Category Archives: classissima

When a Virtual Piano Student becomes a Reality!

Posted on February 6, 2016 by

A North Carolina ONLINE piano student comes to Berkeley, California for a LIVE lesson right before the Super Bowl! Continue reading →

Posted in Classical music blog, Classical music piano blog, classissima, classissima.com, piano, piano lessons by Face Time, piano lessons by Skype, piano lessons for adults, piano lessons in Berkeley California, piano lessons on the web, piano lessson, piano playing and relaxation, piano playing and the singing tone, youtube.com | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

What’s Frightening about Schumann’s “Frightening? ” (Kinderszenen, Op. 15, no. 11)

Posted on October 11, 2015 by

What convinces most pianists that Schumann’s “Furchtenmachen” (Frightening) is an expression of fear or perhaps more specifically anxiety, are the markedly impulsive sections that contrast with lyrical, reflective ones. And not to be overlooked, are the interjections of syncopated SF’s … Continue reading →

Posted in classissima, classissima.com, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, Robert Schumann, Romantic era piano repertoire, Schumann, Shirley Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Haydn on the harpsichord or piano? (Competition interlude)

Posted on June 27, 2015 by

Elaine Comparone insists that playing Haydn’s works on the harpsichord stirs her “imagination to new heights.” The harpsichordist’s upload of Haydn’s eloquent Sonata No. 52 in Eb Major ironically paralleled Reed Tetzloff’s piano performance in Moscow which introduces an aesthetic … Continue reading →

Posted in blogmetrics, blogmetrics.org, classissima, classissima.org, Franz Josef Haydn, harpsichord, Haydn, Haydn Sonatas, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, pianist, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Medici TV presents FREE LIVE stream of the XV INTERNATIONAL Tchaikovsky Competition from Moscow

Posted on June 16, 2015 by

http://tch15.medici.tv/en/live/piano This is a unique opportunity to savor performances by a roster of international contestants, one of whom is our very own, pianist, George Li, a loyal Facebook Friend to so many of his avid fans. We’re tracking his global-wide … Continue reading →

Posted in " Piotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, blog metrics, classissima, classissima.com, George Li, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, XV International Tchaikovsky Competition from Moscow | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Piano Technique: Stabilizing tempo, presence of mind, and breathing through scales and arpeggios

Posted on April 5, 2015 by

This has to be one of my favorite reciprocal teaching/learning videos because it fleshes out the importance of breathing through scales with mindful concentration. Framed by a singing pulse, the scale becomes a model for all playing. Here’s B minor … Continue reading →

Posted in arpeggios, blog, blogger, blogmetrics, classissima, piano, piano blog, piano blogging, piano technique, scales, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

J.S. Bach, the piano, harpsichord and early music tunings

Posted on November 25, 2014 by

Elaine Comparone, a well-regarded harpsichordist rendered a dance movement from J.S. Bach’s French Suite No. 5 in G, (BWV 816) that I’d performed on the pianoforte. In the Loure, (written in G Major) I was immediately struck by a pitch … Continue reading →

Posted in Baroque era, Baroque era tunings, classissima, classissima.com, Daniel Waitzman, Elaine Comparone, flute, harpsichord, piano blog, piano blogging | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Does approaching notes in different ways at the piano affect tone production?

Posted on November 14, 2014 by

Emanuel Ax, well-known concert pianist and teacher asserts that one note struck cannot be varied by physical approach (except for volume) and I’m assuming duration (a clipped staccato release vs. a lingering sustain without pedal) Yet he didn’t provide enough … Continue reading →

Posted in Classical music blog, classissima, classissima.com, Emanuel Ax, Journal of a Piano Teacher from New York to California, phrasing at the piano, piano, piano blog, Shirley Kirsten, Shirley Smith Kirsten, tone production at the piano, word press, you tube | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments