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!

My SoundCloud Channel: https://soundcloud.com/archie-chen
Official Website: http://www.archiechen.com
Youtube DIPF https://www.youtube.com/c/PianofestivalIe
Youtube Archie https://www.youtube.com/c/ArchieChenPianist
Festival Website: http://www.pianofestival.ie
Teaching Website: http://www.pianoacademy.ie

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

Johann Sebastian Bach - Piano: Anne Queffélec - BWV 639 "Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ" Aus dem Orgelbüchlein von J.S. Bach.

Johann Sebastian Bach - Piano  Anne Queffélec  - BWV 639  Ich Ruf Zu Dir Herr Jesu Christ

The Fountain of Valle Giulia
The Tritone Fountain
The Trevi Fountain
The Villa Medici Fountain

The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra 
November 6, 2022
Reuben Blundell, Conductor

Ottorino Respighi: Fountains of Rome

Franz Liszt: Ungarische Rhapsodie Nr 2

First attempt at a new piece I've been playing around with. One take, no editing, slightly dodgy upright piano. So don't be a dick about the odd fluffed note/shitty sound quality :)
Mikhail Pletnev's genius transcription for solo piano of Sleeping Beauty. What a melody...


Tchaikovsky/Pletnev Adagio from The Sleeping Beauty

The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra
November 3, 2024
Reuben Blundell, Conductor

Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra - Concert - 3 November, 2024 - Reuben Blundell, conductor

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5 - IV - Adagietto. Sehr langsam

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 5 - II - Sturmisch bewegt. Mit grosser Vehemenz

The Symphony No. 2 by Gustav Mahler, known as the Resurrection Symphony, was written between 1888 and 1894, and first performed in 1895. Apart from the Eighth Symphony, this symphony was Mahler's most popular and successful work during his lifetime. It was his first major work that established his lifelong view of the beauty of afterlife and resurrection. In this large work, the composer further developed the creativity of "sound of the distance" and creating a "world of its own", aspects already seen in his First Symphony. The work lasts around eighty to ninety minutes and is conventionally labelled as being in the key of C minor; the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians labels the work's tonality as C minor–E-flat major.

Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 2 (Resurrection)

Welcome to Archie Chen's magical nocturnal voyage with Grieg's "Notturno," Op. 54, No. 4 – a gem from the Lyric Pieces that'll whisk you away to a mystical realm of serenity and enchantment! 🌙✨

Inspired by Grieg's rejuvenating trip to the Jotunheimen Mountains and his encounter with the lovely Gjendine Slålien, this "Notturno" showcases the composer's finest expressive and fresh elements. In fact, Grieg himself couldn't resist playing it in multiple concerts! 🎹🏔️

Get ready to be immersed in a twilight dreamscape, painted with shimmering extended chords and captivating harmonic shifts. Feel the gentle chill of autumn and the warmth of tender memories as Archie Chen's performance brings this piece to life. 🍂🔥

A precursor to the likes of Debussy and Ravel, Grieg's "Notturno" whispers a blend of post-Romantic and nationalist tones that resonate through time – so much so that you might even recognize it from popular TV shows and commercials! 📺🎶

So, sit back, relax, and let Archie Chen guide you through this enchanting musical world where the wonders of the past and present intertwine. It's an experience you'll cherish forever – or, as Grieg might have said, "en opplevelse for livet!" 🌌💫

This is a studio recording made for RTE's Arena broadcast on July 20th 2017.

My SoundCloud Channel: @archie-chen
Official Website: www.archiechen.com
Youtube DIPF www.youtube.com/c/PianofestivalIe
Youtube Archie www.youtube.com/c/ArchieChenPianist
Festival Website: www.pianofestival.ie
Teaching Website: www.pianoacademy.ie

Piano: Steinway B
Recorded at RTE Radio Centre, Dublin

Edvard Grieg Notturno op. 54, no. 4

Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 'Emperor'

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 73 'Emperor' - II. Adagio un poco mosso

J.S. Bach - Magnificat D-dur, BWV 243 - Herbert von Karajan

Hailed as "The Best Orchestra of its Kind in the Universe," the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra can be heard Right here on Earth.  To read program notes about the pieces on Soundcloud, please visit our website at lansdowneso.org.

Ottorino Respighi: Fountains of Rome

Lansdowne Symphony

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