I'm glad you found this hidden gem. Usually these titles are underwhelming clickbait but this time around I'm very impressed. The piece oddly enough makes me think of Little Red Riding Hood
This piece is so much fun; it feels like a slightly more grounded/folky Ravel piece. Thanks for sharing; I was only familiar with his “Decorations” for piano. Merry Christmas!
@@FrederickViner "Socrates" and "Cinq Nocturnes", I think. But there are too many good works by Satie that I like, so it's difficult for me to chose my favourite.
Gymnopedie is fairly well known, but the only one of Satie's pieces to have any kind of mainstream success. I do agree that it's a shame considering how creative his entire catalog of "furniture music" was, pretty much inventing a genre with that
What a lovely piece of music. It is truly a crying shame that so many gems like this go unnoticed throughout history, but unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast.
Oh wow! I love discovering hidden gems like these. Thanks for introducing me to this!! The piece flows amazingly well and I absolutely am blown away by how clever it is.
I'm sure you're probably familiar with it Fred, but for those who haven't heard, Ireland's "Sarnia - An Island Sequence" contains some of his most magical writing for piano. The whole thing is gorgeous from start to finish!
Thanks for bringing this marvelous piece on my radar ! I know a fair bit of Ireland's piano music but this one had somehow passed me by. Ireland was a truly great piano composer whose works should be much better known. His writing is immensely assured and attractive, his inspiration always freshly flowing, his mastery of form second to none. Damn, yet another piece I absolutely will need to play now 🙄☺
Thanks for making me discover this piece ! You're doing a good job at un-neglecting it ;) Personally it gives me Stravinsky vibes - beginning of petrouchka... maybe the ternary rhythm or the folky kind of character idk
Really wonderful piece - and so well played! Thank you very much. For several months I''m listening to English music from early 20th c., that is to be honest not well known in Germany. John Ireland seems to be my next Have-to-listen-to-composer.
Cool piece from a undeservedly neglected composer. In the same way a secondary theme of an exposition may be reworked to serve tonic in the recapitulation it looks like theme B is a fragmented tonal sequence of theme A. Could you make another video comparing and contrasting theme A and B while pointing out the harmonic cadences in the rest of the piece? The harmony of theme A seems to suggest flexibility within tonic (left hand of theme A relies heavily on non-harmonic tones) but the harmony of B is pretty stagnant on IV. How do these themes interact in the racap and what real changes occur to these themes? Thank you!
Interesting piece. Thanks for sharing. BTW, B is derived from A. So technically it is not an independent idea, rather a motive form of A (to borrow Arnold Schönberg's terminology)!
Another lovely video. If you're playing something yourself, it would be nice to have some footage of the performance as well, it really enhances the "live" feeling of the music
it’s great and sophisticated. There unfortunately have been many john irelands out there over the last 600 years. The canons, the paradigms, the groupthink, the algorithms, should not have the final word.
The Ireland Sonatina was one of my ABRSM Grade 8 pieces in my teens in the mid-90s, so I must be one of the few people in existence to have rehearsed and played the whole thing to death. Big chunks of it are still in my muscle memory nearly 30 years on.
@@FrederickViner It was all three movements - I suspect it was down the bottom end of the List A pieces, and very probably the only one my piano teacher knew I would enjoy playing (as a massive “20th-century or nothing” kind of teenager). I grew to love it over the time I spent preparing for Grade 8 and I remember playing it for my GCSE Music performance as well, so we must be talking about 1995-6. I’m afraid I can’t remember what my other pieces were, but I know I was playing number 3 from Copland’s “Four Piano Blues” around that time, so that might have been one of the others.
British music is definitely full of hidden gems. I personally knew this magnificent work, but there are works written by Peter Warlock, Ciryl Scott... and many even lesser known composers, that would deserve better recognition and popularity.
@@FrederickViner Researching about British music, for piano but not only, is one of my obsessions hehe! Hope you're having great holidays too. I'll write you soon!
@@SpaghettiToaster: None of the sections really sound like Kapustin at all; and I say that as one of the most avid fans of Kapustin you'll ever encounter. The later part sounds like Ravel.
Well I like Ireland and I do know this piece. He wrote lots of good but piano music but this movement is one of the better ones. His music benefits from having a form or genre to slip into and the 'Columbine' waltz similarly benefits from engaging with a dance form. Unfortunately the Sonatina is let down by its first movement, which I suspect is why this is performed less than other multi-movement works like Sarnia and Decorations. From other composers, York Bowen's 'Romp' finale to his Second Suite for piano is comparable, and maybe more 'catchy' in the sense of it being something that could stick in your head after one listen. I can't sing this back, I'm afraid! Catchier still is Debussy's Danse, "Tarantelle styrienne".
Bowen wrote lots of catchy stuff (maybe worthy of a follow-up vid?). And yes the first movement of this is particularly dense. Do you know the story behind the 'CAD' motif?
@@koifishes-tl I'm more of a Bach and Chopin person and I know what I like. I don't like your type of classical music for the same reason I don't like rap music.
@@FrederickViner I mean, harmonising a melody by including everything you have learnt in the curriculum to demonstrate it as if trying to pass an exam in order to get the higher grade.
I'm glad you found this hidden gem. Usually these titles are underwhelming clickbait but this time around I'm very impressed. The piece oddly enough makes me think of Little Red Riding Hood
This piece is so much fun; it feels like a slightly more grounded/folky Ravel piece. Thanks for sharing; I was only familiar with his “Decorations” for piano.
Merry Christmas!
So pleased you enjoyed it, Bethany! Merry Christmas to you and your family :)
It sounds like if Gustav Holst and Maurice Ravel tried to write a piece together!
I played this as a child and was obsessed with it. Was so happy to see the first bars in the thumbnail!!!
How did you discover it? :)
@@FrederickViner there was a copy in my local library. I think I just borrowed it first out of intrigue!
Happy to say idle curiosity got me here. I'm glad I stayed, what a delighful catchy clever well composed piece!
The tautness of sonatina form always intrigued me, and this sounds like it's up on the levels of Ravel, Emmanuel and Koechlin. Really good stuff.
Wonderful performance, crispy and shiny! I love the polyrhythm 3 against 2 at 2:53, perfectly executed! Great composition.
Same with Satie's music: he wrote so many stunning pieces of music, but now all of these works are barely appreciated by any. What a shame.
Do you have a favourite work by Satie?
@@FrederickViner "Socrates" and "Cinq Nocturnes", I think. But there are too many good works by Satie that I like, so it's difficult for me to chose my favourite.
This but with Ornstein
Gymnopedie is fairly well known, but the only one of Satie's pieces to have any kind of mainstream success. I do agree that it's a shame considering how creative his entire catalog of "furniture music" was, pretty much inventing a genre with that
Reminds me of that modern style Nahre Sol plays.
This piece would be so much fun to orchestrate!
You should have a go!
@@FrederickViner And I would love to hear a transcription for organ!
Amazing! I love how bustling and vivacious this is. Happy holidays!
So glad you enjoyed it! Happy holidays to you too, John!
What a lovely piece of music.
It is truly a crying shame that so many gems like this go unnoticed throughout history, but unfortunately that's just the nature of the beast.
I've included the link to the score in the description if you fancy a go? Happy holidays :)
@@FrederickViner ha! Already beat to that haha
I really admire your videos, as well as your compositions.
Happy holidays!
Oh wow! I love discovering hidden gems like these. Thanks for introducing me to this!! The piece flows amazingly well and I absolutely am blown away by how clever it is.
The theme reminds me a lot of the middle jazzy section of Ravel's concerto for the left hand.
Bravo! Very unique and interesting piece. I thoroughly enjoy your musical analyses.
I'm sure you're probably familiar with it Fred, but for those who haven't heard, Ireland's "Sarnia - An Island Sequence" contains some of his most magical writing for piano. The whole thing is gorgeous from start to finish!
Sounds a bit Medtneresque or Stanshinsky-esque, but in it's own interesting way!
Brilliant!
Thanks for bringing this marvelous piece on my radar ! I know a fair bit of Ireland's piano music but this one had somehow passed me by. Ireland was a truly great piano composer whose works should be much better known. His writing is immensely assured and attractive, his inspiration always freshly flowing, his mastery of form second to none. Damn, yet another piece I absolutely will need to play now 🙄☺
I've included the link to the score in the description :) Enjoy playing it and I would love to hear a recording!
Wonderful vitality: fast moving, interesting rhythm and harmonic changes. Thanks.
Very good. So much music, so little time....Appreciated....
Romantic Bartok. Great composition
Thanks for making me discover this piece ! You're doing a good job at un-neglecting it ;) Personally it gives me Stravinsky vibes - beginning of petrouchka... maybe the ternary rhythm or the folky kind of character idk
I really hear Stravinsky from 3:36 with that sort of bitonal counterpoint.
@@FrederickViner yes indeed !
I have been obsessed with this piece for a while I'm so glad you found it!
Where/when did you hear it??
Remind me of one of shostakovich's piano preludes
As a composer, John Ireland is better remembered now for his songs and choral works than for his piano music.
Really wonderful piece - and so well played! Thank you very much. For several months I''m listening to English music from early 20th c., that is to be honest not well known in Germany. John Ireland seems to be my next Have-to-listen-to-composer.
So pleased you enjoyed it! If you like this then you'll have to check out the piano concerto
Love it!
WOAH! This was such a good find. I'm putting this on my repertoire - let's bring this piece back to the spotlight together
Would love to hear you play it!
I feel like it's just getting started before it's over
Well it is a sonatina so I'd say he's in the right… though perhaps it would've worked better in a larger form
Cool piece from a undeservedly neglected composer. In the same way a secondary theme of an exposition may be reworked to serve tonic in the recapitulation it looks like theme B is a fragmented tonal sequence of theme A. Could you make another video comparing and contrasting theme A and B while pointing out the harmonic cadences in the rest of the piece? The harmony of theme A seems to suggest flexibility within tonic (left hand of theme A relies heavily on non-harmonic tones) but the harmony of B is pretty stagnant on IV. How do these themes interact in the racap and what real changes occur to these themes? Thank you!
Really nice!
Great piece! Thanks for sharing. Besides Prokofieff semblance I hear echoes of Ravel. Ireland was a great composer.
Utterly charming!
So glad you think so!
More reviews/performances of underrated music like this please!!!
Stay tuned!
I'm glad you like it, but I can see how it was easily forgotten
Interesting piece. Thanks for sharing. BTW, B is derived from A. So technically it is not an independent idea, rather a motive form of A (to borrow Arnold Schönberg's terminology)!
An interesting little piece.
Another lovely video. If you're playing something yourself, it would be nice to have some footage of the performance as well, it really enhances the "live" feeling of the music
Thank you! Absolutely, I'd love to try and have footage for the next one - just haven't quite figured it out yet :)
IRELAND IS VIBES
Thank you, very interesting to get to know that lovely piece! Prokofievian is an apt adjective here;)
I knew some of his piano works, but not this one. I also quite like his piano concerto.
it’s great and sophisticated. There unfortunately have been many john irelands out there over the last 600 years. The canons, the paradigms, the groupthink, the algorithms, should not have the final word.
The Ireland Sonatina was one of my ABRSM Grade 8 pieces in my teens in the mid-90s, so I must be one of the few people in existence to have rehearsed and played the whole thing to death. Big chunks of it are still in my muscle memory nearly 30 years on.
I didn't know it was on the syllabus! Was it just this movement or all three? What other pieces did you play?
@@FrederickViner It was all three movements - I suspect it was down the bottom end of the List A pieces, and very probably the only one my piano teacher knew I would enjoy playing (as a massive “20th-century or nothing” kind of teenager). I grew to love it over the time I spent preparing for Grade 8 and I remember playing it for my GCSE Music performance as well, so we must be talking about 1995-6.
I’m afraid I can’t remember what my other pieces were, but I know I was playing number 3 from Copland’s “Four Piano Blues” around that time, so that might have been one of the others.
Wow. Great piece. Has an Irish folky sound, then at times reminds me a little of Bartok, at other times Debussy.
Absolutely - quintessentially early 20th century. Have you heard Ireland's other stuff? I'd recommend the piano concerto!
British music is definitely full of hidden gems. I personally knew this magnificent work, but there are works written by Peter Warlock, Ciryl Scott... and many even lesser known composers, that would deserve better recognition and popularity.
How did you get to know this, Lorenzo? :) Hope you're having a great holiday!
@@FrederickViner Researching about British music, for piano but not only, is one of my obsessions hehe! Hope you're having great holidays too. I'll write you soon!
Freddie, when are you going to have Mark on the channel to discuss Alkan?
That’s so weird because I’m actually planning that…
@@FrederickViner Noice! He and I are friends on Facebook.
sounds like something out of a final fantasy game
Cool piece! I'd say it has more of Kapustin (motif A is very reminiscent of his Pastorale etude) than Prokofiev.
Strong disagree. Sounds a lot more like Prokofiev than Kapustin.
@@hoon_sol On a second listen, I think the inner section sounds more like Prokofiev, but the outer sections more like Kapustin.
@@SpaghettiToaster:
None of the sections really sound like Kapustin at all; and I say that as one of the most avid fans of Kapustin you'll ever encounter. The later part sounds like Ravel.
What Philip Glass always fails to achieve. Brightness without endless and tedious minor variations .
Sounds like Prokofiev
In the same vein as VW's Piano Concerto, which should be revived.
who's VW?
@@erezsolomon3838 Vaughan Williams
@@erezsolomon3838 Vaughan Williams
@@erezsolomon3838vaughan williams
@@erezsolomon3838 Vaughan williams
Well I like Ireland and I do know this piece. He wrote lots of good but piano music but this movement is one of the better ones. His music benefits from having a form or genre to slip into and the 'Columbine' waltz similarly benefits from engaging with a dance form. Unfortunately the Sonatina is let down by its first movement, which I suspect is why this is performed less than other multi-movement works like Sarnia and Decorations.
From other composers, York Bowen's 'Romp' finale to his Second Suite for piano is comparable, and maybe more 'catchy' in the sense of it being something that could stick in your head after one listen. I can't sing this back, I'm afraid! Catchier still is Debussy's Danse, "Tarantelle styrienne".
Bowen wrote lots of catchy stuff (maybe worthy of a follow-up vid?). And yes the first movement of this is particularly dense. Do you know the story behind the 'CAD' motif?
Your link to the music needs an extra parentheses at the end! Otherwise it doesn't work properly
Thanks!! I think it's sorted now
I like i
IRELAND FANS UNITE
i can almost see Little Red Riding Hood on crack running around fields
It's a nice piece, but I don't find it particularly 'catchy'.
Fair enough! I probably find it catchy in part because I've played it for over 10 years...
I'm not fond of it. Too jerky and doesn't seem to go anywhere. I prefer the earlier composers.
You don’t know how to listen to music. You are just a “La Campanella” or a Beethoven sonata lover who just doesn’t try to listen to new things.
@@koifishes-tl I'm more of a Bach and Chopin person and I know what I like. I don't like your type of classical music for the same reason I don't like rap music.
I know that, I appreciate every composer, my favorites are Chopin, rachmaninoff etc. i like 20th century music
Sounds like a folk song with deliberately academic harmonisation and chromatism for the sake of being unnecessarily "different".
Fair enough! What do you mean by 'academic harmonisation'?
@@FrederickViner I mean, harmonising a melody by including everything you have learnt in the curriculum to demonstrate it as if trying to pass an exam in order to get the higher grade.
@@PASHKULIimo it fits the music perfectly
This was written in 1927...@@argi0774
@@argi0774so, hardly contemporary
Sounds a lot like Ravel from around 3:10.