Ask a pianist.

What concerti have you learned? I personally have learned the Rach 2nd, Tchaik 1st, Beethoven 1st and am working on the Chopin 1st

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I'll answer for myself (I want to be loved ) but when you start off you should do finger exercises to train your technique, whether they be Hanon or Czerny or whatever. If your technique becomes sufficient then usually just by working on your pieces your technique is being trained.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Sir VG

How do you get your desire back to play a piano after having played for over 10 years only because you were nagged by your mother?

I don't know if there is any real answer to that. If you were completely forced against your will then I don't know what to say, music like any art is only truly experienced by the willing.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Snowknight

What is, out of the pieces you've ever learned, your favorite piece? (That is, if you can even name a few as opposed to many.)

Hmmm... probably either the Rach 2nd or the Chopin 3rd Sonata.

Double Post:

Originally Posted by ^___^

None yet. I don't intend to make a living as a soloist, but mostly as a teacher and accompanist / chamber musician..

I could definitely see myself learn some in the future, though. Stuff I want to play before I die includes the Henselt F minor, Moscheles G minor, Prokofiev 2nd, Rach 1. I'll probably end up learning a few Mozart ones on the way, but I can't say they're my main goal.

I love the prokofiev 2nd. Been working on the 1st movement quite a bit, got most of the 1st movement done. The cadenza is a beast and possible one of the biggest musical feats ever! Good luck with that, it's doable but will take LOTS of time.

The Rach 1 is such an underrated masterpiece... luckily this weekend I get to see it live

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Originally Posted by Snowknight

On a related note to my previous question, what piece(s) do you aspire to play one day? Rather, what works--that you haven't already studied and played and practiced--make you enjoy what you do even more? (So, I had trouble coming up with the second question >_>)

Oh man, that is impossible to answer.

The rest of the Beethoven concerti, the Chopin, Rachmaninov, Prokofiev, Liszt, Mendelsshon and more concertos. The Beethoven Hammerklavier, Appasionata, Op. 111, the list goes on and on.

Double Post:

Originally Posted by hiya

Do you play any other instruments?

I play the cello as well.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by The Wise Vivi

Was there ever a time in your life where you just wanted to stop playing because it was too hard?

Not for me, but I'm different. Music has been my greatest passion since early childhood so I could never imagine quitting music. Ever.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

You know what, I don't know. I have been studying piano since I was very young, I have had good teachers and I practice 3-4 hours a day, every day. On the weekends sometimes I even practice longer. I am very serious with my studies and plan to take music as a career. With that much practice time to devote to the piano anybody can play very difficult pieces.

You think that is a lot? Many kids out there by my age have already learned the Brahms Concerti (way above my league right now), the Prokofiev 2nd, etc. What I've learned really isn't that much compared to many others.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Fyodor D.

I think it just seems to me odd that ANYONE with such talent finds their way to a gaming forum.

Heh. Usually during my (limited) free time I play games. Usually I only get gaming time on the weekends. I just browse the board when I take breaks and stuff.

I know major concert pianists who are gamers too

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Rangel

I'm a big fan of Chopin, and out of all the pieces he has written, what would you consider his hardest to play?

Same question for Lizt, though I'm not such a fan of his music...I just know his music is very showy, amazing to watch, but not nessicairly to listen too. IMO.

Chopin wrote many difficult pieces, his Sonatas, Ballades, Scherzi, Etudes (especially), some of his Preludes and concertos are all difficult. I would say the most difficult SET of music would probably be the Etudes as they focus exclusively on technique (thus they are etudes).

As for Liszt all of his music is difficult. The most overall difficult piece for me is probably his Sonata. This piece is just so deep, so musical, yet so technically demanding. Not to mention the fact that in the 30+ minute piece there are virtually NO breaks.

As for absolute technical difficulties again I would say his etudes for the same reason as the Chopin ones.

And for saying that Liszt is all show, it all depends on the pianist. May pianists tend to play Liszt as fast or loud as they can, and as a result they fail to really emphasize the more beautiful lyrical sections.

How ya doing, buddy?

Oh and his William Tell Transcription (spelling?) That is ridiculously hard. I actually change my vote to that.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I believe that Mozart is difficult because one must make music with such a small amount of notes. Many people overlook the difficulties of Mozart because the notation seems fairly simplistic. However with Mozart the difficulties don't lie in the technique as much as they do in the musicality and interpretation. I believe that is what he meant.

Double Post:

Originally Posted by Fyodor D.

And the William Tell isn't nearly as hard as any of those I listed, personally. It is on par with Rigoletto, which is not too bad.

Oh damn, right I meant the Don Juan transcription. My bad

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

If I am seriously learning it for like a concert or competition, then I usually memorize them. I use multiple methods to memorize. Often times it comes to muscle memory, but to really get it in my memory I usually study the score and make sure I know the score inside out. Often times memorizing backwards can work too (too lazy to explain if you don't know what I mean.) Other times I just take it line by line. It's like 12 am and I have to sleep soon

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Originally Posted by Gr|M

Yeah if you haven't heard his Ballad in g minor it's on the pianist soundtrack if you have that or seen the movie. Otherwise I could send it to you somehow. Let me know. It's definately worth listening to.

I have learned the Chopin G minor and have performed it several times. It is really a wonderful piece, I especially love that coda at the end

Double Post:

Originally Posted by Sepharite

Have you ever had sex on the piano?
Have you ever met some hot chick (or dude, whatever you prefer) while playing piano?
When are you going to get new recordings?

I have never had sex on the piano.

If you mean met like in a relationship, then no. But I have caught the attention of hot chicks while playing

Um, I am not really sure. I don't plan when I get them, I just do when I feel like it

Double Post:

Originally Posted by xen0phobia

Is reading notes kinda like reading arrows in DDR? What i mean is that do you eventually get so good at it that it requires no thought... like you could play and talk at the same time. Thats how it is now that i've been playing DDR for just over a year. I no longer have to concentrate on the arrows... i just kinda "know" where to move. Is piano similar?

In a way. It is very difficult to explain. It's actually almost exactly like reading words in a book. You don't necessarily read every word, you just need the shape of it to tell what it is. When you are comfortable enough with reading then it does become second nature. HOWEVER, it is still difficult (of course) to sightread through certain pieces (cough Prok 2nd, Rach 3rd, Brahms 2nd, etc)

I was speaking idiomatically.

Like Hamelin another great pianist who has partially devoted his career to exposing lesser known masterpieces is Stephen Hough. His CD called "The Piano Album" is probably one of my favorite CDs, and virtually none of the pieces are well known. Just gives you an idea of what we are missing out on

I understand Hough's often controversial interpretations, but keep in mind that for example his performance of the Rach 2nd and 3rd (which were extremely fast) follow the metrenome markings that Rachmaninoff himself indicated. I even checked it myself and he is right on the money. Strange how music has slowed down. Just try following the Chopin 1st with the metrenome set exactly as Chopin wrote it, you'll be surprised.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Shiny McShine

Please explain to me the words symphony, opus, etude, movement, sonata, etc. with the piano terms. What is he differewnce and what makes a song a cretain 'type' of that music?

I believe the world Symphony literally translates to "sounding together," which is why in a Symphony you will always hear many different instruments playing together.

Opus was a word that was used to number a composer's compositions. It's translated meaning means work.

An etude is a work that is used as a study on technique. For example, Chopin's Revolutionary Etude focused on left hand runs. His Op. 25 No. 6 focused on thirds. Many composers known for their Etudes are Liszt, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Debussy, Czerny among others.

A movement is a large portion of an even larger work of music. For example, a movement of a Symphony or a Sonata, which I will get into next.

A sonata is a work that often consists of may different movements. The traditional sonata style would have a fast first movement, a slower second movement often in a different key, and an exciting finale which was often a Rondo. However that form has changed and evolved during time and even people such as Beethoven and Haydn often broke from that tradition. The translation literally means "to sound."

As for the last question I'm not entirely sure what you are asking...

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Originally Posted by xSummonerYUnax

How do you maintain your composure when you're performing for a crowd of people?

Really the best way is through experience. Try to grab as many performing oppertunities you can. Try to gather friends to watch you. Also, try to focus less on the audience and more into the music, it helps.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

One of my favorite pianists is Murray Perahia. His interpretations are almost always very lyrical and sensitive. Horowitz was great as well but I thought most of his recordings were very bangy and percussive. However, he has had some very wonderful moments though certainly deserves to be well recognized.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Zuare

I have a question. On the sheets for certain songs, such as Gackt's "blue", and "Brave new heart" from Leaf piano collection (which I believe was actually transcribed by face) it seems that you have to play three different parts at the same time. Is it actually possible for one person to play this on their own?

It depends. If the 3rd line's print is smaller than it is meant for a 2nd person. However if all 3 are the same size and there is no indication that a 2nd person is needed then all 3 should be played by one person. A few examples of pieces with 3 lines are the Prokofiev 2nd's 1st movement cadenza and the first time the main theme is played in the Mazeppa Etude.

It is possible and having 3 lines makes it easier to read most of the time. They do that because if they put all the notes in just 2 lines then it would be too cluttered.

There's nowhere I can't reach.