Keith Emerson - dead at 71

[jimroof]

Hard to believe.  Emerson was one of the reasons I gravitated back to the keyboard after having taken time off from age 11 to 15.

I also appreciate the nod he gave more serious composers (Bartok, Janacek, Mussorgsky, Copland and even Chopin) in his own works through adaptations and... well, outright theft at times.

Those who are not familiar with Emerson should do themselves a favor and listen to Tarkus.  Reminiscent of Ginastera, this is a totally unique composition to the world of rock and roll.

And, on the album 'Brain Salad Surgery', Emerson adapts Ginastera's Tocatta Concertata for Hammond C3, piano, percussion, bass and synths.  When he played it for Ginastera, the response he got was 'diabolical'... and Ginastera meant it as a compliment.

Rest in Peace, Keith. 

[dcstudio]

that makes me sad...  ELPs Hoedown was my favorite I knew it was Copeland my friends just thought it was a cool tune--Brain Salad Surgery was iconic.  He will always be associated with the  Moog--he was one of the first...

sad news.

[virtuoso80]

OMG I'm just finding out about this now. That sucks, I love ELP.

Keith Emerson Improvisations: 

[jimroof]

Another really nice little composition...

[lhb_]

Tarkus and Karn Evil 9 could almost be called the Old Testament of prog rock.

[minor9th]

This is such a huge loss, obviously to his family and friends, and the musical world in general. It makes me so sad to think that he was driven to such an act of desperation as to shoot himself.

[minor9th]

Here's an interview from last year. Parts are very amusing, while others are horribly ironic...

http://www.innerviews.org/inner/emerson.html

[pianoplunker]

Hard to believe.  Emerson was one of the reasons I gravitated back to the keyboard after having taken time off from age 11 to 15.

I also appreciate the nod he gave more serious composers (Bartok, Janacek, Mussorgsky, Copland and even Chopin) in his own works through adaptations and... well, outright theft at times.

Those who are not familiar with Emerson should do themselves a favor and listen to Tarkus.  Reminiscent of Ginastera, this is a totally unique composition to the world of rock and roll.

And, on the album 'Brain Salad Surgery', Emerson adapts Ginastera's Tocatta Concertata for Hammond C3, piano, percussion, bass and synths.  When he played it for Ginastera, the response he got was 'diabolical'... and Ginastera meant it as a compliment.

Rest in Peace, Keith. 

Keith Emerson played with so much bravado it inspired me to be a little bit different. Also a sincere appreciation for classical music too

[louispodesta]

Hard to believe.  Emerson was one of the reasons I gravitated back to the keyboard after having taken time off from age 11 to 15.

I also appreciate the nod he gave more serious composers (Bartok, Janacek, Mussorgsky, Copland and even Chopin) in his own works through adaptations and... well, outright theft at times.

Those who are not familiar with Emerson should do themselves a favor and listen to Tarkus.  Reminiscent of Ginastera, this is a totally unique composition to the world of rock and roll.

And, on the album 'Brain Salad Surgery', Emerson adapts Ginastera's Tocatta Concertata for Hammond C3, piano, percussion, bass and synths.  When he played it for Ginastera, the response he got was 'diabolical'... and Ginastera meant it as a compliment.

Rest in Peace, Keith. 

Here it comes!!!

Is anyone here, who is starting a Cliburn-like memorial to Keith Emerson, going to tell the truth as to why he blew his brains out?!  I seriously doubt it.

As a social activist philosopher/pianist, I effectuate change through a linear causal manner.  That means, I connect the dots for a greater purpose.

My late piano teacher (Robert Weaver) taught me 30 years ago how I would ruin my technique and my hands if I played like Keith Emerson.  He (Emerson), of course, found this out the hard way, the very, very hard way!

Only one news article has pointed out that he was "depressed" because he had nerve problems in his right hand.  The truth is that Keith had Carpel Tunnel surgery years back and later gave an interview wherein he said that he could not play a simple scale or arpeggio.

I shoved this up Frank Baxter's nose at Piano World last year when he started sponsoring concerts with Jeffrey Biegel playing Emerson's Concerto.  People were buying tickets and showing up see and hear the great Keith Emerson do his usual bombastic performance.

Eventually, it got around that this was not the case, which is why he booked the only tour he could get which was in Japan.

The point is, as I emailed to Jon Parales of the NY Times last week is:

1) When you play standing up, you poke and jab at your piano.  This, over time, beats the tar out of your wrist, and eventually causes injuries.  The least of which is tendonitis, and the worst of which is Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

2)  As stated to me by a neurologist, most often the injury is simple tendonitis.  Accordingly, by having a hand surgeon perform Carpel Tunnel surgery, not only do you not solve the problem, you ruin your keyboard technique forever.

3)  Has anyone ever seen any Taubman/Golandsky, or any renown classical pianist, stand up while performing?

So, for those who seriously believe in the love and energy Keith Emerson gave to the piano, I invite you to join with me in disseminating this important data.

Parenthetically, we have a very talented frequent poster to this website, who if she doesn't quit sitting up high and poking at her notes and chords, will ruin her hands the same way.

This is big deal people, because young performers copy their idols.

[trollbuster]

Here it comes!!!

Is anyone here, who is starting a Cliburn-like memorial to Keith Emerson, going to tell the truth as to why he blew his brains out?!  I seriously doubt it.

you arrogant pretentious overblown windbag how dare you claim to know why someone would do something so drastic--how dare you use this tragedy to FURTHER YOUR OWN BULLSH!T

is there no subject that you will not claim to have the answers to--provided by some late teacher who was not even a pianist   

you would ruin your hands if you played like Keith Emerson?  well since there is no way in HELL you could even come close to playing anywhere in the same galaxy as he did you have nothing to worry about.

this is beyond disrespectful it is downright shameful!!! 

You are NO musician Louis Podesta a true musician would have respect for the dead...  you are just an *** trying to convince people you have something important to say.    You want to charge members MONEY to guide them??


you are a disgrace!!!  HOW DARE YOU!!!   

[pianoplunker]

The point is, as I emailed to Jon Parales of the NY Times last week is:

1) When you play standing up, you poke and jab at your piano.  This, over time, beats the tar out of your wrist, and eventually causes injuries.  The least of which is tendonitis, and the worst of which is Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.

Yes, I spent quite a few years as a stand-up keyboardist and I agree with this after having several severe rounds of tendonitus. However it was not standing up that did it by itself. ( Except for sore feet ! ) It was completley throwing relaxed technique out the window for the sake of being able to grab different keyboards at different heights. Not paying attention to fingering, actually repeating notes with the same finger, too many notes, allkinds of bad things for my wrists. Once I thougt about it thanks to PianoStreet I am very careful how the keyboards are placed in relation to my elbow. IT could be that standing is bad no matter what and I have started sitting down .  Plus my feet feel better.  just have to remember to bring the bench though

[louispodesta]

Yes, I spent quite a few years as a stand-up keyboardist and I agree with this after having several severe rounds of tendonitus. However it was not standing up that did it by itself. ( Except for sore feet ! ) It was completley throwing relaxed technique out the window for the sake of being able to grab different keyboards at different heights. Not paying attention to fingering, actually repeating notes with the same finger, too many notes, allkinds of bad things for my wrists. Once I thougt about it thanks to PianoStreet I am very careful how the keyboards are placed in relation to my elbow. IT could be that standing is bad no matter what and I have started sitting down .  Plus my feet feel better.  just have to remember to bring the bench though

Thank you for you very important personal insight.  I encourage others out there who have been down this same path to share their own experiences.

In addition, one of the things that accompanies this type of playing is that electronic keyboards, including electric organs, have virtually no key bed resistance as there is with a grand piano because there is no keydip.

Therefore, as just alluded to in this prior response, you are essentially grinding/stabbing your fingers into a hard piece of wood/plastic that is underneath a particular key.  Try doing the same thing on a kitchen counter, and then see how long it takes to feel true pain because it is exactly the same thing.

Do you think the thousands of grand piano designers included this buffer to protect ones hands and fingers because others before them did not have major problems with the physical mechanics associated with playing the piano?  As proof, just sit down and play an antique wooden sound board (Mozart Era) pianoforte and see how it feels.

[chopinlover01]

[snip]

While I'm no worshiper of Louis, and more often than not will disagree with him on lots of things, this is one where he's right. If you ever bother to play a piano standing up (not an easy task), you'll quickly notice you don't have the wonderful alignment of the forearms and wrists that you do on a bench. This indeed causes tendinitis due to excessive tension in the forearms.

[louispodesta]

While I'm no worshiper of Louis, and more often than not will disagree with him on lots of things, this is one where he's right. If you ever bother to play a piano standing up (not an easy task), you'll quickly notice you don't have the wonderful alignment of the forearms and wrists that you do on a bench. This indeed causes tendinitis due to excessive tension in the forearms.

Thank you, especially now that every radio station in the world is featuring his music.

Make no mistake about it, the man could play, and I have the score to his Concerto in my library.  He elevated the piano/organ/synthesizer to a level like no one before him had ever done.

However, just like no one should mash his left hand like Lang Lang, the same logic applies to the late Mr. Emerson.  Supposedly, that is the purposive nature of this particular website.

Once again, thanks.

[dcstudio]

While I'm no worshiper of Louis, and more often than not will disagree with him on lots of things, this is one where he's right. If you ever bother to play a piano standing up (not an easy task), you'll quickly notice you don't have the wonderful alignment of the forearms and wrists that you do on a bench. This indeed causes tendinitis due to excessive tension in the forearms.

like trollbuster I have a problem with the claim that this is why he shot himself.  Not with how he played the keyboard as being good or bad for the hands.

that comment was in poor taste Louis -- although it did not upset me to quite the same degree I must admit that insinuation was not necessary to make your point.

[chopinlover01]

I don't really have an opinion regarding the insinuation, as I'm not familiar with Emerson enough to say. However, what I was agreeing with was that he definitely damaged his hands from simply bad technique (not to take from the legacy you all speak of), as one playing standing up does do things like that (I once had to play an entire jazz concert standing because of lack of a bench/chair).

[louispodesta]

like trollbuster I have a problem with the claim that this is why he shot himself.  Not with how he played the keyboard as being good or bad for the hands.

that comment was in poor taste Louis -- although it did not upset me to quite the same degree I must admit that insinuation was not necessary to make your point.

Okay, 1) Have you ever played a fake piano which spun upside down in performance?  That means that there was no action in the piano, and the music was piped in, (according to a member of his own band).

2)  Did you, or have you ever considered, jabbing a knife into a key in order to hold down a note?  For the record, he used to stab a knife into his "Leslie," and then when people went nuts over that, he decided to take his hype to the next level.

The point is, when he could no longer do the "flash and dash," play his lightening fast runs and arpeggios, the "Emperor" permanently lost his clothes.  In that the average attendance at any Church in the UK is around 3-4 percent, this is the way they usually end their lives.

Unfortunately, these days when, regardless of circumstance, everything is cool, awesome, and PC.  Not this time:  because the man made millions of dollars, had the best/worst doctors, and he took the convenient way out.

Great music, and it musicians, deserve much better, which, in my opinion, should be the best life offers (absent a excruciating/painful terminal disease).

Hey, dcstudio:  would you advise any of your current or former students to take the "convenient" way out?  I very seriously doubt it.

Is it that cut and dry?  As a philosopher, I know that it is so!

[pianoplunker]

Okay, 1) Have you ever played a fake piano which spun upside down in performance?  That means that there was no action in the piano, and the music was piped in, (according to a member of his own band).

2)  Did you, or have you ever considered, jabbing a knife into a key in order to hold down a note?  For the record, he used to stab a knife into his "Leslie," and then when people went nuts over that, he decided to take his hype to the next level.

The point is, when he could no longer do the "flash and dash," play his lightening fast runs and arpeggios, the "Emperor" permanently lost his clothes.  In that the average attendance at any Church in the UK is around 3-4 percent, this is the way they usually end their lives.

Unfortunately, these days when, regardless of circumstance, everything is cool, awesome, and PC.  Not this time:  because the man made millions of dollars, had the best/worst doctors, and he took the convenient way out.

Great music, and it musicians, deserve much better, which, in my opinion, should be the best life offers (absent a excruciating/painful terminal disease).

Hey, dcstudio:  would you advise any of your current or former students to take the "convenient" way out?  I very seriously doubt it.

Is it that cut and dry?  As a philosopher, I know that it is so!

Ah so the great philosopher thinks suicidal depression is an act of seeking a convenient way out.
Severe and Chronic pain can become severely depressing. Nothing convenient about it. This last post shows you dont know what you are talking about. Just because you have a disdain for the style and grandiose wild performances, does not mean another human deserves your rant.
By the way, that upside down fake piano was not actually played so I dont see how that contributed to his wrist demise.

[louispodesta]

'"pianoplunker"

"the great philosopher thinks suicidal depression is an act of seeking a convenient way out.
Severe and Chronic pain can become severely depressing."

Okay, have you ever wanted to blow your brains out because you could not take the daily emotional excruciating pain?  Well, I have.

Secondly, I practice 3-4 hours a day, but I can't walk like a normal human being because I have severe psoriatic arthritis.  Further, due to a recent major flare-up, I cannot regularly pedal when practicing because of my chronic Achilles tendonitis in both heels.

Additionally, I have low level Parkinson's Disease, for which if I don't take my daily medication, I cannot play at all due to my tremors.  So, don't give my any lectures about depression and daily physical or emotional pain!

Mr. Emerson jacked himself up (like Lang Lang) as some kind of keyboard god.  When it all went south, he most assuredly took the easy way out.

I, myself, truly believe that my God gave me this ability/talent.  And accordingly, I believe that I owe him my due diligence in getting my playing ability to its top level, regardless of whatever obstacles may present themselves in any attempt to stop me!

[pianoplunker]

'"pianoplunker"

"the great philosopher thinks suicidal depression is an act of seeking a convenient way out.
Severe and Chronic pain can become severely depressing."

Okay, have you ever wanted to blow your brains out because you could not take the daily emotional excruciating pain?  Well, I have.

Secondly, I practice 3-4 hours a day, but I can't walk like a normal human being because I have severe psoriatic arthritis.  Further, due to a recent major flare-up, I cannot regularly pedal when practicing because of my chronic Achilles tendonitis in both heels.

Additionally, I have low level Parkinson's Disease, for which if I don't take my daily medication, I cannot play at all due to my tremors.  So, don't give my any lectures about depression and daily physical or emotional pain!

Mr. Emerson jacked himself up (like Lang Lang) as some kind of keyboard god.  When it all went south, he most assuredly took the easy way out.

I, myself, truly believe that my God gave me this ability/talent.  And accordingly, I believe that I owe him my due diligence in getting my playing ability to its top level, regardless of whatever obstacles may present themselves in any attempt to stop me!

Has the dawn ever seen your eyes
Have the days made you so unwise
realize
you are

[cuberdrift]

Ah, Keith Emerson.

One of the few in popular music who could make the piano speak.

May he rest in peace.