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

Franz Liszt: Liebestraum N°3 S.541 - Jean Muller, piano

Antonin Dvorak - Humoresk

A cello quartet arrangement of the second movement of Vivaldi's Cello Sonata no. 3 in A minor RV43

Vivaldi - Cello Sonata III in a minor - Allegro

Schubert - Serenade "Leise Flehen Meine Lieder"

"Tones sound, and roar and storm about me until I have set them down in notes."
-Ludwig van Beethoven



Ludwig Van Beethoven - Sonata No. 17 In D Minor For Piano, Op. 31 - 2 (The Tempest)- III. Allegretto

"Fantasia in B Minor" is a classical-style composition by Lisa Linsky that draws inspiration from renowned classical composers such as Beethoven, Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and others. By capturing the essence of their musical styles, "Fantasia in B Minor" embodies their dramatic and emotional intensity. 

Lisa has incorporated elements of virtuosity, intricate counterpoint, expressive themes, and a wide dynamic range. These characteristics aim to captivate and engage the listener, immersing them in the narrative of the piece.

"Fantasia in B minor" is anthem like in style, but deeply powerful, and a track that resonates with such a clever juxtaposition, darkness and light, shadow and sun, it’s all here in a solo piano performance that is simply fantastic.

Fantasia in B Minor - Lisa Linsky - Solo Piano

Track: Serenade
Composer: Franz Schubert
Profonda: Juan Gonzalez
Piano: Jarkko Riihimäki
Album: La magia del corazón
Recorded at Nikodemus-Church, Berlin-Germany 2011
Profonda Music
www.violaprofonda.com


Serenade (by Franz Schubert) - Viola Profonda &amp; Piano 2011

Beethoven: Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, WoO 59, "Für Elise"

Frederic Chopin - Nocturne Op. 72 (Posthoumus) No. 1 in E minor - Andante

The “Waldstein Sonata” is one of Beethoven's most famous sonatas, and is an excellent example of one of his more Romantic sonatas. Its first movement is a sonata in somewhat standard sonata form; however, Beethoven modulates to the mediant when moving from theme I to theme II, which is not a typical key relation in a classical sonata. The development involves repeated instances of various themes from the exposition set over myriad modulations throughout various obscure keys.
	The second movement is an extremely slow introduction to the third movement. Its slow speed is not calm, but rather tense. The tension increases slowly throughout the piece, reaching a strong climax and then leading the listener to a suspenseful transition into the third movement. Most of the material of the piece is built on a simple dotted rhythm with a rising interval.
	The final movement of the Waldstein sonata is a long journey from a large variety of emotions, from dark and blisteringly fast, to soft and quiet. This is perhaps the most romantic of the movements of the sonata, with many blurred harmonies due to long pedal markings, dramatic moments, and extreme emotions. It achieves a sort of transcendental feeling found in compositions of the Romantic periods with its long pedal markings, shimmering textures, and its slow harmonic rhythm. These characteristics foreshadow elements of Beethoven's later sonatas where he capitalized on slow harmonic rhythm and muddied textures that seem to lose any melodic content.

This is from my senior recital on December 2, 2012.

Beethoven: Bagatelle No. 25 in A minor, WoO 59, "Für Elise"

Nicholas Elauqsapid

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