I have some video projects that are taking time to complete so I thought I’d share something that’s quicker to edit than my usual essays (but no less insightful!… I hope). This Chopin recital was given during the pandemic, when I was lucky to have a full time job at Tonebase. But after countless hours of grueling screen time every day, practicing the piano became my preferred escape from work. I started studying all of Chopin’s works that feature both C# minor and Db major together - either within a piece or paired in the same Opus. Of course Chopin wrote many other pieces in these keys (such as the Berceuse, featured here as an encore), but these are all the ones that exploit this interesting enharmonic relation. Chopin was clearly inspired by these parallel tonal worlds, as evidenced by the fact that these are all among his most beautiful and popular pieces. Forgive the somewhat stiff opening to the Fantaisie-Impromptu. I was playing later on David Dubal's program that chilly November evening and it took my right hand a couple minutes to thaw out. Full program: 0:00 “Fantaisie Impromptu” 5:39 “Raindrop Prelude” 11:12 “Minute Waltz” 13:08 Waltz in C# minor 16:36 Nocturne in C# minor (op. 27/1) 22:13 Nocturne in Db major 28:36 Scherzo no. 3 36:15 (encore) Berceuse
"All the pain, grief, and bad omens of the original tonic are exorcised in the parallel major." What a dramatic way of expressing the coda of the Scherzo No. 3 in C# minor! I like it.
I say minor key is not a pain or grief or anything. It's just a music key. Pieces in a certain key that end on a chord that is not the tonic chord is absolutely stupid and nonsense and it makes the composers stupid. Especially minor key songs ending on their parallel major is shit. The composers who did this the most are Chopin and Liszt. So I find them to be absolute dogshits. That's my opinion. Normally we don't give a shit about song endings, but I do.
@@nasirferguson4098 What these "greats" is absolutely dumb and nonsense. Call me anything you want. I'm allowed to disagree with these stupid "greats". They're more like "false dumb threats" than "greats"
Ben Laude. Amazing! As a person who loves the videos you make full of information and comments, it's good to know you're a LEGIT and GOOD painist. Thanks!
Well, this has been a marvelous masterclass for such the 19th Century’s marvelous human composer, Chopin. Ben, you have played a very illustrious concert giving us a portrait of Chopin’s position in that period. Yes, there were many composers of that century that used the piano as their tool of expression and most all envisioned themselves as some sort of pianist the is “THE” Pianist of Pianists Composers. Pyrotechnics were the seller for most, the “Listen to me” ones. One loved to throw his hair back, create gasps from the swooning audience, reveling in his power…. And then there was Chopin…. This beautiful concert performed much in the way of the day…..piano singing in its own soup of dissonances not horrifying but notes singing their own dissonances. Blurring the beauty of composition, yet not surmounting the musical expression of composer and artist, Chopin prevailing through without obstacle. THAT is a composer of permanence in classical literature. Thank You! Ben, for this truly enlightening performance!
Where have you been? As an American Pole, second generation, I was brought up on Chopin I have never heard or seen the real Chopin until now. What you did as you thought was a mistake in the nocturne is what Chopin would have done in his day. I need to find all the Chopin you have played. To be honest, I cried! Na Zdrowie! Sto Lat!
Ben, you play beautifully. Thank you for making my day brighter today. I learn so much from you from not only your videos of other pianists but also from your own wonderful talent.
Beautiful tones and voicing in the B section of the Prelude. The incessant pedal tone (A-flat/G-sharp) is definitely a reminder of our inevitable journey towards our final cadence.
I love your content very much! It is light hearted, most of the time full of insights due to interesting topics, great guests, good interviews. You are simpathetic and what i like most is that one can feel the love you have for this instrument! Beautifully played! Please don't stop ever!
Reading your comments during the Minute Waltz about the manufacturer of this piano was an "ah hah!" moment for me. During your Rach 2 for 2 pianos video, more than once I thought "That piano is out of tune or needs work on the regulation." There were several times when you played an individual note without sustain in the mid-range, it sounded like a ragtime piano.
Would love to see more videos in this style, they're really insightful and also a good opportunity to listen to your playing more, which I find to be refreshingly unique and thoughtful. Btw I loved those bass notes at 35:35. One of the most epic codas ever...
Thank you for calling the “raindrop” prelude more like “death” because ever since my first encounter and learning this piece, the only thing I thought was that “death was coming”. To me, this piece is the experience of life-where life can be beautiful and happy, but ultimately, it ends in death. And back to life again. But NOTHING to do with Raindrops! Which bug me to no end! And especially when people do believe it IS about Raindrops!!! 🤯 So thank you so much for your commentary!!!
The performance of Chopin's Berceuse was incredibly sweet and relaxing. I find it unforgettable, even after listening to other performances by Pollini, Lisitsa, and Michelangeli.
I've always thought the piano sounds the best in Db. And I found that my hands seem to fit more naturally on the keyboard when in that key. Nice video and Chopin of course!
From HK. Exam in 3 hours. Come to listen to this masterpiece to relax myself. Classical is just adorable yet playful. Chopin pieces are just exquisite one to listen when you are facing trouble ahead of your life. Got to be blessed with the beautiful pieces that the world have composed.
The Fantasie Impromptu op 66 was my ARSM Diploma piece. Among my top favourites. Because i love it so much, I wondering if I should use it for LRSM as the LRSM has own choice repetoire that can be ARSM Standard pieces in difficulty and I believe the Fantasie Impromptu is ARSM Standard at least. What do you think? The Chopin Waltz op 64 no2 was my cousin's ARSM Diploma piece too. Another beautiful melodious piece. Grade 8 is RQF Level 3- A Levels standard ARSM is RQF Level 4- First Year Bachelors Degree standard/HNC/Certificate of Higher Education LRSM is RQF Level 6- Final Year Bachelors Degree standard(normally 3rd or 4th year)-Bachelors Degree FRSM is RQF Level 7- Masters Degree/Postgraduate standard. These are the ABRSM Diplomas beyond Grade 8 level. RQF is by Ofqual and is a awarding body organisation to give qualifications a certain level in difficulty and equivalent qualifications using levels 1 to 8 in RQF. The higher the level of a qualification on RQF, the harder it is.
Fantastic! I had this idea for long time. Turns out you've done that already. And the voicing in the middle of op. 66 i was thinking im the only one who does "thumb melody" thing. Our thinking is similar Mr Ben. If you'd ever travel to Dubai I'd love to meet you in person and play together something. I have op. 66 recording in my page.
26:11 i genuinely wanna know what his thought process was here. "huh, i have this bar and i dont know what to fill the top line with. a 48-tuplet? sure, why not."
Wonderful playing! Ben, could you tell us a bit more about the background ( location, audience, etc.) of this performance? Very few audience for such a fantastic recital!
Damn I don’t know how I missed that polonaise. Ok I’ll add that to the hypothetical future recording. Op63/3 I considered, but decided against it because even though the key signature is Db, it’s kind of a tease and he never cadences in Db. I guess I should count it though. Went through the other mazurkas and the other C# minor ones don’t go to Db, I’m pretty sure.
I've always liked to think that the Berceuse is what goes through a baby's mind when hearing a repetitive lullaby - how it fractures and tinkles as attention teeters in and out of sleep. And that D-flat that comes in near the end (bar 55 if you're counting) brings a series of those deep, satisfied yawns, the ones that heave out all the stress of a hard day's being a baby. Chopin would probably chide me "Imitate a baby's yawn? How dare you suggest I'd do anything so vulgar!"
PS, before you all chip in, I know it was originally written as a set of variations (and they are intensely pianistic), and it was only later in the day that the title Berceuse was suggested by some count, publisher or whatnot.
@@dwdei8815 this is more or less exactly how I picture it. First the mother starts rocking and starts singing the lullaby, then the child slowly starts imagining things (the contrapuntal voice first) and then gradually falls asleep and starts dreaming. By the last page the mother finishes the lullaby, gently stops rocking and gently tucks the child in on the final cadence. It seems “obvious” that this is what the music is about, but you’re right that Chopin might not approve. But he’s also not here ;)
@@benlawdy Very nice of you to reply. I also note how the last chord of the Berceuse - that D-flat - is strangely not prolonged. It's just a single-beat tonic like it's embarrassed. That to me is the mother cutting her noise short because she realises the child is sleeping so she (and the piece of music) checks herself short.
if you compose, the Fantasie Impromptu Op 66 (posthumous) was not published in Chopin's lifetime. I suspect the main reason why is the middle section is not fully fleshed out & has a lot of repetition. It's fun to play around a la Godowsky & imagine what Chopin would've done to complete the work properly.
Yes it’s that, but also it was a piece he composed to sell privately to a student. Also he revised it in 1835, and there’s better voice leading, but it’s still “hollow” in the middle section
The Minute Waltz also stands alone in D♭ major, not just the Berceuse. edit 4 minutes later: ah I get that you’re counting each pair of works in the same opus as one example of C#/D♭ duality.
Sad to hear that a composer so well known for improvisation discouraged others from doing so. Granted, saying something one time isn't really evidence of much. Was there a greater pattern? I really wish improvisation WAS a thing in performances of this music. The structure is all there and so many of Chopin's lines seem like written improvisations.
He never discouraged improvisation, he just was strict about the separation between improvisation and composition. If a work was written down it should be played as written, otherwise, enjoy; said he. Though I do wish concert pianists would just pull out a random theme and improvise way more. Maybe it can start as an encore, and then eventually real items in concert programs. We need to revive western classical improvisation!
@@xenon3633 interesting, I’ll have to read more of his thoughts. Know of good books? The ii V I are everywhere. I take that as enough of an invitation to mess around. :) Or at least extract a progression and use it for something else. The nocturne left hands are a great vehicle for new ideas.
I just included works that have a direct relationship between C# minor and Db major! Op 45 is amazing, and modulates to lots of places, but it's not composed with this enharmonic key scheme in mind.
it is a social bias of mine, which i have identified and acknowledged and try consciously not to practice, that i am more likely to trust pianists if their hair is floppy
Yeah actually the other section I can think of that is this repetitive without much development or notated embellishment is the middle section of the first nocturne (also in D flat!). The scherzos have big repeats, but they’re also very active and intricate. I think it’s pretty stark how little happens in the fantaisie impromptu - it’s kind of shocking that it’s almost a 6 minute piece!
Chopin really liked writing in those keys. I know he found them to have a particular flavour to them, while he wasn't particularly fond of tonalities like D minor.
It's ironic that Chopin always strongly denies claims to writing "Program music" - music that tells a story or describes a real-life setting, even though for an overwhelmingly high number of pieces you can easily interpret a clear story or setting from it.
He never said he doesn't write programme music. He didn't like programme titles! Very different. He actively tried to stop publishers giving his pieces names, but with little success. Both, the teacher and composer Chopin thought programme names restrict imagination and creativity of the musician and the auditor likewise. Most of his music had a strong theme, a meaning, a second meaning, or hidden messages. He loved the mysterious, the secrets. He liked people guessing. And he was right. We don't all feel the same about music, we don't all hear it, play it the same. But a programme name would force you to hear the same as your neighbour. Calling a piece, for example, "Raindrop" puts a fixed idea in your head. Rain is all you will hear then, and that's what the musician will try to go for. No other possible interpretation will be considered. But Chopin thought every piece could sound different every day, have a different story. I picked "Raindrop" because it is one of the most famous, falsely named of his pieces. Legend (based on G. Sands reminiscences) has it that he wrote op. 28/15 in Mallorca during a storm. We know today that he sketched it in Paris already, probably half a year earlier. While no-one really knows what he was having on his mind, it is unlikely that he was thinking about a thunderstorm. G. Sand herself remembered how angry he got when she made that comparison, he called her an idiot for thinking that he "would imitate sounds of nature" with his music, far too banal for him. But the damage is done anyway. Although, I have heard pianists completely ignore the "Raindrop" style and play it totally different (and I loved it), but the majority doesn't, which is a shame. There is a piece that he did name, "Valse du petit chien", Waltz of the little dog, op. 64/1. :D And somehow it ended up being called "Minute Waltz". Now, that is ironic!
Ben, if you don't mind me asking: Why did you set the video of the Pathetique masterclass with Leon Fleisher to private? It's no longer in the list, but I can still watch it when I search for it in my browser history
I had to make it unlisted! Some miscommunication with Tonebase about it but I'm hopeful to either make it public again or re-upload. Thanks for asking.
Mazurka Op. 63 No. 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EDIT: Sorry, most of my Chopin research was in the Mazurkas, so it jumped out as soon as I read the title. EDIT 100: Noticed that it's already been mentioned. There are some ii-V-I s in the Db section, so the cadences do exist; they're just voiced in such a way as to make them less affirmative.
Seems like every time there's a D-flat chord in that section, there's a C-flat thrown in there too so it's always pointing away from the tonic! But that's just something interesting about it, so I should probably have counted it. I'm more ashamed about missing the first Polonaise. I always listened to op. 26 as a kid because it was first on a Rubinstein album with all of them, but then I just forgot it existed and wasn't careful enough going through every opus number!
@@benlawdy And the Polonaise is such a tremendous piece! Ah well, fun idea for a program though. Bravo. Even on a neglected instrument it was still great, and played beautifully. With seriousness where others often only offer sentimentality, much to poor Chopin's dismay. Bravo again.
Sorry, a basic question :-) I play piano but my theory is very limited. Given that reading music in C major is simpler and easier to play, why do composers such as Chopin go one semi-tone up, and make everything more complicated. Can listeners tell the difference?
Some listeners can tell the difference, but pianists can definitely tell the difference when they're playing! Chopin actually did not like composing in C major - he found it awkward for the hand, whereas keys like B major and D-flat major actually feel more comfortable, since the long fingers are on the short (black) keys and the thumb/pinky are on the long (white) keys. It might be harder to read the score at first, since there are so many flats or sharps in these keys compared to C major, but ironically it's more comfortable for the hand. There's a longer explanation about the history of keys and key associations, and why composers chose this key instead of that key. For other instruments there are very practical reasons to choose certain keys having to do with the range of the instrument and the technique required to play it. But also, keys used to sound slightly different from each other - even in Chopin's time - because it wasn't yet standard for half steps to be tuned equally, and therefore every scale had a slightly different color and mood.
@@benlawdy Thanks for that unexpectedly detailed reply, Ben, I first caught your content when you did that piece on Yunchan Lim and Rach 3 at the Cliburn; I play a lot of genres, and I had never heard anyone talk about classical music like you, not just immense enthusiasm, but so *specific* about why something was so good. As for my original question, I hadn't really thought about relative lengths of black/white keys and the fingers, but it makes sense. And some musicians with perfect pitch do talk about keys having different feels (thinking Jacob Collier) but I'm not one of them 🙂
Dear Ben, I enjoy your playing and your musical insights very much. But PLEASE, please, let me tune the piano when it’s being recorded! Agh, it’s so hard to focus on the music.
Thank you and I know I know :/ It's hard for the good folks on this concert series to keep that thing in shape, especially when the temperature's changing and pianists are coming in on a weekly basis to bang on it. My ears are conditioned not to mind out-of-tune pianos - I've been playing on them my whole life - but that's not necessarily a virtue.
I couldn’t find any Mazurkas that featured C# minor and Db major together in the same piece (except op63/3, although he never fully cadences in Db there)
After your incredible voicing (inner voices) in Prelude op. 28 no.15, I thought you would voice Waltz op. 64 no. 2 like crazy, similiar to Cyprien Katsaris in this famous performance > th-cam.com/video/XuWVH314WJo/w-d-xo.html Anyway, I enjoyed your performance so much!
Hi Ben - your other title for this is 'the most Chopin-like thing ever composed' (or words to that effect - cf. your website title for this video). Well - I must say that I disagree. In fact, I would say that the most Chopin-like thing ever composed would be my 'Chopin' (Prelude #1 of my 24 'carnival-preludes' set): th-cam.com/video/cOGsIW8a2TM/w-d-xo.html
Yep - see my pinned comment. These are all the pieces where there’s a relation between C# and Db. Maybe I should have counted those Etudes, since they are back-to-back in Opus 25. But that would have required learning Etudes :)
I have some video projects that are taking time to complete so I thought I’d share something that’s quicker to edit than my usual essays (but no less insightful!… I hope). This Chopin recital was given during the pandemic, when I was lucky to have a full time job at Tonebase. But after countless hours of grueling screen time every day, practicing the piano became my preferred escape from work. I started studying all of Chopin’s works that feature both C# minor and Db major together - either within a piece or paired in the same Opus. Of course Chopin wrote many other pieces in these keys (such as the Berceuse, featured here as an encore), but these are all the ones that exploit this interesting enharmonic relation. Chopin was clearly inspired by these parallel tonal worlds, as evidenced by the fact that these are all among his most beautiful and popular pieces.
Forgive the somewhat stiff opening to the Fantaisie-Impromptu. I was playing later on David Dubal's program that chilly November evening and it took my right hand a couple minutes to thaw out.
Full program:
0:00 “Fantaisie Impromptu”
5:39 “Raindrop Prelude”
11:12 “Minute Waltz”
13:08 Waltz in C# minor
16:36 Nocturne in C# minor (op. 27/1)
22:13 Nocturne in Db major
28:36 Scherzo no. 3
36:15 (encore) Berceuse
This man is a seriously great pianist, in addition to his interview skills and analytical gifts.
"All the pain, grief, and bad omens of the original tonic are exorcised in the parallel major." What a dramatic way of expressing the coda of the Scherzo No. 3 in C# minor! I like it.
I say minor key is not a pain or grief or anything. It's just a music key. Pieces in a certain key that end on a chord that is not the tonic chord is absolutely stupid and nonsense and it makes the composers stupid. Especially minor key songs ending on their parallel major is shit. The composers who did this the most are Chopin and Liszt. So I find them to be absolute dogshits. That's my opinion. Normally we don't give a shit about song endings, but I do.
@@anonymousblackscreen4703 well you arent a genius at all! so I think ill stick with what the greats said lol.
@@nasirferguson4098 These greats are dumb. Which is exactly you
@@nasirferguson4098 What these greats said are absolutely dumb. Don't consider me genius, as you wish. I'm allowed to disagree with these dumb greats
@@nasirferguson4098 What these "greats" is absolutely dumb and nonsense. Call me anything you want. I'm allowed to disagree with these stupid "greats". They're more like "false dumb threats" than "greats"
"our pianist" is certainly not boring :) thank you for this creative offering.
entered here for the music, stayed for the commentary
it's so nice to hear you play!
Ben Laude. Amazing! As a person who loves the videos you make full of information and comments, it's good to know you're a LEGIT and GOOD painist. Thanks!
Well, this has been a marvelous masterclass for such the 19th Century’s marvelous human composer, Chopin. Ben, you have played a very illustrious concert giving us a portrait of Chopin’s position in that period. Yes, there were many composers of that century that used the piano as their tool of expression and most all envisioned themselves as some sort of pianist the is “THE” Pianist of Pianists Composers. Pyrotechnics were the seller for most, the “Listen to me” ones. One loved to throw his hair back, create gasps from the swooning audience, reveling in his power…. And then there was Chopin…. This beautiful concert performed much in the way of the day…..piano singing in its own soup of dissonances not horrifying but notes singing their own dissonances. Blurring the beauty of composition, yet not surmounting the musical expression of composer and artist, Chopin prevailing through without obstacle. THAT is a composer of permanence in classical literature. Thank You! Ben, for this truly enlightening performance!
Where have you been? As an American Pole, second generation, I was brought up on Chopin I have never heard or seen the real Chopin until now. What you did as you thought was a mistake in the nocturne is what Chopin would have done in his day. I need to find all the Chopin you have played. To be honest, I cried! Na Zdrowie! Sto Lat!
Ben, you play beautifully. Thank you for making my day brighter today. I learn so much from you from not only your videos of other pianists but also from your own wonderful talent.
How excellently Chopin’s music has been portrayed here. Beautiful Ben. Thank you! ❤🎉
Ben, your interpretations are always so refreshing! The voicing is on point, and you make some incredible phrases! Loved your video
Beautiful tones and voicing in the B section of the Prelude. The incessant pedal tone (A-flat/G-sharp) is definitely a reminder of our inevitable journey towards our final cadence.
12:32 Bang! I love it! Thank you for the commentary. I really enjoyed it.
I am in love with your sense of humour.
David is a genius, thank you for sharing him with us.
"How much do you like Horowitz voicings?"
Ben Laude - "Yes"
Good video👍
Genuinely curious, what do you mean by Horowitz voicing ?
Horowitz liked to bring out interesting inner voices by accenting some notes relatively loud. For example the left hand at 21:15 .
Lol, I literally just finished playing the Db and C# nocturnes, and then I see this video.
TH-cam is listening to you...
@@benlawdy ohhhh man.... I DID have Google open.... 😱
I love your content very much! It is light hearted, most of the time full of insights due to interesting topics, great guests, good interviews. You are simpathetic and what i like most is that one can feel the love you have for this instrument! Beautifully played! Please don't stop ever!
I dig the silent movie commentary. Very cool format!
Finally someone finds the hidden depth in prelude no 15!!!
Lovely. Will have this on repeat. Thank you so much.
Absolutely stunning. I loved your interpretation of Fantasie Impromptu so much. 🥰
Great performance and fascinating commentary!
Awww ❤just lovely video ! I absolutely appreciate your annotated comments above the score ! Thanks for sharing your thoughts 😊👍👍👍 bravo !,,
I’m surprised there weren’t any super obscure pieces that I hadn’t already heard. Fantastic playing!
Beautiful playing
Reading your comments during the Minute Waltz about the manufacturer of this piano was an "ah hah!" moment for me. During your Rach 2 for 2 pianos video, more than once I thought "That piano is out of tune or needs work on the regulation." There were several times when you played an individual note without sustain in the mid-range, it sounded like a ragtime piano.
Would love to see more videos in this style, they're really insightful and also a good opportunity to listen to your playing more, which I find to be refreshingly unique and thoughtful. Btw I loved those bass notes at 35:35. One of the most epic codas ever...
Wonderful content!
Thank you for calling the “raindrop” prelude more like “death” because ever since my first encounter and learning this piece, the only thing I thought was that “death was coming”. To me, this piece is the experience of life-where life can be beautiful and happy, but ultimately, it ends in death. And back to life again. But NOTHING to do with Raindrops! Which bug me to no end! And especially when people do believe it IS about Raindrops!!! 🤯 So thank you so much for your commentary!!!
i love the commentary, double plus good
Love the running commentary, but ... when was that piano last tuned?
😅
I was thinking the same finally someone bring this up 😂
THANK YOU!!
The performance of Chopin's Berceuse was incredibly sweet and relaxing. I find it unforgettable, even after listening to other performances by Pollini, Lisitsa, and Michelangeli.
I've always thought the piano sounds the best in Db. And I found that my hands seem to fit more naturally on the keyboard when in that key. Nice video and Chopin of course!
This looks theoretical to me, one have no idea about classical music and piano. But I do enjoy your playing, touching heart ❤~
All the best to you.
Love the two parts from 13:06, after 28:21 best! Thank you bring me a beautiful day here in Taiwan rainy season ~
From HK. Exam in 3 hours. Come to listen to this masterpiece to relax myself. Classical is just adorable yet playful. Chopin pieces are just exquisite one to listen when you are facing trouble ahead of your life. Got to be blessed with the beautiful pieces that the world have composed.
Polonaise in C# minor Op.26 No. 1 is also a lovely piece! Especially the D-flat middle romance section!
Some lovely playing though well done .
I love the programming of this performance!
Thanks to our pianist !
Hi Ben, I’m a friend of Dina’s. Bravo on a beautiful recital! And such insightful commentary to boot! -Andrew
Hello Andrew! Thank you. Any friend of Dina’s is a friend of mine.
This editing style reminds me of Tiffany Poon. Very different personalities but both of your annotations exude such passion for the music.
... Awesome... Thank you.
The Fantasie Impromptu op 66 was my ARSM Diploma piece. Among my top favourites. Because i love it so much, I wondering if I should use it for LRSM as the LRSM has own choice repetoire that can be ARSM Standard pieces in difficulty and I believe the Fantasie Impromptu is ARSM Standard at least. What do you think?
The Chopin Waltz op 64 no2 was my cousin's ARSM Diploma piece too. Another beautiful melodious piece.
Grade 8 is RQF Level 3- A Levels standard
ARSM is RQF Level 4- First Year Bachelors Degree standard/HNC/Certificate of Higher Education
LRSM is RQF Level 6- Final Year Bachelors Degree standard(normally 3rd or 4th year)-Bachelors Degree
FRSM is RQF Level 7- Masters Degree/Postgraduate standard.
These are the ABRSM Diplomas beyond Grade 8 level. RQF is by Ofqual and is a awarding body organisation to give qualifications a certain level in difficulty and equivalent qualifications using levels 1 to 8 in RQF. The higher the level of a qualification on RQF, the harder it is.
great video!
Love your videos! Waiting for more about Liszt
Fantastic! I had this idea for long time. Turns out you've done that already. And the voicing in the middle of op. 66 i was thinking im the only one who does "thumb melody" thing. Our thinking is similar Mr Ben. If you'd ever travel to Dubai I'd love to meet you in person and play together something. I have op. 66 recording in my page.
26:11 i genuinely wanna know what his thought process was here.
"huh, i have this bar and i dont know what to fill the top line with. a 48-tuplet? sure, why not."
Wonderful playing! Ben, could you tell us a bit more about the background ( location, audience, etc.) of this performance? Very few audience for such a fantastic recital!
BRAVO
You forgot the C# minor polonaise (Op. 26 no. 1) which has a middle section in D flat
and at least one mazurka (op. 63 no. 3)
Damn I don’t know how I missed that polonaise. Ok I’ll add that to the hypothetical future recording.
Op63/3 I considered, but decided against it because even though the key signature is Db, it’s kind of a tease and he never cadences in Db. I guess I should count it though. Went through the other mazurkas and the other C# minor ones don’t go to Db, I’m pretty sure.
I had always thought this movement was more about the conflict his country was facing.
Gorgeous.
Cool recital! But what about the mazurkas? (op 30 no 3-4)
Also, ngl, I'm kinda pleased with myself that I've played 6 of these lol (I haven't done the c# minor nocturne, or the scherzo)
Actually, the commentary is hilarious. "Would Chopin have called Horowitz a pig? Probably."😂
Подписка!❤❤❤ и пианист, и ноты, и комментарии теоретика!😮😮😮
I've always liked to think that the Berceuse is what goes through a baby's mind when hearing a repetitive lullaby - how it fractures and tinkles as attention teeters in and out of sleep. And that D-flat that comes in near the end (bar 55 if you're counting) brings a series of those deep, satisfied yawns, the ones that heave out all the stress of a hard day's being a baby.
Chopin would probably chide me "Imitate a baby's yawn? How dare you suggest I'd do anything so vulgar!"
PS, before you all chip in, I know it was originally written as a set of variations (and they are intensely pianistic), and it was only later in the day that the title Berceuse was suggested by some count, publisher or whatnot.
@@dwdei8815 this is more or less exactly how I picture it. First the mother starts rocking and starts singing the lullaby, then the child slowly starts imagining things (the contrapuntal voice first) and then gradually falls asleep and starts dreaming. By the last page the mother finishes the lullaby, gently stops rocking and gently tucks the child in on the final cadence.
It seems “obvious” that this is what the music is about, but you’re right that Chopin might not approve. But he’s also not here ;)
@@benlawdy Very nice of you to reply.
I also note how the last chord of the Berceuse - that D-flat - is strangely not prolonged. It's just a single-beat tonic like it's embarrassed. That to me is the mother cutting her noise short because she realises the child is sleeping so she (and the piece of music) checks herself short.
Beautiful. Btw there are more Chopin pieces with those keys, but I don't mind
if you compose, the Fantasie Impromptu Op 66 (posthumous) was not published in Chopin's lifetime. I suspect the main reason why is the middle section is not fully fleshed out & has a lot of repetition. It's fun to play around a la Godowsky & imagine what Chopin would've done to complete the work properly.
Yes it’s that, but also it was a piece he composed to sell privately to a student. Also he revised it in 1835, and there’s better voice leading, but it’s still “hollow” in the middle section
You missed a bunch of Mazurkas
That was what I was thinking about. I believe are even better than a couple of pieces Ben picked
Dulces recuerdos ❤🙏💐
The Minute Waltz also stands alone in D♭ major, not just the Berceuse.
edit 4 minutes later: ah I get that you’re counting each pair of works in the same opus as one example of C#/D♭ duality.
What about Posthumous Nocturne in C# minor?
Speaking of Chopin's pieces in C-sharp minor/D-flat major, I'm surprised the program didn't include the first Polonaise from opus 26.
Yes, this was pointed out so I added a note in the description! I’m ashamed to have overlooked it and am now busy practicing it…
Sad to hear that a composer so well known for improvisation discouraged others from doing so. Granted, saying something one time isn't really evidence of much. Was there a greater pattern? I really wish improvisation WAS a thing in performances of this music. The structure is all there and so many of Chopin's lines seem like written improvisations.
He never discouraged improvisation, he just was strict about the separation between improvisation and composition. If a work was written down it should be played as written, otherwise, enjoy; said he. Though I do wish concert pianists would just pull out a random theme and improvise way more. Maybe it can start as an encore, and then eventually real items in concert programs. We need to revive western classical improvisation!
@@xenon3633 interesting, I’ll have to read more of his thoughts. Know of good books?
The ii V I are everywhere. I take that as enough of an invitation to mess around. :) Or at least extract a progression and use it for something else. The nocturne left hands are a great vehicle for new ideas.
What about his other C# minor Nocturne, op. posth? It ends in Db major
It ends in C sharp major. A Picardy 3rd basically, like Bach.
Our pianist is a true chopinist
all of my favorite chopin lmao
And the prelude in c-sharp minor Op 45? That a great piece nearly improvisated but very good
I just included works that have a direct relationship between C# minor and Db major! Op 45 is amazing, and modulates to lots of places, but it's not composed with this enharmonic key scheme in mind.
@@benlawdy oh ok i did not know that, thank you
Yes!
More Ben.
Oh, it's a performance. Can we get the exact same video but with voice over :(
Hard to listen to text
it is a social bias of mine, which i have identified and acknowledged and try consciously not to practice, that i am more likely to trust pianists if their hair is floppy
Omg that opus 27/1 🫠🫠🫶
1:48, repetitive? Chopins nocturnes from a distant:
(Yes I know most of the nocturnes are very complicated in terms of musicality however)
Yeah actually the other section I can think of that is this repetitive without much development or notated embellishment is the middle section of the first nocturne (also in D flat!). The scherzos have big repeats, but they’re also very active and intricate. I think it’s pretty stark how little happens in the fantaisie impromptu - it’s kind of shocking that it’s almost a 6 minute piece!
Chopin really liked writing in those keys. I know he found them to have a particular flavour to them, while he wasn't particularly fond of tonalities like D minor.
Same can’t be said about Rachmaninoff. He loved D minor
@@Jack-l5f6e That's probably my favorite tonality too.
No sign of the posthumous c sharp minor prelude op 45which is nearly always left out .a shame it's a,beautiful piece
What about nocturne no. 20 op. posthumous?
It never goes to D-flat!
It's ironic that Chopin always strongly denies claims to writing "Program music" - music that tells a story or describes a real-life setting, even though for an overwhelmingly high number of pieces you can easily interpret a clear story or setting from it.
He never said he doesn't write programme music. He didn't like programme titles! Very different. He actively tried to stop publishers giving his pieces names, but with little success.
Both, the teacher and composer Chopin thought programme names restrict imagination and creativity of the musician and the auditor likewise. Most of his music had a strong theme, a meaning, a second meaning, or hidden messages. He loved the mysterious, the secrets. He liked people guessing. And he was right. We don't all feel the same about music, we don't all hear it, play it the same. But a programme name would force you to hear the same as your neighbour.
Calling a piece, for example, "Raindrop" puts a fixed idea in your head. Rain is all you will hear then, and that's what the musician will try to go for. No other possible interpretation will be considered. But Chopin thought every piece could sound different every day, have a different story.
I picked "Raindrop" because it is one of the most famous, falsely named of his pieces. Legend (based on G. Sands reminiscences) has it that he wrote op. 28/15 in Mallorca during a storm. We know today that he sketched it in Paris already, probably half a year earlier. While no-one really knows what he was having on his mind, it is unlikely that he was thinking about a thunderstorm. G. Sand herself remembered how angry he got when she made that comparison, he called her an idiot for thinking that he "would imitate sounds of nature" with his music, far too banal for him.
But the damage is done anyway. Although, I have heard pianists completely ignore the "Raindrop" style and play it totally different (and I loved it), but the majority doesn't, which is a shame.
There is a piece that he did name, "Valse du petit chien", Waltz of the little dog, op. 64/1. :D And somehow it ended up being called "Minute Waltz". Now, that is ironic!
seems like chopin's favorite chord is C#/Db
Ben, if you don't mind me asking: Why did you set the video of the Pathetique masterclass with Leon Fleisher to private?
It's no longer in the list, but I can still watch it when I search for it in my browser history
I had to make it unlisted! Some miscommunication with Tonebase about it but I'm hopeful to either make it public again or re-upload. Thanks for asking.
Mazurka Op. 63 No. 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EDIT: Sorry, most of my Chopin research was in the Mazurkas, so it jumped out as soon as I read the title.
EDIT 100: Noticed that it's already been mentioned. There are some ii-V-I s in the Db section, so the cadences do exist; they're just voiced in such a way as to make them less affirmative.
Seems like every time there's a D-flat chord in that section, there's a C-flat thrown in there too so it's always pointing away from the tonic! But that's just something interesting about it, so I should probably have counted it.
I'm more ashamed about missing the first Polonaise. I always listened to op. 26 as a kid because it was first on a Rubinstein album with all of them, but then I just forgot it existed and wasn't careful enough going through every opus number!
@@benlawdy And the Polonaise is such a tremendous piece!
Ah well, fun idea for a program though. Bravo. Even on a neglected instrument it was still great, and played beautifully. With seriousness where others often only offer sentimentality, much to poor Chopin's dismay. Bravo again.
Sorry, a basic question :-) I play piano but my theory is very limited. Given that reading music in C major is simpler and easier to play, why do composers such as Chopin go one semi-tone up, and make everything more complicated. Can listeners tell the difference?
Some listeners can tell the difference, but pianists can definitely tell the difference when they're playing! Chopin actually did not like composing in C major - he found it awkward for the hand, whereas keys like B major and D-flat major actually feel more comfortable, since the long fingers are on the short (black) keys and the thumb/pinky are on the long (white) keys. It might be harder to read the score at first, since there are so many flats or sharps in these keys compared to C major, but ironically it's more comfortable for the hand.
There's a longer explanation about the history of keys and key associations, and why composers chose this key instead of that key. For other instruments there are very practical reasons to choose certain keys having to do with the range of the instrument and the technique required to play it. But also, keys used to sound slightly different from each other - even in Chopin's time - because it wasn't yet standard for half steps to be tuned equally, and therefore every scale had a slightly different color and mood.
@@benlawdy Thanks for that unexpectedly detailed reply, Ben, I first caught your content when you did that piece on Yunchan Lim and Rach 3 at the Cliburn; I play a lot of genres, and I had never heard anyone talk about classical music like you, not just immense enthusiasm, but so *specific* about why something was so good.
As for my original question, I hadn't really thought about relative lengths of black/white keys and the fingers, but it makes sense. And some musicians with perfect pitch do talk about keys having different feels (thinking Jacob Collier) but I'm not one of them 🙂
Dear Ben, I enjoy your playing and your musical insights very much. But PLEASE, please, let me tune the piano when it’s being recorded! Agh, it’s so hard to focus on the music.
Thank you and I know I know :/ It's hard for the good folks on this concert series to keep that thing in shape, especially when the temperature's changing and pianists are coming in on a weekly basis to bang on it. My ears are conditioned not to mind out-of-tune pianos - I've been playing on them my whole life - but that's not necessarily a virtue.
踏板在樂句後要輕放
where is op. 10 no. 4?
It doesn't go to D-flat!
The section marked p at bar 83 sounds like it's played mf.
I am a professional composer I choose never
Cool, but can you play Wonderwall?
This is a formal request, for Fantasie and Fugue on Wonderwall.
"Impromptu" means "small composition without preparation" 😁
You forgot a whole set of pieces. What about the mazurkas?????
I couldn’t find any Mazurkas that featured C# minor and Db major together in the same piece (except op63/3, although he never fully cadences in Db there)
Of course there are multiple (quite famous) C# minor mazurkas
After your incredible voicing (inner voices) in Prelude op. 28 no.15, I thought you would voice Waltz op. 64 no. 2 like crazy, similiar to Cyprien Katsaris in this famous performance > th-cam.com/video/XuWVH314WJo/w-d-xo.html
Anyway, I enjoyed your performance so much!
I hadn’t heard that Katsaris recording yet at the time, but now I’m very tempted to play it like him….
etudes????
None feature C#m minor and Db together!!
Hi Ben - your other title for this is 'the most Chopin-like thing ever composed' (or words to that effect - cf. your website title for this video). Well - I must say that I disagree. In fact, I would say that the most Chopin-like thing ever composed would be my 'Chopin' (Prelude #1 of my 24 'carnival-preludes' set): th-cam.com/video/cOGsIW8a2TM/w-d-xo.html
There are etudes op 25/7 C sharp minor
25/8 D flat major
Yep - see my pinned comment. These are all the pieces where there’s a relation between C# and Db.
Maybe I should have counted those Etudes, since they are back-to-back in Opus 25. But that would have required learning Etudes :)
Did Chopin invent Jazz?
❤❤
AHHHHHahahahaha You’re a Monty Python fan. 😊
Aren’t you “the pianist”
really great playing ... but am i the only one disturbed by the piano tonality ? O.O
For what bro?