Orchestral piano

[Alison]

I loved the entry of the piano as I was listening to Richard Barrett's Vanity yesterday, a wondrous addition to the orchestral fabric of that piece.

It made me realise that I am rather a fan of this orchestral instrument, be it Stravinsky, Ives or Respighi.

Thoughts, examples?

[Pulcinella]

I loved the entry of the piano as I was listening to Richard Barrett's Vanity yesterday, a wondrous addition to the orchestral fabric of that piece.

It made me realise that I am rather a fan of this orchestral instrument, be it Stravinsky, Ives or Respighi.

Thoughts, examples?

Martinu: Symphony 4

(Sounds like I need to get Richard's piece!)

[Richard Barrett]

Martinu: Symphony 4

That was my immediate thought too, alongside Perséphone and Earth Dances, and indeed Schreker's Chamber Symphony which I was listening to this morning, and which I hereby recommend very highly for those who don't know it - how Schreker manages to get his characteristically decadent and luxuriant sound out of only two dozen players is rather miraculous, time to hav a look at the score I think.

Thanks for your kind words about Vanity. The piano in that piece has two players by the way.

[pastoralguy]

Prokofiev no. 5 has a substantial piano part which I once saw Ivo Pogerelich play with the LSO under Abbado!

And, of course, Saint-Saens' 'Organ Symphony' has a substantial piano part.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It can be an effective addition to the orchestral texture.

BUT my skin still crawls when I recall Opera North using a hideous electric piano in Puccini's La Rondine.

[Alison]

Any experience of playing piano in an orchestra, Alpie?

Pretty nerve wracking in some works I should imagine.

[Richard Barrett]

my skin still crawls when I recall Opera North using a hideous electric piano in Puccini's La Rondine.

Ha! I was going to mention that one of my orchestral pieces (IF, which hasn't yet made it as far as a UK premiere) specifies an electric piano, of the Fender Rhodes variety.

I guess you prefer more of a HIPP approach to Puccini then.

[Alison]

If you don't mind me asking, was the piece always going to be called Vanity, Richard?

Was that the starting point?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I guess you prefer more of a HIPP approach to Puccini then.

Definitely!!!!!!!!!!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Any experience of playing piano in an orchestra, Alpie?

Pretty nerve wracking in some works I should imagine.

None at all. I once subbed for the real pianist in a rehearsal for Beethoven's Emperor Concerto, but that doesn't count in this context.

[Alain Maréchal]

I am always surprised when the piano appears in Act III of The Sleeping Beauty (if it is heard earlier I have not noticed). In my youth I assumed it was an economy measure (habitual with ballet companies), but it seems PIT did score it.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Lovely bit at the start of the Development section of the Shostakovich #5: the tempo gets twice as quick, and the piano at the bottom of its register takes over the previously gentle motif and starts the process of thematic brutalisation. Superb integration of piano with the percussion section throughout this work.

[Richard Barrett]

Lovely bit at the start of the Development section of the Shostakovich #5: the tempo gets twice as quick, and the piano at the bottom of its register takes over the previously gentle motif and starts the process of thematic brutalisation. Superb integration of piano with the percussion section throughout this work.

Yes indeed.

[gurnemanz]

The first example that came to mind was Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements.

[VodkaDilc]

Any experience of playing piano in an orchestra, Alpie?

Pretty nerve wracking in some works I should imagine.

The piano parts in Stravinsky's Symphony of Psalms are great fun to play. The first chord (E minor with a big handful of a chord in both hands) is still somethimg I tend to play when going to a strange piano. And the section depicting Elijah's chariot in the last movement is quite nerve-racking.