Sonata Secrets
By Sonata Secrets
Sonata SecretsMar 13, 2023
Liszt's Visionary "Vallée d'Oberman
This is a valuable major Liszt work from his first book of "Years of Pilgrimage". It's quite thoughtful and introverted music, dealing with psychological matter from pioneer romantic figure Senancour's novel Obermann about a young man goes out in nature to seek answers to life's hard questions. But over the span of this 14 mins long musical essay, you also see the amazing view from the mountain tops, full of hope and glory. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/dDiJJZZKxnk
Scriabin Sonata No. 3, Op. 23, "States of the Soul"
Scriabin's epic sonata no. 3 is one of only two with a more classical approach of four movements, before he ventured further into more integrated forms. However, you can already here savour everything that makes Scriabin great - soaring melodies, expansive textures over the whole piano, tightly knit counterpoint with individual voices and ever-unfolding chromaticism to name a few important ones.
Pianist Henrik Kilhamn guides you through the composition with its four movements, with presentations interlaced with musical excerpts, the score and some analytical insights.
Video: https://youtu.be/FEHzUgy5y2o
Rachmaninoff's Slick Suite for two pianos No. 2, Op. 17
Rachmaninoff's suites for two pianos are quite unique in the classical repertoire - a musical language from the height of the romantic period but breaking new ground by utilizing two separate keyboards and pianists for some extraordinary textures! Pianist Henrik Kilhamn guides you through the composition with its four movements, with presentations interlaced with musical excerpts, the score and some analytical insights.
The recording used in the video is from a performance with Henrik Kilhamn and Svetla Tsvetkova.
Video: https://youtu.be/sLG17eEjkgU
Granados "The Maiden and the Nightingale" from Goyescas, no. 4
Enrique Granados is one of the most prominent Spanish composers that used the national cultural heritage in his art music to open up new ways of writing for piano in early 20th century. Here we look at one of his most famous pieces, from the suite "Goyescas", inspired by the great art by Goya.
Video: https://youtu.be/T4IfCvYlzlE
Chopin "Military" Polonaise in A major, Op. 40 no. 1
The Polonaise provided Chopin a ground for writing grand pieces in dance form. One of the most emblematic, the "Military" Polonaise feels more like a victorious parade rather than conflict and war. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/x-R6flahwqI
Thumbnail image: Fanfare 'Korps Nationale Reserve' - Eksjö (Zweden) 2022
This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en
Chopin Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 no. 4 - What Makes a Mazurka?
Chopin's collection of Mazurkas is an important manifestation of his Polish identity, comprising a range of musical elements from the traditional folk dance. In this video we'll look closer at the somewhat peculiar and haunting Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 no. 4. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/znXaTwHMvj4
Chopin Prelude no. 20 in C minor: A Perfect Poem
Henrik Kilhamn looks into Chopin's famous Prelude in C minor, a miniature piece just like a poem, that rings with heavy tolls of funeral bells.
Video: https://youtu.be/cgqAH4lig4k
Chopin Nocturne in Bb minor, Op. 9 no. 1: Music of the Night
Henrik Kilhamn explores Chopin's first, embematic Nocturne in B-flat minor. Video: https://youtu.be/j5sOlWPyAvg
Easy Arangement: https://sonatasecrets.gumroad.com/l/chopin-nocturne-9-1
Philip Glass' Minimalist Piano Music, Glassworks Opening
Alongside Einaudi and Michael Nyman, Glass' music aims to carry the torch of instrumental music into the modern musical world of a steady pulse and coherent harmony. His minimalist style uses repetition of potent musical ideas as a foundational device for setting up hypnotic musical soundscapes. In this video we take a deeper look at the Opening movement of his 1982 album Glassworks, which is a solo piano piece. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/QEadFTZ71aQ
Bach's Glorious Goldberg Variations
J. S. Bach proves his compositional genius in the Goldberg Variations. A bass line with implied harmony of 32 bars provides the basis on which Bach creates the world in a piece of music, over 30 variations following the initial Aria.
In this video we go through this bass material in depth to see how its harmonic movement enables the piano to sing so beautifully over it. With Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/8AU7d5hhlwQ
Bartók 6 Romanian Folk Dances - Róck it with Bartók!
Béla Bartók's six Romanian Folk Dances introduces exciting rhythms, modes and harmonic setups that we are not that used to, coming from a classical perspective. They are very short and make for great intermediate pieces, and this is a long lecture going into details on all six with pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/GwtCWrx6_SI
Bach Prelude No. 2 in C minor (from WTK1): Different Ways To Play
Come along when we explore the harmonic journey of Bach's Prelude no. 2 in C minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Since there are very few markings other than the notes, pianists different choices create different interpretations of the same music. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/6sQHahneCGQ
Scriabin Valse Op 38: Dancing Diffusion
Scriabin takes the standard Waltz form and makes it his own with the help of floating polyrhythms, tender melodies, dramatic surges and exploratory harmony in this marvellous composition. The piece was a request by my Patreon sponsor D. E. Frez. With Henrik Kilhamn, pianist.
Video: https://youtu.be/IYaEsjTmEvo
Rachmaninoff Prelude in D major, Op. 23 no. 4: Aching Beauty
A real gem to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the great Rachmaninoff. This is his way of basically writing a Nocturne, albeit under the wider-encompassing title of a Prelude. But compared to Chopin and the first generation of romantics, Rachmaninoff utlizises the modern piano to its full extent with breathing swellings of sound and aching chromatic harmony, put together to perfection. Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/zdAF-BOgQ2E
Beethoven "Easy" Sonata no. 20 in G major, Op. 49 no. 2, mvt. 1
Beethoven's two sonatas in Op. 49 are usually called "Leichte Sonaten" or "Easy Sonatas", and are perfect pieces for early intermediate students who want to become more familiar in the classical style. In this video we check out the music of the 1st movement in Op. 49 no. 2 in G major, with a lot of consideration of the governing Sonata form structure. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/wMMP50y691g
Schubert "The Sleepwalker:" Moment Musical in F minor, Op. 94 no. 3
One of Schubert's rare short pieces and true gem: the Moment Musical no. 3 in the set of six, published the last year of his life. The is a great example of his personal musicalstyle that wanders freely through different tonal territories.
Video: https://youtu.be/GBUQ7Qdpltg
Mendelssohn's "Spring Song", Lieder Ohne Worte Op. 62 no. 6
Op. 62 no. 6 of Mendelssohn's Lieder Ohne Worte has the accompanying title "Frühlingslied" or "Spring Song," and the popularity of the music is testament to its evocative power of summoning those spring feelings! In this video we take a closer look at the playful melody that's constantly undergirded by quick and soft arpeggios traded between the hands. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/Nfxk3dCMaVA
Mendelssohn Lieder Ohne Worte Op. 19 no. 1: You Need To Play This Piece
Felix Mendelssohn wrote songs for piano: Lieder Ohne Worte = Songs Without Words. The very first one of all the volumes (Op. 19 no. 1) is a perfect piece for practicing sound balance in the right hand, and the music is just fabulous.
You need this kind of sound balance/hand weight for playing these works
- Beethoven Moonlight Sonata mvt I
- Schubert Impromptu no. 3 in Gb major
- Chopin Funeral March
- Debussy Claire de lune (fast section)
- Ravel Pavane for a dead princess
...and countless more pieces.
So I can recommend this piece as a study to lay proper technique ground work within real and great musical context!
Video: https://youtu.be/VedGgsxgqTg
Debussy "The Snow Is Dancing" (from Children's Corner)
No. 4 of the six movements of "Children's Corner" is the toughest to play, but paints a beautiful winter landscape with exciting energies in the intricate textures. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/3hQQhjspo24
Dreaming with Debussy: Rêverie
Debussy spins up the perfect patterns for getting lost in a pleasant daydream. He was actually not a big fan of the piece himself, it was written when he was younger and had not yet reached the modern maturity we also associate with his name. But as piano music, the Rêverie is simply a wonderful delight!
Video: https://youtu.be/fLGtT23LefE
Brahms Intermezzo in Bb minor, Op. 117 no. 2: Residual Unrest
The middle Intermezzo in the Op. 117 set is more restless than the outer ones, but still shows much nostalgia and introspection. Here we taker a proper look at the original and pianistic textures that makes this piece flow so seductively. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/rf5vdR4fqys
Brahms Intermezzo in Eb major, Op. 117 no. 1: A Lamenting Lullaby
Brahms Intermezzo in Eb major, Op. 117 no. 1 is a kind of sweet lullaby but with a disturbingly dark middle section. What is that about? The gorgeous music draws you in with its lush harmonies and rich textures, and tells a compelling but unclear story. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/95nEeUymyaY
Tchaikovsky Arabian Coffee Dance (from Nutcracker)
In this episode we'll see how Tchaikovsky summons the exotic arabian dancers in the Nutcracker ballet, using modal mixture, oriental ornaments and meandering structural segments over a rhythmic ostinato. With your analysis guide Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/9xoCT93XfjY
Debussy Prelude no. 2, book 2: "Dead Leaves"
Debussy paints a musical depiction of dead leaves with dissonant harmonies and eerie and fragmented lines in his "Feuilles mortes," Prelude no. 2 from the second volume of preludes. It shows a lot of his typical features such as sequential rather than functional harmony, block chords, and a maximal use of different piano registers. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
The piece was a Patreon request by L. von Geist.
Video: https://youtu.be/pWmycfBX2zg
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracking Christmas March
Tchaikovsky made the piano arrangement to his "Nutcracker" ballet music himself. The March is one of his most known tunes that immediately summons the Christmas spirit with its high energy marching features. Any ballet production tells the story of toy soldiers coming to life, but in this video we look at the music only. Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/PrZ15Lo2s6A
Fauré's Gorgeous Nocturne no. 6 in D flat major, Op. 63
Faurés mature style explores the chromatic depths of counterpoint while retaining a radiant surface, and his 6th Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 63, is a great example that holds together three disparate ideas beautifully.
This video is on the advanced side of analysis on the channel, e.g. some concepts are used freely in order to get more complex points through. If you don't know them this should still give some good context for getting acquainted with them (things like cadence, sequence, appoggiatura etc.)
The piece was a Patreon request by S. Lam.
Video: https://youtu.be/K5emh7NdGYE
Fauré's Beautiful Pavane, Op. 50
Gabriel Fauré's Pavane is one of those pieces that just speaks directly to your heart with an air of nobility intact. The composition is a masterclass in coherent melodic structure and the use of coloring notes in harmony.
Video: https://youtu.be/9ucfVYrbCDg
Schumann's Prophetic Bird (from Waldszenen)
"Vogel als Prophet" (Bird as prophet) is a peculiar piece in Robert Schumann's Waldszenen suite Op. 82. On closer inspection we find the most prominent feature to be arpeggios leading to quite dissonant appoggiaturas. As often with Schumann, he strikes a balance between the playful and the profound. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/ic7cXHujqA8
Chopin's Unmatched Ballade no. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Chopin's 1st Ballade in G minor has a special place in the hearts of many pianists and piano lovers. It has many characters who all speak directly and poignantly, and Chopin lets them evolve organically within the Ballade. It's a story without any explicit drama, but with intense dramatic content nevertheless. And it's especially one chord that sets the tone. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/7kfJvpODcXM
Schumann "Eintritt" (from Waldszenen)
The piece that starts Waldszenen (Forest scenes) is "Eintritt", an Entrance into the forest. The pleasant melody shifts between the hands but for some reason Schumann has written most of the piece like it's metrically offset within the 4/4 time signature.
Video: https://youtu.be/s7OI-OcUVko
Schumann's Lonely Flowers (from Waldszenen)
Schumann's "Waldszenen" (Forest scenes) op. 82 is a collection from his later period, invoking the forest in nine pastoral, cute and intruiging pieces. No. 3 "Einsame Blumen" or "Lonely Flowers" has all the best Schumann ingredients: rhythmic ambiguity, aching suspensions and creative counterpoint.
Video: https://youtu.be/t3VaGEIGNTI
Sinding Fruhlingsrauschen: The Ultimate Fake-Virtuosic Piano Showpiece
Frühlingsrauschen, or Rustle of Spring, has impressed audiences since Christian Sinding composed it in 1896. The lightning-fast arpeggios in the right hand are actually not that difficult, but the piece still requires a high degree of rhythmic precision and position changes later on. It's a passionate celebration of spring-time energy, wonderfully fitted with exciting harmonic progressions that we take a closer look at here. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/SYTmEPy_qck
Chopin Nocturne in B major Op. 9 no. 3 - Don't Try This Nocturne At Home!
This Nocturne poses some serious technical challenges! Once mastered, they give an impression of something light and playful (scherzando is marked in the score) and with so much elegance typical of the young Chopin. With Henrik Kilhamn, professional pianist.
Video: https://youtu.be/0S5uRET-mzg
Rachmaninoff Prelude in B flat minor, Op. 32 no. 2: Relentless Rhythms
This is a fascinating example of how Rachmaninoff uses a short motif as a foundation for a composition, and spins an endless amount of colorful variations on it. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/AuJ2ksqjhrY
A Chopin(esque?) Valse Mélancolique
This poignant waltz was published in 1986 and attributed posthumously to Chopin, but it was discovered in 2012 to actually have been written by Chopin's contemporary Charles Mayer. However, he did such a good job to imitate a Chopinesque style (for example with chromatic suspensions) that he had the music world fooled for several decades. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. This episode is dedicated to my Patreon sponsor M. Thurston.
Video: https://youtu.be/PFHgfTVyQ7Y
Scriabin Prelude in D-flat major Op. 11 no. 15: Serenity
In the middle of the set of 24 preludes in all different keys Op. 11, Scriabin limits himself to use only the diatonic notes of D-flat major in slowly moving melodic lines harmonized in thirds. Needless to say it's a great exercise for legato playing in the left hand, which has to play the thirds before the right hand enters with a soaring but tragic melody.
Video: https://youtu.be/zBdNOsToQbU
Brahms Intermezzo in A major Op. 118 no. 2: All is forgiven
This is one of my absolute favourite piano pieces. Brahms is such a master of knitting the musical material together tightly, and he does so in this Intermezzo over a nostalgic but forgiving backdrop. The middle section is a reminder of sorrow and pain, but in the end everything is all right. Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/bypALczDNMI
Easy arrangement: https://sonatasecrets.gumroad.com/l/brahms-intermezzo-1182
Brahms Waltz in Ab major, Op. 39 no. 15: Ever so Elegant!
This is one of Brahms' most famous melodies; it captures perfectly the elegant dancing of the Viennese ballrooms in a piano piece.
Video: https://youtu.be/6sYxmVYHD30
Liszt Liebestraum no. 3: Dreams of Love!
Henrik Kilhamn takes a closer look at Liszt's famous Liebestraum no. 3. It's inspired by a poem by Ferdinand Freiligrath "Oh, love as long as long you may", celebrating love as a strong force in the world, and Liszt makes use of some spectacular things in the musical structure to get the message across.
Video: https://youtu.be/U_AImOWal2Y
Liszt Consolation no. 3: A Musical Prayer
Liszt's "Consolations" are a kind of musical prayer, and no. 3 is perhaps the most comforting of all with its Lento placido; resonating broken chords over a deep bass and a soaring melody. Playing, analysis and comments by pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/_QoShd8mKz8
Chopin Nocturne in Eb major Op. 55 no. 2: A Dynamic Duet
This major Nocturne has all the typical features - long sweeping arpeggios in the left hand and a soaring melody on top - but it is also a duet of two voices that keep the dialogue alive throughout the piece. With pianist Henrik Kilham.
Video: https://youtu.be/tc69rTem_qo
Big My Secret (from The Piano)
What is the secret alluded to by this wonderful piece of music by Michael Nyman? "The Piano" character Ada plays this piece in the movie - it shows some classical influence to start with, but then develops into a passionate improvisation with lovely piano textures over lush chords. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/l6QzexGfGZA
Grieg Wedding Day at Troldhaugen, Op. 65 no. 6
Edvard Grieg wrote this famous piano piece to celebrate his 25 year wedding anniversary with his wife Nina. Henrik Kilhamn goes through the music to find out how it feels so optimistic and full of energy, and the middle section so nostalgic and sensual.
Video: https://youtu.be/3zknYtbD5MY
Stenhammar Fantasy no. 3: A Folklore Fairy Tale
W. Stenhammar's third Fantasy from Op. 11 could just as well have had the title Ballade in my opinion. Folklore melodies, dramatic development and your typical Stenhamamr chromatic thickness. Henrik Kilhamn, piano.
Video: https://youtu.be/BfnaTCyWXsE
The Heart Asks Pleasure First (from The Piano)
There are some piano gems from the film music genre, and this is one of them: Michael Nymans score to the 1993 Jane Campion film The Piano. Rolling 16th notes over lush harmonies - simple but effective, and a manifestation of the main character's emotional life in the film. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/YlW1XhbWHeI
Grieg Notturno Op. 54 no. 4
In this close look at Grieg's Notturno from Lyric pieces book 5, we explore some of the typcial romantic harmonic tropes, put to effective use by Grieg. Half-diminished chords, extensions and tritone shifts among others. Henrik Kilhamn plays and explains along the way.
Video: https://youtu.be/Q9uzlGRqD8g
Stenhammar Nights of Late Summer no. 1: The Swedish Soul
Wilhelm Stenhammar is one of Sweden's greatest composers in the romantic tradition. In this emblematic piece he captures something of the nordic spirit - personal and melancholic but with a deep sense of connection to something that has been around for a very long time. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/06CB499p0u4
Grieg "Folk Song", Op. 12 no. 5: A Norwegian Mazurka?!
Henrik Kilhamn goes through the 5th piece in Grieg's first volume of Lyric pieces: a Folk Song. A steady beat in triple time, Mazurka-like rhythms and romantic harmony awaits.
Video: https://youtu.be/1HWtsV2CehY
Grieg Arietta, Op. 12 no. 1: A Lyric Lullaby
The very first of Edvard Grieg's "lyric pieces", Arietta Op. 12 no. 1, is a true piano gem. A singable melody over a rocking accompaniment and cosy romantic harmonies. Presented in an analysis tutorial by pianist Henrik Kilhamn.
Video: https://youtu.be/CUYrxxWluGU
Ravel Le Gibet (from Gaspard de la nuit) - The Gallows
"Le Gibet" is the haunting second piece in Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit. A repeated B flat in the right hand permeates the whole piece as the bell tolling in the poetic landscape of Aloysius Bertrand, which the piece is set to conjure. Henrik Kilhamn goes through this incredible music.
Video: https://youtu.be/hMbiASv0Udg