Classical Music

[LeBonChic]

And I agree with you about the four seasons, it's just one of those things that's been really badly treated by the media (and street musicians) and now I can't listen to it normally. It's a shame.

You can say this again and again and again. Im raged at how people abuse classical pieces.

Anyway, If any of you like Bach, search Magnificat too. Oh magnificent music .

 

[Toccata]

Absolute best place to get free classical scores; http://imslp.org/wiki/

 

[ParadEyes]

Welcome Gius

A heavenly piece I stumbled across today

 

[flyingace]

Absolute best place to get free classical scores; http://imslp.org/wiki/

now I feel like a fool for all those times I had to buy one of those Ricordi editions that cost like 10 euros 20 pages. For some reason I never thought of internet.
I still prefer books for big things, but if it's just a couple of pages... this is going to be really useful.

 

[jgyn]

Orchestral Interlude from Alban Berg's 'Wozzeck.'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7ohcKQst4U

 

[farou7a]

subscribing!
i love this thread!

 

[Birkin]

i grew up listening to a cassette of "the four seasons" that my brother and i brought, for me is the most beautiful and moving classical music ever wrote. some musicians nowadays think that the faster they play it , the better they are, but they are completely wrong , it's not bout speed , it's about sensibility, and i have to say that the best version i've ever heard is the one performed by Susanne Lautembacher with the Viena camera orchestra, just perfect. Everytime i listen to it i feel adrenaline and at the same time. Vivaldi was a true genious , and i often think that if he lived today he would be a rock star, he was the classical music rocker.

 

[ysl]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJuc_wQWQG0

 

[papa_levante]

ome musicians nowadays think that the faster they play it , the better they are, but they are completely wrong , it's not bout speed , it's about sensibility

I am a classically-trained pianist and lemme just say how true this is. Some of the most difficult pieces I have ever had to play were slower.

 

[sweetpop]

I am a classically-trained pianist and lemme just say how true this is. Some of the most difficult pieces I have ever had to play were slower.

What you've said is more than the truth! So many people who aren't classically trained/ who's extent of classical music knowledge doesn't go beyond Beethoven's Für Elise won't know that slower pieces are much more difficult to play well. We can't blame them of course, but we better! Every wrong note and rhythm can be heard; there's no skidding over notes unlike quicker pieces. Yes, fast peices performed well most definitely requires the performer to have good stamina and technique, but slow peices demand precesion in rhythm and greater attention to detail at times, because there's hardly room for error.

 

[purplethistle]

I also agree with Papa_levante's statement. It doesn't matter how long you practice the slow paced song for every time you play it you have to be on the ball for every note, otherwise you'll definitely ruin the mood.

Also agree with sweetpop that skidding in a fast pace song is easy to get away with. One time on the day of a piano exam I realised that I had bee playing a chord wrong but the fact that it could only be heard for a micro second escaped the attention of my piano teacher and most definitely the examiner.

It's been a while since I've played the piano and I really should get back to it, tried today and it was kind of sad how bad I am know when back in the day I was technically really really good etc., but does anyone know where I can get sheet music from for free since I really don't feel like dishing out money for a music book where I might only play a song or two?

 

[papa_levante]

Quite a few places actually!

A great site is pianofiles.com. Users post what sheet music and/or books they own, if it's official sheet music or a transcription, how many pages, lyrics, etc. Each user has his/her own trading policy. (For example, I would only trade books for books. Otherwise I didn't feel it was an even trade. If they didn't have books, I would choose 2-3 different individual sheets from their collection.)

I would suggest at least having a few sheets on your profile before requesting other users share. That way they have something at least to choose from. Many are nice and don't ask for anything in return, but some will. Some are stingy.... some are slow... some ignore you altogether. But it is THE BEST place I have found on the net for free sheet music really quickly.

There are some blogs online too. It'll be easy to find classical music since it doesn't have a copyright, but popular modern stuff is more difficult especially if it's newer.

http://pianotte.szm.com/
http://my-piano.blogspot.com/


Hope that was of some help.

I have a few things saved on my laptop as well. Some of it is "popular" stuff so if there is a song you are just itching to learn, chances are good I itched too.

 

[flyingace]

What you've said is more than the truth! So many people who aren't classically trained/ who's extent of classical music knowledge doesn't go beyond Beethoven's Für Elise won't know that slower pieces are much more difficult to play well. We can't blame them of course, but we better! Every wrong note and rhythm can be heard; there's no skidding over notes unlike quicker pieces. Yes, fast peices performed well most definitely requires the performer to have good stamina and technique, but slow peices demand precesion in rhythm and greater attention to detail at times, because there's hardly room for error.

Maybe certain slow pasages require a great deal of attention to the sound, but I still find it more frustrating to spend months playing something without even being able to get the notes right, and that is not playing at the appropriate tempo. I bought the Mephisto Waltzes and the Dante sonata this summer, they were so cheap... it was a terrible idea.

It's true that there are many fast but comfortable passages that are easy to play even though it wouldn't seem like that to people when they listen to it. It's true that you can fool yourself as well... it's not true that you can fool the others, things played like that are usually a mess, youtube is full of them. A few notes, maybe, a whole piece, no way.

In the end the difficult and fast passages are the hardest, at least that's my opinion. So, I'm with the people in this one.

but does anyone know where I can get sheet music from for free since I really don't feel like dishing out money for a music book where I might only play a song or two?

Tocatta posted a great link on the previous page. Check it out, thanks to him I'm learning how to play Rameau's Gavotte avec six doubles (I've been wanting to play that for a long time)

 

[sweetpop]

In the end the difficult and fast passages are the hardest, at least that's my opinion. So, I'm with the people in this one.

In terms of technicality, fast passages of course are hardest to master. The surprising amount of people who think the 'skidding' during the fast pieces is actually right is surprising however! I think a classical example is when people play 'Flight of the Bumblebee' on the piano; so many notes are missing that it seems as if the bumblebee lost one of it's wings!

 

[purplethistle]

Thanks for the site suggestions for sheet music.

Might be a bit ambious of me considering its been over two years since I've played the piano but I'm trying learn Toccata and fugue in D minor by bach. I love that song and only now am I realising how technically difficult it actually is.

 

[papa_levante]

I'd say that the faster songs I've learned in the past were quite simple. I think it's my quick fingers. I rock at quick scales! B)

I have a knack and I really prefer lively, chipper pieces. No pedal required. Each note is a bouncy tune. I prefer those pieces.

 

[flyingace]

Might be a bit ambious of me considering its been over two years since I've played the piano but I'm trying learn Toccata and fugue in D minor by bach. I love that song and only now am I realising how technically difficult it actually is.

Bach's fugues have always been a pain even more a transcription from organ I imagine.

 

[sweetpop]

Bach's fugues have always been a pain even more a transcription from organ I imagine.

The truth and nothing but the truth!!

 

[LeBonChic]

French Suite No.3 - Bach
It feels so good playing again. I feel alive

 

[Toccata]

Anyone try any Liszt Transcendental Etudes?
Those Mazeppa leaps and octaves! - I have the scorebook on my shelf,
it took five minutes to buy and will take a lifetime to master.