Tu Nguyen Trung I completely agree. My dad mentioned it one time and I was like “Schumann... Piano Sonata?? I have to listen” and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. I’m learning the first movement on my own time for now... Something about the way it’s written is really easy on the ears yet so so crazy.
Love how you say "yeah, I played this when I was 8 or 9..." like it's nothing. When I was that age, the pinnacle of my creativity was sitting in the garden, digging a hole with a stick. ;) Anyway, as a newbie to your channel I have to ask... Do you listen to/play other styles of music? If so, what? Have you tried playing any modern music in classical style? Have a listen to Gary Moores' The Loner. I think that would be a good candidate to tweak. Would also love to hear you play Björn J:son Lindhs' Brusa högre lilla å. Gorgeous piece of music. Should be a piece of cake for you. Edit. Wow, that's a big cookie! :D
Are you thinking of how Nahre Sol "digest" other styles? Nahre Sol is a pianist-composer and do what you are asking for here, though not taking pieces of music by fx. Björn J:son Lindh (Swedish style of abbreviation, are you from Sweden?) but rather dissecting different classical composers, and jazz, and blues, and more; then writing a piece based on the findings (variations on "Happy Birthday"!!!)
Beethoven Waldstein Sonata is my favorite. My least favorite: Beethoven Hammerklavier Sonata because it's the one Sonata I gave up playing before finishing it. That grand fugue nearly killed me.
I love the fact that you love slow pieces more! Fast pieces are great but slow pieces allows the musician to take the piece and make it their own, you can really feel what the musician wants to convey! You have been killing it with your vlogs! Really looking forward to what you have in store next! Keep up the hard work Tiffany! Your efforts to music and us really shows! ❤️
Talking about music the way you did in this vlog has taken the intertainment/educational value to another level. Even if you feel you aren't describing things with the "perfect" words it doesn't really matter because you are simply describing everything honestly and that in itself is incredibly valuable to people like myself simply because of your greater experience. These are the kind of music vlogs that I binge watch. I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way either.
Chopin b minor sonata is my favorite. So romantic and full of joy and optimism in the first movement. I also love the 3rd movement which can sound so hypnotic with its nostalgic mood. There are so many I like. Schubert has some gorgeous sonatas.
Schubert D958! I have a lot of childhood memories to this one, and it's just beautiful. Calm and angry, lively and slow. Tried to play the last movement, it kind of worked out. My goal is to play it completely some time.
So many to choose from! Mozart: Sonata in A minor, K 310. Haydn: Sonata in E flat major Hob XVI 52. Beethoven: (really hard to pick, but I love) Sonata in A major Op. 101. Schubert: Sonata in A major D959. Chopin: Sonata in B minor Op. 58. Many more!
Yeees! HAYDN !!! you're so right ! I discovered his sonatas with Paul Badura-Skoda's records. I love his chamber music (I listened again this afternoon to the trios, by Beaux-Arts trio). His quartets, his concertos, his symphonies... the absolute GENIE ! Haydn holds Yin and Yang united in a circle. - (From France)
My current favorite is Schumann’s 3rd sonata op.14. I am always touched by its beauty on the verge of insanity. I believe this masterpiece will chime in with your musicality.
It's interesting that you talk about D Minor Tiffany. When I teach my young students Grade 1 and when they move from Major to Minor scales - the discovery of the D Minor Scale is always a very exciting time and they love the sound and relate it to 'Eastern' music or sometimes 'Egyptian music - and they love playing the Harmonic gap at the top of the scale. It's a beautiful key that I also love - and a book I am reading at the moment talks of keys having character - and D Minor has an amazing and beautiful character. Thank you so much for your videos - I have only recently discovered them but I really love your work - and thank you for letting us see 'behind the scenes' and to understand the immense amount of work that makes you the amazing professional that you are.
You refer to the “Harmonic gap” - are you referring to, in a D natural minor scale, the jump from Eb to F#? It’s interesting to me, as a violinist, that natural minor is taught to pianists and used much more than violinists.
the value of these types of videos is that they provide an almost voyeuristic perspective on how extremely gifted individuals approach their projects. i realize that codifying an intangible is somewhat futile, but, at the very least, it gives us, mere mortals, a pathway to achieving our pianistic goals.
I've been watching your videos lately. I find you to be very pleasant and demure to watch. The way you carry yourself should be an inspiration to all women and men for that matter. I see smart, kind, helpful, well spoken, confident, talented and beautiful, without any vanity or ego to distract from your pure beauty. Thank you kindly !
Your short posts with just a couple of beautiful musical phrases are a great way to say “Hello”. I like your views and your interpretations of classical period music. Looking forward to hearing the whole D sonata 24 !
When you said, "I like stuff in D minor," I immediately thought of Rach 3. Liked your Instagram stream of working on the 2nd movement btw. It was gone before I got to listen to it properly. I think it's cool that you appreciate the value of slower, simpler pieces, because it means you want to do more than just play a bunch of fast notes.
Chopin, B minor sonata (treasures in every other measure, almost as if Chopin is teasing us in the first movement, exploring some beautiful melodies and motifs then quickly moving on to the next), makes it very entertaining for my all over the place approach to learning a piano piece lol. Oh, And the Waldstein among many others.
D minor is without a doubt the most beautiful key! It can be so simple and melancholic. Whenever I start composing something in my head I almost always think of it in d minor, hahaha
My favourite sonata is Beethoven’s pastoral sonata in D major😛, and my favourite piano concerto now is Rachmaninov’s third piano concerto, the first movement makes me think of travelling on a train🚞 and looking at the great mountains.
It always lightens me up to hear you speak about music. I understand your not wanting to, but it is unavoidable.....and words sometimes help, specially as regards interpretation. For the moment, my favorite sonata is Beethoven’s op. 109. ......and not least Debussy’s Violin Sonata....the piano part is amazing! All the best in this following week! God Bless you and keep you!
What a great start to my Sunday morning-new vlog! Thank you! This was perfect. Really loved how entertaining and fun this was, as well as insightful and informative. I realize music interpretation can be subjective and to listen to your explanation of how you would approach the music, why, and your knowledge of differences between different publications gives us some helpful hints for our own practice, as well as appreciate your performances at a different level. It’s sort of like the cupcake is really delicious already and you’ve added some extra frosting on top! Really enjoyed watching you open packages and treating yourself to a cookie in the pantry while passing a sign that says “No food” in the practice rooms. Your vlogs are always so down-to-earth and personable. They are always welcoming us to a day in the life of...Tiffany Poon, full of information, fun, humor, and good music. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to your next episode!!!
I got in touch with Haydn's sonata with the famous Glenn Gould recording on Haydn's late sonatas. I found it soothing and the sonatas got their own wits. Then I dig into S. Richter's recordings on Haydn's sonatas. S. Richter totally demonstrated a really beautiful side of Haydn's sonatas... Yes, it is a little jazzy, or at least it is fun and soothing to listen. For me, compared to Bach, it is a total different experience to listen to Haydn's sonata.
Since I'm still classically illiterate I can't really pick a favorite sonata, but I think I'll make myself a list of things to listen to out of this comment section~ Anyway, I loved the vlog! I'm so glad you decided to talk some more about the pieces you play, it's so, so interesting, even seeing you trying to find the right words to describe it. I really feel like I'm learning a whole new way of thinking and appreciating music (and playing, too!) I've only been watching your videos for like a week but I'd honestly call myself a fan of yours now, you seem like such a cool person! Also, how do you get people to send you free food, I'm a hungry college student please I need to know lol
For 2018, Beethoven’s “Appasionata” Sonata. I think the struggle and turbulence in the first movement is extremely powerful with his mixture of tempos. And then the second movement has such a quiet majestic-ness to it. Awesome! Great vlog! Probably one of my favorites!
My favorite is the Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. The beginning is so melancholic, with the mysterious power of the moon hidden there. At last, this is what I imagine as I was fascinated listening to it as a little child. And then it becomes so rock n roll and energetic with the presto agitato. I love the contrast. Thank you Tiffany for your sharings. I discovered and subscribed to your Vlog yesterday and it's very very inspiring to listen to your explanations and of course your music, to see and hear you playing with your whole body and soul. I'm impressed and delighted ! 🙂👌❤
My current favorite piano sonata by Haydn is the one in E minor, Hob XVI: 34. I'm learning it now for my audition to music school in may. Though it's probably not my favorite classical sonata in general. That goes to either Beethoven op.13 or op.22, or Mozart K310. Also, I LOVE Rachmaninoff's second sonata! And many many more...
I Haven't watched yet but I'm excited about this because I ADORE Haydn sonatas. And they deserve way more love than what they get... I'm currently studying hob xvi:52 in e flat major and I love it
Hi Tiffany😊. I'm surprised that your favorite sonata is Hydn😲. Actually, I listen Hydn very little. But I'm interested in Hydn now. That is very beautiful and interesting! My favorite sonatas are Beethovens No.14.Moonlight, and No.28. Chopins No.3.especially Movement 4! Thank you Tiffany. I'm so grad to see your charming smile😊. See you next time! Take care🍀. Bye🎶
L.van Beethoven Piano Sonata No.14 in C# minor , Op.27 , No.2 / Moonlight is sublime . So great to see and hear your musical journey explained esp in D minor so beautiful ...
I just loved this vlog :) I totally understand why u chose this sonata... (because its beautiful!) Especially the 2nd movt. I also enjoyed the way u explained the different ways of ''articultation''. Only if u would have played a little more... Best wishes :)
Tiffany, we all love your delicacy and reservations, and the ever-present touch of feeling awkward at saying things, especially when someone might take what you say as very definite and categorical. I assume the audience/community for your vlogs might be dominated by musicians, students of music, or pianists. However, I believe there may be quite a substantial portion of other people here as well. I'm not a musician. I'm not deaf, I guess (I hope :D), but I have never received any musical education. Well, I tried to learn something on my own, but that was just a whimsical effort, and a completely failed one. Notwithstanding this, I love listening to classical music. And I love when musicians explain things -- I love when they speak about the structure, about articulation, when they give examples. This really helps appreciate music even more. So, please, don't hesitate to share such insights. You can preface them with some kind of warning: "this part is for uncouth listeners only", or something of the kind, if you really think it necessary, but please bear in mind that you're doing a world of good. No, you're not going to limit my ability to enjoy a piece if you show me your way of hearing and interpreting it -- just the opposite: you are going to expand it! :) And, generally, thank you :).
Thank you so much for your lovely comment :) I hope I'll be able to reach more people like you and help even non-musicians to appreciate classical music!
I also love the second movement, it's haunting! Never played it. One of my favorite sonatas is the Mozart K.332 in F. In that piece I like the second movement Adagio to be a bit slower than most people play it, so it sounds more "sad" and emotional. Would LOVE to hear you play that sonata!
Love the video. Thank you. My favorite piano sonata at the moment is Beethoven's No. 30 in E major, Op. 109. At first I wasn't that much of a Beethoven enthusiast (sacrilege, I know). Then some things happened in my life, and I wrote a novel in which--at the end--the main character plays the piece. Because I suddenly understood it. The theme and variations sort of sum up what happened to her in that story. At first her life is business like usual (the theme). Then there's a lot of turbulence (variations). After this, for the outsider it would seem that her life is still the same, but everything has changed. In the same way, the theme is repeated, almost the same as in the beginning, but it feels totally different. One day I hope to hear you play this in person. I noticed it's on your repertoire, so fingers crossed!
Tiffany: When you get the chance, try this sonata on a clavichord, it can really bring out that second movement. I have often wondered about staccato marks in Haydn (those repeated thirds) and conclude that the marks relate more to the equivalent of détaché and con arco in violin playing. - An interesting explanation of how you approach music and this sonata in particular, thank you.
I have many favorite sonatas but the most beautiful piano piece for me is Bach's Italian Concerto; and I suddenly felt hungry the moment you showed that chocochip cookies...
Besides your beautiful playing, for me, slightly out of tune pianos feel very human because they arent perfect, just like us and the beauty and tragedy of humanity in music is what I love so much. Thats why I really like Mahler, Elgar, Brahms and Bach (especially the solo sonatas and partitas for solo violin and the 2nd movement of the double violin concerto) so much.
I'm not a musician but love classical music. Your attempt at describing that music intrigued me. You had mentioned melancholy. I, too, am attracted to that type of music in piano. It made me think of the Andante of Beethoven's Piano Sonata 25 which I adore. Melancholy, pathos, … ? Also like the Haydn Sonata in D - thanks for introducing me to it :)
Ok as soon as you said jazzy for Haydn I was imagining a structural ii V I over the course of a large movement and that was a crossover I did not ask for lol
Another great example of a slow movement in D minor with a simple and monotonous bass and a melodic line that grows increasingly elaborate is Bach's keyboard arrangement of Marcello's Oboe Concerto.
D minor opening of Sibelius Violin Concerto - one of the tops for the d minor emotion! Lots of d minor in Handel’s keyboard sonatas which Beethoven himself loved and gave written expression of his respect for!
As bad luck would have it, my Henle Verlag edition which contained the D maj. was lent out and not returned so unfamiliar. I did have a teacher who insisted I study some Haydn before tackling Beethoven, so, Hob XVI 34, e minor; 49, E flat (have another beer) and the grand 52, also E flat; which is my favorite key to play and, logically, but also stylistically then, my favorite sonata is Beethoven's "Les Adieux", or, as he intended; "Das Lebewohl". And that has been the case for more than 40 years.
Its not considered a sonata , but one of my favorite pieces of all time is , Debussy's. Claire d-e lu. sorry Tiff but for some reason my key board won't allow me to type the correct spelling of this slow & melancholic piece . I enjoyed you speak about what you like about music . keep carrying on Tiff ! Vic. ps . thanks for brightening my Sunday morning . sending you many good wishes ! V .
I just remembered this. I have a slow piece suggestion for you. Have you ever played Astor Piazzolla's "History of the Tango" suite, transcribed for piano? The "Cafe 1930" movement of this is my favorite, slow, evocative, kind of moody, with lots of drama. My copy here has it in E minor, but it'd probably work in D minor also. :)
Beethoven Sonata 15 Pastorale. It's funny because this piece makes me feel SOOOO much emotion, even though it's not as meticulously structured or mathematically brilliant as the Hammerclavier, Waldstein, or Apassionata. All the movements tell one story, and to me it feels like an entire lifetime of memories in one single sonata
Nice vlog lol :) I would love to brag that this was me who said this originally, but I think it was someone famous like Barenboim: "My favorite piece is the one I'm playing right now" (too obvious? And did I just repeat this mantra for the gazillionth plus one time?) Damn... too late I already pressed the Enter button.
Right now I can only think of Schubert's final sonatas he wrote before his death (A major D. 959 I believe). There is something that makes me think of normal routine things the piece conveys. idk, I get the second movement stuck in my head a lot, which makes me think I like it so. (:
I guess my favorite sonatas in general are in F minor . For piano it is Appassionata obviously and for sonata in general , the Brahms 1st Viola Sonata always makes me react haha
Hey Tiffany I love your videos!! I would really love to see you play something you've created or maybe just a vid where u improvise. That would be really cool xD
