WWCD

[keokime]

What would CHOPIN do?

[Hels]

Probably use a neat little chromatic run?

[BenG]

Keokime,<P>Chopin is not often discussed here, but I'm a big fan of his music. What are your favorite works by him? What do they say to you? I like his piano sonatas and concertos.<P>--BenG

[Darth Mazinga]

<P>The heck with Chopin, probably Choppin Broccoli, Choppin Broccoli<P>The real question is...what would King do?<P>"I need a drink...water, straight up."

[Peter]

First of all, what is WWCD? <P>Ben, I too am a BIG fan of Chopin; he is my favourite Polish woodcutter. Must say though, I don't rate his concertos that highly. I love his op.10 etudes. They are murderously difficult to play, as are the op.25 set. His ballades, scherzi & impromptus are fabulous (the G minor ballade is real girl's-heart-melting stuff). The polonaises are awesome, the waltzes delightful, & yes, the 2nd & 3rd sonatas are mind-blowing. Do you know his cello sonata, op.65? Very under-valued.

[BenG]

WWCD--What Would Chopin Do? Similar to that expression 'What would Jesus do?" Apparently the person who started this thread listens to Chopin religiously.<BR> <P>I'm surprised you don't like his concertos. Why not? I too like a lot of his etudes, preludes, ballades and so forth, but I'm not expert on his music enough to remember them all. I have heard they can be devilishly difficult--just like some of Franz Liszt's stuff. I have learned three chords on my keyboard now...'G' 'C' and 'F.' I guess I'm a ways off from tackling a polonaise, huh? I haven't heard his cello concerto but I will add it to my 'want' list. I have an Artur Rubinstein Chopin collection--Chopin was his favorite composer, I think and his playing shows it.<P>Regards,<BR>BenG

[Peter]

What would Chopin do about what? <P>Ben,<P>Chopin was not a great orchestral composer, & the orchestra sounds to me to be superfluous in the two concertos. All the great invention is in the solo writing. Have you heard the solo piano versions of these works? They are much more satisfying. Next to Beethoven, I think Chopin's piano oeuvre is the greatest we have. Which Rubinstein set do you have? He recorded 3 Chopin collections for RCA - I have his 12-LP set from 1973. Yes, he adored this composer.<P>You should be able to double your keyboard chords quite easily by making Am, Dm & Em your next targets. Like with C, F & G, the finger spacing is identical!

[serge urtizberea]

And Am, Dm and Em would comprise the 'relative minor' keys/scales/chords of C, F and G; the sixth note of any major scale begins its related minor scale. There ya go, music theory 101 has begun!<P>By the by, I find Chopin's orchestration a little thick, but nothing to really complain about. He was clearly a master at the solo piece, and so far as I know never really wrote anything but.

[BenG]

Hey guys--thanks for the tip--Am, Dm and Em...I'll remember those. I know how to play these chords on the guitar and I'm pleased see similar chords can be had on the keyboard. That makes it easier to understand. I found a couple of very old beginner booklets at a 2nd hand shop. They're actually a LOT more fun than a formal, modern book and CD I bought. The old books got me playing much faster. I think that's the key at the beginning--FUN. <P>I think I know what you mean about the orchestration in Chopin's concertos. Some critics have called it mere 'window dressing.' But I had no idea there were solo versions available. BTW, I also bought a Rubinstein/RCA boxed LP set way back in the 70s. I'll bet it's similar to what you have. Plus I have I have Rubinstein versions of the concertos and sonatas on CDs.<P>--BenG