladimir Ashkenazy plays "Polonaise in G# Minor" by Chopin

Our third weekly listening selection is Frederic Chopin's Polonaise in G Sharp Minor. A polonaise is a type of dance of Polish origin (polonaise being the French word for "Polish"), and is written in 3/4 time.

Make sure you have a few minutes to sit and listen without interruption. As you listen to the piece, try to focus all your attention on the music, and make sure there are no distractions around you. To help you focus, here are a few questions with things for you to think about, concentrate on, and try to hear. When you are through, post your answers below in the "Comments" section, or send me an email.

Listening Questions:

1. Is this piece for solo piano, or do you hear other instruments as well, and if so, what other instruments can you hear?
2. Do you recognize this music (is this a new piece to you, is it somewhat familiar, or have you definitely heard this music before)? If you have heard it, do you know where or when you heard it?
3. What is the mood or emotion conveyed by this piece of music, and what are the notes and rhythms doing that gives you that impression?
4. Can you describe some of the musical things you hear occurring (for example, are there long scale passages, arpeggios, big chords, etc.)?
5. As you listen to it, how does this music make you feel? Would you say you like this piece, and why or why not?

Bonus Question:
Can you find some biographical information about Chopin (the composer), or about Vladimir Ashkenazy (the pianist)?

Week 2 - George Gershwin plays "Rhapsody in Blue" by Gershwin

This week's listening selection is George Gerswhin's "Rhapsody in Blue." In its original form, this piece was written for two pianos, and was later orchestrated three different times by arranger Ferde Grofé.

Make sure you have a few minutes to sit and listen without interruption. As you listen to the piece, try to focus all your attention on the music, and make sure there are no distractions around you. To help you focus, here are a few questions with things for you to think about, concentrate on, and try to hear. When you are through, post your answers below in the "Comments" section, or send me an email.

Listening Questions:

1. Is this piece for solo piano, or do you hear other instruments as well, and if so, what other instruments can you hear?
2. Do you recognize this music (is this a new piece to you, is it somewhat familiar, or have you definitely heard this music before)? If you have heard it, do you know where or when you heard it?
3. What is the mood or emotion conveyed by this piece of music, and what are the notes and rhythms doing that gives you that impression?
4. Can you describe some of the musical things you hear occurring (for example, are there long scale passages, arpeggios, big chords, etc.)?
5. As you listen to it, how does this music make you feel? Would you say you like this piece, and why or why not?

Bonus Question:
Can you find some biographical information about George Gershwin (the composer and pianist)?

Week 1 - Arthur Rubinstein plays "Piano Concerto No. 2" by Rachmaninoff

Our first musical selection is the third movement of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. This movement is called the "Allegro Scherzando," which refers to the tempo. (Do you know what allegro scherzando means?)

Make sure you have a few minutes to sit and listen without interruption. As you listen to the piece, try to focus all your attention on the music, and make sure there are no distractions around you. To help you focus, here are a few questions with things for you to think about, concentrate on, and try to hear. When you are through, post your answers below in the "Comments" section, or send me an email.

Listening Questions:

1. Is this piece for solo piano, or do you hear other instruments as well, and if so, what other instruments can you hear?
2. Do you recognize this music (is this a new piece to you, is it somewhat familiar, or have you definitely heard this music before)? If you have heard it, do you know where or when you heard it?
3. What is the mood or emotion conveyed by this piece of music, and what are the notes and rhythms doing that gives you that impression?
4. Can you describe some of the musical things you hear occurring (for example, are there long scale passages, arpeggios, big chords, etc.)?
5. As you listen to it, how does this music make you feel? Would you say you like this piece, and why or why not?

Bonus Question:
Can you find some biographical information about Rachmaninoff (the composer), or about Arthur Rubinstein (the pianist)?