Critique Of Piano Critique

“A Music Faculty Recital” at Prince George 's Community College was actually the very first concert I’ve been to that included Baroque style. The environment created a nostalgic yet modern and elegant mood; something that made you feel like you were in the late 1700’s yet still in modern times. The songs were mostly enjoyable and we 're all well played. This concert included an ensemble: the flute, the cello, the piano, and the harpsichord. Peggy Bair, who played the flute, was very enthusiastic. Irma Cripe, who played the cello, was quiet for the first part of the concert but gradually became more important throughout the concert. And lastly, the virtuous Gary Kirkeby, who played the piano and harpsichord, served as the backbone of all parts of the concert and made this concert very enjoyable.

As a University of Northern Iowa College student taking Soundscapes, I attended a recital by Annalea Milligan on Wednesday Oct. 19th, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. in Davis Hall, a small auditorium, at the Gallagher Bluedorn. Annalea Milligan received her Bachelor of Music degree in performance at Pacific Conservatory of Music, and is currently a first-year graduate student pursuing a Master of Music degree in bassoon performance at University of Northern Iowa. For the first half of the program she played the bassoon in Rhapsody composed by Willson Osborne and then she was accompanied by Mariya Akhadjanova on piano playing Variations on Theme of Pergolesi composed by Otmar Nussio which included I. Arietta, II. Scherzetto, III. Tamburino, IV. Lamento, V. Ostinato, VI. Rapsodia, VII. Elegia, VIII. Barbaresca, IX. Stornello, and X. Danza. Then after a brief intermission Milligan played the bassoon and was accompanied by Serena Hou with the harpsichord playing Concerto in G Minor, RV 495 composed by Antonio Vivaldi which included Presto, Largo, and Allegro, not to mention she also played Bachianas Brasileiras No. 6 composed by Heitor Villa-Lobos and was accompanied by Azeem Ward with the flute which included I. Aria (Choro), and II. Fantasia. I will depict the first and second part of the recital and describe my reaction and total opinion about the overall concert.

As we moved further along, the bass player, Chris Kozak took over. He slowly emerges from the silence as he carefully tapped the cymbals. The dynamic remained piano as the tempo gradually gets faster (accelerando). This heightened the tension before they all began to play together at 12:26 and returned to the initial mezzo forte dynamic of the piece. Towards the end, a characteristic of African music was highlighted where they performed a series of call and response. It was thrilling to hear this.

Marriner’s only original, Broadway Bounce, was delivered in trio, featuring pianist Micah Thomas, who sat in for Meder. Swinging along, the pianist hurled shifting chords on top of the steady rhythmic flow created by the drummer’s brushwork and the bassist’s pizzicato.

The Piano Lesson is a masterpiece in itself, earning a Pulitzer Prize in 1990. However, this particular play has elements not typical of modern plays. It has the quintessential plot that encompasses a conflict. On the surface, the conflict is between Boy Willie and his sister, Bernice. However, beneath that conflict, lies the symbolism of the characters. Boy Willie symbolizes the American way or the white man's culture. Bernice is the African-American way, staying true to her roots and not parting with the heritage. Although she finds this painful, she will not part with her heritage. Her heritage is tangible in the presence of the piano itself. Within the presence of the piano, August Wilson

Michael Choate, the conductor, led beautiful renditions of classical Disney scores. Choate also teach at the local Cookeville High School, bringing the love for music within the public school system. The music took place in a pit that was placed in front of the stage, which was the perfect place to make the audience feel involved with the play.

For those who recall these performances, as well as Greenblatt’s writing and directing expertise, there was never any doubt that "2 Pianos 4 Hands" would be worthy. But the extent to which this collaborative project succeeds in engaging audiences is a surprised even to the fans of the talented duo.

As the film begins to play, the sound of wind chimes fill the room as the audience gazes upon the beautiful and untouched hills. Taking it one step further, the ensemble begins to play fast piano chords and xylophones, while Stevens was on percussion and shaking the tambourine. The music was in sync with the opening credits, coordinating with the slow-motion bodies and white lines covering the screen.

On the 5th of December, I attended my second concert in Cypress Recital Hall. It was an amazing experience. I got to fully appreciate the sounds of the violin and the piano. Erika Salas, played the Violin accompanied by Yoko Mizuno, Doris Wang and Michael Cooper each individually performed a different piece on the piano. The first song was Sonata in D major HWV 371 by George Frideric Handel and performed by Erika Salis and Yoko Mizuno. The structure of this sonata was made up of four movements. Affetuoso feeling, tenderly, Allegro lively, fast, Larghetto slowly, steadily, and Allegro energetic, fast. Each section had a specific form the first movement reminds one of a slow symphony. The Allegro is written in a fugue, polyphonic style. The

Not only was the background vocals and the musicians in tune with one another. Everyone singing and clapping in the audience was in tune as well. I found myself clapping my hands along with them and trying to remember the words to songs I'd long forgotten. It was around these times that the audience

With the cellos in the background, the violins were the forefront of the piece. They created a sound similar to festival music. Then, the cellos and the violins alternated playing in a sort of call-and-response. The cellos began to play, then the violas, and finally the violins. The movement ended with all the musicians plucking the strings of their instruments.

I saw a Beethoven concert online which took place on May 7th, 2015 in Chicago, to celebrate the anniversary of Beethoven’s glorious masterpiece Symphony 9. The concert was a classical concert which was conducted by Ricardo Muti who has remained a conductor for Philharmonica orchestra (London), and Philadelphia Orchestra. The concert was directed by Duain Wolfe who is and Americal Chorale conductor as well as the founder Colorado Symphony and the Colorado Children’s chorale. . Some of the artists who participated in the Orchestra were Camilla Nylund (played soprano), Ekaterina Gubanova (played mezzo-soprano), Matthew Polenzani (played tenor), Eric Owens (played bass-baritone), and the rest of the artists were from Chicago Symphony Orchestra. All the musicians were dressed formally in black suits with white shirts, or black dresses. The symphony was played in four movements: Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso, Scherzo: Molto vivace, Adagio molto e cantabile, Finale: Ode to Joy.

Playing multiple instruments at one time was still in the experimental stage, but was done to make creative and unusual sounds. String and keyboard instruments were becoming very popular at this time, creating the refined sound, unique to the court. The most popular instrument of that time was the lute,

These types of reactions by inexperienced audiences make listening to or concentrating on great performances of beautiful music very difficult. Not only do these translate to distractions for the performers, but applause betwixt the movements can interrupt the flow of the work and thwart the intended effect that the composer and conductor wish to have on the audience. This audience reaction can also take away and distract from the atmosphere of the performance, which, in this case was a relatively small and intimate concert hall.

The alluring pieces in which my ears have perceived greatly have enthralled my heart leaving me awed. The Piano Night on September 29, 2016 at A.Y. Jackson had pianists performing marvelous variety of pieces. The performance has captivated my soul and allowed me to be engulfed in the beautiful music played by the many talented pianists.