Chopin's music

[wes_56]

:) Hi all,
Am I being too biased if I call Chopin the "king of Romantic piano music"? I like Chopin's music very much. It has so much undercurrents, tonal colours, warmth, philosophy, tragedies, joy that his music just is so pregnant with meaning.
Are you satisfied with Daniel Barenhoim's interpretation of Chopin? Who is the best exponent of Chopin's music? Argerich, Horowitz, Rubinstein?
Pardon me if this question has appeared so many times in forums.

Wes

[wally]

Ahh, you obviously haven't listened to the music of Charles Alkan. Alkan was Chopin's next door neighbor and closest friend. Chopin admired Alkan very much and could never believe the technical accomplishments of this masterful recluse.

Besides some very nice little melodies, Alkan wrote an entire symphony for piano solo, where the piano plays all of the instruments of an orchestra. He also wrote a piano concerto for piano solo where the piano volleys back and forth between solo and orchestra parts. It contains a section that carries 13 melodies at the same time -- try doing that with only 10 fingers! Alkan's music is filled with passion, exemplary of the Romantic period.

There are some nice midi files of Alkan's music at the Classical Midi Archives.

Wally

[wes_56]

Hi Wally,
I've just listened to some of Alkan's piano music. They sound good and the pieces are highly technically demanding.
In my opinion, Liszt and Alkan beat Chopin in terms of pianistic complexity of pieces. That is not to say that Chopin has no technically demanding pieces.
Chopin's pieces are both technical and emotionally charged with philosophical meanings. Not a lot of composers can do that. Liszt was highly flamboyant in his skills, but I feel every note of Chopin has its place and its meaning.
I suppose it is by what criteria that people measure whether a composer is successful. I feel that technical complexities are not all and the only way to measuring the success of a composer.
Perhaps, Alkan has been to some extent neglected in the classical circle. Correct me if I am wrong.

Just my 2 cents worth of thoughts.

Wes

[Midi Magic]

Hi All

Wally I wish there was a way to send a message to all, other then then New Posts.

I want to tell everyone that the 2004 International Piano-e-Competition is under way.

http://www.piano-e-competition.com/index.htm

All solo performances will be stored on the Internet, accessible at any time via MIDI download.

So far they have chosen 24 out of 53 to go on to the next round. Each contestant's performance has been recorded via midi so we can download them and play them on our CVPs

http://www.piano-e-competition.com/contestants2.htm

I have downloaded all of the Eseq zip files.

I have found 2 files that do not work (but will be fixed).

[jjm542]

Thanks for the update on the competition, MM. Question: which file format (XP, Enhanced midi, eseq) is best for the Clavinova?
jim

[Midi Magic]

Hi Jim

Personaly I use the Eseq files. Mainly because they are titled correctly. The XP files have extra resolution on the notes and pedeling which the CVPs will not see. Also the same with the Enhanced files.

Pianobench, the guy/guys who put the files up there, titled the midi files using a Metaevent which most programs including the CVPs, will not read.

I use the Eseq files which are stored on the PC and Yamplayer sends the midi out to the CVP.

BTW the folder had a comma in them when they were zipped and XP's default zip / unzip MAY not work. This is something to do with a Hotfix from Microsoft and is a known bug. Best to use Winzip or something else.

Good to hear from you again.

When are you coming to the UK?

[jjm542]

Thanks Dave. Last year they only posted one format that did not have titles but did have the metaevent information that kept them from playing on the CVP. I edited it out and typed in all the titles.

Is there a program that will convert Eseq files to standard midi? I like to use the CVP's internal drive.

UK - probably in April ("Oh to be in England, now that April's there...") I'll let you know in advance.

jim

[Midi Magic]

Hi Jim

Yes there is a program that will convert them its called Yamplayer but why do you want them as midi?
You can store them in the User Memory as eseq files. If you have a PC connected to the CVP you can play them from there and create playlists.

As I type this my PC is playing the CVP. If it was me I would leave them as Eseq files or else download the Enhanced versions.

Yamplayer will convert the whole 53 contestants in about 20 seconds.

[jjm542]

I didn't know the CVP could use Eseq files. Can they be stored on floppies?

[Midi Magic]

Jim you need to come to the UK NOW there is so much to show you.

The Eseq format are used in the files Yamaha use in their Pianosoft & Disk Orchestra Collection disks. They are very much like midi files.......but not quite.
They can be stored on floppies just like midis BUT do not mix and match Eseq and Midis.

I have a few disks over here so I will show you when you come over.

Just think of them as Yamaha's midis.

The only thing is, there is only one PC program that will play them. It will play them to the PC's sound card, so you can listen to them at work, or it can send midi out to the CVP to play that.

So ALL of my Eseq files are stored on the HDD and the Yamplayer sends them out to the piano.

Are you still at pacbell.net ? If so I'll send you some goodies.

[jjm542]

Yup, still at pacbell. I'll make sure my filter knows about you!

[ravishankar9992000]

Wally wrote:

"Alkan wrote an entire symphony for piano solo, where the piano plays all of the instruments of an orchestra. He also wrote a piano concerto for piano solo where the piano volleys back and forth between solo and orchestra parts. It contains a section that carries 13 melodies at the same time -- try doing that with only 10 fingers! Alkan's music is filled with passion, exemplary of the Romantic period."

Dear friend I went in the Classical Archive but I am not sure I could locate exactly the synphony you are speaking of, are you reffering by chance at the following Alkan's compositions?:

12 Etudes dans les tons mineurs, Op.39:

1.Comme le Vent: Prestissimamente in A-
2.En Rhythm Molossique: Risoluto in D-
3.Scherzo Diabolique: Prestissimo in G-
4.Symphony - Allegro: Allegro moderato in C-
5.Symphony - Marche Funebre: Andantino in F-
6.Symphony - Menuet: Tempo di minuetto in Bb-
7.Symphony - Finale: Presto in Eb-
10.Concerto - mvt.3: Allegretto alla barbaresca in F#-
12.Le Festin D'Esope: Allegretto senza licenza quintunque in E-

[wally]

Yes. Studies (Etudes) 4, 5, 6, and 7 comprise the symphony.

[ravishankar9992000]

Thanks a lot, Wally!