Iconic Piano Valentines

What’s a better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than with a romantic piano piece? Sweeping melodies from the Romantic era, focusing on themes of love, longing, and intimacy, set a passionate, intimate mood. 

Frédéric Chopin is widely considered the ultimate romantic composer for the piano.

• Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2 is a soft, delicate piece often compared to a whispered love letter.
• Piano Concerto No. 2 (Larghetto) was composed while Chopin was deeply in love with soprano Konstancja Gładkowska, pouring his unspoken feelings into the music.
• Franz Liszt is known for transforming technical prowess into pure emotion.
• Liebestraum No. 3 (Dream of Love), Liszt’s most famous romantic work, was originally a song about unconditional love.
• Consolation No. 3 is a tender, peaceful piece that offers a more intimate, comforting mood.
• Robert and Clara Schumann’s real-life romance is legendary in music history.
• Widmung (Dedication) was originally a song Robert wrote for Clara as a wedding gift. It was later transcribed for solo piano by Liszt to capture its soaring passion.
• Liebesfrühling (Love Spring) is a collaborative set of works expressing their shared devotion. 
• Sergei Rachmaninoff is known for "sweeping" romanticism.
• Piano Concerto No. 2 (Adagio sostenuto)’s slow movement is world-renowned for its lush, heart-aching melody.
• Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Variation 18, one of the most passionate themes ever written, is often performed as a solo piano arrangement.
• Claude Debussy: Clair de Lune is a staple for Valentine’s Day, offering a dreamy, moonlit atmosphere full of tenderness.
• Ludwig van Beethoven: "Moonlight" Sonata (1st Movement) provides a hauntingly beautiful, intimate setting perfect for a quiet evening.
• Johannes Brahms: Romance in F Major, Op. 118, No. 5 is a mature, deeply felt expression of affection. 

No wonder that the Romanic era is one of Tomoko's favorite musical periods. 

May (Birth) Day for Piano Composers

 Several of Tomoko’s favorite composers were Romantics and were born in May. Here is a sampling of them.

Wagner was born on May 22, 1813, in Leipzig and died in 1883 in Venice. He was particularly known for his Romantic operas.  His lieder that were often performed in the original piano version.

Brahms was born on May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, and died in 1987in Vienna.  His Romantic approach was exhibited in his professional piano composing, performing and conducting. When he toured, he met with several famous peers: Liszt, Wagner, Berlioz, and the Schumans. Most of his music was written for vocal performance, but he also wrote two piano concertos.

Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840, in Votkinsk, Russia and died in 1893 in St. Petersburg. A Romantic composer, he was the first internationally renown composers. His piano music was often targeted to the home market, which increased its popularity. Tchaikovsky started piano lessons at age five, and was quite proficient by age ten, but then he was forced to be trained to become a civil servant. As an adult, he received Western musical theory training, which he merged with his Russian musical upbringing.

Massenet was born on May 12, 1842, in Montaud, France and died on 1912 in Paris. Similarly to Wagner, Massenet is most known for his 30+ Romanic operas, altjough he also wrote piano pieces. To earn a living Massenet started as a private piano teacher and a piano accompanist. His first published composition was a substantial piano work in nine sections.

Fauré was born on May 12, 1845, in Pamiers, France, and died in 1924 in Paris. Fauré’s compositions bridged Romanticism and Modernism.  Although not born into a musical family, he showed promise before the age of ten, and he was trained to be a church organist. However, he preferred the piano to the organ. It was only in middle age that he had enough time to compose, escaping from Paris to focus in the countryside.

Hand It to Handel

 

George Frideric Handel was born on February, 23, 1685, in Halle, Germany. One of the most prolific composers, several later composers have created variations of Handel’s works:

• ·       Beethoven’s 12 Variations in G major is based on Handels’ Judas Maccabaeus.
• ·       Brahms’ Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel Opus 24 is based on Handels’ second harpsichord suite.
• ·       Philippe Gaubert’s Petite Marche for flute and piano is based on Handel’s Trio Sonata Opus 5, No. 2 fourth movement.
• ·       Luis Gianneo composed Variations on a Theme by Handel for piano.
• ·       Arnold Schoenberg’s Concerto for String Quarter and Orchestra in B-flat major is based on Handel’s Concerto Grosso Opus 6/7.
• ·       Percy Grainger composed Variations on Handel’s ‘The Harmonious Blacksmith’. Later, he reworded the first part of that piece to create Handel in the Strand, including a piano version.

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then Handel has been greatly flattered.

Musical Pranks

It's April Fools' Day.: a day of (hopefully harmless) pranks. Musicians and composers have been known to play pranks on the piano. Probably the most famous playful piano perforrmer was the Danish-American pianist and comic Victor Borge.

One piece that Borge liked to perform was a version of Liszt's Second Hungarian Rhapsody (especially the friska section), which is considered a musical comedic classic and has been featured in animated cartoons.

Mozart once wrote an aria for a soprano who tended raise her head for high notes and tuck in her chin for low notes. Mozart hated her, so the nicknamed piece, “The Chicken Dance” in Cosi fan Tutte, featured dramatic fluctuating low and high notes; Mozart took delight in watching the soprano bob her head repeatedly.

More recently, Leroy Anderson is known for his lighthearted compositions, such as The Syncopated Clock. His pieces sometimes featured unlikely instruments such as a typewriter.

Debussy's Carnival of Animals is charming, but how many people realize that his “Tortoises” is actually a very slow version of Offenbach's “Can-Can”?

P. D. Q. Bach is a comedic alias for contemporary composer Peter Schickele. He creates parodies of baroque and classical music, which often employ unusual instruments such as kazoo and slide whistles and even fictional instruments such as the left-handed sewer flute and pastaphone. His humor often draws from odd key changes and inserts of popular music into classical sections.

Violinist Fritz Kreisler played “lost” classical pieces, which she later admitted writing himself. Another violinist, Henri Gustave Casadesus, also wrote faked compositions, supposedly created by Handel and Boccherini.

Some musicians also played practical jokes. For instance, Brahms sketched a fake Beethoven manuscript, and had a street vendor wrap it around a sausage to sell to one of Brahms' friend, who thought he had discovered a lost composition.

Who says composers don't have a sense of humor?

Medical Benefits of Music

 

One of the ways that Tomoko keeps healthy is through her daily practice on the piano. It keeps her muscles flexible and her mind active. As a piano teacher, Tomoko also knows the benefits of piano lessons, not only for the benefits above, but also for hearing and visual acuity. Several aspects of music and medicines interdependence are showcased here.

Music and healing has a long history. Even in Greek mythology, Apollo was the god of both music and healing. More on the human level, Greek physicians used flutes and lyres to heal their patients, with particular attention to musical vibrations to aid digestion and treat mental disturbance. Shakespeare wrote of Lear’s physician who prescribed music the cure the king’s melancholy. Music therapy was mentioned in scientific literature as early as 1789, and early 20^th century surgeons noted positive outcomes when using music during procedures.

Doctors have been musicians themselves.  In the early 19^th century Dr. Rene Laennec invented the first stethoscope, which was a long hollow wood tube resembling a flute, which built on his knowledge as a flutist.  The late 19^th century innovative surgeon Theodor Billroth wanted to become a professional pianist, but his family convinced him to pursue medicine. Nevertheless, he held music gatherings and was a close friend of Brahms. Both Billroth and cardiac physician—and cellist-- T. W. Englemann had quartets dedicated to them by Brahms.  

The American Medical Association (AMA) asserts that music and the medical profession harness discipline and creativity.  Both musicians and doctors realize the importance of performance – and the amount of practice and coaching needed to perform will. Both require focused self-discipline and commitment to gain excellence.  And practicing the piano can be very therapeutic while going through medical school.

Music is also a stress reliever, which is another reason Tomoko values piano playing. Studies discovered that “just thirty minutes of listening to relaxing classical music and decrease levels of stress hormones in the blood,” states Caroline Brennan (MyChart, Oct. 31, 2023). So maybe piano practice a day keeps the doctor way – and helps the doctor perform better.

Past into the Future: Video Games and Classical Music

 

Music has been associated with games for millennia with fighting songs and victory anthems. Music has also played a key role in video games. Particularly as technical advances have enabled video games to include whole symphonic music, classical pieces have been incorporated (and public domain status has also helped in terms of copyright and royalties). Especially as San Diego Comic-Con is happening, now is a good time to sample classical piano pieces that have been used in video games. Even Tomoko might be surprised at the ways that her favorite composers have been integrated into this recent game format.

Starting with the obvious, Eternal Sonata is an RPG (role-playing games) about a composer’s life, its premise being Chopin’s dying dream. Among the pieces featured in this game is a remixed version of Chopin’s “Revolutionary” etude, Opus 10, no. 12 in C minor, used in the game’s final battle scene.

Another natural use of classical music is experienced in the video game franchise Civilization. Ever since the first game in 1991, famous classical pieces have served as thematic ties for events and leaders. Pieces range from Gregorian chants to Romantic Age compositions by Brahms, Dvorak and Saint-Saens to underscore the historic period.

On the other hand, Debussy is probably not the first name that comes to mind, particularly for sinister games. Nevertheless, his Claire de Lune is featured in the game The Evil Within. The piece is used as a counter to horror, reassuring the player that safety is nearby.

Speaking of dark games, Schubert’s “Ave Maria” (aka “Ellen’s Third Song” from Seven Songs from Walter Scott’s The Lady of the Lake) starts the game Hitman: Blood Money. Its peaceful tone is almost an ironic counterpoint to this violent game.  

On a more positive note, Mozart and Bioshock? 2013’s Bioshock Infinite includes a visit to a Hall of Heroes memorial, which mood is accentuated with a section from Mozart’s Requiem in D minor.

Disney characters rule in the game Kingdom Hearts. It’s not surprising, then, that the game’s music would draw from Disney’s movie Fantasia, specifically Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain.

Speaking of kingdoms, in the game Earthworm Jim 2, the main character must save the princess from an archvillain.  Beethoven’s third movement rondo “Moonlight” from his Piano Sonata no. 14 in C# minor plays in the background. The sonata’s first movement underscores Jim’s floating through a creature’s intestine. This sonata may never feel the same after that experience.

The game Grand Theft Auto III uses a clever ploy: the car’s classical music radio state, complete with a parodied culture vulture DJ. The player drives around creating chaos, accompanied by background music from Le Nozze di Figaro, La Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, and Don Giovanni.

You never know where classical music will pop up; it’s that popular.

Here Comes the Bridal Piano

 

In the US, June has been the traditional month for weddings. Music is also a traditional part of weddings, and piano piece figure largely. Here is a sampling, all written by composers whom Tomoko admires.

The traditional standard wedding piece is Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opus 61: IX. Wedding March.  It is often performed in the movies (perhaps because it is in the public domain). A less known wedding choice composed by Mendelssohn, but very endearing, is his “On Wings of Song.”

Tomoko’s favorite piano composer, Mozart, wrote “Serenade, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K 525: II. Romanza-Andante.“ Its stately, measured pace give the wedding ceremony sweet gravitas. To set a more lively yet majestic tone, the wedding couple might choose Mozart’s overture to The Marriage of Figaro. Or if the couple wants to exult, they can always choose Mozart’s “Alleluja” from Exsultate, Jubilate, K 165.

Planning an elegant and sophisticated wedding? Then Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Arioso” would set the tone. Tomoko appreciates his timeless structure and use of chords.

Beethoven’s love letter in music, “Fur Elise,” resonates even today, and couples can affirm their own requited love. Tomoko knows that this famous piano piece may serve as a rite of passage for aspiring piano players.

“Claire de lune” from Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque is another favorite (as is Debussy for Tomoko). Its dreamy soft theme creates a lovely background for weddings.

Another romantic choice is Saint-Saens’ “The Swan” from his Carnival of the Animals. Its almost melancholy tone that resolves into a major key reflects the transition from singlehood to couplehood.

Another favorite composer of Tomoko, Edvard Grieg, is known for his “Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Opus 65, No. 6.” It bears a surprising resemblance to The King and I’s “March of the Siamese Children.”

For the bride’s entrance, Strauss’s Radetzky March” Opus 228 makes a bold statement. Strauss’s “Blue Danube” evokes the spirit of Vienna. And while waltzes are not the usual fare at wedding receptions, imagine how lovely the bride and groom would look if this were their first dance.

Tomoko also enjoys the dance music of Brahms. His piece “Hungarian Dance No. 5 in G Minor” strikes a special chord for Tomoko as she married a Hungarian.

Lullabies for a Good Night

Tomoko’s daughter Beata is a new mother. Her son Kai was born May 11, 2017. Not surprisingly, Tomoko loves her grandson, and sings lullabies to him. “He likes Brahms,” Tomoko says.

Kia has good taste: Brahm’s lullaby is probably the most well known one, usually called “Cradle Song” – “Lullaby and goodnight, with roses bedight” (you can hear it at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lullaby_wound_up_clock_guten_abend_gute_nacht.ogg) . Published in 1868, the lullaby was dedicated to Brahms’ friend Bertha Faber to honor the birth of her second son.  Variations of that melody were woven into Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D major Opus 73 first movement.

Other famous composers have written lullabies – or songs resembling lullabies, such as 6/8 time berceuses, which Chopin pioneered. Ravel wrote Berceuses sur le nom de Gabriel Fauré, Benjamin Godard wrote a berceuse from his opera Jocelyn, Stravinsky’s berceuse is part of his Firebird ballet, and Gershwin wrote Lullaby for String Quartet.

Lullabies play an important role in young children’s development. The simple, repetitive melody helps little ones go to sleep. Lullabies are also an early form of communication; they are usually sung with emotion that conveys warmth and tenderness, and can hold a child’s undivided attention. The rhythm of lullabies also helps a child learn the rhythm of language. 

Additionally, lullabies serve as a way to pass down societal traditions, and have been sung for centuries around the world. Tomoko and Beata sometimes sing Japanese lullabies together, bringing back memories when Beata herself was a baby. It's a lovely way to start a musical life.