Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. Click here to stream the episode, or right click (ctrl + click on Mac) to download the mp3 version. This week, we learn (as I've been recently) about ragtime, past and present, finding out what gave birth to the tradition in the early 1900's, and what makes it live and breathe today. Featuring a performance from Edward Neeman, a friend and, dare I say, a far superior pianist. He fills in for the piece I couldn't learn in time! You'll hear music of William Bolcolm, Paul Schonfield, Gabriela Montero, and yours truly.
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Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. This week, we get personal, with a look at the very first piece that captivated me, and how it fits in the set of pieces of Bach wrote for his eldest son. As compelling for me today as they were when I was a child, you'll hear what makes these pieces great, and get the details on one of them in particular. Click here to stream the episode, or right-click (ctrl+click on Mac) to download. Some links to relevant performances from the episode: Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. Click here to stream episode or right-click (ctrl+click on Mac) to download. This week on the Music Post: a Serial parody, dueling pianos, and a unique look at the collaboration of performer and composer, all wrapped in a history of one of the most beautiful Christmas carols, Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Guest artist Ralitza Patcheva returns with a rousing performance. Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. Click here to stream or right-click (ctrl+click on Mac) to download the episode. From Thanksgiving until Christmas day, we're barraged with holiday-themed music, but so much of it is bland, generic and worn. In this episode, we listen to some Christmas music that's really worth getting excited about, and find out what distinguishes it from the seventeen versions you'll hear in the supermarket in the next couple of weeks. Featuring excerpts from Gabriela Montero and Oscar Peterson. The playing of the former has been a source of inspiration and a bit of depression for me over the last several years, and in the episode you'll start to hear why. Here is a link to my own album of original compositions, including Christmas ones, mentioned in the episode. Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. Click here to stream or right-click (ctrl+click on Mac) to download the episode. This week on the Music Post, we listen to Chopin's great C minor nocturne, with short excerpts from different pianists. You'll learn about how pianists navigate the challenges of Chopin's music and get to know one of his finest miniature masterpieces. Below are links to the five different performances you hear in the episode. Don't click them until you've listened to the episode though, they give it away! And just one of the many performances I left out. Click on the orange thing to subscribe to the Music Post, or click here to see/subscribe in the iTunes store. Click here to stream or right-click (ctrl+click on Mac) to download the episode. This week on the Music Post, we listen to one of Mozart's most popular (with good reason!) opera numbers, and talk about how his operas fit in with the rest of his compositions, and how opera fits in to our musical culture today. If you don't want to spoil the surprise of who's singing, don't follow the links below until you've listened! Here are, in order of their appearance in the episode, links to each of the recordings played First Verdi excerpt, second Verdi excerpt,first Mozart excerpt (not available for streaming as far as I could find), and second Mozart excerpt
There's one singer for whom I had some pretty, um, not-so-complimentary words in the episode. I've listened to a few more performances of hers, and maybe I was too harsh in my initial judgment. But I still think way too many singers sing like her. Go be the judge for yourself!
In this episode, we learn about the counter-fugues from the Art of Fugue, about how Bach's inclusion of the French style affects the piece on the whole, and about the relative advantages of the harpsichord and the piano.
Right click here (ctrl+click on Mac) to download. Here is a link to Ralitza's bio, and here is some of her playing available on youtube. I should add that, though I forgot to mention it in our conversation, Ralitza has been a true inspiration for me and I never would have taken on the Art of Fugue without her. Thank you, Ralitza! Learn about and listen to Contrapunctus 3 from the Art of Fugue.
Right click here (ctrl+click on Mac) and "save link as" to download the mp3 version of the episode. See the recording from the podcast in video! The player above can be a bit slow to load, but it gets there eventually. Listen above to the Music Post, episode 1: Bach's Art of Fugue, Contrapunctus 1
Alternatively, you can download the mp3 version of the episode by right-clicking here (ctrl+click on Mac) and "saving link as." Note: this website isn't the best, so sometimes the player takes a while to load. Podcast will be available for subscription in iTunes soon! Click here to see video of the organ version played in the podcast. Okay, now why would I do such a thing? In the past five years, I've played a lot of performances, and received a lot of feedback from audiences. A fair amount of this feedback comes in the form of praise for the feat of performing, things like "That looked so difficult" or "I can't believe you memorized that whole piece." Of course, I appreciate this type of praise, but as a musician, it's definitely not what I'm going for, because music, after all, isn't a sport. It's art. What I'm really shooting for in a performance is to have the audience fall in love with whatever I'm playing, to seek it out. I know I've really, truly connected with an audience when people say something more like "That piece was so great! Where can I listen to it again?" Even more effective than simply playing, I've found that walking people through a piece, pointing out features and motives, beautiful moments, is the surest way to get them to connect with it and seek it out later. Even more so than my playing, people appreciate these mini-explanations of the music I'm playing (or at least, that's what they claim!), telling me they've never been able to listen more closely or more attentively. So I figure why restrict that to the recital hall? It scales perfectly well to a podcast, where you can listen while you drive, cook, or get ready for bed. Hope you enjoy! |
