A Battle of two Steinways, a Yamaha, and a spoiler Petrof

A few years ago, I journeyed to the local Fresno piano dealership to make retail price comparisons with used pianos sold in the private party marketplace. The store, located on Ashlan and Fresno Street had an impressive array of Steinways, Boston and Essex pianos, as well as Yamaha studio upright models and other brands. An early…

Piano Technique related videos

Videos on Piano Technique: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/why-play-scales/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/01/12/piano-instruction-five-finger-warm-ups-in-major-and-minor-video/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/scales-and-arpeggios-with-videotaped-replay/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/piano-instruction-learning-the-f-minor-scale-video/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/02/25/the-most-reviled-scale-for-piano-players/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/12/01/playing-scales-from-legato-to-staccato-think-ping-pong-balls/ Blocking four-note chords before unblocking them as arpeggios in a sequence of inversions as prep to play the Moonlight Sonata, last movement, Presto agitato. https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/from-chords-to-gym-and-back-you-tube-video/ Playing a C Major scale in contrary motion: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/12/08/playing-scales-in-contrary-motion-video/ Chunking a B Major scale: https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/11/17/sports-and-piano-technique-how-about-chunking-on-you-tube/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/piano-gym-routines-with-my-10-year-old-student/ https://arioso7.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/piano-instruction-playing-diminished-7th-chords-and-arpeggios-video/ Mozart Sonata, K.…

Chopin Etude op. 10, no. 3 and the devil in music

Who would believe the Chopin Etude, Op. 10 no. 3, opening with a somber melody that melts the heart away, would venture into the devil's realm with a splash of "tritones." Music historians characterize the interval of a "tritone" (A whole step progression of three notes) as the diabolus in musica. Dating back to medieval times it…

Leaving the barbaric age of middle C

Don't be fooled by the music teaser. The subject of this blog becomes clearer as it progresses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIOewMxAUZQ Sometimes words fail me when I try to describe the beauty of a great piece of music. I just want to play the composition and let it speak for itself. But being the eternal teacher of a…