Saturday, June 29, 2019

REVOLUTIONARY










It's no secret that I sometimes post videos of my piano music in order to astound and enthrall you 
(he says with sarcasm).

Here is my latest YouTube video. I usually post my piano recordings on SoundCloud, because it's a much easier process.
Making a video for my music is always a big pain in the ass. I had to tax my creative abilities for this video. What the heck kind of visuals can I use for Chopin's Revolutionary Etude??

After much thought and deep pondering, I decided to enhance the music with clouds.
Don't ask Why?, because I have no plausible explanation. Perhaps because they look dramatic.

This is Frederic Chopin's (famous) etude for piano in C minor, op.10 no.12 known as the Revolutionary Etude.

Chopin wrote it in 1831 when he was about twenty. It was inspired by the 1831 Russian attack on Warsaw.

When I was a music student in Los Angeles I performed nearly all of Chopin's 24 piano etudes and recorded several of them.

Unfortunately, this performance  of the C minor etude is the only one of my Chopin etude recordings that has survived.

For best visual impact, view video full-screen

My YouTube channel Jayveesonata 

18 comments:

  1. Good morning, Jon. I enjoyed this ... a LOT!

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    1. If nothing else, this etude will put some thunder in your morning.

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  2. Im your clay....mold me! I love Chopin! Very nice Jon.

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    1. I love Chopin, too - and I'm more than willing to mold you...

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  3. Wow, That was brilliant, cowboy. Your fingers absolutely danced over those keys, and the use of clouds in the video was a great idea. They complement the music and enhance its emotional impact. In fact, I liked it so much, I'm gonna watch it again. :)

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    1. Well, you've made my day, Susan. Thanks! The clouds are an odd but unique concept. They do indeed enhance the emotional impact.

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  4. Didn't know what to expect, since I catch your blogs only now and then. But. oh, my.

    this caught me. Thanks.

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    1. I honestly seldom know what I'm going to put on this blog. I TRY to have some semblance of variety, but it's not always successful. I'm glad you enjoyed this post, Susan.

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  5. Wow Jon, you play the piano exquisitely! And I love this piece because it's so dramatic and emotional. Well done! And I love the cloud visuals. They suit the piece beautifully.

    When I was a kid, I took piano lessons for several years, but never continued. And it's ashamed, because my mother bought me a brand new upright piano (a Primrose) that I barely touched. I didn't like my piano teacher, so I think that was part of the reason. Yet later in my life when I moved to New York and pursued my acting career, I so wished that I had been more proficient at playing the piano because I could have played the piano for myself during my singing auditions for musicals. The majority of audition pianists were HORRIBLE at playing your song in the right tempo.

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    1. Thanks, Ron! I wholeheartedly agree that most audition pianists are exasperating. I don't know whether they purposefully try to be that way - - or if it just comes naturally...

      My mother was a brilliant pianist and she was my first teacher (when I was ten). I was always a difficult student with all my later piano teachers. I seldom absorbed advice and was too independent. I liked to perform things my way.
      I suppose it's too late for regrets....

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  6. Dramatic is an excellent word to describe your wonderful playing, Jon. Chopin, of course, is one of my favourites. This time I actually listened to the notes rather than the tune. Yep I could see those flying fingers. Like Ron, I didn't continue with lessons but there was a good reason for it at the time.

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  7. Chopin is one of those unique composers who never offends the ears. I love all of his compositions. And the Revolutionary etude is certainly dramatic.

    It's unfortunate that you weren't able to continue your lessons (I'm assuming that negative circumstances in your life were to blame).
    There were numerous times when I had to abandon my music studies due to all the chaos with my violent father.

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    1. Actually, the reason I stopped the lessons was due to the professor of music thinking he could stroke legs and put fingers where he shouldn't. I was just a kid and the only way I could cope was to get the hell out of his house.

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    2. Wow, Valerie - that sort of situation hadn't crossed my mind. It's fortunate that you acted on your instincts and got out of there!

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  8. The visuals you used are perfect. Thanks Jon.

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    1. For once I decided to break away from my often-boring creative habits and do something different. I'm happy with the clouds (*smile*).

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  9. awesome article.
    thanks for sharing :)

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