Let's Play: Spanish Music!
If you missed the FANTASTIC livestream with Magdalena Stern Baczewska this past Saturday, be sure to check it out! She walked us through several centuries of Spanish music, its developments, rhythmic styles, melodic content, and much more - Quite a comprehensive event!
Replay:
A Journey into the world of Spanish Music (with Magdalena Baczewska)
So we decided it would be fun to host a "Mini Challenge" where for the next two weeks we choose a piece to work on and post our progress here!
If you need some suggestions about music to play, check out the livestream or this list that I have compiled! Repertoire below is considered to be on the easier side, due to the nature of this shorter challenge!
Repertoire Suggestions
Editor's Choice:
Sebastian Yradier: El Arreglito (The unknown inspiration for the famous Habanera from the opera, Carmen, by Bizet!)
Advice: Play the piano part, since it pretty much doubles the vocal part the entire time, feel free to add notes from the vocal line into piano part in the final bars!
Intermediate level piece, but one of the most famous and satisfying to play!
Federico Mompou:
A lesser known, but magical composer born in Barcelona! Two options below:
A haunting and gorgeous piece by this famous composer!
Most of his music is very difficult but these short works can prove quite interesting!
Hello Everyone!
If you would like to be featured on our Mini Challenge WATCH PARTY please submit a video of you playing your selected piece by May 15th!
Watch Party MAY 24th at 11am PT!
https://app.tonebase.co/piano/live/player/pno-watch-party-spanish-music-2023
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https://youtu.be/YWA-q3gflew
I would like to contribute this piece by Falla - Spanish Dance no 1 from his opera La Vida Breve. This piece has flummoxed me for more than 10 years as I couldn’t seem to break through a few technical barriers. Only very recently and with very deliberate mindful practice, I managed to break down and overcome them.-
Ching Lee Goh Oh wow! That’s just great! No sign of any technical struggles now! Thank you for sharing this lovely piece.
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Here my contribution to this challenge. Mompou, a poet of the piano: "Canción y Danza nº 6".
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Juan Carlos Olite Bravo Juan Carlos!! How beautiful!!!
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Juan Carlos Olite Bravo! So beautiful and dramatic!
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Juan Carlos Olite what an absolutely CAPTIVATING performance! Not only do you have a way of finding the most interesting, new-to-me pieces of music, but you play them a way that broadens our perspective of what that particular style can be. The Canción is unlike anything I have ever heard; I loved the way you emphasized its emotion-laden, style-defying harmonies! Thank you, thank you!
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Juan Carlos Olite Wow! I enjoyed your performance, Juan Carlos - so beautiful.
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Juan Carlos Olite just full of admiration!!
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Juan Carlos Olite So colorful and passionate! The speed with which you learn new pieces is truly impressive.
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Juan Carlos Olite Wow! That was SO gorgeous — exquisite from start to finish! Bravissimo, Juan Carlos!
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Thank you very much, Andrea!
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Vidhya Bashyam Thank you so much, Vidhya!
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Monika Tusnady Thank you so much, Monika! Mompou is one of the great composers for piano: "Canciones y danzas", "Música callada"... He created his own intimate style and it is a magical experience to explore it.
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Michelle R Thank you very much, Michelle!
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Ching Lee Goh Thank you so much!
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Libby Craig Thank you so much, Libby!
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Alexander Weymann Thank you very much, Alexander! I played this pieces a few years ago and this challenge has been a motivating opportunity to refresh them.
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Juan Carlos Olite Great playing, Juan Carlos!! What a beautiful and awesome piece, with these different sections and moods!
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Juan Carlos Olite bravo, Juan Carlos! Love your beautiful phrasing! The Spanish style shines through, and you carry it off with such panache!
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Juan Carlos Olite bravo, sounds amazing and what contrast between the first and second parts! True Spanish style :)
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Sindre Skarelven Thank you very much, Sindre! It is a very special music.
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Natalie Peh Thank you, Natalie! It is a short piece but contains a lot of details and contrasts.
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Derek McConville Thank you very much, Derek!
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Juan Carlos Olite This is just lovely Juan! Your capacity for memorising music is very inspiring!
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My favourite pianist <3
Bravo maestro!!
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Parag Mehta Thank you so much, Parag! You are always so kind
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