Classical Essentials

This is a studio recording from 2012 for the BBC film 'Loving Miss Hatto'. A biopic penned by the British comedian Victoria Wood about pianist Joyce Hatto.

The character piece is like the art song's fun-loving cousin who always shows up to the party with a bottle of emotional perfume. It's perfect for those intimate gatherings or solo rendezvous with your piano. Thanks to the piano's rise to fame in the 1800s, character pieces were popping up everywhere, and composers were flaunting their creations at the hottest recital events of the time. Basically, character pieces were the 19th century's version of a hot new single. If you thought Franz Liszt's music was boring, think again! This guy was all about giving his character pieces creative and whimsical titles, like "Sposalizio" and "Vallée d'Obermann". But don't worry, he didn't forget about those of us who like our music titles to be a little more straightforward - he also composed plenty of works with no-nonsense names like "Album Leaves" and "Klavierstücke". With his "Consolations" (a.k.a. "Six Poetic Thoughts"), Liszt took a page out of Chopin's book and delved into the world of nocturnes. And let me tell you, the third Consolation in D-flat major is pure Chopin - even the key is pianist-friendly, unlike those pesky "easy" keys like C major. Looks like Liszt knew a thing or two about pleasing his audience! If you're a Chopin fan, you're gonna love Liszt's "Consolation No. 3"! I mean, talk about a tribute - this piece is basically a carbon copy of Chopin's Opus 27, no. 1. And while it might not have the same flashy piano solos that Liszt is known for, it more than makes up for it with its dreamy, slow-moving melodies. Plus, it's in the same key as Chopin's original, so you know it's gotta be good.

Despite the unusual title, the Consolations were inspired by both poetry and religious contemplation, just like Harmonies Poétiques et Religieuses. Some say the title comes from an 1830 poetry collection by Sainte-Beuve, while others think it's based on a poem by Lamartine called A Tear (or Consolation). Either way, it seems like Liszt was in a pretty contemplative mood when he wrote these pieces. But don't worry, Liszt didn't completely forget his roots - he snuck in a little Hungarian folk song as the primary theme, which he later used in his "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1". So even though this piece might not match the wild, hair-flailing image we have of Liszt, it's still got a little bit of that old-school flavor. Liszt's "Consolation No. 3" wasn't just a musical masterpiece - it was also a major turning point in the composer's life. And let me tell you, Liszt's early life was a doozy - it was basically one big, crazy party. But don't take my word for it, just ask his first mistress (and mother of his three children) Marie d'Agoult, who wrote all about it under the pen name Daniel Stern. And if you're feeling really adventurous, you can even watch the 1975 film "Lisztomania" for all the juicy details. Talk about living the dream! Liszt's life was like something out of a Hollywood movie - seriously, this guy was breaking class barriers and performing like a superstar. But as he got older, he decided to trade in the limelight for a little bit of privacy. He started conducting orchestras and composing more, and even started teaching aspiring pianists from around the world. I guess you could say he was the original piano man!

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Piano: Yamaha C7
Piano Technician: Martin Walsh
Recorded at Cauldron Studios, Dublin
Recording Engineers: Ciarán Byrne & Michael Manning
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Franz Liszt Consolation no. 3 in D flat Major, S. 172

A recording of J.S. Bach's 'Preludie in C' played by Neil Balfour.

When J.S. Bach began working on his epic Well-Tempered Clavier in 1722, chances are he wasn't thinking that it would become one of the defining musical texts in keyboard history. But, somehow, it has - and the Prelude No. 1 in C Major is where it all starts.

The Well-Tempered Clavier (there are two volumes of it, each containing a prelude and a fugue in each musical key) kicks off in C Major, the most 'natural' musical key, so he obviously made sure that the first entry is a good one. Few pieces of keyboard music sound so delicate and fragile, but there's a very Bach-ian stability to it as well. 

It's a strikingly simple piece to begin with, gently phasing through different chords and registers, but it's one of those pieces that demands to be tinkered with. Consequently, you'll hear plenty of different interpretations of this much-loved work.

Prelude No. 1 In C Major | Bach

Tchaikovsky   Piano Concerto No 1, B Flat Minor, Op 23 Open   Best Of Classical Music

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Chopin: Balladen

Nocturne in E Flat Major, Op. 9: No. 2

Chopin - Nocturne in E Flat Major op. 9 No. 2

The Gymnopédies, published in Paris starting in 1888, are three piano compositions written by French composer and pianist Erik Satie.

The melodies of the pieces use deliberate, but mild, dissonances against the harmony, producing a piquant, melancholy effect that matches the performance instructions, which are to play each piece "painfully", "sadly" or "gravely".

Audius Classical Music
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Best of Satie
https://music.apple.com/gb/album/gymnopedie-no-1-single/847714522

Satie on Spotify
https://open.spotify.com/album/0vzKMInu4PzU2Qyi6NgmRK

Satie Album on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Erik-Satie-Essential-Collection/dp/B00J0LBFIG/

Erik Satie - The Essential Collection

Classical Music - The Essential Collection

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Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No.1

S. Rachmaninov - V. Gryaznov. Italian Polka

Kreisler-Rachmaninoff: Liebesleid played by Rachmaninoff 1923, on Ampico piano roll 62103. which scanned and converted into a digital form by Terry Smythe et al,, and audio-recorded (by permission)in 2015 by VViljanen, and the rec. updated 19 May 2017 from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Sergei Rachmaninoff 1873-1943
Info* of the original roll:
LIEBESLIED (LOVE'S SORROW) "alternating roll with silent sections Weiner Tanzweisen" (Old Viennese Dance Melodies) No. 2
Roll Number: 62103, 62103H
Composer/Creator: Kreisler, Rachmaninoff
Pianist: Rachmaninoff
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: June, 1923
Category: classical, popular
Original Price: $2.00
* source: from The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Kreisler-Rachmaninoff: Liebesleid. Sergei Rachmaninoff in 1923, on Ampico 62103

original music, Native American style flutes, double bass, piano

Deep In This Darkness a Light Gently Glows Whispering, Remember

Chopin: Waltz in C#minor op.64 no.2

The Chopin Fantaisie-Impromptu is one of those iconic pieces of the classical piano repertoire. It is arguably played too much so why have I added my performance? I think the infinite ways a piece can change in the hands of different musicians is actually very interesting. My version is fast but lyrical and I search for an unexaggerated and natural romanticism and warmth.

You can also follow me on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/2MRR1lV and stream the albums I have released there.

Franz Liszt-Liebestraum No. 3 in A-Flat Major

Kevin Likai Kao

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