Winter Piano

pclancy

Well its mid winter here in New Zealand. Dark and gloomy outside from 5pm so i'm looking for some classical piano favourites to get stuck into. I've been playing keyboards in rock and blues cover bands for about 15 years now and havent done a grade since school, just as far as grade 5.

Now I want to add some classical favourites to my ability, I love classical music but dont actually get to listen to it much so I have no idea of where to begin. Could anyone suggest maybe 10-15 pieces that would be classed as "popular"and i'll get the sheet music and get stuck in to them.

I thought about just going to the library to rent some copilation CDs but thought i'd pick youre brains here. It will be like learning to read again when i'm faced with sheet music for the first time in 10 years

Edit: I'm gonna start with Moonlight Sonata thanks to S P F

robbie02

Well Dude hows it hanging

Beethovens' Pathetique Sonata is another standard great tune. Fur Elise of course. Erik Satie Gymnopedie No1 is a classic very haunting. That piece yer man plays in the deer hunter where they are all in the bar just before the 3 lads go to Nam dont know what it is called but its savage. you might want to consider going back to do the rest of your grades man it ll put you in the loop of whats out there while improving your technique

PhiliousPhogg

Prokofiev - Dance of the Girls with the Ladies (Romeo & Juliet) - For piano solo
Aphex Twin - Petiatil Cx Htdui (sheet music here: http://www.lapsura.com/music/AphexTwin/PetiatilCxHtdui.pdf)

Meelich

for winter I would deffo go for some Bach - improve your technique while you're at it - get a book of 2 part inventions, pnce you've mastered those get a book of 3 part inventions! For simpler stuff start with 'The little notebook for Anna Magdelena Bach'. move on to some Scott Joplin- get a book of Scott Joplin rags - not easy but great fun to play.

Enjoy!

pclancy

robbie02 wrote: »

Well Dude hows it hanging

Beethovens' Pathetique Sonata is another standard great tune. Fur Elise of course. Erik Satie Gymnopedie No1 is a classic very haunting. That piece yer man plays in the deer hunter where they are all in the bar just before the 3 lads go to Nam dont know what it is called but its savage. you might want to consider going back to do the rest of your grades man it ll put you in the loop of whats out there while improving your technique

Ah Rob hows it going! Great suggestions i'm off to the library to see what i cant borrow, yeah i should get back into the grades that would be a good way of progressing up through the ranks again. For my leaving cert I played two grade five pieces so i should at least be able to get that far again.

robbie02

pclancy wrote: »

Ah Rob hows it going! Great suggestions i'm off to the library to see what i cant borrow, yeah i should get back into the grades that would be a good way of progressing up through the ranks again. For my leaving cert I played two grade five pieces so i should at least be able to get that far again.

Do man there is nothing like playing classical music as i have been discovering myself, its a nice chance from the regular rock stuff. I have done my grade 6 in june and hoping to do grade 8 next may, i ve put in alot of work but i absolutely love it and discovered some real gems to play and reading music is a real asset to have much better than tabs, although tabs have their usefulness too but more for the blues rock stuff, i find anyway for myself.

yeah you should think about finishing the grades, you may be a grade 5 but your playing has progessed beyond that from playing so much in various bands in the past few years so i d reckon in a year you would be able to sit the grade 8, you would fly through it.

Hope all else is well with you man, your not missing much here, still very quiet in the town, things are looking bleak harder to get gigs for bands, i cudnt be arsed with alll that, playing empty pubs, still gigging though with Voodoo we are sticking to the rally circuit only, its better craic and crowds and we are doing well there so we will keep it going as long as the bikers want us. mind the body man if i hear any other piano pieces i ll let you know

Meelich

Sorry very off topic but I once had a boyfriend whose little sister pronounced Fur Elise 'Furry Elsie' and I always laugh whenever I hear it!