Chopstick Etude?

[tadhg]

Ok, maybe i'm imagining things, but is there a piece, (sounds Etude-like) which begins with the normal, simple chopsticks, and than goes into a mad frenzy of piano? I think i remember hearing or seeing someone playing it. Does it exist or im a imagining?

[brokenagraffe]

there was a movie called The Eddie Duchin Story with Tyrone Power that has a scene where he busts a move playing chopsticks (with a little kid playing bass notes right next to him). Some people along the lines of Carmen Cavallaro and Liberace probably play it alot too.

[i_m_robot]

It might have been improvisation

[sonatainfsharp]

You are talking about P.D.Q. Bach's "Short-Tempered Clavier." It is the Fugue in C Major from that set.

I know for a fact that is what you are talking about. It's fun. Sounds easy but certainly isn't.

[chopinisque]

Where can we hear this?  It sounds pretty wacky.

[sonatainfsharp]

The music is available through G. Schirmer and Christopher O'Rieley did a recording on the Telarc(?) label.

The CD and piece of music is called "The Short-Tempered Clavier: Preludes and Fugues in all the major and minor keys except the really hard ones."

It makes good sight-reading material, although some of the pieces really are not pianistic, so I wouldn't spend too much time on some of them unless you are planning on going through with performing them. I did 3 or 4 of them on an April Fool's Day recital. Playing this type of music depends mostly on audience reaction--but you don't want to giggle with them, yet you feel bad if they "don't get it" and don't giggle at all. The one that got the most attenion was the "Mary had a Little Lamb" prelude in c# minor. Now I am just rambling. I miss performing.

[c18cont]

Anyone who has not had an opportunity to listen and even play a bit of P.D.Q. Bach...has missed an enjoyable side splitting time...thats for sure...

Go ahead and order a disc from Amazon or somewhere....It's worth it...

John Cont