Classics?

[scielle]

So I've been wondering - does Diana have a classical piano repertoire? I know she started with the Royal Coservatory program, but does she still have any Rachmaninoff/ Chopin/ Debussy hidden up her sleeve?
Just curious.
(I've been trying to find out via Michelle and been diligently checking the 'question of the week' section, but no luck so far, so I thought I'd try here and see if any of you happen to be in the know, since some around here have encyclopedic DK knowledge.)
Thanks guys.

[keylargokid]

Now that you maention it I would love to here Diana covering the Rachmaninov piano concertos.

[lukenimbus]

I believe she does. There was a review [Warsaw] posted here a while back where DK played some Chopin [mazurkas] amongst her pieces.

[smooth_jazz_]

It was only musical quotation form Chopin's Mazurkas, maybe she knows jazzy versions by pianists Leszek Mozdzer or Andrzej Jagodzinski- their albums with music of Chopin in jazz style are well known all the world., and I know, that Diana listen some Polish artists And... You can hear it soon

[scielle]

There are very few people on this planet who can really play Rachmaninoff, and I'm not expecting DK to be one of them - I'm merely wondering what her favourites are in the classical catalogue. Anyone who has studied the piano for as long as she has must have a somewhat different and more in-depth appreciation of the history of the music than your average lay person, which is why I'm wondering what she'd recommend for my classical playlists (which are mighty lengthy as it is, mind you...)

[smooth_jazz_]

I think she would be great in Bach, cause her technic of playing is great Not in Chopin, Liszt or Rachmaninov- she played to much... heavy.

[verena]

Agree on Bach, Smooth. Some partitions must be strong exercice for one who's good enough (pieces from "le piano bien tempéré" I am thinking, sorry don't have English translation). Quite likely to turn a talented pianist into a technical perfection.

Anyway, I love Bach, but I had rather DK would stay concentrated on what she is doing now : Writing songs with husband, and delivering drop dead life versions of her favorite standards.
At least for the moment please.

(Xmas songs wellcome, provided do not delay the rest, first of all next TOUR !!!).

V

[scielle]

"le piano bien tempéré"

Well-tempered clavier.

[verena]

Thank you for the translation, Scielle. By the way in French, your name means "sky". (It is written "ciel" but I assume pronunciation is somewhat similar). Does Scielle have a particular meaning ?

Quoting you : "wondering what her favourites are in the classical catalogue". I would also be interested actually, am always after ideas in this department.

V

[smooth_jazz_]

In Polish "Klawesyn dobrze temperowany", but we use original version: Das Wohltemperierte Klavier...

Anyway, I love Bach, but I had rather DK would stay concentrated on what she is doing now : Writing songs with husband, and delivering drop dead life versions of her favorite standards

Yes, of course... I say only about her technic, because I'm classically trained pianist (I finished school last week with diploma!)

[Andrea]

My congratulations, smooth_jazz_

[verena]

Yes, congratulations Smooth !!! "S' Wonderful"

I am not a pianist (teacher put me off radically when I was a little girl), but was also struck by the technique.

Just could not help but adding some comments of mine; Off topic I admit.

V

[scielle]

By the way in French, your name means "sky".

Yeah, "scielle" is my net alter-ego. It was originally supposed to be a 'ciel' hotmail address, but that was taken so I phonetically made up something like it, and it stuck. In real life I go by Zula or Zuza, short of the Polish version of Suzanne, which has something to do with lilies, I believe. By the way, mon français n'est pas au même niveau que mon anglais, mais je le comprends bien! C'est dommage que les discussions sur la section 'Vie en rose' sont tellement rares.

I'm classically trained pianist (I finished school last week with diploma!)

Hej - gratuluję! Gdzie się uczyłeś?

I've got 10 years of Royal Conservatory under my belt, though you would never guess coz I'm quite awful at it. Love to play for self and family, but those Kiwanis festivals were the bane of my existance...
I used to teach piano for a while, actually, several years ago. It was my part-time job while in high-school; teaching piano to kids with developmental disabilities. I haven't actually played for quite a few years now, b/c I couldn't afford to take my piano with moi to university.

Debussy and Ravel have always been my favourites, by the way.

[keylargokid]

I tend to prefer those moody Russians whether it is Rachmaninov's Second Symphony or Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, but beyond what Diana may say about the classics I would also be curious about her input concerning other forms of music whether it be country rock or blues.

[smooth_jazz_]

Andrea, verena- thanks

scielle- dzieki wielkie W czestochowskiej Szkole Muzycznej, chodzilem tam 12 lat, w koncu cos z tego mam (ale jak pewnie wiesz, w Polsce poziom w takich szkolach jest duzo wyzszy niz na Zachodzie) Robilem 2 instrumenty- organy koscielne i fortepian klasyczny oraz (nie na dyplom, ale zawsze) emisje glosu, wiec moze i jakis wokalista ze mnie bedzie- pierwszy recital wokalny juz 19 maja! A na razie matury- juz po polskim i angielskim ustnym...
And my favourite composer is... Debussy (Prelude a l'Apres-midi d'un Faune, Rapsodie per Sassofono!). On my diploma from history of music I must recognize Feux d'Artifice piano prelude So it was very simple and nice

[verena]

There I quote you Keylargokid "I would also be curious about her input concerning other forms of music whether it be country rock or blues."
Coudn't agree more, Kid. Are you actually from Key Largo ?

Off Topic comment :
I have an extremely vivid and frustrated memory from there. Key Largo.
Once I was driving down from Miami to Key West on an off day with some French guy from work, and I was dying to see that joint by the water where the movie Key Largo was filmed. Guy was behind the wheel, and guess what, he was strongly against any loss of time, cause he wanted to fly straight down as fast a he possibly could. I had to get very bossy to obtain my stop, and then he would not let me spend more than 15 minutes into the place. After that he absolutely refused to stop again, irking me in a massive way.
I couldn't understand the behaviour. Did not seem to me that visiting Hemingway's house and strolling around would be taking that much time down there.
Well you know what ? He wanted to dash to Key West, because he thought there was a fantastic Hawaiian kind of beach there ! What he got were troubled waters at the foot of a "road" sign marking the direction of CUBA...
And he was the one living in Miami. Could have stayed in South Beach for that matter. Stupid fellow.

Back to topic : very honoured that Scielle and Smooth should like Debussy and Ravel. I like them both, but between the two I have a preference for Samuel Barber (ha ha ha... Stupid girl).

V

[smooth_jazz_]

verena, I think, that French music (classical, impression, piano jazz) and great composer like Chopin or Stravinsky written their the best notes in Paris

[verena]

Oh Smooth, that's awfully kind.
I don't know much about that. You are the learned one !

V

[keylargokid]

verena

Never Been to Key Largo, but what can I say I'm a hopeless romanatic and choose the name from the Borgart film. I was in Miami when I was five but that's all I can say about Florida, As far as other music, at least up here last year, Ollabelle opened for her. Great folk/bluegrass/gospel.

BOBD

[verena]

Bluegrass ? Never heard of that kind of blues (or grass ?).

Hey Scielle, best of luck for your exams ! I have a hunch you will get along very well...

Verena
"DianaKrallThe Time"