It has always been interesting to me that, while I can certainly appreciate that more "clinical" aspects of Chopin...the technicality of the writing, the skill of great performances, the difficulty of the music, Chopin's place in musical history, etc., and I can certainly appreciate the beauty of his music, I've never been able to reach a place with his music (and generally with most of the music of the Romantics) where it "speaks" to me -- where I can make a connection with it.
I suppose it's because I've never found myself have an aesthetic chill to this type of music...but put on a decent record of Bach's Brandenburg 3 - allegro...and I feel instantly like the world and humanity was advanced forward two full steps by this one piece of music. Likewise with numerous pieces. But when analyzing the music, the clockwork precision of Bach's music "feels" cold and emotionless, sterile compared to Chopin, yet it's Bach's music that makes me feel an emotional connection and not Chopin.
But I know plenty of people who are the opposite. Who fall into ecstatic bliss the moment some Liszt or Chopin plays.
I've always wondered what this meant.
(that being said....Beethoven's 7th 2nd movement almost always leaves me breathless and in tears).
So it'd been a while and I ran out and listened to the following, recording my visceral reactions:
Op. 17 No.4 (performed by Horowitz) - pretty, no "connection". I'd probably play it in the background during a nice dinner party.
Op. 33 No.2 (Horowitz as well) - entertaining but not beauteous to me, sounds like background music for old movies before "talkies". No "connection".
Op.24, No.1 (Zimerman) - pretty, I could see this being the music for a pre-talkie film of a world's fair. It's a bit downbeat for a dinner party. No connection.
Op. 63, No.3 (Zimerman) - pretty, I'd probably enjoy playing this one for some reason. I like the ornamentation this the best so far. No connection. I'd play it at a dinner party.
Op. 68, No.2. (Rachmaninoff) - pretty, I feel like this captures the Polish folk origin of the form the best. I listened to a few different performances of this one actually since I like old folk music and I like Rachmaninoff's interpretation the best. No particular connection. I'd probably play this in the background while doing something else.
Overall, I can appreciate the music mentally. But it just doesn't push any particular emotional buttons. I suspect that for a couple of them, 63.3 and 68.2 if somebody would just play them straight out like a proper Mazurka and stick to a hard meter it might come close.
Again, nothing wrong with these. I'm not placing any value judgement on Chopin. I'm just not "tuned" to him I guess. I enjoy Bach quite a bit more. But even plenty of "newer" things like some of the Paganini piano variations, or some very modern Copland (Hoedown does it almost everytime), and especially Holst (Jupiter has long been a huge favorite in this way).
Seconded about Beethoven's 7th, 2nd mvt. I'm no connoisseur, but that one disarms me every time.
A fascinating visualization of it (maybe less so for those who can read music scores?) If you haven't heard this piece yet, don't let the link below be your first exposure to it. It's Youtube audio and I'd like it a bit slower. But once you've heard it properly, seeing this fullscreen is fascinating.
An easy(ish) Chopin nocturne is No. 6 in G minor. It's popular amongst beginner/intermediate players because it's a lot less technically difficult than his other pieces.
I suppose it's because I've never found myself have an aesthetic chill to this type of music...but put on a decent record of Bach's Brandenburg 3 - allegro...and I feel instantly like the world and humanity was advanced forward two full steps by this one piece of music. Likewise with numerous pieces. But when analyzing the music, the clockwork precision of Bach's music "feels" cold and emotionless, sterile compared to Chopin, yet it's Bach's music that makes me feel an emotional connection and not Chopin.
But I know plenty of people who are the opposite. Who fall into ecstatic bliss the moment some Liszt or Chopin plays.
I've always wondered what this meant.
(that being said....Beethoven's 7th 2nd movement almost always leaves me breathless and in tears).