Piano legends.

I have no idea how many of you have heard of Marc Andre Hamelin. If you haven't, you need to listen to him. Looking through the music that I have been given to browse through for my sister's wedding I keep coming back to Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. My piano teacher gave me the music - the actual for piano arranged by Franz Liszt music- as a gag end of the 14 or so odd years of learning from him gift. Over the last five years I keep looking at it, and thinking: If I were really good I could play this.


A little background on the piece. If I remember what I learned in my beginning Piano by Thompson books (the red ones) Liszt was heavily influenced by his heritage while writing...19 Rhapsodies. His heritage being predominately Hungarian/Rom/~ Gypsy. I know that this particular Rhapsody can make or break a performer, highly technical while at the same time allowing the performer to express themselves in a wide array of styles. Number 2 uses the Gypsy scale more than any of the other piece Liszt wrote. It is also originally for piano, then was later adapted for orchestra. That means that the technicalities of the piece become easier as opposed to harder when "fleshing the piece out" - Instead of condensing an orchestra into one instrument, you water down the piece throughout the orchestra.-


We have all heard this piece. It is a classic in Tom and Jerry. Tom is playing the piano, and Jerry drives him nuts as usual inside the piano. At the end Jerry takes the bow for playing such a hard piece and poor Tom is left ragged and his tuxedo is in shambles.

I can't help but think of a carousel whenever I heard the second and third movements.

For those of you who still have no idea what I'm talking about, here is a video from youtube of Marc Andre Hamelin playing this piece at and concert in Japan. Listen and watch this piece twice. First time through don't even watch the video just listen to it. Listen to how discordant the melodies and harmonies are. Try to pick out your favorite bits. Listen for how little he uses any pedal or modulation of the voice of the piece. Can you pick out all of the separate movements and how they play on each other? Does one part of the piece remind you of another part?

The second time you listen and watch the piece actually watch the performer play. Watch his reactions and emotions to the music. For heaven's sake watch how fast he can move his fingers!

Anyway...

If that doesn't blow your mind, or if you just don't appreciate music try some comedy. Victor Borge plays the same piece with the Muppet Rowlf. You could check that one out too.

Buck