I've never really played anything but solo piano music. I'm even trying to learn Schumann's piano concerto as a solo piece. I don't have any particular affinity for playing solo music - on the contrary, I think playing with others would be magnitudes more enjoyable - but as the piano is more of a hobby than a focus for me right now, and I play only relatively sparingly, and I am not exceptionally talented, it is difficult to collaborate with other musicians.
Then last night, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I decided to ask my cellist friend Laura if she wanted to learn to play one of the myriad cello/piano compositions in existence. She jumped at the chance, and suggested Johannes Brahms's Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, for which she had copies of both the piano and cello parts. I started practicing it not five minutes after she gave it to me, and I absolutely adore it. We're both terribly excited to start playing it together. It is rather difficult, however, so I've started doing lots of finger exercises to improve my speed and dexterity (I've actually found that the 3rd movement of Schumann's piano concerto serves this purpose wonderfully, along with being a marvelous piece of music in its own right).
Gah! I'm so excited. The cello and the piano are my two favorite instruments of all time, and putting them together is just about the neatest thing ever.
Then last night, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I decided to ask my cellist friend Laura if she wanted to learn to play one of the myriad cello/piano compositions in existence. She jumped at the chance, and suggested Johannes Brahms's Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, for which she had copies of both the piano and cello parts. I started practicing it not five minutes after she gave it to me, and I absolutely adore it. We're both terribly excited to start playing it together. It is rather difficult, however, so I've started doing lots of finger exercises to improve my speed and dexterity (I've actually found that the 3rd movement of Schumann's piano concerto serves this purpose wonderfully, along with being a marvelous piece of music in its own right).
Gah! I'm so excited. The cello and the piano are my two favorite instruments of all time, and putting them together is just about the neatest thing ever.
1 comment:
I must differ on the instrument issue, though you are entitled to your opinion. There is just no sound like two heavily distorted guitars combined with a bass and some crazy guy pounding on the drums. Nothing.
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