Instrument players - come and chat!

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I thought we could have a thread to chat about playing! I play the piano (not as badly as I fear but not as well as I hope) and have recently tried my hand at chamber music. Would love to hear what other people are doing.

CoteDAzur Here's a picture of the instruments they used in Rameau's Dardanus.

Sorry, that was to Topnotes

Not a great trom section at the moment, but I sit next to a wonderful Euph player. I used to play in a band with an absolutely fabulous bass trom and I miss that full section sound. But I think I'm about to take a departure from the norm and join the horn section of a soul band!! Never done that before ... been asked to join them for a jam this week. Think I've thrown them a bit by asking for sheet music. This could go badly wrong as I'm rubbish at playing by ear. Might be the first and last time for this . Wish me luck!

"a copy of Rameau's complete keyboard works in the library and it's edited by Saint-saens. It looks COMPLETELY DIFFERENT."

Edited by Saint-Saëns? What?

Why on Earth would one composer's sheet music need editing by another?

And to add insult to injury, it's Saint-Saëns, arguably the composer of some of the most bland, uninspired, teenagey music in classical music history meddling with the creations of one of its singular geniuses. Like Coldplay editing Led Zeppelin's music!

Like Coldplay editing Led Zeppelin's music!

I quite like Saint-Saens. I know lots of people are disparaging about him, but there is a certain energy and slightly giddy happiness to his music that I quite like. Like his Danse Macabre (the one for violin and piano, not the orchestral one), and his piano concertos, and the mad organ symphony.

But I would not trust his editing of Rameau ...

I went to a couple of music shops yesterday but didn't find a good edition ...

"slightly giddy happiness to his music"

I hate that sort of music and even largely favour compositions in minor keys to those in major keys.

"I went to a couple of music shops yesterday but didn't find a good edition ..."

Why don't you just order from the link I gave earlier? It's a great edition that has all Rameau's works.

I don't want to play all of Rameau ... I have other fish to fry. I generally prefer bigger sounds, and it's the last double of that gavotte that I like. I am definitely at the pianist end of a keyboardist rather than the harpsichordist end.

Alexandra I love that! It made me smile when they burst out laughing at the end. Wish I knew what they were saying.

Can't let the diss of Saint Saens go unchallenged either Cote.* * Just done Danse Baccanale in a group -it's fab

Danse Bacchanale doesn't mean much to me, I'm afraid. It sounds Scheherazade's neglected and just-not-as-beautiful half-sister, using all the ba dum tss! cheap tricks to draw attention

I can see why it could be fun to play in a group, though.

I'm quite happy to listen to some happy music but I don't play them myself. If you have only limited time to learn stuff you want to learn the gloomiest. But I like my music not just gloomy, but thunderously so.

I got my certificate tonight for my grade 2. Can't believe how chuffed it made me feel! Clowns coming on apace, so pleasing, can only goggle at you attempting Rameau at the moment!

"I like my music not just gloomy, but thunderously so "

I like my music achingly sad yet beautiful like Rameau does so well, or relentless, complex, and mathematically perfect as is Bach's trademark

Congratulations Mr Slant! That's 2 more Grades than I ever got

Can I join?
I've just taken up the piano again. Was grade 5 ish but didn't do exams past grade 2 or 3, can't remember which. Am currently murdering practicing Purcell's minuet in G, and Graupner's Entrée from Klavierfruchte. (Btw, does that really mean 'piano fruit'? )

Welcome Broke

Well done MrSlant - it's a very nice feeling to get a certificate, I must say! I got mine last night. I was kicking myself slightly about my scales but having seen what you have to do for grade 5 piano I can't say I feel too optimistic about them in future!
Have just started a grade 5 piano piece - a Waltz by Weber with a very dramatic contrast in the trio section. I picked that one just because it was a bit "different"! I find section A the most challenging as the pulse has to be spot on and I'm a more 'emotional' player Broken - you sound way ahead of me and I love the idea of piano fruit!

Congratulations to you, too, Loose!

Well done MrSlant and Loose!

Will check out those pieces you all mentioned. I found a piano quartet by Weber and am quite taken by the minuet-trio. May try that out. I didn't know Weber wrote "small" pieces. (Though TBH I don't actually know anything about Weber ... )

Someone said (maybe it's Brendel) that it doesn't hurt for a pianist to play as if they are playing with an ensemble. Keeps you honest about pulse... I'm terrible at that but getting better. When I played with a string group we did discover that the tempo goes a bit funny. I think it goes funny when I have the solo bits.

DS1 did some last minute repair work on my grade 4 pieces - he's a percussionist and thanks to him I managed to hold them together despite a few fluffs! I will definitely try and imagine an ensemble!
The Weber is Waltz in A and its number 4 from Six Favourite Waltzes. It's stretched out a bit by the dc al fine but definitely a small piece!

Broken Those are lovely pieces!

Piano fruit.

Loose I like that Weber piece. The only problem, as is usual, is the minute something becomes an ABRSM exam piece, youtube becomes saturated with really dull "performances" of it...