Wedding piano pieces

[cey444]

Hi, apologies if this is in the wrong section but I am getting married soon and wanted to personalise my ceremony a bit by recording myself playing a piece and playing it during the actual ceremony.

Now I didn't want to go for the traditional Canon in D but I do want something which is simple to listen to as the majority of my audience will be non-musical.

I was thinking Einaudi or some of the simple Chopin preludes? Maybe even Debussy, but I want it to be 'light' as opposed to ''heavy' ... any suggestions?

[timothy42b]

Stephen Stills, Love the One you're With

[cabbynum]

Raindrop prelude

Chopin etude op.10 no.3

Liszt  un soapiro

I'm not getting married, don't plan on getting married for a long long time. If I ever do get married Id wanna do something similar. I'd pick my finances favorite song and transcribe it for solo piano and add many sprinkles of classical in there, that way it works as a connection between the two of us. Showing differences in opinions can be joined as one in a beautiful way.

It's a bit sappy but I think your significant other would appreciate it. Oh and practice it only when she isn't there. Make it a surprise

[visitor]

 

[liszt1022]

https://www.amazon.com/Classical-Wedding-Piano-Solo/dp/063402597X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1388462530&sr=1-1&keywords=classical+wedding

I use this one, it's a mix of piano rep (in original form) and arrangements, including the best Canon in D ever (for faithfulness to the original.)

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Chopin etude op.10 no.3

Liszt  un soapiro

That might be a little uh...

Too flash for a wedding lol.

[cabbynum]

That might be a little uh...

Too flash for a wedding lol.

Hell naw, dude for my wedding I'm pulling out big guns! Liszt in soapiro, then the Chopin etude, then the Beethoven op.101, then finish with Beethoven op.101, I havnt decided my encores yet...

In all seriousness, I'd probably just do what I wrote in the other one. Then again marriage is a long ways away or me.

[pianoplunker]

Hi, apologies if this is in the wrong section but I am getting married soon and wanted to personalise my ceremony a bit by recording myself playing a piece and playing it during the actual ceremony.

Now I didn't want to go for the traditional Canon in D but I do want something which is simple to listen to as the majority of my audience will be non-musical.

I was thinking Einaudi or some of the simple Chopin preludes? Maybe even Debussy, but I want it to be 'light' as opposed to ''heavy' ... any suggestions?

Bach - Minuet in G

" To a Wild Rose"  ( cant remember the 19th century composer's name at the moment )

Are you playing the music at the wedding ?

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Hell naw, dude for my wedding I'm pulling out big guns! Liszt in soapiro, then the Chopin etude, then the Beethoven op.101, then finish with Beethoven op.101, I havnt decided my encores yet...

In all seriousness, I'd probably just do what I wrote in the other one. Then again marriage is a long ways away or me.

If I ever get married, I want a funeral march for my wedding.  Following cage 4'33.  And then finish it off with cage prepared piano and a rach sonata.

Or...

If I had an orchestra!  I would do Prokofiev second piano concerto!!!  Then Verdi's requiem!

Lol the most inappropriate pieces for a wedding.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

The second movement of Beethovens pathetique sonata would fly.

[theholygideons]

If I ever get married, I want a funeral march for my wedding.  Following cage 4'33.  And then finish it off with cage prepared piano and a rach sonata.

Or...

If I had an orchestra!  I would do Prokofiev second piano concerto!!!  Then Verdi's requiem!

Lol the most inappropriate pieces for a wedding.

Why not just carl vine sonata 1? hmmmmmmmmmmm........!!!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Why not just carl vine sonata 1? hmmmmmmmmmmm........!!!

Oh come on those we're just the first pieces that came to mind!

Lol throw in Carl vines Thumper.  Horrible encore piece lol

[cabbynum]

Ives concord sonata followed by appassionata, followed by Chopin sonata 3 followed by alkan symphonie for solo piano followed by rachmaninoff Elegie

[quantum]

If I ever get married, I want a funeral march for my wedding.  Following cage 4'33.  And then finish it off with cage prepared piano and a rach sonata.

Or...

If I had an orchestra!  I would do Prokofiev second piano concerto!!!  Then Verdi's requiem!

Lol the most inappropriate pieces for a wedding.

I like your style 

***

If I ever get married maybe something like this:

Welcome music: Cochereau select transcriptions
Prelude: Dupré - Symphonie Passion (all of it)
Processional: Messiaen - Dieu parmi nous
Mass: Widor (for two choirs and two organs)
Offertory: Healey Willan - Introduction, Passacaglia and Fugue
Communion: Beethoven - Op 106 or 111
Post Communion: Prokofiev Sonata 7, 3rd Mov
Recessional: Messiaen - Transport de joie
Postlude: Rach 2 (Transcription for organ and piano)

[liszt1022]

That might be a little uh...
Too flash for a wedding lol.

I do the first page of 10/3 at lots of weddings. As for Un Sospiro, I had a couple ask for an alternate recessional besides the Mendelssohn, and Un Sospiro was the first thing that came to my mind. I played a little, they went with that. Just up to the first cadenza, then the very end.

[jy_]

oops can i remove this?

[cabbynum]

I do the first page of 10/3 at lots of weddings. As for Un Sospiro, I had a couple ask for an alternate recessional besides the Mendelssohn, and Un Sospiro was the first thing that came to my mind. I played a little, they went with that. Just up to the first cadenza, then the very end.

Yeah Rach4eva! Haha take that!


All in good fun

[kakeithewolf]

Liszt's Liebestraum no. 3 immediately comes to my mind.

Sorabji's Chyrsilla sounds nice to me, though I'm not sure whether or not it would really be ideal.

A nice touch might be a piano transcription of Widor's Toccata from his fifth organ symphony, set to a tempo of 100 instead of 110. It sounds absolutely beautiful at that tempo.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Yeah Rach4eva! Haha take that!


All in good fun

Damn it!!!

[cey444]

Ooh thanks to everyone for all the replies ... I will start sifting through youtube now 

[coda_colossale]

My wedding will be like this:
Prokofiev- Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor
Shostakovich- Violin Concerto in A minor
Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 10 in E minor
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 7 in C major
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 5 in D minor
Ravel- Gaspard de la Nuit
Prokofiev- Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major
Takemitsu- Requiem
Bach- Ciaconne from Partita No. 2 for Violin
Shostakovich- String Quartet No. 8 in C minor
Shostakovich- String Quartet No. 15 in Eb minor
Mozart- Fantasy in C minor
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor
Ravel- String Quartet in F major
Ravel- Piano Trio in A minor
Rachmaninoff- Piano Sonata No. 2 in Bb minor
Bartok- Bagatelles
My Fugue for String Quartet in C# minor and Prelude and Fugue for Piano in C# minor.
I don't care how long it will take.

That's why I'm not getting married anytime soon.

 By the way I recommend Liszt's Transcription of Schubert- Auf dem Wasser zu singen or Rachmaninoff's Elegie, or Barcarolle from Six Duets, or 18th variation, or Vocalise, or Tchaikovsky's Barcarolle from June.

[cabbynum]

My wedding will be like this:
Prokofiev- Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor
Shostakovich- Violin Concerto in A minor
Rachmaninoff- Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 10 in E minor
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 7 in C major
Shostakovich- Symphony No. 5 in D minor
Ravel- Gaspard de la Nuit
Prokofiev- Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major
Takemitsu- Requiem
Bach- Ciaconne from Partita No. 2 for Violin
Shostakovich- String Quartet No. 8 in C minor
Shostakovich- String Quartet No. 15 in Eb minor
Mozart- Fantasy in C minor
Mozart- Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor
Ravel- String Quartet in F major
Ravel- Piano Trio in A minor
Rachmaninoff- Piano Sonata No. 2 in Bb minor
Bartok- Bagatelles
My Fugue for String Quartet in C# minor and Prelude and Fugue for Piano in C# minor.
I don't care how long it will take.

That's why I'm not getting married anytime soon.

 By the way I recommend Liszt's Transcription of Schubert- Auf dem Wasser zu singen or Rachmaninoff's Elegie, or Barcarolle from Six Duets, or 18th variation, or Vocalise, or Tchaikovsky's Barcarolle from June.

The Elegie?!?! I thought those last ones would be serious!!! That's such a depressing piece

[lisztmusicfan]

The Ondine is so beautiful but I'm not sure it would have a place in a wedding... Liebestraume no 3 is another great piece! Ohh and the ocean etude op 25 no 12 by Chopin!

[cabbynum]

The Ondine is so beautiful but I'm not sure it would have a place in a wedding... Liebestraume no 3 is another great piece! Ohh and the ocean etude op 25 no 12 by Chopin!

That etude ends on a happy note, but do you really think it's the best choice for a wedding? The beginning and middle have some intense emotions

[lisztmusicfan]

Yeah you're right, I just love it too much.

[cabbynum]

Yeah you're right, I just love it too much.

... Me too

[lisztmusicfan]

Every time I listen to it I feel like I could run a marathon. Chopin was a genius. If only he would've lived to be 80.

[cabbynum]

Every time I listen to it I feel like I could run a marathon. Chopin was a genius. If only he would've lived to be 80.

My iPhone wouldn't be able to handle that much music haha

If I had to listen to a single set for the rest of my life it'd be alkan op.39
Close second would be Chopin op.25

[lisztmusicfan]

My iPhone wouldn't be able to handle that much music haha

If I had to listen to a single set for the rest of my life it'd be alkan op.39
Close second would be Chopin op.25

I actually like op 10 better than op 25. But I think that's only because I heard it before I heard op 25. But I still wish he would  lived much longer!

[visitor]

also someone who should have ,no scratch that , needed to, live MUCH LONGER!!

I have this as one of my 2014 pieces (prolly begin around June-ish... I am obsessed with pieces from this era lately ).

Very appropriate for a wedding given it's 'name' of Valse Amour

though I prefer the 1929 recording of Misha himself (he was such an incredible talent), this chap gives a nice originality all his own to the piece (search yt it's up there)  

Misha Levitsky (1898-1941) Valse Amour Op 2

[ale_ius]

also someone who should have ,no scratch that , needed to, live MUCH LONGER!!

I have this as one of my 2014 pieces (prolly begin around June-ish... I am obsessed with pieces from this era lately ).

Very appropriate for a wedding given it's 'name' of Valse Amour

though I prefer the 1929 recording of Misha himself (he was such an incredible talent), this chap gives a nice originality all his own to the piece (search yt it's up there)  

Misha Levitsky (1898-1941) Valse Amour Op 2

Mine Goodness I so agree. Misha was so great and to loose him suddenly and so young is one of the unfortunate fairly regular tragedies of the piano music history!

I have always loved that Waltz, I read through it the other day actually, I have been torn between that and this one, actually for a wedding, I do not see why not pairing them together would not work, I feelings it would be quite a nice 'couple' 

[kalirren]

If you can swing a violinist, play the Franck Sonata in A major.  That piece was originally intended for Joseph Joachim's wedding.

[timothy42b]

Let me be serious for a moment, if the net police do not object.

This is something you need to know, and as most pianists are a bit on the unsocial side, probably don't.

The wedding is the BRIDE'S day!  She is not just the main focus, but the only focus.  (At least in her mind - and this is one time you need to pay attention to her mind.)  As the groom, you need to accept that.  Anything flashy you add will detract from her day.  Don't do it.  Don't play at all.  Smile, nod, and say I do. 

[kitty on the keys]

I'm in a naughty mood!

Chopin    2nd Sonata    3rd mvt         processional
                                   4th                recessional
  Beethoven       Appassionatta            Recessional
Prokovief           Toccata

Bad Kitty

Bach     Italian Concerto
Chopin   Harp Etude
Brahms   Intermezzo  Op. 117  #2

Good Kitty

Best of luck with your music!

[j_menz]

Let me be serious for a moment

Your post is quite correct, but don't make a habit of this serious business. What if it caught on?

@ OP - at the very least, discuss the idea with the prospective bride, and leave the choice of music entirely in her hands (though offer suggestions if (and only if) asked).

[senanserat]

Libertango, cuz we all know whats is going to happen afterwards anyway.

Op you ol' hound gratz.

[quantum]

Libertango, cuz we all know whats is going to happen afterwards anyway.

One may wish to search for a duet partner for such piece:

[j_menz]

One may wish to search for a duet partner for such piece:

Unless the partner is the bride, I suspect that could not end well.

[senanserat]

Anderson and Row are overrated by the way. And no problem with going solo, he will be a good way to say good bye to those lonely solo nights he spend doing it.

[quantum]

Nonetheless, I like what that duo is up to.  They provide good instructional videos on it.  You know... if one needs it. 

[kakeithewolf]

Widor's Toccata has been said, right?

[cey444]

Your post is quite correct, but don't make a habit of this serious business. What if it caught on?

@ OP - at the very least, discuss the idea with the prospective bride, and leave the choice of music entirely in her hands (though offer suggestions if (and only if) asked).

Let me be serious for a moment, if the net police do not object.

This is something you need to know, and as most pianists are a bit on the unsocial side, probably don't.

The wedding is the BRIDE'S day!  She is not just the main focus, but the only focus.  (At least in her mind - and this is one time you need to pay attention to her mind.)  As the groom, you need to accept that.  Anything flashy you add will detract from her day.  Don't do it.  Don't play at all.  Smile, nod, and say I do. 

I think I should clarify that I am the bride lol, sorry misunderstanding :p

and I like the idea of a Chopin etude actually ... still thinking!

[kakeithewolf]

A good idea would be a piano transcription of any of Vivaldi's Four Seasons (or all of them). Spring and Autumn especially would do well.

[timothy42b]

You're the bride?

......stunned..............

Then your priorities are so far from the norm that I'm at a loss to even comprehend, let alone offer advice.

Except, scratch that "love the one you're with" suggestion. 

[orangesodaking]

Charles Valentin Alkan: Barcarolle in G Minor, Op. 65, No. 6. I've played it at countless weddings, and afterward people will always tells me that's their favorite thing that I played.