Tag Archives: piano

Fini Henriques – Lullaby

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Fini Henriques (1867-1940)

Fini Henriques was a Danish composer and violinist. He was a colleague of Victor Borge’s father and both he and Victor Borge’s father played in the Royal Danish Orchestra. Fini Henriques was an excellent composer. He wrote music for piano, violin, and chamber ensembles. Fini Henriques also wrote operas.

Here is a rare clip of the Danish comedian and pianist Victor Borge playing a Lullaby by Fini Henriques. This piece was sentimental for Victor Borge because his mother used to play it for him when he was a little boy. I hope that you enjoy this music.

Astor Piazzolla – Oblivion (played by the Roby Lakatos Ensemble and Frantisek Janoska)

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Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992)

Astor Piazzolla was an Argentinian tango composer, arranger, and bandoneon virtuoso (the bandoneon is a type of accordion).  He invented a modern style of tango music called tango nuevo (a style of tango that uses elements of jazz and classical music).

Here is a tango by Piazzolla arranged for violin, piano, melodia, cymbalom, guitar, and bass by Frantisek Janoska (the pianist).  It is played by the Romani (gypsy) violinist Roby Lakatos ensemble and pianist Frantisek Janoska.  Enjoy!

James Scott piano rags

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James Scott (1885-1938)

James Scott was an African-American composer of ragtime music.  He is one of the major ragtime composers and pianists along with Scott Joplin and Joseph Lamb.

Scott’s piano rags use a wide range of the keyboard and a melody is often stated and then repeated higher up on the keyboard in a “call and response” style.

Here are two of James Scott’s piano rags.  Unfortunately I do not know who is performing the rags because the person who posted the clip on youtube did not list the name of the pianist.  Enjoy!

(James Scott – The Great Scott Rag)

(James Scott- Ragtime Oriole)

John Field- Nocturne no. 5 B Flat Major Andantino

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John Field (1782-1837)

John Field was an Irish composer and piano virtuoso.  His Nocturnes inspired Chopin.

Here is a recording of John Field’s Nocturne no.5 in B Flat Major played by the Irish pianist John O’Connor.  John O’ Connor has performed in many recitals and has played with many of the world’s top orchestras.  Enjoy!

Erik Satie – Trois Gnossiennes

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Erik Satie (1866-1925)

A French composer and pianist.  Satie was part of a group of composers known as Les Six.

In Satie’s early compositions, the music is reduced down to its bare essentials, and emotion and expressivity are strictly controlled.  The melody in each piece is modal.  The melodic lines flow seamlessly, and there is a simple chordal accompaniment of mildly dissonant, modal chord progressions that don’t resolve.  The accompaniment is straightforward (a sustained note followed by a blocked chord) and has a constant rhythm.  This constant rhythm gives the pieces a static feel.  The music is not divided up into measures.  Satie likes to take certain motivic structures and join them together randomly with other structures.  The use of modes makes the music sound archaic and at the same time very modern.

Here are the first three of Satie’s six Gnossienne.  They are played by Jean-Yves Thibaudet.  The Gnossienne were composed in 1890.

 

Rachmaninov(1873-1943) plays Rachmaninov Lilacs op.21-5 Rec.1942

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Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943) was a famous Russian pianist and composer.  Lilacs was one of eleven songs that Rachmaninoff composed in 1902.  That year he got married and he composed the songs to help pay for the honeymoon.  In 1913 Rachmaninoff adapted the song into a solo piano piece.  He recorded the piece three times.  In 1920 he made a recording of the piece for Victor and also recorded it on a piano roll.  In 1942 Rachaminoff recorded Lilacs for RCA.

Here is the recording of Lilacs Rachmaninoff made for RCA.  Enjoy!

Catoire Elegy – Oistrach, Goldenweiser

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Georgy Catoire (1861-1926)

Georgy Catoire was a Russian composer of French descent.  He studied the piano in Berlin with Klindworth.  Catoire studied composition with Rimsky-Korsakov and Anatol Lyadov.  He was appointed as a professor to the Moscow Conservatory in 1916.  Catoire composed works for piano, orchestra, and chamber music ensembles.  He also wrote important books on harmony and musical form.

Here is a recording of a piece by Catoire called Elegy for violin and piano.  It is played by David Oistrakh (violin) and Alexander Goldenweiser (piano).

Michal Oginski – Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’

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Michał Kleofas Ogiński (1765-1833)

Michał Kleofas Ogiński was a Polish Prince, diplomat, pianist, violinist, and composer.  His Polonaises were an important influence on Chopin.

The Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’ is one the the most famous polonaises ever written.  It was composed after Ogiński returned to Warsaw, Poland from a diplomatic mission to the Hague and London, England.  Ogiński found out upon his return to Poland that the country was being threatened with an invasion from Russia, Prussia, and Austria.  He became depressed and composed the Polonaise in a minor.  The polonaise became very popular because there was a rumour that Ogiński had committed suicide which was not true.

Ogiński also composed a piece called the Song of the Legions which later became the Polish National Anthem.

Iwo Załuski – pianist

Iwo Załuski is the great-great grandson of Michał Kleofas Ogiński.  He is working to restore the music of the Ogiński dynasty into the repertoire of Polish piano music.

Here is a recording of Iwo Zaluski playing the Polonaise in a minor ‘Farewell to the Fatherland’.  Enjoy!

Bernat Vivancos – catalan song-Lo jardí de la mort

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Bernat Vivancos (1973-

Bernat Vivancos is a Catalan composer and teacher.  He studied piano and composition in Barcelona.  He later moved to Paris to study composition at the Conservatoire Superieur de Musique et de Danse for five years and then moved to Oslo Norway to complete his studies.

Vivanco’s music is full of colourful harmonies and beautiful melody.  He has written a lot of vocal and instrumental music.  Vivancos has received many commissions from international ensembles.

Nuria Rial (1975-

Nuria Rial is a Catalan soprano.  She studied voice and piano at the Barcelona Conservatory and got diplomas from the Barcelona Conservatory in piano and voice.  Nuria studied voice at the Music Academy in Basel and got a soloist diploma.  Her specialty is Renaissance and Baroque music.  She has made many recordings.

Here is a recording of a Catalan song by Bernat Vivancos called La jordi de la mort (Death’s Garden).  It is performed by soprano Nuria Rial and Bernat Vivancos is the pianist.  Enjoy!

Caplet: Reverie

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Andre Caplet (1878-1925)

Andre Caplet was a French composer and conductor.  He is known today for his orchestrations of Claude Debussy’s works.  Claude Debussy was a friend of Andre Caplet and an important musical influence on him.

Reverie is a french word which means to dream.  This piece is very dreamy with its soft, sweet melody and flowing accompaniment like a cascading waterfall.

The piece is performed by Julie Scolnik on the flute, and Sophie Scolnik-Brower on the piano.  you can buy this recording at:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/scolnikbrower