A Little Water Music

 Water is a favorite muse in classical piano music, with composers using flowing arpeggios, shimmering chords, and cascading scales to capture everything from raindrops to roaring oceans. Similar to the Impressionist painters, late 19th century composers defined the "water" repertoire, painting vividly acoustic seascapes and fountains.

Claude Debussy

As a French Impressionist, Debussy revolutionized how water was depicted on the keys.

Reflets dans l'eau (Reflections in the Water): The first piece from his 1905 Images series, it captures the shifting lights and shimmering play of water surfaces. 
Jardins sous la pluie (Gardens in the Rain): A brilliant, virtuosic miniature from Estampes that mimics the frantic, driving patter of heavy raindrops and thunderstorms. 

Maurice Ravel

Ravel leaned into sparkling, ethereal representations of watery mythos and movement.

Jeux d'eau (1901): Often considered the quintessential water-inspired piano piece, it uses cascading, glittering figurations to replicate the joy of fountains and splashing water. 
Ondine: The haunting, technically demanding first movement of Gaspard de la nuit, telling the story of a water nymph singing to seduce a mortal.

Franz Liszt

Liszt brought a highly romantic, virtuosic, and spiritual approach to the elements.

Les Jeux d'eau à la Villa d'Este (1877): A visionary precursor to impressionism that musically describes the fountains at the Villa d'Este in Tivoli, Italy. 
Au bord d'une source (Beside a Spring): From Années de pèlerinage, this lively and sparkling piece imitates the glistening, bubbling flow of a natural spring. 

Frédéric Chopin

Raindrop Prelude (Op. 28, No. 15): Perhaps the most famous of all, characterized by a persistent, repeating note (Ab or \(G\sharp\)) that mimics the steady, meditative dripping of rain.

Sporting the Music Life

Classical music and sports intersect through composers who were athletes or were inspired by sports in their compositions. Piano music has also inspired athletics in training and performance. And think of all the band music...

Composers with Sporting Connections

• Charles Ives: An avid athlete who captained his baseball and football teams in college, Ives composed distinct sports music for the piano. His work "Some South-Paw Pitching" is a famous piano etude designed to strengthen the pianist's left hand, drawing on both baseball and boxing slang. 
• Frederick Septimus Kelly: A highly accomplished pianist and composer who was also an elite Olympic athlete. He won a gold medal in rowing at the 1908 London Summer Olympic Games.
• Maurice Ravel: Though not a sports enthusiast himself, Ravel’s famous impressionist piano piece "Jeux d'eau" (Water Games) evokes images of flowing and splashing water, and was featured during the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics. 
• Erik Satie: A French composer whose minimalist piano works like "Gymnopédies" are widely used for calm, focused sports warm-ups and golf training. 

Piano Music for Athletic Training

Classical piano works can enhance athletic performance by establishing a steady, motivating rhythm, as tempos between 120 and 140 beats per minute are perfect for high-energy workouts. Here are some good choices.

• Beethoven's Sonata No. 14 "Moonlight" (3rd Movement): Features a frantic, driving tempo that matches high-intensity training.
• Chopin's Etudes (e.g., Op. 10 No. 4): Lightning-fast, repetitive runs that provide an excellent pulse for sprints or rigorous cardio.
• Bach's Preludes (from The Well-Tempered Clavier): The steady, driving basslines in Bach's work are great for maintaining a consistent pace during long-distance running or cycling.

Information found at Spotify, WFMT, Classic FM, 

Step to the Music

 

Late May and early June are the traditional times for graduation ceremonies. When Tomoko taught at San Domenico School, the girls graduated to classical music – often Vivaldi. Classical piano music is perfect for graduation ceremonies. Here is the ultimate graduation piano repertoire.

 

1. Processional Music (Walking to Seats)

This music should be steady, dignified, and elegant.

• "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach: A serene, uplifting chorale that brings a sense of grace and accomplishment.
• "Clair de Lune" by Claude Debussy: Smooth, dreamy, and atmospheric. Perfect if you want an ethereal, reflective background during the walk-in.
• "Gymnopédie No. 1" by Erik Satie: Minimalist and calm, ideal for a quiet, focused processional.

 

2. Interludes & Diploma Presentations

Music played softly while diplomas are handed out should be engaging without overwhelming the speakers.

• "Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 39, No. 15" by Johannes Brahms: A bright, buoyant, and joyful waltz.
• "Für Elise" by Ludwig van Beethoven: Highly recognizable and gentle, excellent for quieter moments.
• "Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9, No. 2" by Frédéric Chopin: Luxurious and flowing, offering a warm, celebratory elegance.

 

3. Recessional Music (Exiting the Ceremony)

The final walk-out music should be triumphant, energetic, and grand.

• "Rondo alla Turca" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Fast-paced, bright, and sparkling with victorious energy.
• "Triumphal March" from Aida by Giuseppe Verdi: While originally an orchestral piece, stellar piano arrangements capture the exact triumphant, crowning-achievement.
• "War March of the Priests" by Felix Mendelssohn: A robust and commanding piece from Athalia that projects an undeniable sense of triumph and accomplishment.

 

 

Setting Poetry to Music

 

April is Poetry Month. Many classical piano composers found inspiration in poetry, either by setting poems to vocal music with piano accompaniment (Lieder) or by creating programmatic piano works directly inspired by poetic themes. Leading piano composers include Franz Schubert, who wrote over 600 songs based on Goethe's poetry, and Claude Debussy, who set verses from Verlaine and Mallarmé. 

Here are other classical piano composers who integrated poetry into their work:

• Franz Liszt (1811–1886): Heavily influenced by literature, including Dante's Divine Comedy, creating works that treated music as a "poetic language".
• Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Composed songs based on poetry by Goethe and Friedrich Schiller (e.g., Ode to Joy).
• Robert Schumann (1810–1856): His piano cycles were frequently inspired by literature and poems, including setting scenes from Goethe's Faust.
• Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849): While known as a "musical poet" for his piano writing, he also composed songs set to Polish lyrics. 
• Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): : His virtuoso piano suite Gaspard de la nuit is based on three prose-poems by Aloysius Bertrand.

March On for Classic Piano Composers

 

As spring arrives, here we get to celebrate ten major piano composers born in March.

Frédéric Chopin (March 1, 1810): Known almost exclusively for his piano works, Chopin's output includes legendary nocturnes, etudes, and ballades.

Antonio Vivaldi (March 4, 1678): A prolific Italian Baroque composer, virtuoso violinist, and priest, he significantly influenced the development of the concerto form. He is most famous for composing The Four Seasons.

Maurice Ravel (March 7, 1875): A master of Impressionism, Ravel composed complex piano masterpieces like Gaspard de la nuit and Le Tombeau de Couperin.

Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (March 8, 1714): A pioneer of the "sensitive style" (Empfindsamer Stil), he was a prolific composer of keyboard sonatas that bridged the Baroque and Classical eras.

Samuel Barber (March 9, 1910): While known for his Adagio for Strings, he wrote significant piano music, including his formidable Piano Sonata and the Excursions.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (March 18, 1844): Known for his nationalistic style, he produced famous works like Scheherazade and the Russian Easter Festival Overture, while also serving as a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. 

Johann Sebastian Bach (March 21/31, 1685): Though a Baroque composer, his keyboard works like The Well-Tempered Clavier and the Goldberg Variations are fundamental to piano pedagogy and performance. His birthday is often celebrated on March 21st (Old Style) or March 31st (New Style).

Modest Mussorgsky (March 21, 1839): A Russian composer, he drew heavily on Slavonic folk music and natural speech rhythms. He is most known for his vivid piano suite Pictures at an Exhibition.

Béla Bartók (March 25, 1881): A major 20th-century composer who wrote extensive piano music, including the pedagogical series Mikrokosmos and three piano concertos.

Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732): A prolific composer of over 50 keyboard sonatas, he helped define the Classical style.

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. 

Let It Snow

The first snowfalls have arrived. Many piano composers lived in areas that experienced snow, which inspired the following pieces.

Claude Debussy’s "The Snow is Dancing" from Children's Corner is a famous piece that captures the image of dancing snowflakes. Debussy also wrote a piece called "Des Pas Sur la Neige" (Footprints in the Snow). 

Frédéric Chopin’s Étude Op. 25, No. 11, nicknamed "Winter Wind," is a technically demanding and dramatic piece. 

Franz Liszt’s transcendental étude "Chasse-neige" (Snowplow) depicts a heavy snowstorm. 

John Cage’s Winter Music  evokes a frozen landscape. 

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s twelfth piece from his suite The Seasons, "December (Christmas)," captures a wintery atmosphere. His Nutcracker ballet suite also includes well-known winter scenes.

Franz Schubert’s song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey) includes songs that deal with the hardships and emotions of a winter journey.

Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Der Schneemann (The Snowman) is often included in lists of winter-themed classical music. 

Leaf Us with Composers

 

It’s the autumn season with leaves falling. When combining the idea of leaves and classical composers, two results are possible: piano pieces that have the word “leaves” in the title.

• Felix Mendelssohn  wrote "Album-leaf in E minor, Op. 117".
• Max Reger composed multiple pieces titled "Albumblatt," including one from his "Bunte Blätter for Piano".
• Camille Saint-Saëns wrote a "Feuillet d'album, Op. 169".
• Moritz Moszkowski wrote "Feuillet d'album No. 2" from his Op. 86.
• Modest Mussorgsky composed a piece titled "Méditation (feuillet d'album)"

 

And there is another possibility: composers who have arranged or been associated with the song “Autumn Leaves,” which is English lyrical adaption of the French song “Les Feuilles Mortes” (“Dead Leaves”) by Hungarian composer Joseph Kosma in 1945.

• Frédéric Chopin was mentioned as a composer whose style was used in arrangements of the song
• Franz Liszt was mentioned as a composer whose style was used in arrangements of the song.
• Sergei Rachmaninoff was mentioned as a composer whose style was used in arrangements of the song.
• Johann Strauss II was mentioned as a composer whose style was used in arrangements of the song. 
• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was mentioned as a composer whose style was used in arrangements of the song.

For fun, you can hear a jazz arrangement of “Autumn Leaves” that is transformed into a homage to Tchaikovsky, Liszt, Strauss, Chopin, Brahms, and Rachmaninov at https://youtu.be/0zARLbNo480

Where did classical piano composers get their training?

 

Classical piano composers received training through private instruction from experienced musicians, formal education at music conservatories and universities, mentorship from senior composers, and extensive self-study and practice, including analyzing and copying the works of other composers. The specific method varied, but a strong foundation in music theory, harmony, and composition, often through pattern-based exercises, was a common element across different training paths. Many composers attended formal institutions, such as the Paris Conservatoire or the Mozarteum in Salzburg, which offered structured programs in music theory, composition, and performance. In contrast, some composers initially trained by private tutors, often family members or established musicians. In many cases, these composers were child prodigies who began their musical education at a very young age. Here is a sampling of individuals’ instruction and apprenticeship.

Mozart received intensive musical training from his father, Leopold, who was a composer and violinist. It should be noted, though, while guided by his father, Mozart was a musical genius from a very young age and largely developed his own unique style. Furthermore, starting a performance career as a child (under his father’s management), Mozart’s early education involved traveling throughout Europe, where he observed and absorbed the different musical styles of the time.

Beethoven began piano lessons with his father, who was his first teacher. He then studied with other musicians in his hometown of Bonn before moving to Vienna to study with Joseph Haydn, who famously invited Beethoven to become his student. Beethoven also took composition lessons from the court organist Christian Gottlob Neefe. 

Chopin started learning the piano from his mother before the age of six. He was then trained by private tutors, such as Wojciech Zywny, who recognized and nurtured his unique talent. Next, Chopin studied at the Warsaw Conservatory, which refined his compositional skills. 

Liszt was taught piano by his father from the age of five. After his family moved to Vienna, he studied with renowned teachers like Carl Czerny, a former student of Beethoven, and the court composer Antonio Salieri. While touring as a piano virtuoso, Liszt was influenced by other composers and musicians such as Niccolò Paganini and Hector Berlioz. 

Of course, these and other piano composers only achieved greatness and renown because they understood, practiced and honed the training they received. Teachers can only teach; students have to do the learning.  

 

 

Teaching What You Compose and Play

 Tomoko is known for both her piano performance and her piano teaching ability. Those same skills and careers apply to several outstanding classical piano composers. Here is a sampling.

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750) was a prolific teacher who instructed both his family members and university students. His famous collections of keyboard music, such as the Inventions and The Well-Tempered Clavier, were expressly written for instructional purposes. His pedagogy focused on attentive listening, finger independence, clear articulation, and a strong understanding of harmony. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) earned a significant income from teaching piano to members of the nobility to supplement his income from concerts and commissions. His lessons combined performance practice, compositional theory, and technique training, sometimes even during informal settings like billiards. However, Mozart thought he could teach more by simply playing a piece for a student than through verbal instruction alone.

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) taught piano lessons throughout his career to supplement his income, especially when he started out and before his hearing loss became severe. His most famous pupil was Carl Czerny, who documented and passed on Beethoven's methods for interpreting his piano works. Czerny's pedagogical approach is considered the foundation of modern piano technique. 

Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849) earned a significant portion of his income by teaching piano to aristocratic students in Paris. He was a meticulous and passionate teacher who focused on beautiful, expressive tone and fluidity, which he often demonstrated on a second piano. His method emphasized relaxation and natural hand movement, rather than the rigid, mechanical exercises common at the time. Students were taught using works by Bach, Mozart, Hummel, and Chopin himself.

Franz Liszt (1811–1886) was a legendary piano teacher who instructed hundreds of students in his masterclasses. He never charged for his lessons, which was a source of frustration for rival teachers. Rather than drilling technique, he focused on musical interpretation, and he used his lessons to discuss a piece's form, proportion, and emotional character.

Clara Schumann (1819–1896) was a highly regarded pianist and composer – and piano teacher – of the Romantic era.  Her disciplined and traditionalist style of playing, which emphasized a singing tone and clarity, influenced many students.

Flitting Pianos

 

Several well-known piano pieces capture the essence of butterflies. 

Schumann’s Papillons, Op. 2 was inspired by a masquerade ball and the dancing figures. It evokes the whimsical nature of butterflies with its light and joyful character.

Chopin’s Butterfly Etude” is characterized by its fast, light, and intricate melody, creating a sense of the butterfly's delicate movement. 

Grieg’s “Butterfly” is a short and beautiful piece that captures the essence of a butterfly's flight as it moves from flower to flower. 

Debussy’s” Les Papillons” was written to be sung by a soprano, inspired by Théophile Gautier's poem of the same name. 

Saariaho’s Sept Papillons, a set of seven short pieces, is a more contemporary take on the theme, with each piece representing a different butterfly and its unique characteristics. 

May your fingers and your heart flutter as you play these delightful piano pieces.

Classical Pop

Tomoko’s heart lies in classical music. It comes alive in her hands on the piano. Classical piano music also comes alive in the hands of contemporary composers, who have inspired enough to adapt their music to their own pieces.

The opening of the final movement of Italian composer 17^th century Clementi’s Sonatina in G minor, Op. 36, No. 5 echoes in Phil Collins' “A Groovy Kind of Love.”

Billy Joel credited Beethoven's Pathétique Sonata in his album An Innocent Man for the chorus of “This Night.” Joel stated that his classical training has impacted his compositions.

When Yoko Ona played Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, John Lennon asked her to play the chords backwards, which resulted in the basis of “Because.”

Barry Manilow thought he had created impressive chords when composing “It Could It Be Magic,” when he realized that he had been playing Chopin's Prelude in C Minor No. 20 earlier that day. Chopin's chords moved from Manilow's subconscious to his writing instrument.

Pop music Ted Mossman based the song “Till the End of Time” (lyrics by Buddy Kaye) on Chopin's Polonaise in A flat major, Op. 53. Singing is as a softer, reflective piece, Perry Como made it a hit tune. The song's introduction is a direct echo of Chopin's composition.

Robbie Williams' “Party like a Russian” duplicates the hard beat of Prokofiev's “Dance of the Knights.”

To the classical year, Eric Carmen's “All by Myself” immediately recalls Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No.2 in C minor, including the melancholy feeling.

Hiphop rapper Nas sampled Beethoven's Für Elise in his performance of “I Can.”

Electronic music has sampled the classics too, as exemplified by Alan Walker ad Sophie Simmons' s “Lovesick.” The tune's chorus transforms Brahms’s Hungarian Dance No. 5. for the current audience.

AND a Broadway musical example is Rodgers and Hammerstein's tune “March of the Siamese Children,” inspired by Grieg's Wedding Day at Troldhaugen.

So if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then several classical composers are indeed complimented.

Political Musical Pieces

 

Music has often been associated with patriotism and politics. Certainly national anthems have inspired a sense of unity. Politicians have also used music to excite citizens: think of “The Marseillaise.” Here are some more examples.

Even in the 18^th century, music could affirm a country’s leader. Handle’s piece Zadok the Priest was written to confirm England’s George II’s confirmation as kind.

Sadly, but effectively, Beethoven’s and Wagner’s music were used to sway the German people to affirm their superiority and that of Hitler.

On the other hand, Chopin’s Polonaise was broadcast on the radio during World War II to rally the Polish people against Hitler’s invasion. That piece earlier stirred the Poles in 1848 to revolution.

While Messiaen was a World War II prisoner of war in Germany, he composed Quartet for the End of Time, which moved even the camp’s soldiers and resulted in his escape.

Likewise, Shostakovich’s Leningrad symphony referred to World War II invasion and war. The piece was first broadcast throughout the city while the Soviets and Germans fought – although the battle paused to hear the music.

Most recently, Catherine Likhuta’s 2017 composition Bad Neighbors was commissioned when Russia started invading Ukraine. The piece evokes fighting and dialogue, and calls for freedom and peace.

In short, composers and their music can stir people to action.

Spirited Classical Piano Pieces

 At Halloween time, classical piano music may be very spirited – as in eerie. Here is a sampling, which may have surprising popular culture connetoins.

Viewers of Disney's 1940 movie Fantasia witnessed an abstract visual interpretation of Bach's Toccata & Fugue in D minor. The opening chords followed by a rippling effect are hard to forget.

Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata Opus 27, was written at the start of the 19^th century. The nickname of the piece, bestowed after Beethoven's death, alluded to a musical suggestion of moonlight reflected off a German lake. Even without the moonlight, the tone of the piece is ghostly.

Schubert is known for his lieder. His 1815 piece The Elf King was based on a Goethe poem. The rushing sound evokes haunted galloping horses, and may be heard in some horror films.

Chopin's Funeral March (Piano Sonata no. 2) was played at Chopin's own funeral – as well as the funerals of John F. Kenny, Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher. It is often played in the media: from Beetlejuice to cartoons.

Rachmaninoff compared his Prelude in C# minor (Opus 3, no. 2) when he was only 19 years old. Also known as the “Bells of Moscow” because of its bell-like opening. The piece was indirectly inspied by Edgar Allan Poets gothic writing.

One could say that these piano compositions are scary good, which is why they have featured in film as well as concert halls. They can spirit one away...

the Dog Days of Piano Music

 

The phrase “the dog days of summer” has a surprising meaning; it refers to the dog star Sirius that appears at that time of the year just before dawn. Apropos of dogs, though, classical music can have a calming effect on dogs. Here is a sampling.

Starting on a somber note – and one of Tomoko’s favorite composers – Chopin’s Prelude in E minor uses a descending melody line that can act as a way to move a dog to slumberland.

Another one of Tomoko’s favorite composers is Bach. His Air on the G String, with its sustained notes, can soothe a savage beast.

While some movements, such as “Fossils,” of Saint-Saën’s Carnival of the Animals might wake up a sleeping day, to let sleeping dogs lie, “The Swan” movement can work well with its tone of gently rippling water.

Similarly, the “Lullaby” movement from Stravinsky’s 1945 Firebird Suite can put a pooch to sleep – unlike the spritely “Scherzo Dance of the Princesses” movement.

A more recent addition to the composer line-up is Ludovico Einaudi, whose music can remind one of the classics. His piece L’Onde, which was inspired by Virginia Woolf’s novel The Wave (hence the musical title) has a softly flowing rhythm that may seem like a lullaby for your wagging pal.

These lovely pieces can also work on humans….

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.

Musical Timing

 

Timing is critical in music. Piano performance certainly relies on it, as Tomoko well appreciates. Piano composers know how timing impacts the musical message such as a dirge versus a festive piece – as well as a performer’s interpretation.  Time itself as a thematic focus has inspired piano composers as the following examples illustrate.

Haydn’s Symphony No. 101 is nicknamed “The Clock” because of its ticking rhythm. Since its inception, the Andante  second movement has been arranged for piano. Haydn also wrote Music for a Musical Clock for a friend who wanted his clock to play music.

Beethoven’s Pieces for a Mechanical Clock were only discovered after his death. At least some of the pieces were score for piano. The music itself evokes a mechanical clock.

Chopin’s Minute Waltz is well known. What is less well known is that the piece lasts between one and two minutes; the term “minute” actually means small.

Harrison Birtwistle’s piano piece Harrison’s Clocks was inspired by an 18^th century clock maker. Each movement mimics a clock’s mechanisms.

Leroy Anderson’s composition “The Syncopated Clock” is another concert favorite with its lighthearted treatment. Anderson was in the U.S. Army when he was asked to guest conduct for the Boston Pops Orchestra. He wanted to provide a new composition for the concert so quickly wrote the piece and premiered it while he was on a three-day pass to do the conducting. This piece is also available as a piano arrangement.

Playing these piano pieces is a fun – and maybe ironic – way to spend time.

The Music of Rain

 

Tomoko appreciates nature, and can hear its music in the wind and rain. Many composers whom Tomoko enjoys have also been inspired by the rain, as the following classical works demonstrate.

Chopin was supposedly moved by a dream in which he was drowning – or by rain falling on his roof – to write his Prelude Opus 20 No. 15: “Raindrop Prelude.”

Debussy leveraged new advances in the piano in his work Estampes: “Gardens in the Rain” as he employed new types of finger to capture the rapidity and frenetic sound of spring showers.

Schubert’s Winterreise: “Flood” is based on Wilhelm Muller’s poems of loneliness journeying across a stormy landscape. The piece combines piano and voice to set the desolate tone.

Also employing piano and voice, Grieg’s Six Songs: “Spring Rain” shows how falling chords can imitate cascading raindrops.

Britten’s Canticle III: “Still Falls the Rain” uses piano, horn and tenor to express the stormy horrors of London’s Blitz war. More well known is Britten’s opera for children Noye’s Fludde, which includes sound effects for rain.

We all need a little rain to appreciate the sunshine. And we can enjoy the rain more with these piano pieces.

Lineages of Piano Composer/Teachers and Tomoko

 As a piano student, Tomoko took courses in composition, and she has great sensitivity to a composer’s nuanced musical approach and style. Tomoko also knows that several of her favorite piano composers were also piano teachers. Here is a sampling, which also show the lineage and impact of piano teachers.

The late 18^th century pianist Muzio Clementi was known for his piano sonatas and sonatinas. He also taught piano for over twenty year, and passed on his technical legato style to his students. One of those students was the German Ludwig Berger, who even went to Clementi to Russia, and stayed eight years.

When Berger returned to Germany, he transitioned from performing to composing (a concerto, sonatas, and studies) and teaching. His most famous student was Chopin.

Even though Chopin was one of the greatest piano composers even, he did not like to perform in public; he got stage fright and didn’t like being watched. He actually preferred teaching piano, and his etudes were used in such sessions. He wrote many études, which he used in lessons with his students. He mainly taught women who were serious about piano playing, although none performed professionally. One of his favorite students was Adolphe Gutman, who performed with Chopin, and later composed a set of études that were dedicated to Chopin.

Another lineage of piano composers/teachers starts with Christian Gottlob Neefe: a German 18^th century composer and conductor. He started composes at age 12, creaying mainly operas, although he also composed piano pieces. He was also Ludwig van Beethoven’s main piano teacher, and helped Beethoven compose his first works, which were piano pieces.

Besides his composing and public performing, Beethoven taught piano to increase the family’s income. One of his students was Austrian Carl Czerny, who impressed Beethoven with his performance at age 10. On his part, Czerny was impressed with Beethoven technical skill and ability to improvise.

Clementi also taught Czerny, who performed professionally and wrote more than a thousand compositions. Many of his piano pieces were études and piano solo exercises, which he used in teaching the piano. Indeed, Czerny began teaching piano at age fifteen.  His most famous student was Franz Liszt, who dedicated one of his own études to Czerny. Liszt also complemented his performing and composing with teaching, although he mainly taught masterclasses for groups of advanced piano students; he emphasized interpretation in those classes.  

Tomoko’s own students have gone on to perform professionally, compose, and teach piano. So she also has a legacy to be proud of.

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