Piano Forum



International Piano Day 2024
Piano Day is an annual worldwide event that takes place on the 88th day of the year, which in 2024 is March 28. Established in 2015, it is now well known across the globe. Every year it provokes special concerts, onstage and online, as well as radio shows, podcasts, and playlists. Read more >>

Topic: Frank Bridge: Valse Russe for Piano Trio  (Read 1534 times)

Offline gvans

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 403
Frank Bridge: Valse Russe for Piano Trio
on: May 29, 2014, 02:07:41 AM
We opened a rather long trio program with this brief yet beautiful piece by Frank Bridge.
We elected to play the rhythm straight, as it is a Russian Waltz, and not prolong the second beat at the expense of the third in the Viennese style.

Thanks for listening.

Glenn


&feature=youtu.be

Offline rachfan

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3026
Re: Frank Bridge: Valse Russe for Piano Trio
Reply #1 on: May 30, 2014, 03:45:51 AM
Hi gvans

That was absolutely lovely! Great playing. The three instruments blended very well together, and there were good three-way sight cues as necessary to ensure an holistic rendition.  

And leave it to an Englishman to compose a Russian waltz.  It's a very beautiful piece that quickly ingratiates itself with the listener.

I realize that every hall acoustic is different, and that the piano cannot overwhelm the stringed instruments.  It appeared that in this venue the piano lid was down.  Most often do you put the lid on the short "singer stick"?

Congratulations on a fine performance, and thanks for sharing it here.

David
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.

Offline gvans

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 403
Re: Frank Bridge: Valse Russe for Piano Trio
Reply #2 on: June 03, 2014, 01:17:00 AM
Hi David,

Thanks for your kind words re the Bridge. Yes, deciding on the stick is tricky. This piano had three options, very short (which we used, it only looks like it's down), short, and full. I've used all with chamber music. When I listened to a fellow pianist playing here with the violinist alone (the Franck A major), she was too loud with the full stick. For simplicity we kept the stick short for my portion, since I can really blast the piano when I wish.

Had an interesting experience this weekend...we were playing a concert at SDSU, and somebody closed the lid of the Steinway D we were using. I opened (the very heavy) lid for our trio portion (it was a lovely hall with perfect acoustics) and the piano moved and rolled over my foot. I'm not sure how exactly it happened, but I took a nasty laceration to my great toe!

We played our Brahms anyhow.

Glenn

Offline rachfan

  • PS Silver Member
  • Sr. Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 3026
Re: Frank Bridge: Valse Russe for Piano Trio
Reply #3 on: June 05, 2014, 04:40:56 AM
Hi Glenn,

Wow.  There is the old saying that "The show must go on."  But playing through the pain after the concert grand rolled over your foot had to be excruciating.  Sounds like a freak accident.  I hope that will heal up quickly for you. 

Best,

David
Interpreting music means exploring the promise of the potential of possibilities.
For more information about this topic, click search below!
 

Logo light pianostreet.com - the website for classical pianists, piano teachers, students and piano music enthusiasts.

Subscribe for unlimited access

Sign up

Follow us

Piano Street Digicert