Variations on the A Major Scale
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ก.ย. 2023
- Variations on the A major scale - a walk through the practice rooms in the conservatory when all the composers are practicing.
Buy the score on Amazon here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CHL52X6K
In ten minutes, starting from a simple one-octave A major scale, this piece explores the history of Western music. The scale starts out as the cantus firmus of a counterpoint exercise and It then develops into the subject of a Bach fugue. It continues its journey through the timeline of classical music from the Baroque period to the twentieth century. The scale is woven into the harmonies and melodies of this musical scavenger hunt in a subtle way. This all-in-one etude, nocturne, fugue, and impromptu challenges and showcases the technique, creativity, and musicality of the pianist.
Composed and performed by Nathan Zhao
#piano #pianomusic #pianosolo #pianorelaxing #music #classical #classicalmusic #pianomaster #backgroundmusic #composer #composition #musiccomposer #musiccomposition - เพลง
I expected a gimmick, but many of the later variations are remarkably sophisticated. An excellent performance of a fun composition!
It's not sophisticated, when you puzzle random pieces together, that simply do not fit, and your process of coice is simply what you like the most. As a whole, this piece is just a gimmick, a complete joke.
@@Whatismusic123 WIM (@Whatismusic123) is a notorious troll who leaves hate comments (such as this one) on videos of mostly modern music, but also some Classical and Romantic music like Beethoven and Liszt. They also leave hate comments on lots of original compositions from TH-camrs (including myself), even though they ignore criticisms of their own compositions. WIM also makes up lots of "music theory" "concepts" to justify theur hate comments and completely distorts the reality of music. "Arguing" with them is completely useless, as they will not accept a single thing.
-TheMobiusFunction
he's just mad that this piece is actually good @@themobiusfunction
@@themobiusfunctionhe's just mad that he makes bad compositions while other people make compositions that are even better than his 😂😂😂
1:35 fugue?? Brand new idea on an beautiful scale!
Very clever composition, and brilliantly played! Well done! - felt like a small walk through musical history. Hints of two-note harmonies, baroque elements, classicism, romanticism, modernism and contemporary elements, all within a short 10 minute composition. Love the textures and ideas at 5:55 and 8:05
I specifically hear homages to Mozart's piano concerto no. 23, mvt. 3 (Var. VIII) and Chopin's funeral march (Var. X). I heard a few other variations that I kind of recognized but couldn't place.
Could you hear any homages to famous masterworks that I missed?
I heard some burgmuller maybe (etudes op100) and a little too much out of the box perhaps with some handel sarabande. But then I'm only talking about the rhythmical form
@@esrabemelmans Timestamps?
I absolutely love the fugue. This is the absolute work of a genius, on A Major Scale!
I don't know where you studied music but this is not a fugue, the fugue involves a tonal or real subject which is transposed in the response to the dominant, to the third voice to the tonic and in the fourth to the dominant to finish the exposition and the countersubject must also be transported
@@vekkyo6026 Var. 6.
@@rhys8878 I imagine you understand something about music and harmony 🤣😂
@@vekkyo6026 could be a fugato
There’s no fugue.
But to all those replying, don’t be rude music snobs
What a piece, my friend! I am glad such a composer lives.
Found you again
Omg rachmanjohn
Amazing, both the written and execution! Would love to hear more of your compositions
Love the Mozart piano concerto 23 theme and that this delightful piece was dated on my bday. XD absolutely fascinating work of art. So important to love your scales and the structure they bring to your art on any instrument. Bravo!!!
Wow! I am genuinely blown away by this. What a brilliant idea to do variations on something seemingly so mundane in music (a scale). And boy they were some variations. Bravo!
Terrible variations, and an incomplete scale. Not sure how you're blown away
WIM (@Whatismusic123) is a notorious troll who leaves hate comments (such as this one) on videos of mostly modern music, but also some Classical and Romantic music like Beethoven and Liszt. They also leave hate comments on lots of original compositions from TH-camrs (including myself), even though they ignore criticisms of their own compositions. WIM also makes up lots of "music theory" "concepts" to justify their hate comments and completely distorts the reality of music. "Arguing" with them is completely useless, as they will not accept a single thing.
-TheMobiusFunction
@@Whatismusic123
@@Whatismusic123those "terrible variation" Are better than anything that you have made
@@darrellaldrige3909 egotistical, braindead contrarianism won't get you anywhere
@@Whatismusic123... which applies more to you than anyone else here
Perfect work!!
Its marvellous
Very interesting and innovative piece of music! Keep up the good work!
Interesting work
This is incredible!
This is a masterpiece! Kudos!
Beethoven reference in var. 9, love it.
Mozart reference in 8 ;)
@@ajmaltaujoo4277 Yeah, someone else already mentioned that in a comment below, which is why I dind't say anything. But I didn't see anyone mention the Beethoven reference. ;)
Incrível! Gostaria se mais composições assim
This is brilliant! Var 15 is incredibly creative and novel! Playing is fantastic as well! 🎉🎉
Wow. This is extremely well crafted. I smiled at all the references. The performance is remarkable. This should be an encore on many a program.
Variations 15 was my favorite, a very jazzy feeling!
Love jazz variation 15!
This is a lot of fun! Love the many nods to various classical composers, particularly the quote from Mozart’s A major Piano Concerto! ❤
Very good!
I never listen to these all the way through, but I stayed for this one. Awesome work! Good pattern of tension and release makes it compelling to keep listening
amazing
Very useful for honing compositional skills.
Reminds me of a more modern take on Ut Re Mi variations by Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck. Really well done!
Bravo!
Bravooo 👏👏👏👏👏
Haha love this! Are the first few variations just first/second species counterpoint lol
I thought the same
Actually, it goes all the way up to 5th species, and then florid counterpoint.
Love this!! A great experience listening
this is great. It's interesting how an entire universe is born from something so simple.
As a true lover of musical fantasies or variations I'm absolutely amazed by your composition!!
Well done and keep it up!!!
All very beautiful craftsmanship. Is there a specific reason why you did not write Variation 11 in 6/8?
I love this work, sorry if i not speak well the language, im from Argentina. Is to good work, you make me to keep in your composition, hearing all of the notes, Very good!
Truly truly genius composition. Respect where respect is due. It’s good to see there are other composers in the postmodern world who have their heads on right. Cheers! Looking forward to more from you.
To a headless chicken, everyone who has lost their head looks the same. He doesn't have his head on right, he's just as headless as you.
@@Whatismusic123 WIM (@Whatismusic123) is a notorious troll who leaves hate comments (such as this one) on videos of mostly modern music, but also some Classical and Romantic music like Beethoven and Liszt. They also leave hate comments on lots of original compositions from TH-camrs (including myself), even though they ignore criticisms of their own compositions. WIM also makes up lots of "music theory" "concepts" to justify theur hate comments and completely distorts the reality of music. "Arguing" with them is completely useless, as they will not accept a single thing.
-TheMobiusFunction
Amazingly constructed from beginning to end. All the references to different composers and eras came through, but were so well knit into the whole of it that they didn't disrupt the natural course of the piece. Great pianism as well!
Oh my dear heavens, this is beyond incredible!
Damn this is such a cool idea. Good work on both the composition and the playing!! Keep it up :DD
Very imaginative. A good introduction to composition and the necessary emulation of styles.
Why didnt you change the time signature in variation XI? Would be much easier to read I think
Congratulations
What a counterpoint
Nathan, your playing is magnificent and your compositions are so very intriguing. I am an elderly piano teacher and always searching for examples of living composers. Is there any way that you would be comfortable sharing any biographical information. I would love to share your magic with my students. Thank you for all the joy that you bring and best of luck in all of your endeavors! BRAVO!!!!
Please don't poison your students with garbage pieces like this, even if you like the fictional idea that there are any good classical composers alive.
@@KrisSucksAtLife Enaudi is a poster child of pandering. His pieces are awful, he just uses chord progressions and techniques which are popular in "sad music" or "exciting music" and puzzles them together, regardless of how well they fit together.
He's also simply not a classical composer at all, he composes pop music.
@@Whatismusic123Self-burn from a fellow composer?
@@Whatismusic123After looking at the "music" you put out on your channel, I think it's really cute that you think you're entitled to criticize anyone else's compositions, especially in such a scathing way. You are utterly insufferable and even if you were actually talented, it wouldn't justify treating others in the way that you do.
This is awesome!
I'm going to to this on my harp
i really love var 12 is really unique
this is so epic
Wow! Great work!
This is incredible
Like the old masters did with the hexachord fantasias! Nice!
You are an amazing pianist
Here's one to fan the flames for the Schenkerians and their hotly contested 8-line Ursatz.
Can somebody please help me, the first notes of the var. VIII (3:00) sound like a very famous sonata, but I can't remember which one ...
Interesting
At 3:00, mozart concerto 23 reference? XD
6:56 rach 3 reference?
Wonder is there a reason you choose A major but not another key?
Amazing composition, but your piano chops are insane too! What killer repeated notes!!
This is a remarkable idea! Very well done, an absolutely brilliant composition. You should be very proud if this work. This concept would be a great exorcise for composers to practice composing!
Wherr is humppa? It is not right if not humppa
Isn't every piece in A major a variation on the A major scale?
Not really ? Variation in A major scale variation on the scale not they key. This means the pattern of the scale (ascending and descending) keep appearing and changing. The trick to see the scale appearing in this variation is to look for A in the start of a phrase in where the melody is.
very impressive!!
great imagination, a fertile inventiveness and technically assured. both in the composing and the performance.
well done sir - from some one with a composition degree but so completely demoralized that i can no longer compose
OMFG
>8D
Guys, this isn't just a major scale . . . it's A major scale, LOL
I really like Var. 11
Are we witnessing the next Mozart?
Are you kidding? Nothing more than just style copies, not even well done.
What??? No
WIM (@@Whatismusic123) is a notorious troll who leaves hate comments (such as this one) on videos of mostly modern music, but also some Classical and Romantic music like Beethoven and Liszt. They also leave hate comments on lots of original compositions from TH-camrs (including myself), even though they ignore criticisms of their own compositions. WIM also makes up lots of "music theory" "concepts" to justify their hate comments and completely distorts the reality of music. "Arguing" with them is completely useless, as they will not accept a single thing.
-TheMobiusFunction
@@themobiusfunction activating the plugin that disables youtube comments again. i've relapsed a bit lately and I'm so sick of this shit, most worthless person on this fuckin earth
It is the whole history of the western music
A cute exercise
var. 8 reference to mozart piano cto. 23?
🤣
i do not like bar 30
yeah that 8ve was ass bruh
It's less of a "variations on the A major scale", and more of a "compilation of ideas, based on the A major scale."
WHY
Yea I don't understand the difference, explanation please?
@@joshtheviolinist variations music is a piece where there's an incomplete theme presented, then a series of variations progress and make up the form of the piece.
In this case, the "variations" don't do anything, they're just different ideas based on the same concept.
@@Whatismusic123in my opinion, some of these variations do fit well in making the form of the piece, but I see your point in some parts
You know it's bound to be terrible when it starts on a 14 bar phrase 4+4+4+2(needs to be 4)
Also the time signature is 2/2 not 2/4
2:20 is this even the same piece? Nice standalone idea, but it doesn't fit in the slightest. Don't forget that variation pieces need form.
Oh my dear elitist friend, you must hate Haydn…
@@bennyksmusicalworld968 Haydn is great.
There's a great deal of difference between an incomplete phrase, and an uneven one. The one presented in this video is incomplete.
cringe.
Didn’t Dvorak write his symphonic variations specifically because the theme had an irregular bar phrase, 7+6+7?
@@orangemandarin7925 yeah, and dvorak is terribly incompetent.
Damn, the counterpoint is a joke too.
not you being complete knob again 😭
Ok make your own version
@@Jwellsuhhuh he will if you're not careful
what is it that makes you dislike it? I'm genuinely interested.
(As a side note, I don't think these variations were intened to be a masterpiece, so no need to be rude.)
@@amiapsychopatThis person is a troll has been commenting on random classical music videos for years now. Ignore them.