I’m generally an optimist; I always have been. I’m not sure why or how certain people end up either glass-half-full or half-empty types. It could be nurture, or nature. If anyone is a psychologist out there and has studied this please do let me know. As a happy go lucky kind of guy I’m strangely drawn to ‘melancholic’ music. I bring this up because in a comment to a video I posted, papayapieces said that her partner ‘Mr H’ described the piece Limbo as sounding sad. I hadn’t really thought that before, but I can see what he means. It made me think about some of the other pieces that I have learnt: Barber’s Adagio for Strings, Chopin’s Prelude in E Minor, On My Own, Londonderry Air and Chopin’s Raindrop Prelude. None of which can be described as upbeat.
In fact when I was learning the Raindrop Prelude, my wife wellywoman described the middle section as sounding like a funeral march. To be fair I was playing it so slowly whilst learning that I did turn it into a bit of a dirge. What is it that draws a naturally upbeat person to such tunes?
I asked my wife what melancholic songs she liked, and she couldn’t really think of anything. The only one that we eventually came up with is Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli. It’s a similar story with films, she would much rather watch a comedy, whereas I’ll happily sit down to a weepy.
I do want to play more upbeat pieces and learnt a little of ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ which is definitely a much cheerier tune; so will be taking this back up again soon. But I have to perform publicly in a week or so, so I am spending all my playing time trying to perfect The Girl With the Flaxen Hair, I Wish I Knew How it Would Feel to Be Free and a new track from Einaudi called Underwood, from his latest album In a Time lapse. On the CD it is a violin/piano duet, but I have the solo piano sheet music.
The notes are not difficult, but the key to it is trying to convey the right emotion. It is definitely not an upbeat track but I love it. The sheets have a few dynamics on them, but I am really trying to highlight each of the individual phrases.
I have recorded a version for you to listen to. I’m not massively happy with it. I moved the camera position so that the keyboard is more in view, but it means that the sound quality is not great. I’m using the inbuilt camera microphone, and although when I was playing I felt that the different phases were noticeable, I don’t feel that it comes across too well. The other thing about the video, that I only noticed whilst watching it back is that for some strange reason I appear to be playing with my little pinky sticking up, like I’m drinking tea from a posh china teacup. Anyway I hope you guys like it, and don’t find it too sad 🙂
pianolearner 
Do beware the pinky! It will end up causing tension and, ultimately, pain …
Interesting thoughts, though, about the kind of music we’re drawn to. I too consider myself an optimist (most of the time) and yet am drawn to dark music, which then can change my outlook on life. I do have to be careful some days …
We obviously have similar tastes, although I don’t find dark music puts me in a dark mood, calming music does have a calming effect.
I like slow, sad songs, too. Other than the fact that I cant technically play fast songs yet, LOL, I think it calms the soul of an upbeat person: mellows them out a little for a happy equilibrium, if that makes any sense. 😀 Also, I think slower songs allow for more appreciation of every note being played, more feeling. That’s just my opinion. 🙂
often they are more beautiful. 🙂
I definitely agree with you, half the people I know think my taste in music and what I play myself is depressing or sad, but I just play them because they’re more interesting and engaging to me. I can’t watch the video right now but i definitely will when I get home. Keep up the good work!
Its the kind of music which can touch straight to your soul.
Exactly 🙂 It’s what music should be about: getting a message across.
An interesting correlation, pianolearner. You may prefer to play the more introspective sorts of music, but you listen to a much wider variety.
I don’t suppose the sound would be better if the camera were positioned above the keys…
i need a tripod, and/or perhaps a microphone.
I don’t think you’re sad. I just think that when you are the one playing the piece you are so absorbed into the beauty of the notes that you don’t realise the sadness. Thats with me anyway, I only realise the beauty (then Mr H comes along and says what I play is sad). One day we were having dinner with my piano concertist friend Akiko and he told her to tell me to play less sad Chopin and more fun things. She found that so offending and declared that no way in the world would anyone tell her not to play Chopin and sad things. Hahaha she since then eliminated him from her list of favourite people 🙂 though that doesn’t stop him adoring her anyway. So I don’t think the fact that you’re sad has anything to do with it, its just a fact that you play and enjoy how beautiful it is.
Funeral March.. hehehe. Actually lots of times when I play upbeat things at the beginning and its still slow and weird, I guess they sound like funeral marches too.
I’ll post a Schuman piece soon. If I dont post it I’ll put it into Youtube and tell you. Then you can decide if its sad…
Your film is lovely!
Piano learner’s father has a microphone & tripod you can pick up on your next visit. I am generally a pessimist & am drawn to calming music & do find more upbeat ones uplifting. Nice piece of playing.
Thanks. for the compliment about the playing. Yes the microphone and tripod would be very handy. We are planning on coming up in August. I’ll speak to you soon to arrange dates.
Your comment on liking melancholy music struck such a chord with me that I have been thinking about it a lot since – far too much for a blog comment. I also like melancholy music – not dirges (although sometimes I like those) but some music that is so beautiful it makes me cry. The tears are not always sad ones but sometimes of a longing for something that is always just out of grasp. Don’t ask me what I am yearning for, it may be nostalgic, it may be for things that have never been and never will be, I don’t know, sometimes the music tells me.
I would also say I’m an optimist but I wouldn’t say I was a happy person (not despressed or miserable, just carrying a ‘tristesse; around with me) and I’m not very laid back. The most treasured compliment I once had (if it was meant as such) is “if there is a good time to be had, Arabella will be having it!). Not a bad way to live one’s life and I think it is true but sometimes the good time is hard to find.
I totally get what you mean about music making you cry, I’ve often felt like that without knowing why. You managed to exactly sum up the mix of emotions. Its a bit like the sensation when you go back to somewhere and actually mourn the loss of your youth (even when you wouldn’t go back to that age for all the money in the world!).
I know certain pieces that are certain to bring out my emotions, and others that will cause physical sensations: Nimrod pricks all the hairs up on my arms every time I hear it! I have no idea where that comes from….
This is beautiful! I tried to listen carefully to the phrasing, it does come across! but I suppose not as clear as how it sounds live… same happens with my vids, we need good microphones!! 🙂 haha It still sounds great, you have a very nice touché and very appropriate for this piece!
I think personality doesn’t necessarily relate to what kind of art we like, whether it’s music, film, photography, painting etc…
Also, I think there’s the music we like to listen to and then there’s the music we like to play! Sometimes it may be the same stuff but sometimes you may think a happy, cheery, Major key Mozart is a good piece but don’t necessarily want to play it. At least that happens to me.
For what is worth, I’m a fairly happy person and somehow I always end up choosing repertoire that’s a good balance of gloomy, sad and angry haha!
About the pinky, be careful! It’s not too high but it’s still doing some unneeded effort. I think the trick is to relax the hand completely (I know, easier said than done!)
Cheers! 🙂
I’m an optimist but am also drawn to pieces that are composed in a minor key. Maybe it is because they reflect a whole range of feelings and passions going from the sad to the happy. They are intellectual in a manner.
Strange isn’t it? From the other comments I have had it seems to be a common theme. I wonder if pessimists avoid minor music as they might find it takes them too far down the melancholic route…..
I like stirring music. Some of which can I suppose be classed as melancholic such as Nimrod but it’s slower pieces that I tend to think of as sad. I like music to lift my spirits and take me to somewhere else. It’s not that I dislike sad music. Cara Dillon can move me to tears but if I was to choose to listen to music I would generally pick something that invigorates me whether it’s dance music, Seth Lakeman or Einaudi’s rousing pieces.
I love music and it’s something what notes a piano can play sad or happy it has expression to it. Keep doing what you are doing it’s beautiful. PS thanks for taking a peak at my blog.
i am generally optimistic as well and i have to agree with an earlier post that i have to be careful about listening to melancholy music as it can change my whole mood. i do have high highs and low low’s at times to i try to avoid this!
but yes, melancholy music is often more beautiful i think that is why we are drawn to it.