Sonata Secrets

Rachmaninoff's suites for two pianos are quite unique in the classical repertoire - a musical language from the height of the romantic period but breaking new ground by utilizing two separate keyboards and pianists for some extraordinary textures! Pianist Henrik Kilhamn guides you through the composition with its four movements, with presentations interlaced with musical excerpts, the score an...

Enrique Granados is one of the most prominent Spanish composers that used the national cultural heritage in his art music to open up new ways of writing for piano in early 20th century. Here we look at one of his most famous pieces, from the suite "Goyescas", inspired by the great art by Goya. Video: https://youtu.be/T4IfCvYlzlE

The Polonaise provided Chopin a ground for writing grand pieces in dance form. One of the most emblematic, the "Military" Polonaise feels more like a victorious parade rather than conflict and war. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/x-R6flahwqI Thumbnail image: Fanfare 'Korps Nationale Reserve' - Eksjö (Zweden) 2022 This file is licensed under the Creative Commo...

Chopin's collection of Mazurkas is an important manifestation of his Polish identity, comprising a range of musical elements from the traditional folk dance. In this video we'll look closer at the somewhat peculiar and haunting Mazurka in A minor, Op. 17 no. 4. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/znXaTwHMvj4

Henrik Kilhamn looks into Chopin's famous Prelude in C minor, a miniature piece just like a poem, that rings with heavy tolls of funeral bells. Video: https://youtu.be/cgqAH4lig4k

Henrik Kilhamn explores Chopin's first, embematic Nocturne in B-flat minor. Video: https://youtu.be/j5sOlWPyAvg Easy Arangement: https://sonatasecrets.gumroad.com/l/chopin-nocturne-9-1

Alongside Einaudi and Michael Nyman, Glass' music aims to carry the torch of instrumental music into the modern musical world of a steady pulse and coherent harmony. His minimalist style uses repetition of potent musical ideas as a foundational device for setting up hypnotic musical soundscapes. In this video we take a deeper look at the Opening movement of his 1982 album Glassworks, which is...

J. S. Bach proves his compositional genius in the Goldberg Variations. A bass line with implied harmony of 32 bars provides the basis on which Bach creates the world in a piece of music, over 30 variations following the initial Aria. In this video we go through this bass material in depth to see how its harmonic movement enables the piano to sing so beautifully over it. With Henrik Kilhamn. Video:...

Béla Bartók's six Romanian Folk Dances introduces exciting rhythms, modes and harmonic setups that we are not that used to, coming from a classical perspective. They are very short and make for great intermediate pieces, and this is a long lecture going into details on all six with pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/GwtCWrx6_SI

Come along when we explore the harmonic journey of Bach's Prelude no. 2 in C minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier. Since there are very few markings other than the notes, pianists different choices create different interpretations of the same music. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/6sQHahneCGQ

Scriabin takes the standard Waltz form and makes it his own with the help of floating polyrhythms, tender melodies, dramatic surges and exploratory harmony in this marvellous composition. The piece was a request by my Patreon sponsor D. E. Frez. With Henrik Kilhamn, pianist. Video: https://youtu.be/IYaEsjTmEvo

A real gem to celebrate the 150 year anniversary of the great Rachmaninoff. This is his way of basically writing a Nocturne, albeit under the wider-encompassing title of a Prelude. But compared to Chopin and the first generation of romantics, Rachmaninoff utlizises the modern piano to its full extent with breathing swellings of sound and aching chromatic harmony, put together to perfection. Henrik...

Beethoven's two sonatas in Op. 49 are usually called "Leichte Sonaten" or "Easy Sonatas", and are perfect pieces for early intermediate students who want to become more familiar in the classical style. In this video we check out the music of the 1st movement in Op. 49 no. 2 in G major, with a lot of consideration of the governing Sonata form structure. With pianist Henrik K...

One of Schubert's rare short pieces and true gem: the Moment Musical no. 3 in the set of six, published the last year of his life. The is a great example of his personal musicalstyle that wanders freely through different tonal territories. Video: https://youtu.be/GBUQ7Qdpltg

Op. 62 no. 6 of Mendelssohn's Lieder Ohne Worte has the accompanying title "Frühlingslied" or "Spring Song," and the popularity of the music is testament to its evocative power of summoning those spring feelings! In this video we take a closer look at the playful melody that's constantly undergirded by quick and soft arpeggios traded between the hands. With pianist Henr...

Felix Mendelssohn wrote songs for piano: Lieder Ohne Worte = Songs Without Words. The very first one of all the volumes (Op. 19 no. 1) is a perfect piece for practicing sound balance in the right hand, and the music is just fabulous. You need this kind of sound balance/hand weight for playing these works - Beethoven Moonlight Sonata mvt I - Schubert Impromptu no. 3 in Gb major - Chopin Funeral Mar...

No. 4 of the six movements of "Children's Corner" is the toughest to play, but paints a beautiful winter landscape with exciting energies in the intricate textures. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano. Video: https://youtu.be/3hQQhjspo24

Debussy spins up the perfect patterns for getting lost in a pleasant daydream. He was actually not a big fan of the piece himself, it was written when he was younger and had not yet reached the modern maturity we also associate with his name. But as piano music, the Rêverie is simply a wonderful delight! Video: https://youtu.be/fLGtT23LefE

The middle Intermezzo in the Op. 117 set is more restless than the outer ones, but still shows much nostalgia and introspection. Here we taker a proper look at the original and pianistic textures that makes this piece flow so seductively. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/rf5vdR4fqys

Brahms Intermezzo in Eb major, Op. 117 no. 1 is a kind of sweet lullaby but with a disturbingly dark middle section. What is that about? The gorgeous music draws you in with its lush harmonies and rich textures, and tells a compelling but unclear story. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano. Video: https://youtu.be/95nEeUymyaY

In this episode we'll see how Tchaikovsky summons the exotic arabian dancers in the Nutcracker ballet, using modal mixture, oriental ornaments and meandering structural segments over a rhythmic ostinato. With your analysis guide Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/9xoCT93XfjY

Debussy paints a musical depiction of dead leaves with dissonant harmonies and eerie and fragmented lines in his "Feuilles mortes," Prelude no. 2 from the second volume of preludes. It shows a lot of his typical features such as sequential rather than functional harmony, block chords, and a maximal use of different piano registers. With Henrik Kilhamn, piano. The piece was a Patreon request by L....

Tchaikovsky made the piano arrangement to his "Nutcracker" ballet music himself. The March is one of his most known tunes that immediately summons the Christmas spirit with its high energy marching features. Any ballet production tells the story of toy soldiers coming to life, but in this video we look at the music only. Henrik Kilhamn, piano. Video: https://youtu.be/PrZ15Lo2s6A

Faurés mature style explores the chromatic depths of counterpoint while retaining a radiant surface, and his 6th Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 63, is a great example that holds together three disparate ideas beautifully.  This video is on the advanced side of analysis on the channel, e.g. some concepts are used freely in order to get more complex points through. If you don't know them this sh...

Gabriel Fauré's Pavane is one of those pieces that just speaks directly to your heart with an air of nobility intact. The composition is a masterclass in coherent melodic structure and the use of coloring notes in harmony. Video: https://youtu.be/9ucfVYrbCDg