Writing down improvised ideas takes patience, but is definitely rewarding. I’m so glad those great composers wrote down their music for us to enjoy. I love composing too!
Improvising is my favorite thing to do on piano. My best piano teacher in retrospect made me do scales over and over (keys) along with the common practice chords that go with those scales until it was all automatic. Being able to sit down and go wherever you feel on the scale with your right hand while going through whatever chords you feel with your left and all of it sounding "right" is a wonderful feeling.
Nicely presented and the selections you chose are provocative and interesting. Normally you introduce the equipment you are playing. I'd like you to explain the set up. Well done. Always enriching.
Fascinating topic! I studied music and at my university, they gave you the feeling, that everything having to do with classical music is just the sheet music (=improvised music is generally bad). It's always refreshing to hear otherwise!
fantastic video as always, I would love to see a full video on your "digital piano", I don't really know if that's the correct term for it, you touched on it briefly in your "all the pianos I've owned" video, but you didn't really go into depth about what it is or how it works.
I love your umprov/comp at the end! I've been improvising for myself for decades, but am working on learning to do it more in classical style. John Mortensen's book & videos on Classical Improv have been helpful...and extremely challenging.
After improvising for a while, it does seem to be that improvising helps composition in much the same way as sightreading helps you learn written scores.
This was a wonderful presentation which kept me smiling throughout bc of the passion in your delivery (and your piano is absolutely beautiful!). May I ask if your beloved Dad had ever composed his own classical arrangements to perform in front of audiences or even at home in private to his family? Thank you for a wonderful video of a fabulous topic.
YES. Very much so. Dear Robert, the smartphones especially , also the TV, radio and media players are sucking, YES, SUCKING the creativity and the time out of everyone. I always say to my students, if Mozart or Haydn had access to a smartphone, they wouldn't have written even 5% of what they actually did. They would be sitting there mindless flicking away at TIC TOC. These demonic machines were invented to make people inert. The smarter the phone, the dumber the person. I LOATH all this technology, yet, I myself , am addicted to it. Can't put the damn thing down. What a shame!!!
@@shilloshillos, technology is a tool. Whether one uses it effectively or not is up to the individual. The classical composers had other forms of media and entertainment in their day, such as newspapers, gambling houses, recreational drugs, theatres, etc. - they just chose to spend their time elsewhere. The same is true today. Don't be a luddite just because it is easy. Instead, acknowledge the fact that the recreational avenues that today's youth have access to and are engaging with are simply _different_ from those of years gone by; not better or worse. On juvenoia (the fear or hostility directed by an older generation toward a younger one, or toward youth culture in general): th-cam.com/video/LD0x7ho_IYc/w-d-xo.html
Hi there. I'm a guitarist and write my own songs, riffs and solos etc. Most , if not all, my music comes from me noodling on the guitar, playing chord progressions or improvised licks on the spot, like alot of guitarists. Is this video suggesting that the classical composers did a similar thing, rather than just have their ideas in their head and then write them down on manuscript?
I think Bach's prelude in C major could have easily been a figuration based improvisation Most chord changes are quite simple, and even the ones that aren't could have come to mind while playing the figurated chord before them He relied on smooth voiceleading and sequences to move to complex chords like diminished 7th and inverted major 7th chords without having these chords stick out too much I don't think I could come up with something as beautiful myself, but Bach had a lot more practice than I do
The prelude in C remains the most beautiful yet seemingly simple and predictable work in all music. It’s music at its purest. To call it baroque or classical music just doesn’t work, it’s absolute music
I mean the answer varies for each composer. But for those earlier famous composers pre-late 19th century, I would generally say they had sponsorships from royalty (e.g. Mozart, Bach, Chopin) which gave them the security to focus solely on composing until the sponsorship ran out. If I had that security too I would have written 100 piano works by now.
Jazz is of course based upon a lot of improvisation. A lot of jazz composers take great inspiration or embed music which sounds like European classical music in some of their playing. Chick Corea or Lyle Mays are examples of that where some of their improvisations and compositions have more in common with Bach or Mozart than with for example Big Band music or Blues. I am wondering though how they were able to get these improvisations down on paper without any recording means. They played and improvised a lot probably, but I assume most of that material never made it to paper because it was simply not reproducible.
What I don't understand first ofall this music seems very complex....Did they understand music theory? How did they know all the different chord types and alterations of chords....all the crazy rhythmns.. The endless melodies in just one composition....I mean did they have other music to inspire them and give them ideas like moderen people have?
Bach fugues give you the the secret of how he wrote so much. Chopin honestly didn’t write anywhere near as much as the others. He niggled over the smallest details, which in my opinion, made every moment in a piece perfect. What’s insane is that it was said that his improvisations were way better than anything he ever composed, which is unimaginable if you have listened to his pieces! It was said only Beethoven’s improvisation was comparable in that way. I mean Chopin piano battled Liszt all the time, and no one ever declared a winner. That’s extremely impressive given how virtuosic Liszt was. Also what’s insane is how Bach improvised fugues. That’s a bit hard to wrap my head around.
I'm so glad to hear someone say this, that the great composers created music spontaneously. But from what you wrote in the description, you seem to think that "very regular" baroque music must be "crafted" (rather than improvised). That is not true. Baroque music can be improvised, with multiple voices (counterpoint). In my opinion, all great memorable melodies appear spontaneously, and many of such melodies are composed of more than one voice. Great melodies are too significant to be the result of "craft", and no one could ever figure out an algorithm to craft them on demand. They are great and memorable because they mean something deep, they emerge from the subconscious. Although I am no "great composer", I often spontaneously create baroque pieces. Some are extremely regular, like clockwork, yet they just pop up from my subconscious. I don't craft them, and it is amusing (as well as disappointing) that people seem to think that they result from intellectual work on my part. Because I experience this, I assume that all great composers experienced it as well, except more and better.
Not to be rude but making compositions for musicians and artists isn't that hard. I'm a a trained flautist and also able to play piano by ear and I love music. So it's easy for me to create music and come up with songs. Creativity and love of music helps. Modern artists do this too.
Your improvising is soo beautiful, it sounds like a piece and not a improvisation😍❤️
Writing down improvised ideas takes patience, but is definitely rewarding. I’m so glad those great composers wrote down their music for us to enjoy. I love composing too!
Improvising is my favorite thing to do on piano. My best piano teacher in retrospect made me do scales over and over (keys) along with the common practice chords that go with those scales until it was all automatic. Being able to sit down and go wherever you feel on the scale with your right hand while going through whatever chords you feel with your left and all of it sounding "right" is a wonderful feeling.
I sometimes try to imagine Bach composing a new organ piece every week for years during that part of his career.
Nicely presented and the selections you chose are provocative and interesting. Normally you introduce the equipment you are playing. I'd like you to explain the set up. Well done. Always enriching.
Wow! Well done Mr. Estrin!
Lovely video and improvisation Robert! Enjoyed the playing, positivity and the reflections on our wonderful composers in history.
Fascinating topic! I studied music and at my university, they gave you the feeling, that everything having to do with classical music is just the sheet music (=improvised music is generally bad). It's always refreshing to hear otherwise!
fantastic video as always, I would love to see a full video on your "digital piano", I don't really know if that's the correct term for it, you touched on it briefly in your "all the pianos I've owned" video, but you didn't really go into depth about what it is or how it works.
Should have more likes
I can't wait for the concept model or production model for Robert Estrin's piano😃
I love your umprov/comp at the end! I've been improvising for myself for decades, but am working on learning to do it more in classical style. John Mortensen's book & videos on Classical Improv have been helpful...and extremely challenging.
I like your composition and that it incorporated your opening music!
After improvising for a while, it does seem to be that improvising helps composition in much the same way as sightreading helps you learn written scores.
This was a wonderful presentation which kept me smiling throughout bc of the passion in your delivery (and your piano is absolutely beautiful!).
May I ask if your beloved Dad had ever composed his own classical arrangements to perform in front of audiences or even at home in private to his family?
Thank you for a wonderful video of a fabulous topic.
Thank you for this video! It made me truly appreciate the inherent genius of these musicians just a little more 😊
Thank you Robert! Are you in Arizona now?
Your impro is amazing 😊🥰
When I Heard him play Chopins nocturne in Bb Minor The piano sounded like Kassias piano
they had no tv's or radios or movies to distract them
YES. Very much so. Dear Robert, the smartphones especially , also the TV, radio and media players are sucking, YES, SUCKING the creativity and the time out of everyone. I always say to my students, if Mozart or Haydn had access to a smartphone, they wouldn't have written even 5% of what they actually did. They would be sitting there mindless flicking away at TIC TOC. These demonic machines were invented to make people inert. The smarter the phone, the dumber the person. I LOATH all this technology, yet, I myself , am addicted to it. Can't put the damn thing down. What a shame!!!
Yeah! They had party, opium and whore house for that.
Instead they enjoyed wars, plaque, famine and a dozen of other things you likely wouldn't even thinking about today such as louses and fleas.
I can't imagine how much more I'd be practicing without technology distracting me. It would be pretty much all there is to do for me.
@@shilloshillos, technology is a tool. Whether one uses it effectively or not is up to the individual. The classical composers had other forms of media and entertainment in their day, such as newspapers, gambling houses, recreational drugs, theatres, etc. - they just chose to spend their time elsewhere.
The same is true today. Don't be a luddite just because it is easy. Instead, acknowledge the fact that the recreational avenues that today's youth have access to and are engaging with are simply _different_ from those of years gone by; not better or worse.
On juvenoia (the fear or hostility directed by an older generation toward a younger one, or toward youth culture in general): th-cam.com/video/LD0x7ho_IYc/w-d-xo.html
Really enjoy your videos, Thank you!
Thank you, Maestro 🌹🌹🌹
Beautiful composition/improvisation 🌹🌹🌹
This is an interesting topic.
Hi there. I'm a guitarist and write my own songs, riffs and solos etc. Most , if not all, my music comes from me noodling on the guitar, playing chord progressions or improvised licks on the spot, like alot of guitarists. Is this video suggesting that the classical composers did a similar thing, rather than just have their ideas in their head and then write them down on manuscript?
Ok, upload that improv so I can add it to my Classical pieces playlist and listen to it everyday.
I think Bach's prelude in C major could have easily been a figuration based improvisation
Most chord changes are quite simple, and even the ones that aren't could have come to mind while playing the figurated chord before them
He relied on smooth voiceleading and sequences to move to complex chords like diminished 7th and inverted major 7th chords without having these chords stick out too much
I don't think I could come up with something as beautiful myself, but Bach had a lot more practice than I do
The prelude in C remains the most beautiful yet seemingly simple and predictable work in all music. It’s music at its purest. To call it baroque or classical music just doesn’t work, it’s absolute music
I mean the answer varies for each composer. But for those earlier famous composers pre-late 19th century, I would generally say they had sponsorships from royalty (e.g. Mozart, Bach, Chopin) which gave them the security to focus solely on composing until the sponsorship ran out. If I had that security too I would have written 100 piano works by now.
Love it!😍
wow that was beautiful
Thank you - glad you like it!
Sweet
"Scientists call it noodling" -Police Squad. I love noodling.
What is the name of your improvisation?
It is based upon the short theme I play on my videos!
Jazz is of course based upon a lot of improvisation. A lot of jazz composers take great inspiration or embed music which sounds like European classical music in some of their playing. Chick Corea or Lyle Mays are examples of that where some of their improvisations and compositions have more in common with Bach or Mozart than with for example Big Band music or Blues. I am wondering though how they were able to get these improvisations down on paper without any recording means. They played and improvised a lot probably, but I assume most of that material never made it to paper because it was simply not reproducible.
You’re amazing
And Bach also had 20+ children. Had a lot of help from Anna Magdalena, but still, how in the world!?
Jesus bless them
I wonder about this all the time
What I don't understand first ofall this music seems very complex....Did they understand music theory? How did they know all the different chord types and alterations of chords....all the crazy rhythmns.. The endless melodies in just one composition....I mean did they have other music to inspire them and give them ideas like moderen people have?
I’m confused what piano that is? I can only guess it’s a hybrid digital like Yamaha/Kawai with the casing removed?
It is the second prototype of a piano system I am developing.
I wonder what will happen when all the variations of the intro are played
My question is how did they get so good?
Great video! What app are you using to monitor the cameras?
I have someone who edits the videos creating the magic!
@@LivingPianosVideos oh I meant what app is that on both ur iPads? That seems rly convenient while shooting.
What is that piano 😯
Bach fugues give you the the secret of how he wrote so much. Chopin honestly didn’t write anywhere near as much as the others. He niggled over the smallest details, which in my opinion, made every moment in a piece perfect. What’s insane is that it was said that his improvisations were way better than anything he ever composed, which is unimaginable if you have listened to his pieces! It was said only Beethoven’s improvisation was comparable in that way. I mean Chopin piano battled Liszt all the time, and no one ever declared a winner. That’s extremely impressive given how virtuosic Liszt was. Also what’s insane is how Bach improvised fugues. That’s a bit hard to wrap my head around.
👍 great piece! Does music theory kill improvisation?
Music theory can actually aid in exploring new avenues of improvisation as long as the endeavor doesn't become completely mental.
Absolutely not!
No, but basing your improvisation on rules can prevent you from branching out or understanding more complicated patterns.
What the heck is this piano.u are using? Thr hammers hit a sensor bar and digitally record the sound?
I'm so glad to hear someone say this, that the great composers created music spontaneously. But from what you wrote in the description, you seem to think that "very regular" baroque music must be "crafted" (rather than improvised). That is not true. Baroque music can be improvised, with multiple voices (counterpoint). In my opinion, all great memorable melodies appear spontaneously, and many of such melodies are composed of more than one voice. Great melodies are too significant to be the result of "craft", and no one could ever figure out an algorithm to craft them on demand. They are great and memorable because they mean something deep, they emerge from the subconscious. Although I am no "great composer", I often spontaneously create baroque pieces. Some are extremely regular, like clockwork, yet they just pop up from my subconscious. I don't craft them, and it is amusing (as well as disappointing) that people seem to think that they result from intellectual work on my part. Because I experience this, I assume that all great composers experienced it as well, except more and better.
What kind of instrument is this?
That is my second prototype modular piano system which provides a virtual concert grand experience.
Ravel was a great composer yet a notoriously slow and meticulous one.
what is that monster of a piano
It's my second prototype modular piano system which provides a virtual concert grand playing experience.
Not to be rude but making compositions for musicians and artists isn't that hard. I'm a a trained flautist and also able to play piano by ear and I love music. So it's easy for me to create music and come up with songs. Creativity and love of music helps. Modern artists do this too.
1st commentator