I would appreciate more videos like this, about what’s in your mind while playing. Obviously one can see your hands dancing like ballet squids on the keys, but what is in your head? Looking forward to more coming videos! Greetings from Munich, Germany.
Thank you, Josh! That was very inspiring, and I would certainly enjoy more book recommendations on music and piano. I’m an early intermediate student, coming from a voice background. It’s so easy to assign feelings and emotions when singing because the lyrics tend to make them clear. I’m finding it helpful to learn how other pianists think about the music they play and/or compose, when there aren’t words. I was thinking a little too technically at first.
Would be great to see more videos from Josh on this, agreed, but in the meantime, you might benefit from a video Graham Fitch made for Pianist Magazine 'Piano Lesson on Musicianship: The Meaning Behind the Music'. In it he discusses ways to do this. One specific one that stuck in my head is closing your eyes and listening to the piece (you can play it yourself if you're capable, but a recording is more practical), and imagine that there is a scene of a movie being played with the piece in the background. Is a guy wandering around an empty city at night after his wife leaves him? Is it children playing in a park on a sunny day? etc. Once you have a vivid picture in your mind, think about the emotions the scene evokes, and you've discovered the emotions you believe the piece itself evokes. You don't necessarily have to have that scene in your head when you play the piece (imo it's better not to, lest your interpretation become too literal and programmatic), but it helps improve your understanding of the feelings behind it (as you understand them - one person might interpret a piece as full of despair, while another might interpret the same piece as anger, another as passionate suffering, etc.). It's true that it's not as straightforward as it is when lyrics are present, but I personally find this liberating, since you aren't bound to one meaning for the piece.
Thank you so much sharing! As musicians we often listen to other artists playing the pieces/songs we love for inspiration but it's good to be reminded that inspiration comes from many avenues and how we express a piece/song truly comes from within us. It is what makes every musician unique and not like another. Keep up the great work and looking forward to seeing more. I subscribed!
I love this video! Would love to see more. I had never read that quote regarding Chopin before. It's very encouraging! I love Chopin even more now, knowing that he said that to his student.
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I have recently gained more technical facilities than I have had before, but I'm not taking full advantage of it because I'm still used to my old way of unconfidently and clumsily. I have been trying to figure out how to be the confident person I imagine myself to be in my head, but I have been struggling to do so.
Hi Josh, I feel it is very helpful for aspiring pianists to be made aware of insights such as this quote from a pupil of Chopin. Thank you so much for sharing it. I would be grateful to have you share with your channel more such inspiring words! Take good care my friend, Brian
Definitely worth making more like this! It's always fascinating and frequently reassuring and inspiring to get focused little bits of insight into the worlds and minds of those who wrote the music that moves me so deeply. I think most of us know this sort of thing is out there in books but don't know where to begin looking for it, so videos like this are very valuable :)
What a lovely video. That is an excellent book. I also highly recommend Chopin's Piano as well as the Walker bio on Chopin- I went down the Chopin rabbit hole last year. Thank you for sharing.
I would love more vids like this, but could you do one in which you give a class to a student and demonstrate the before and after - so here that might be a class showing a student playing hesitantly, and then showing them abandoning their fear. I would love to see the difference this makes to a student. For me, one of the most profound moments of change came in the middle of a class, when the teacher said to me "The most important thing is to focus on the space between the notes and not the notes themselves...could you replay the passage...slow down completely, forget the time signature, and just play for yourself, and when you do listen exclusively to the sound occurring between the notes...' I was mesmerised by this idea, and gladly gave up the notion of performing for anyone, despite the fact that I was being observed by about 6 other students at the time and had been royally nervous about it. So I looked at the keyboard, went briefly inside myself to settle my breathing, and then started playing, slowing right down, truly hearing the sound which occurred AFTER I had depressed each note, rather than the sound which was emitted WHEN depressed the notes. PLaying this way felt and sounded so utterly different, I was astonished by it. After a bit, I stopped briefly and looked at the teacher. He was standing there, silent, but then said 'OMG...you went straight into that...Normally I can't get students to do that at all....' I told him that I am Master NLP Coach and when learning NLP we learn to throw away our fears and act as if, which means really DO the thing, not ape it. It means to throw away your fears completely, to really make your effort count in the most authentic way. It was the most phenomenal lesson to learn, I feel, because while reaching beyond myself for a performance that superceeded what I had been doing before, I had in fact reached inside and gone into my core. And I think this is what Chopin was talking about. I wish I had had him as my teacher. He was so very kind to his students.
great timing on this matter for me, my piano theory instructor stopped me from exploring my interpretations early on after actually listing to and saying that he liked them now 7 years later I'm so stuck on the exact perfect interpretation that i now can't put my own flair on my pieces. Not sure if this is good or bad however, i guess this is just part of my long piano journey. Thanks i enjoy your professional approach to the pile of piano info out there.
Maybe I'm just in one of those moods today, but I started crying at Chopin's words to the student. It seems to me there are two primary problems of piano playing: having nothing to say, and having something but being unwilling to say it. It's funny that as children we tend to have nothing to say but no difficulty saying it, then in and after puberty, we suddenly we have so much to say but such difficulty letting it out. Chopin's words remind me tangentially of something C.S. Lewis said-"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." When we let our guard down at the piano, we inevitably tell the truth-about ourselves-and thus play far more originally than we ever could by trying to create an original performance and to not imitate another's interpretation too closely.
Chopin book: I just bought this book four days ago, and now you're talking about it. Wow! Great minds, think a like Josh! Just kidding, but, that's an interesting coincidence. From Johnny delly
When I was with my original piano teacher, she was strict to the point of never make a mistake. Or the way I played a song wasn’t right I had to fix it, I’m trying to make myself not be as critical. But at the same time, not letting myself get off easy.
Hi Dr, would you please make a video on how different a note on the piano can sound when different touch is applied ( more round for example)..as I keep trying to touch the piano differently ( pulling my hand up after the attack or pushing down ) and it all sounds the same to me. Thanks inadvance
Hello Dr. Wright, I'm 65 years old and want to know if you think children should practice differently than (older) adults? If so, what would you recommend for me? I want to develop good technique from the very beginning. Thank you!
I recommend PianoMarvel for sightreading practice for my students. They have a giant library of hundreds of thousands of pieces to choose from. A lot of people on this channel have also used it and told me they enjoy it. www.pianomarvel.com/?promoCode=josh
Thank you for this video, Josh! Yes please, more of this content. 🙏
I would appreciate more videos like this, about what’s in your mind while playing.
Obviously one can see your hands dancing like ballet squids on the keys, but what is in your head?
Looking forward to more coming videos!
Greetings from Munich, Germany.
Dear Josh, I appreciate all of your videos, you are a wonderful teacher, kind and inspiring and generous in sharing your inspiration. Thank you
Inspiring Josh. More of this would be great!
Thank you, Josh! That was very inspiring, and I would certainly enjoy more book recommendations on music and piano. I’m an early intermediate student, coming from a voice background. It’s so easy to assign feelings and emotions when singing because the lyrics tend to make them clear. I’m finding it helpful to learn how other pianists think about the music they play and/or compose, when there aren’t words. I was thinking a little too technically at first.
Would be great to see more videos from Josh on this, agreed, but in the meantime, you might benefit from a video Graham Fitch made for Pianist Magazine 'Piano Lesson on Musicianship: The Meaning Behind the Music'. In it he discusses ways to do this. One specific one that stuck in my head is closing your eyes and listening to the piece (you can play it yourself if you're capable, but a recording is more practical), and imagine that there is a scene of a movie being played with the piece in the background. Is a guy wandering around an empty city at night after his wife leaves him? Is it children playing in a park on a sunny day? etc. Once you have a vivid picture in your mind, think about the emotions the scene evokes, and you've discovered the emotions you believe the piece itself evokes. You don't necessarily have to have that scene in your head when you play the piece (imo it's better not to, lest your interpretation become too literal and programmatic), but it helps improve your understanding of the feelings behind it (as you understand them - one person might interpret a piece as full of despair, while another might interpret the same piece as anger, another as passionate suffering, etc.). It's true that it's not as straightforward as it is when lyrics are present, but I personally find this liberating, since you aren't bound to one meaning for the piece.
@@voskresenie-Thanks! I'll check out the Graham Fitch video; I like his teaching.
Thank you so much sharing! As musicians we often listen to other artists playing the pieces/songs we love for inspiration but it's good to be reminded that inspiration comes from many avenues and how we express a piece/song truly comes from within us. It is what makes every musician unique and not like another. Keep up the great work and looking forward to seeing more. I subscribed!
I love this video! Would love to see more. I had never read that quote regarding Chopin before. It's very encouraging! I love Chopin even more now, knowing that he said that to his student.
This is exactly what I needed to hear! I have recently gained more technical facilities than I have had before, but I'm not taking full advantage of it because I'm still used to my old way of unconfidently and clumsily. I have been trying to figure out how to be the confident person I imagine myself to be in my head, but I have been struggling to do so.
Yes please, more of this content!
Hi Josh, I feel it is very helpful for aspiring pianists to be made aware of insights such as this quote from a pupil of Chopin. Thank you so much for sharing it. I would be grateful to have you share with your channel more such inspiring words! Take good care my friend,
Brian
Very inspiring video, its very good to hear Mr Chopins' wisdom.
Definitely will give a look to that book thanks for the video Josh! Appreciate you putting this out there!🙏
Definitely worth making more like this! It's always fascinating and frequently reassuring and inspiring to get focused little bits of insight into the worlds and minds of those who wrote the music that moves me so deeply. I think most of us know this sort of thing is out there in books but don't know where to begin looking for it, so videos like this are very valuable :)
This was very interesting and inspiring , please submit more videos like this !
Thank you a lot for this video Josh! It is a beautiful quote I will remember the next time I play.
What a lovely video. That is an excellent book. I also highly recommend Chopin's Piano as well as the Walker bio on Chopin- I went down the Chopin rabbit hole last year. Thank you for sharing.
I would love more vids like this, but could you do one in which you give a class to a student and demonstrate the before and after - so here that might be a class showing a student playing hesitantly, and then showing them abandoning their fear. I would love to see the difference this makes to a student. For me, one of the most profound moments of change came in the middle of a class, when the teacher said to me "The most important thing is to focus on the space between the notes and not the notes themselves...could you replay the passage...slow down completely, forget the time signature, and just play for yourself, and when you do listen exclusively to the sound occurring between the notes...' I was mesmerised by this idea, and gladly gave up the notion of performing for anyone, despite the fact that I was being observed by about 6 other students at the time and had been royally nervous about it. So I looked at the keyboard, went briefly inside myself to settle my breathing, and then started playing, slowing right down, truly hearing the sound which occurred AFTER I had depressed each note, rather than the sound which was emitted WHEN depressed the notes. PLaying this way felt and sounded so utterly different, I was astonished by it.
After a bit, I stopped briefly and looked at the teacher. He was standing there, silent, but then said 'OMG...you went straight into that...Normally I can't get students to do that at all....' I told him that I am Master NLP Coach and when learning NLP we learn to throw away our fears and act as if, which means really DO the thing, not ape it. It means to throw away your fears completely, to really make your effort count in the most authentic way.
It was the most phenomenal lesson to learn, I feel, because while reaching beyond myself for a performance that superceeded what I had been doing before, I had in fact reached inside and gone into my core. And I think this is what Chopin was talking about.
I wish I had had him as my teacher. He was so very kind to his students.
great timing on this matter for me, my piano theory instructor stopped me from exploring my interpretations early on after actually listing to and saying that he liked them now 7 years later I'm so stuck on the exact perfect interpretation that i now can't put my own flair on my pieces. Not sure if this is good or bad however, i guess this is just part of my long piano journey. Thanks i enjoy your professional approach to the pile of piano info out there.
I’m going to get this book! Thanks Josh
Maybe I'm just in one of those moods today, but I started crying at Chopin's words to the student. It seems to me there are two primary problems of piano playing: having nothing to say, and having something but being unwilling to say it. It's funny that as children we tend to have nothing to say but no difficulty saying it, then in and after puberty, we suddenly we have so much to say but such difficulty letting it out.
Chopin's words remind me tangentially of something C.S. Lewis said-"Even in literature and art, no man who bothers about originality will ever be original: whereas if you simply try to tell the truth (without caring twopence how often it has been told before) you will, nine times out of ten, become original without ever having noticed it." When we let our guard down at the piano, we inevitably tell the truth-about ourselves-and thus play far more originally than we ever could by trying to create an original performance and to not imitate another's interpretation too closely.
That’s such a beautiful quote and so truthful.
Wonderful advice from Chopin.
Great advice from Chopin! Thank you, Josh.
Beautiful quote! Love content like this, thank you so much for the inspiration. And also a book to read I never would have known to otherwise.
I would definitely appreciate more videos like this :)
This was a nice turn of pace from the usual, thanks Josh
That was beautiful!
Wow, what a wonderful encourager Chopin was. Yes, make the music the focus, not the player. :)
Chopin book:
I just bought this book four days ago, and now you're talking about it.
Wow! Great minds, think a like Josh!
Just kidding, but, that's an interesting coincidence.
From Johnny delly
It's been weeks I think to buy this book, now even more convinced!!😊
That's beautiful. I'm looking forward if the book is translated to other languages as well so i can understand it better. Thank you Josh
great video. ❤ more like this.
I own and love that book!
Thank you for this video, Josh. 😊
Loved it, Josh.
Loved this!
Amazing video as always
Love all your videos!
Excellent I’ll have to find a copy of that book
I love this book… ❤🥰
When I was with my original piano teacher, she was strict to the point of never make a mistake. Or the way I played a song wasn’t right I had to fix it, I’m trying to make myself not be as critical. But at the same time, not letting myself get off easy.
Very nice, thanks!
Anything you have to say about Sergei Babayan is a blessing!
Thanks brother Josh, awesome video...
Have a blessed weekend :)
Sam 🎵✌🏻
Hi Dr, would you please make a video on how different a note on the piano can sound when different touch is applied ( more round for example)..as I keep trying to touch the piano differently ( pulling my hand up after the attack or pushing down ) and it all sounds the same to me.
Thanks inadvance
Hello Dr. Wright, I'm 65 years old and want to know if you think children should practice differently than (older) adults? If so, what would you recommend for me? I want to develop good technique from the very beginning. Thank you!
👍❤❤❤
Hi Josh, what course do you recommend to start sight reading from late beginner to advances? Thanks!
I recommend PianoMarvel for sightreading practice for my students. They have a giant library of hundreds of thousands of pieces to choose from. A lot of people on this channel have also used it and told me they enjoy it. www.pianomarvel.com/?promoCode=josh
@@joshwrightpiano thank you very much Josh, I truly appreciate and benefit from your work!
This is exactly what Hilary Hahn calls "musical doodling/daydreaming" - trying out every possible way of interpretation and expression conceivable
Oh no another book 😂 my wallet...