First date help?

[ptyrrell]

Hi I want to play my new girlfreind a really romantic peice of music when she comes and visits me for the first time.......I need some suggestions..I was thinking something nice and lush like debussy arabesque...any suggestions?

cheers
 

[thalbergmad]

Either the Gluck/Sgambati Melodie or Thalberg/Bellini Casta Diva are both guaranteed to turn a woman to putty in your hands.

Thal

[argerichfan]

Either the Gluck/Sgambati Melodie or Thalberg/Bellini Casta Diva are both guaranteed to turn a woman to putty in your hands.

From personal experience? 

[thalbergmad]

Yes, but it always helps when the pianist is a drop dead gorgeous hunk like me.

Thal

[argerichfan]

Yes, but it always helps when the pianist is a drop dead gorgeous hunk like me.

But when one looks like Orlando Bloom, playing the piano is not necessary. 

[lau]

I don't find why everyone likes orlando, his face reminds me of pepsi. If he drank pepsi and ate doritos i might puke. For some reason that sight just repels me.



If I were you were i try to get a peice of both worlds, play something as flashy as you can and has a nice lush section. Perhaps rach prelude op23 no.5, or else i think liebestraum by liszt is a love peice.

[pies]

4'33".  In other words, don't try to impress a girl with your ill piano skills.  I'm pretty sure that being a pianist is a big turn-off.

[franzliszt2]

Anything works really. Jusr don't go blasting Liszt etudes and stuff, becasue she just won't get it all. Chopin ballades have always done the trick for me.

[Petter]

What makes you think you would get to play piano at a first date? If you eventually hook up she´d be fed up with your practicing after a while anyway, and if she´s a musician, so would you.  .
 If she fancy you and visit your place she would probably be more interested in talking to you then to hear your playing.

[j.s. bach the 534th]

There are some Debussy things I could recommend..........not sure if I will, though

[olga_janina]

Liszt Liebestod arrangement.. works for me 

[db05]

So weird. Even if I could date a pianist, I don't expect him to play something for me on the first date.

If she wants you to play something, she'll tell you. That's what I'd do. You should have a few pieces she knows just in case.

[filosofem]

How about Schubert Impromptu Op. 90 No. 3,  Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 3, or Rachmaninoff's elegie.

[argerichfan]

I've been accused of tooting my horn about Elgar, but the piano arrangement of his short string piece Carissima works delectably on the piano.  It sets a nice wistful "mood" (be sure to light candles and cast the occasional eye on your date) and is guaranteed to further romanticize the atmosphere. 

[healdie]

something that she knows and will like for a start if she is into Schoernberg then it won't be any good to play Bach so know your audience but i think the very romanticy stuff will be very tacky and cheesy, it would look like you are trying to be in a movie or somthing

[electrodoc]

He, He! So you want to impress a young lady so that you can have your evil way with her. Oh, that I were young again.

Well let an old man offer some thoughts. Don't set out to impress her by showing off. If she is visiting you she is already interested enough in you as a person. Pay attention to her and her interests and loves in life. Be a good listener and show her that you are attentive and thoughtful. This will make much more of an impression than your ability to play the piano. Most men try to show off in front of the girls but this is not a turn on. Most girls want someone who is thoughtful, kind, attentive, and who has some gentle traits. If you can make her laugh, so much the better.

If you really want to guide the conversation to music then find out her tastes. If it is more popular music then perhaps you could point out that modern pop goes back to the early blues and boogie - genres which expressed the hardship of life (listen to the word of performers like Bessie Smith or Blind Lemmon Jefferson). You could perhaps mention that "Boogie" was an implication for sex. That a boogie-woogie house was a brothel. This then gives an opportunity to demonstrate the relentless beat of boogie.

If she is a relative stranger to classical music then choose something familiar and romantic. I would suggest Liebestraume. Tell her Liszt was a huge attraction the society ladies of his time with many of them throwing themselves at his feet. Give her something to stimulate the imagination, e.g.

Imagine a young couple in love with each other. The opening section suggests a degree of shyness as they come together to hold hands. As their passion increases it leads to a lingering deep kiss (first cadenza). Their passion increses as they embrace (section following first cadenza) until they are wild for each other, culminationg in sexul frenzy (climax section); they reach their climax (second cadenza); to settle in each others arms in "post coital triste" (final section).

Do, of course put this into your own words and imagination and relate it to Liszt and his passion. (Don't be to brazen about your fantasies with her - at least not yet!) Suggest that much music tells an emotional story and it is the imagination of the listener that supplies the story.

I suggest that you play a recording and listen to it together, preferably with your arm around her.

You can then round off by shyly suggesting that you would like to play it on the piano just for her as a token of her beauty.

Hopefully, this should melt her.

Best of luck.

PS Not a good idea to try to seduce her on a first date.

[robbo]

chopin nocturne op 9 no 2, play it well she'll be in tears and yours for at least a little while

[cloches_de_geneve]

It's a question of type. Some women are poetically disposed and they will be enchanted by skillful piano playing. Some are indifferent to music, and here strategies other than piano playing are called for (though I will not reveal them).

If you are faced with the first type, I can almost guarantee success with:

- Chopin, A-flat major Etude op. 25/1 (but play it really well otherwise the evercritical, fastidious Chopin will get angry and turn your date into a total failure)

- Schubert, G-flat impromptu, op. 90 (Schubert, being of a much more benevolent character than Chopin, will let even a mediocre interpretation pass; a clear advantage of this choice)

Avoid complicated sonatas like Hammerklavier (unless she is musically very cultured and intelligent), or thundering etudes like Mazeppa; you can turn to these in your second stage of conquest. 

[opus10no2]

sho

fiyah

[goldentone]

Avoid complicated sonatas like Hammerklavier (unless she is musically very cultured and intelligent), or thundering etudes like Mazeppa; you can turn to these in your second stage of conquest. 

The Hammerklavier. . . heh.  Good advice there.

[allemande]

Either the Gluck/Sgambati Melodie or Thalberg/Bellini Casta Diva are both guaranteed to turn a woman to putty in your hands.

Thal

i'm going to take up on your advice for myself haha.

https://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQwEHmEaJg



how beautiful is that??

[j.s. bach the 534th]

Oh, and if she is a pianist herself, then just play the hardest thing you know how to play perfectly

[G.W.K]

There is no need to play anything difficult. Just choose something simple, but effective. Or something traditional such as...(for example)...Debussy's Clair de Lune. That may be simple, but slightly effective.

Comptine d'un autre été is also short and simple but could be used if you don't want to play anything "traditional". Probably no need to try too hard...especially if you are both young. She'll want to know other things beside your ability to play the piano...

G.W.K

[j.s. bach the 534th]

Debussy Arabesque No. 1 if you can master the triplets-over-eighth thing (which I, admittedly, can't )

[pianogirl88]

Debussy Arabesque No. 1 if you can master the triplets-over-eighth thing (which I, admittedly, can't )

Yes, that piece is beautiful. I'm still working on the triplets-over-eighth thing...It's really hard. But I love the piece!

[a-sharp]

If she's a pianist - don't play for her - ask HER to play. THAT is what she'll want to hear from you. YOU being interested in her, rather than trying to show off.

my 2 cents (from a girl's perspective)

Play for her on the 3rd date...

[erinf]

try chopins post nocturne in C# minor its absolutley beautiful. iv played it to all my friends and they love it. its on this site i think.