Classical Corner: Chopin's Études, Op. 25

We continue where we left off last time, and now delve into Frédéric Chopin's second set of twelve études.

*****

The 'Aeolian Harp' Étude is one of the most popular ones of the set, getting its nickname from the harp-like arpeggios throughout pretty much the entire piece.

'Aeolian Harp' Étude, Op. 25, No. 1 (Pianist: Idil Biret)

From a technical perspective, the piece is great for working on proper wrist movement to reach across large intervals, and for playing melodies with just the pinky finger.  The constant broken chords give the piece a very flowing nature, and if it had not been given the 'harp' moniker, I'd probably be thinking of images of water.  On top of the flowing 'harp' notes is a really simple and pretty melody, and as a whole the piece has kind of an arc structure, building up to a climax before settling down again at the end.

*****

The 'Wrong Note' Étude is not one of Chopin's more popular pieces (if I was choosing these excerpts by popularity, I would have chosen the 'Butterfly Étude' (Op. 25, No. 9)), but I include the clip of it here just because it's interesting and a fun listen.

'Wrong Note' Étude, Op. 25, No. 5 (Pianist: Murray Perahia)

This étude is wonderfully written to make it sound like the pianist is playing the wrong notes - and yet all those wrong notes sound awesome.  In the middle section of a piece comes a nice melody (without the wrong note theme - keep in mind that this nickname and all the nicknames for these études were not officially given to these pieces by Chopin himself).  Then finally, the original theme comes back giving this piece a nice little A-B-A format.  While not as complex as some of Chopin's other études, this one is interesting in its own way and probably even one of my favorites.

*****

I would call the 'Winter Wind' Étude the masterpiece of this set, combining Liszt-ian technical elements with Chopin's masterful ability to make piano music exciting and passionate.  Don't be fooled by the very slow and quiet opening - this is just the calm before the huge storm of notes that barrage you for the rest of the piece.

'Winter Wind' Étude, Op. 25, No. 11 (Pianist: Grigory Sokolov)

The nickname 'Winter Wind' is immediately obvious once you listen to the piece, and I would assume that this kind of imagery was in Chopin's mind while creating this piece.  Just as is the case in Chopin's famous 'Fantaisie-Impromptu,' none of the notes really make sense when you play the piece slowly - and yet when everything is put together in full speed the end product works perfectly and is indescribably awesome.  Grigory Sokolov's performance in particular brings out all the fire (or should I say ice?) that Chopin intended the piece to have, all while maintaining musical clarity.

*****

Étude, Op. 25, No. 12 is sometimes nicknamed the 'Ocean' Étude, and I can see why - just like the 'Aeolian Harp' Étude, this piece is dominated by continuous runs of arpeggios.  In this case though, instead of calm arpeggios we have violent ones - so in my opinion the name 'Ocean' is not quite descriptive enough.  Maybe something more like 'Sea Storm,' or something that means basically the same thing but sounds a little sexier.

Étude, Op. 25, No. 12 (Pianist: Georges Cziffra)

A popular trend while playing this piece is to start a little on the quieter side and build up to a loud climax.  Usually this practice would make sense, as it would give the piece development.  However, in my opinion, this kind of interpretation kind of misses the point of the piece.  Chopin's directions say to start loud and end very very loud.  Georges Cziffra is well-known for his tendency to have completely different interpretations of pieces from everyone else - we can call this the Glenn Gould Club - and in this case he might even be in the minority by playing most of the piece loud.  Some of Cziffra's interpretations are a bit weird to me but this one is right on the money.  This is not to say that his interpretation is the only correct one.  The writing makes this piece great either way, and it's a great way for Chopin to conclude his étude collection (I like to consider Op. 10 and Op. 25 as "Chopin's Études" while thinking of the 'Trois nouvelles études' set as a separate entity).

*****

My next four favorite in the set:

• Étude, Op. 25, No. 2 - Sounds like mice scurrying, just like Étude, Op. 10, No. 2
• Étude, Op. 25, No. 6 - Very difficult étude with the right hand playing two notes simultaneously for much of the piece
• Étude, Op. 25, No. 7 - Sometimes nicknamed the 'Cello' Étude for its lyricism in the left hand
• 'Butterfly' Étude, Op. 25, No. 9 - Quick, light, and jolly melody

Just as was the case with the previous set of études, I can recommend every piece in the set, and would also suggest listening to the entire series from beginning to end, or even both sets of études back to back.

Classical Corner: Chopin's Études, Op. 10

Frédéric Chopin's études are so consistently masterful that I will need to devote this edition of Classical Corner to his first set of twelve études (Opus 10), and make another post for his second set of twelve (Opus 25).  In the most literal sense, an étude (which is French for 'study') is a piece intended as an exercise, to help the musician develop some kind of technique.  It is then no surprise that many of Chopin's études are very difficult to play.  However, while some other composers may have sacrificed musicality in order to emphasize technique (resulting in a somewhat boring end product), Chopin actually uses the difficult techniques to increase the musicality of his pieces.  Many of these pieces have become very popular in the piano repertoire, and have even taken on well-known nicknames despite the fact that Chopin did not himself nickname his music.  This is just a testament to how well the music speaks to the listener - that the composer did not need to tell people what it should sound like, yet listeners were able to understand.

The wavier the hair, the better the music

For purposes of shortening this entry, I will focus on four representative examples of great pieces from this set of 'Douze grandes études.'  Every single piece in the opus is great, though, and all of them are really different.  In other words, the entire set of études is worth a listen after you hear these four.

*****

First, let's dispel the notion that all the études are really fast, technical, blurs of notes.  Many of them are indeed very fast, but Op. 10, No. 3 shows that there are other technical skills to be learned other than playing fast.

Étude, Op. 10, No. 3 (Pianist: Sviatoslav Richter)

In this case, the emphasis is on musicality - on phrasing a melody that is played primarily with the pinky of the right hand.  The middle portion has an increased passion and has some moderately technical passages, but once again, the focus is on shaping the melody.  In a way, this skill is required in even the most basic of pieces, but Chopin's piece emphasizes the skill enough to warrant the title of 'étude.'  Additionally, this piece comes after two études that emphasize speed and dexterity in the right hand, so for the pianist playing all the études in order, this piece welcomes a nice contrast (and of course a bit of rest).

*****

Op. 10, No. 4 is probably my favorite of the set, and one reason for this is the diverse set of interpretations.  Some pianists prefer a steadier pace, while others - like Vladimir Horowitz - instead opt for a more chaotic interpretation.

Étude, Op. 10, No. 4 (Pianist: Vladimir Horowitz)

This étude exercises dexterity in both hands, with fast runs being traded between both hands.  Thus, the piece is difficult to execute well because both hands need to play with an equal speed, dynamic, and articulation.  Speaking of dynamics, the way this piece builds up and down is amazing - and it is because of both the writing and the performance.  Immediately, images of a thunderstorm come to mind when listening to this piece.

Every time someone plays this piece, a thunderstorm starts somewhere else

*****

The 'Black Key' Étude (Op. 10, No. 5) is one of the most popular of Chopin's études from both a listener's and a piano player's perspective.  For the listener, it's a great piece that is quick but not violent - in fact, it can be quite delicate, depending on the performer.  For the pianist, it's typically among the first Chopin études one learns, perhaps because it sounds a lot more difficult than it really is.  Sadly, this makes the piece all the more popular to play poorly, and more often than not, a non-professional will blaze through the piece very loud and without much musicality.

'Black Key' Étude, Op. 10, No. 5 (Pianist: Maurizio Pollini)

Fortunately for Maurizio Pollini, he has a reputation for very delicate playing and it works perfectly in this piece.  Now you ask - why is this piece nicknamed the 'Black Key' Étude?  As you might guess, it has to do with most of the notes being played on the black keys of the piano.  In fact, every single note on the right hand except for one is on a black key (and I sometimes wonder why Chopin decided to add that single white key).  I think this is the reason the étude is rather easy despite its high speed.  The black keys are raised up and have nice gaps between them.  This means you never accidentally hit the wrong note.  Additionally, you don't need to move your hand into the awkward configurations that's sometimes found in the other études (for example, Op. 10, No. 2).  Actually, I don't think you need to ever cross your fingers under each other on the right hand.  Anyway, this means the focus can be on velocity, which is exactly what the piece exercises.

The white keys are made of lava!

*****

Also among Chopin's most famous études is the 'Revolutionary' Étude (Op. 10, No. 12).  What a perfect nickname (again, one not ascribed by Chopin himself).  This piece is incredibly difficult to play nicely, and I myself am guilty of using too much pedal to make the piece easier but much worse-sounding.

'Revolutionary' Étude, Op. 10, No. 12 (Pianist: Vladimir Ashkenazy)

The fast, sweeping runs are now in the left hand, with the right hand playing a very powerful melody.  This is another piece that has so many different interpretations.  I personally prefer the cleaner, more traditional ones, which barely use the pedal and don't overdo the rubato (which is changing the tempo to convey emotion).  Well, I do like rubato towards the end, but not throughout the whole piece.  Since the runs are in the left hand, the melody (on the right hand) is easier to follow, and so one can basically sing along.  This makes the piece more memorable - hence its popularity.

I bet this tune was on their iPods at the time

I should note, though, that singable melodies are not required of music - I believe music is a multilayered medium, and that in the case of Chopin's Études, the music is largely used to paint images and convey emotions.  There is much value to those tunes that you can hum while you're walking, but I'd easily prefer a piece of music you can lose yourself in.  Of course, this is just a personal opinion - and it's reflected in my preference of romantic-era music over classical-era music.

*****

Of the remaining eight études in the set, some other ones I really like are:

• Op. 10, No. 1 - a grand introduction with huge, sweeping arpeggios
• Op. 10, No. 2 - a melody that sounds like scurrying mice, played using only the last three fingers of the right hand
• Op. 10, No. 8 - a light, fast tune that evokes images of birds fluttering
• Op. 10, No. 9 - an articulated, longing melody over a flowing bass

While some of the études are better than others, I can wholeheartedly recommend every single one of Chopin's études (in this set, in Op. 25, and from the "Trois nouvelles études").  In addition, note that each étude is its own piece, but this set as well as the Op. 25 set sound especially great when all played in order, like a music album.  A particularly great transition is in between the delicate ending of Op. 10, No. 3 to the sudden power of Op. 10, No. 4.  The whole product is not as unified as a multi-movement piece like a symphony or a sonata, but it somehow sounds cohesive.

*****

Stay tuned for the Chopin Études, Op. 25 edition of Classical Corner, which will likely but not necessarily be the next entry in this series.

Classical Corner: Holst's "The Planets"

Gustav Holst's symphonic suite "The Planets" was written between 1914 and 1916 and is today one of the most popular pieces of 20th-century "classical" music as well as British music.  Its blend of unique styles are undoubtedly strong influences to modern composers like John Williams.  Out of the suite's seven movements, the most famous ones are the opening march "Mars, the Bringer of War" and the energetic "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity."  Give the "Jupiter" movement a listen and you might recognize some of the melodies.

Click to play: "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" from "The Planets" - Gustav Holst

The movement opens with tons of "open" (i.e. tonally ambiguous) chords in the strings with the brass playing the main part.  Already we can note the huge similarity to much of John Williams's music.  From here, the piece basically has three melodic themes: the bouncy melody in duple-meter, the heavy and more deliberate melody in triple-meter, and the slow and emotional melody at the middle of the piece.  After the slow middle portion (which is my favorite part of the movement) comes a developed version of the intro, first melodic theme, second melodic theme, and a coda.  So this movement does conform to the A-B-A format of a classical sonata and has a good overall balance despite its more contemporary harmonies.  The "Jupiter" movement is the fourth out of seven movements in the suite.  Each movement is named for the Roman god corresponding to each non-Earth planet and are ordered in terms of distance from Earth.  Thus, the suite is performed as follows:

1. "Mars, the Bringer of War" - a majestic march in 5/4 time
2. "Venus, the Bringer of Peace" - a slow, dreamlike atmosphere
3. "Mercury, the Winged Messenger" - light melodies that run and fly
4. "Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity" - grand melodies
5. "Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age" - slow but tense
6. "Uranus, the Magician" - devilish and mischievous
7. "Neptune, the Mystic" - another dreamlike atmosphere in 5/4 time

With a throne in the clouds and a half-naked lady slave,

it's not hard to see why Jupiter is the "Bringer of Jollity"

Some have noted a kind of antisymmetry in the movements that's pretty neat.  From Wikipedia: "Critic David Hurwitz offers an alternative explanation for the piece's structure: that "Jupiter" is the centrepoint of the suite and that the movements on either side are in mirror images. Thus "Mars" involves motion and "Neptune" is static; "Venus" is sublime while "Uranus" is vulgar, and "Mercury" is light and scherzando while "Saturn" is heavy and plodding. This hypothesis is lent credence by the fact that the two outer movements, "Mars" and "Neptune", are both written in rather unusual quintuple meter."

The suite was composed before the discovery of Pluto in 1930, and Holst fans across the world rejoiced when it was demoted to a dwarf planet, as this meant that "The Planets" was once again complete.  Listening to the whole suite, it's almost as if I'm watching a movie, and the music is evoking images.  It's easy to see then, why many film score composers have music that is heavily influenced by Holst's work. For example, right off the bat we drew comparisons between "Jupiter" and John Williams's music.  "Mars" in particular also seems like a huge influence for him.  "Saturn" immediately brings Bernard Herrman of classic film fame into mind.  "Venus" and "Neptune" are reminiscent of some aspects of works by Howard Shore, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman.  Meanwhile, "Mercury" and "Uranus" seem to fit perfectly in a Warner Bros. cartoon.

You never really were part of the family, Pluto

"The Planets" is one of my favorite classical works because it creates so many great atmospheres and images while always keeping the music moving and flowing.  The instrumentation is great - just like, say, John Williams's music, many of the grand melodies are brass-heavy, which is more atmospheric and powerful than the more classical choice of using dozens of violins instead.  In addition to the typical symphonic instruments, there is great use of the harp, mallet instruments like the celesta, glockenspiel, and xylophone, and perhaps most famously a woman's choir in the final movement.  The choir is located in a separate room from the orchestra and the entire suite actually ends in a makeshift fadeout as the door separating the choir from the orchestra is slowly shut.  I can't think of any other pieces of classical music that fade out, and it's entirely appropriate for the end of "The Planets" as we reach the edge of the solar system.  Since then, a lot of modern musicians have I guess "followed suit," though in modern music I feel that fadeouts are often used as a cop out when the writer doesn't know how to properly end a song.  This is why I'll consider the ending of "The Planets" the fadeout of all fadeouts.

If you liked "Jupiter," go ahead and give the rest of the suite a listen.  Each movement can be listened to individually as its own piece, but the suite also works great in its entirety (about 50 minutes), and perhaps it's because of the elegant anti-symmetric structure mentioned above.

My Top 100 Movies: #80 - #71

Wow, it's been a while since I've worked on this blog series, but right now is a perfect time to get things started again on movie talk.  Since I made my Top 100 list back last November, I've seen some great movies like The Hurt Locker and Inception, which could very well break into this list if I were to rewrite it.  These movies are still fresh in everyone's minds though, so I'll just leave the list as is and hopefully introduce some older films that people might not already be familiar with.  Make sure to check out the links at the bottom of this entry to see the Top 100 list, as well as my blurbs for movies #100 to 81, since it's been a really long time.

*****

#80

Forrest Gump

Dir. Robert Zemeckis (1994)

Forrest Gump is a movie that everyone can easily enjoy over and over again, and in my opinion it rightfully won the Best Picture Oscar in 1994 over other great movies in Pulp Fiction and The Shawshank Redemption.  This is a movie without any weak points and filled with charm.  It offers an alternate perspective not only of history, but also of life itself.  Even if for nothing else, Gump's many memorable scenes and quotes secures its place as an immortal piece of cinematic history.

*****

#79

The Bicycle Thief

Dir. Vittorio De Sica (1948)

The most emotional movies are those where we can immerse ourselves into the characters' situations, and the Italian neo-realist movement is all about this idea.  The Bicycle Thief is a snippet of reality, where "plots" are more likely to be simple rather than resembling many of the convoluted, unbelievable plots of today.  In this case, a poor man spends all his money on a bicycle so that he can work, only to have it stolen.  The film is shot on the streets, the characters are played by real people - not actors, and the experience feels real.

*****

#78

Boyz n the Hood

Dir. John Singleton (1991)

Yes, I too thought this was a comedy when I read the title and looked at the cast (Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, and "Larry" Fishburne), and boy was I surprised when I finally popped in the DVD without knowing anything about the plot, because this was one of the most tragic movies I have ever seen.  Boyz n the Hood shows all the ugly sides of slum life and gang life.  Other movies on the same topic tend to focus on the violence, while this one is not afraid to show the effects of violence on the fragile human emotion.

*****

#77

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Dir. David Lean (1957)

The Bridge on the River Kwai ranks up there with The Great Escape, The Deer Hunter, and Grand Illusion as one of the all-time great prisoner of war films.  These movies thrive on individual interactions instead of the action of battle or the politics of war, and these interactions are especially emphasized in this film, where Alec Guinness plays a British colonel in a Japanese prison camp in Thailand led by the stern but human Colonel Saito.  Meanwhile, a few Americans escape the camp and plot to destroy the bridge that the POWs are being forced to build, leading to one of the best movie endings of all time.

*****

#76

Rocky

Dir. John Avildsen (1976)

Just as was the case with Forrest Gump, Rocky was that feel-good movie for all audiences that won the Best Picture Oscar, only to have people years later criticizing the Academy's choice.  In this case, the film beat out Taxi Driver and Network.  In retrospect, I'd give the award to Taxi Driver, but I also do feel that Rocky is often overlooked as merely a feel-good sports movie.  It's really so much more than that though, and especially in the first film, the boxing, Rocky's personal development, and his relationship with Adrian are all interconnected.  If the only thing you care about while watching is whether Rocky wins or loses his boxing matches, then you're missing the point.

*****

#75

Arsenic and Old Lace

Dir. Frank Capra (1944)

Suffice it to say that Arsenic and Old Lace was a very bold movie for its time.  A newlywed played by Cary Grant visits his aunts' home to discover that they have a hobby of inviting old men over and poisoning them.  And when the other characters include a guy who thinks he is Theodore Roosevelt and a psycho killer on the run who looks like Frankenstein's monster, you can get an idea of how crazy the movie will turn out.  Cary Grant plays his role to perfection, repeatedly using a certain facial expression (see the picture) to draw out laughs at those moments when the other characters aren't already doing so.

*****

#74

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Dir. George Roy Hill (1969)

A different kind of western film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid centers on the adventures (or misadventures) of two bank robbers: Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy and Robert Redford as the Sundance Kid (the namesake of Redford's Sundance Film Festival).  The movie is filled with dialogue that is stylish and charming, and combines the traditional western plot with a love triangle and a good amount of action.  Overall, this film is really stylish and likable, and just tons of fun from the beginning up to the immortal final freeze frame.

*****

#73

Ace in the Hole

Dir. Billy Wilder (1951)

Billy Wilder's Ace in the Hole was initially released to a negative reception in 1951 due to its negativity and criticism of the media and human nature.  Over the years, people have come to realize the film's genius, as its harsh views on journalism are still accurate today.  The film revolves around the rescue efforts during a mining accident that turns into a big media circus.  Kirk Douglas plays a journalist who deliberately delays the rescue efforts in order to get more publicity, eventually resulting in the death of the trapped miner.  Even to this day, the film is not as famous as some of Wilder's other works, but it is definitely just as good.

*****

#72

Alien

Dir. Ridley Scott (1979)

The Alien series has by now devolved into such a brainless sci-fi action franchise that it's easy to forget that its roots lie strictly in horror.  I'll lay the blame on James Cameron, who made the respectable sequel Aliens but also unfortunately gave the execs bad ideas.  Oh well, I guess the same thing happens to just about every other great horror movie.  Anyway, just like Jaws, the horror in Alien comes from a fear of the unknown - in both cases, it's not until near the end where we see the monsters in full form - along with an eerie pacing.  These two elements sadly have disappeared from both franchises - the first by nature and the second by the studios' desire for more killing and less meaning to each kill.

*****

#71

Being John Malkovich

Dir. Spike Jonze (1999)

Want to see a movie that messes with your mind but is loads of fun?  Look no further than Being John Malkovich, the child of two of Hollywood's strangest minds in director Spike Jonze and writer Charlie Kaufman.  The movie is just about as strange as its title and stars a semi-unrecognizable John Cusack as an unsuccessful puppeteer who discovers a portal into the mind of John Malkovich (played by himself).  All the chaos that ensues needs no further explanation.

*****

For the complete Top 100 list, click here.

Movies #100 - #91 here.

Movies #90 - #81 here.

Classical Corner: Schubert's "Trout" Quintet

Now that the Tour de France is over I don't have much to write about until December when many of the year's best movies will come out (I would have written a review of Inception but by now it's well overdue).  I'm working on resuming my write-ups for my Top 100 movies of all time list but am feeling a little uninspired as far as that goes.  So here's a new idea for a blog series: Classical Corner.  It won't be anything too snobby or pretentious, just a little bit of classical music from trusty old YouTube, along with some of my thoughts about the piece at hand.

*****

Today's piece is the 4th movement of Franz Schubert's "Trout" Quintet (formally called Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667).  This movement is a theme and variations on a song called "The Trout" previously written by Schubert - hence the piece's nickname.

Click to play: "Trout" Quintet, 4th mvt. - Franz Schubert

The movement begins with a very simple tune (i.e. the theme) played by the violin before developing into five (arguably six) variations.  The first three are fairly straightforward, seeing the melody flow from the piano (Var. I) to the viola (Var. II) to the cello and bass (Var. III), with an accompaniment that flows like water and progressively increases in presence.  Var. IV is where things start to switch up a bit, with percussive and stormy chords in the minor key that settle into a calm kind of aftermath.  Var. V has some beautiful cello melody and interesting modulations, and we finally get to see Schubert really developing the melody.  The final segment is labeled "Allegretto" as opposed to "Var. VI," and features the melody passed back and forth between the violin and cello in playful fashion.

Artist's rendition of the exact trout that inspired this piece

This movement is probably the most famous of the quintet and the easiest to follow, but the rest of the quintet is also excellent and features some great development that contrasts with the theme and variation format used in this movement.  In my opinion, the "Trout" Quintet is one of the greatest pieces of music out there, and this comes from someone who is not overly crazy about either chamber music or Schubert.  I particularly like the unorthodox instrumentation of the quintet.  Whereas a typical piano quintet uses basically a string quartet plus a piano (i.e. two violins, a viola, a cello, and a piano), this work replaces the second violin with a bass.  This unique instrumentation has a great sonority and allows for a little more compositional freedom in my opinion, and I find it surprising that this instrumentation never really became more popular.

Franz Schubert and his immense hair - an indication of his immense genius

Most obviously, the bass can reach those notes lower than the cello's range.  While a piano can also hit these notes, the bass has a nicer timbre and definitely a better blend with the group at that low range, as in my opinion the piano sometime sounds alien when playing those low notes along with a string quartet.  Accordingly, because the piano does not need to be hitting those low notes, Schubert uses it in the upper register for most of the quintet, where it has a very clear tone that blends extremely well with the group.  Sadly for the bassist, they are largely reserved to the accompaniment role that is typically played by the cello (but it's a bass - what can you expect).  But this results in a much greater melodic freedom in the cello part, which is awesome because the cello sounds really beautiful in its upper register.

Overall the quintet is characterized by a "full" sound (which I am very much a sucker for) and an immense melodic clarity among all five instruments.  If you liked the above clip, definitely check out the rest of the piece (it's five movements total), and stay tuned for the next installment of Classical Corner!