for those curious ones), and a microphone.  I hope that this will inspire others to make amateur recordings, and that they will share with others. 

Thanks for visiting and enjoy your visit!

• ANNOUNCEMENT: As you know, I depend on a free webhosting site (savefile.com), and this site deletes any file not downloaded within a 14 day period.  So, I kindly ask that  you do not download and save to your computer the mp3s, and download from the site instead so I my files don't get deleted.  Thank you!
  

• Redid the Liebestraume No.2.
  

• Take two recording of Nocturne Op.72 no.1 with in-tune piano.   I think its better this time around!

• Recorded Brahms intermezzo again with an in-tune piano this time.  Please check it out!
• Items are now listed from newest to oldest.

January 30, 2006

I'm in Washington DC to work as a Congressional page now, so I'm not going to be updating this site until June, when I come back.  The piano here is terribly out of the tune, and I probably won't be practicing it for a couple of months!    My repetoire and technique is going down the drain. Visit my blog about my experience at LapH_DCpage (xanga).

Soler Sonata No.84 in D Major

January 21, 2006
Atonio Soler lived from 1729 to 1783 in Spain, leading a simple life serving the church.  In his was extremely simple and unadorned, he managed to write over 500 works of music, his most famous being the 150 keyboard sonatas.  They are comparable to Scarlatti, though Soler's are more varied in form, some having up to four movements.

This attractive, one movement sonata in D major is light and contains simple runs, and a development with repeated notes with blocked chords for the left hand.

Soler Sonata No.84 in D Major



Liszt Consolation No.3

Thursday January 5, 2006
Liszt's consolations are a set of 6 piano pieces, concieved in 1850.  All except the third consolation in Db major seem to have fallen into obscurity.  The third consolation is pretty simple and continues in the same lento placido character throughout, rarely exceeding a forte, though a healthy dose at appropriate places would make the piece much more interesting.

Consolation No.3 in Db Major

Dvorak Slavonic Dance Op.46 No.4 in F major

Friday Decmeber 30, 2005
Dvorak wrote the set of 16 Slavonic Dances (Op.46 & 72) on a commission from his publisher in Berlin, Fritz Simrock.  Brahm's Hungrarian Dances had been extremely popular and profitable, and he hoped that Dvorak's would be just as lucrative.  The Slavonic Dances sold so well that Simrock asked Dvorak to orchestrate them, and it is in this form that we so often hear them today.  The Slavonic Dances were also a political statement for Dvorak, allowing him to celebrate the culture and music of central Europe, which had been for so long under the repressive control of the Austrian Empire.  In these pieces, Dvorak captured the spirit of the folk dances of his native Bohemia, as well as those of Slovakia, Moravia, Silesia, Serbia, Poland, and Ukraine.

The Slavonic Dance No.4 from Book I is a Sousedska, a slow Bohemian peasant dance in simple triple meter.  Since it is a duet, it obviously require 4 hands.  Here, I play the primo, while my brother plays the secondo.

Dvorak Slavonic Dance Op.46 No.4 in F major

Chopin Nocturne Op.9, No.1 in Bb minor

Thursday December 15, 2005
This nocturne is the first in the set of Chopin's 21 nocturnes, though not chronologically written first.  It was written by a 21-year-old Chopin during the years 1830-31.  Contrary to popular belief, the first nocturne composed by Chopin was the C sharp minor nocturne, published pothusmously; but indeed, the Bb minor nocturne was the first published; It is included in the Op.9, containing also the ever so popular no.2 in Eb.

The Bb minor nocturne is significant in it's Chopinesque ornamentations.  Polyrhythm runs abound throughout the A secitions of this ternary form nocturne, and small trills ocassionally decorate the page.  The first section of this piece contains a melodic line in the upper registers, accompanied by a swaying bass.  It is of mysterious, tranquil, night-time character, and opens to a major section in it's central section.  This central section contains octaves in the lovely melody while maintaining the same style of accompanient.  The return to the main theme is followed by a small coda, ending the piece on the parallel major chord, signifying return of day.

This time, it is another Chopin piece, the Military Polonaise Op.40 No.1 in A Major.  This piece is full of big chords, and really tires your hands and arms out, espesically if you play the repeats.  I'm doing this piece as the Romantic selection for the California Music Assosciation Exam (Level 9).  I'm still working on it, so please don't mind if it is a bit messy and unpolished!

(Monday, October 17, 2005)
Haven't posted a while because of school, and my piano is out of tune, as you might have noticed in my recordings!  Well anyways, I will be getting my piano tuned this Friday, so I can finally record some more pieces, and re-record some older pieces that I already recorded, and they will sound much better.  So be sure to check back here in a few weeks when I make new recordings with my in-tune piano and post them.  Thanks for your support!

Chopin Nocturne Op.32 No.1 in B major

Sunday September 11, 2005

I haven’t done an entry for a while since school has stared, but I’m back!Anyways, this recording and post will be another Chopin nocturne.The most unique aspect of this nocturne is its coda.It is a recitative ending, in the minor, which lends to this nocturne the character of an operatic scena; it is an impressive transition from a lyrical and tranquil major key into a dramatic minor key.  In the left hand, there is a rocking accompaniment which gives the nocturne a baracolle feeling, espescially in the central section.

I love this piece because it is so “Chopinesque” and beautiful.It reminds me of a dreamy starry night.  ; ) 

Here’s the recording: Chopin Nocturne Op.32 No.1

Please listen and feel free to leave comments and sign my guest book!

Chopin Nocturne Op.72 No.1 in E minor

Sunday August 28, 2005
An archetypical nocturne is evocative of night, or is simply a piece played at night.  It was Field who set the term in general use as a lyrical, slow work for piano, suggestive of night.


Even though it was Field who started the nocturne form, Chopin brought the nocturne form to perfection.  This E minor nocturne, which has the latest opus number of all the nocturnes is actually the earliest.  It was probably written in 1827 (the date is not confirmed) by a teenage Chopin, but all of the characteristics of Chopin's nocturnes are already present--the long slow melody, passionate emotion, and tastefully florid ornamentation.  It also shows the influence Field had on Chopin.  The simple and dreamy melody accompanied by broken chords is characteristic of the Irish composer/pianist John Field, who published his first three nocturnes in 1814.  Around the same time of this composition, Chopin's young sister died an untimely death, which may account for the gloomy atmoshpere of the piece

I learned this piece a few years ago, and I still play it.  It is such a lovely and beautiful piece, though in my opinion it is not as structurally strong as other nocturnes.  It's not that difficult a piece to learn--it is easy compared to other Chopin nocturnes.  The only tip that I would recommend is not to get too loud before the climatic return of the main theme.  Also, don't speed up at the climax either, though it is quite tempting since the music is ever so passionate!

Please listen and leave comments on the recording if you can.  Thanks!!

Nocturne in E minor Op.72 No.1 (updated 11/06/05)

Satie "Je Te Veux"

Sunday August 21, 2005
"Je Te Veux" is a C major waltz, and apparently in 3/4 time.  The ryhthm accompaniment is cleverly woven into the melody with the right hand, thus the melody and accompaniment is in the middle of the keyboard, as oppossed to the traditional left hand bass accompaniment.  This unique feature makes this waltz quite exceptional.  The waltz shouldn't be played too fast, nor too slow, hence the tempo marking Modéré.  Too fast and it loses its charms, but too slow and the piece will sound dragging and dull.  Also, be sure to make it expressive by using some rubato.

Erik Satie wrote the piece "Je Te Veux" as a song for voice and piano accompaniment,  but today, the piece enjoys much more popularity as a solo piano piece.  Most people who play the piece don't know lyrics for the song exist, nor do they even know the lyrics.  The lyrcis are in French by Henry Pacory and are as follows:

(refrain)
J'ai compris ta déstresse,
Cher amoureux,
Et je cède à tes voeux,
Fais de moi ta maîtresse.
Loin de nous la sagesse,
Plus de tristesse.
J'aspire à l'instant précieux
Où nous serons heureux;
Je te veux.

(couplet 1)
Je n'ai pas de regrets
Et je n'ai qu'une envie:
Près de toi, là, tout près,
Vivre toute ma vie.
Que mon coeur soit le tien
Et ta lèvre la mienne,
Que ton corps soit le mien,
Et que toute ma chair soit tienne.

J'ai compris ta déstresse,
Cher amoureux,
Et je cède à tes voeux,
Fais de moi ta maîtresse.
Loin de nous la sagesse,
Plus de tristesse.
J'aspire à l'instant précieux
Où nous serons heureux;
Je te veux.

(couplet 2)
Oui, je vois dans tes yeux
La divine promesse
Que ton coeur amoureux
Vient chercher ma caresse.
Enlacés pour toujours,
Brûlés des mêmes flammes,
Dans des rêves d'amours
Nous échangerons nos deux âmes.

J'ai compris ta déstresse,
Cher amoureux,
Et je cède à tes voeux,
Fais de moi ta maîtresse.
Loin de nous la sagesse,
Plus de tristesse.
J'aspire à l'instant précieux
Où nous serons heureux;
Je te veux.

FIN

(Paroles de Henry Pacory)

Personally, this waltz evokes feelings and images of walking down a charming street in Paris on a sunny Spring day, or sitting in a Parisian cafe and observing the beautiful city.  (I've never been there, but I would love to go someday!)  It's one of the most charming piece by Satie that I've heard.  Or sometimes, when I heard the piece, I see a beautiful French impressionist painting, not any particular one, but just the style. 

I first heard this piece quite a while ago, perhaps 3 summers ago when I was in the 7th grade.  It was Lang Lang playing it, and I thought that it was quite beautiful, and that it sounded quite "modern" or new age.  I fell in love with this tender and passionate piece right away.  Many people say Brahms had no sense of melody, but this piece disproves them.  It wasn't too hard to learn this piece, but I would recommend bringing out the beautiful melody by stressing the right hand and melody notes.  Remember not to blur out the melody with too much pedal either. 

My recording is not that great, I make the mistakes that I tell you NOT to make, since I'm learning from experience too.  Here's the recording, enjoy:

Brahms Intermezzo Op.118 No.2