Relaxing Piano Playlist Series 5 Episode 6

Feeling tired? Need to unwind? Then how about some gentle, soothing piano music? Welcome to the Episode 6 of the Fifth Series in the Relaxing Piano Playlist! In this episode, I perform for you music by Clementi, Paderewski, Respighi, Bortkiewicz, Liszt and Mvt 2 of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G.

Transcript

00:30 - James Quinn

Hello and welcome to Episode 6 of Series 5 in the Relaxing Piano Playlist, with your host, James Quinn here at the piano, thank you very much for joining me. 

Before getting into the formalities, I would like to thank you all for waiting ever so patiently for the continuation of the Series, as both my schedule of teaching and concerts over the past number of months has rendered my routine of practise time for this to be reduced. 

That coupled with over the last month that my piano was also unfortunately going very much out of tune certainly doesn’t help! I can only deeply apologise for such an extremely long and overdue delay from the previous episode up until now. I’m sure you can all understand I never want to send out a bad product as I place a big emphasis on quality in the production of this podcast to be the best it can be and more. With that out of the way it’s time to focus attention back on this Episode.

In this episode, you’re going to hear a number of pieces ranging from a wide variety of composers, covering the Classical. the Romantic and the 20th Century periods. You will also hear another slow movement from a piano concerto later towards the end.

The first piece that you’re going to hear, comes from a new composer added to the podcast in the form of the Italian-British composer Muzio Clementi. He was born in Rome on 23rd of January in 1752 and later died at the age of 80 on 10 March in 1832 in Evesham, Herefordshire in the England. He was heavily influenced by Scarlatti and Haydn in their respective keyboard styles as well a Johann Christian Bach. He would later by an influence for future composers, notably for both Beethoven and Chopin. As well as a composer and pianist he also worked as both an editor and even produced his own brand of pianos. Along with a group of prominent musicians, he would form what was originally known as the Philharmonic Society of London which would later become the Royal Philharmonic Society in 1912.

To give you a sample of his compositional style, the piece you will hear will be from one of his Piano Sonatas. Specifically from his Piano Sonata in G minor which he published as Op.7 and from this you will hear the second movement set to the speed of Cantabile e lento.

The next set of pieces all come from the Romantic period. The first of these comes from the return of the Polish composer Ignace Van Paderewski. In this instance, you will hear a short work known simply as Melodie which comes from his short cycle of 3 Piano Pieces, published as Op.2.

Afterwards, you will hear a work from the Italian composer Respighi. The piece that you will hear will be his Nocturne in G Flat which comes from his set of 6 Piano Pieces, which he composed in a 2 year period from 1903.

We then follow this with a return to the composer Sergei Bortkiewicz for our next piece. In this case, you will hear Nocturne No.5 that he published as a single work as Op.58, which was also known as “Dubrovnik”.

To finish off this section, you will hear a short work from the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. You will hear a short work of his known as the Romance In E minor, which was published as a standalone piece as S.169.

After this, you will hear another movement from a piano concerto to finish off this episode, and in this case you will hear the second movement set to the speed of Larghetto from Piano Concerto in G by Maurice Ravel. Composed between the years of 1929-31 he dedicated the work to the pianist Marguerite Long who also premiered it with the composer conducting it in Paris of 1932. The second movement in the contrasting key of E major is something of a peaceful nature which consists of Ravel’s usual blend of lush harmonies and cascading piano writing towards the end certainly contributes to the composer’s own Impressionistic style that he was known for, despite not liking the term. The melody gets shared from piano to Flute, Clarinet, Oboe and the Cor Anglais to a serene conclusion.

So to recap, here is the order just once more: Movement No.2 from Piano Sonata in G minor Op.7 by Clementi, the Melodie from 3 Piano Pieces Op.2 by Paderewski, Nocturne in G Flat from the cycle of 6 Piano Pieces by Respighi, Nocturne No.5 Op.58 by Bortkiewicz, the Romance in E from S.169 by Liszt, and finally movement 2 from Piano Concerto in G by Ravel. 

On this note, I would like to share my own heartfelt condolences and unwavering support to those who have been deeply affected from the devastating fires in Los Angeles. Seeing the images and sensing the emotion on tv, of the thousands of people losing virtually everything they ever had is an absolutely gut-wrenching feeling that no one ever wants to experience. I know that my own words won’t be enough for them in such dire times, but just know that I want the wonderful people of LA to know that you are in my heart, thoughts and prayers. I know for them the path of restoration will be excruciatingly hard, all I ask for anyone in the US and parts of the world, to help show your support in any way possible to help give them something to cling to as a symbol of our humanity for the people of Los Angeles. 

On this note, I like to dedicate my performance of the Ravel to the people of Los Angeles, and to the incredible and brave firefighters as a symbol and gesture of both my heartfelt compassion and hope to see the glitz and glamour of LA again with its beacon of light restored and stronger than ever before.

So sit back, relax, and I hope that to the best of my ability that all the music will help to give a sense of enduring love and comfort. Thank you.