Sonata Secrets

Josef Rheinberger was a prolific composer in latter half of the 19th century. He born in Lichtenstein but lived most of his life in Munich, Germany, as a professor at the Royal School of Music. In this video I present and perform the 1st movement of his Piano sonata no. 4 in F# minor, Op. 184, called "The Romantic". This was a Patreon request by L. von Geist, which also introduced me to this inter...

When Chopin had left Poland in 1830 there was a revolution attempt against the Russian rule of the country. This music fits the feelings of a passionate revolution, no matter what the politics are. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn shares his interpretation of the famous Etude for the left hand. Video link: https://youtu.be/j0nU3J8eOzo

The second slow etude in Op. 10 lives up to its nickname with a dense chromatic middle voice and painful dissonances, but the resolutions that follow are then so forgiving. With Pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Video: https://youtu.be/qpofm5sNF60 Emoji artwork provided by JoyPixels, http://joypixels.com.

When it comes to Chopin Etudes, the slow no. 3 in E major is a much welcomed relief from the otherwise very difficult pieces. However, it still poses a challenge for the pianist to balance the beautiful cantabile melody with soft lullaby accompaniment middle voices in the same hand. As well as the chaotic middle section with fierce jumping intervals of course... Analysis tutorial with pianist Henr...

Scriabin's Fantasie in B minor Op. 28 is a piano piece that thinks it is  a symphony. Octaves in both hands almost all the time, arpeggios  spannig basically the whole keyboard and a several more very super dense  and difficult textures, are all big challenges for the pianist. But  musically it has so much to say: so much love to give, so many  adventures to explore, strug...

One of Chopin's most known waltzes, this contains both nostalgic melancholy and restless running energy. And what's up with the meter in the middle section? With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/xmNaROpR2bU

Is the "Minute" waltz really supposed to be played in a minute? Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes a closer look at this famous piece in this video. Link to video: https://youtu.be/scsE4Qts1GY

The second and central movement of Scriabin's 4th piano sonata is cast in sonata form but feels more like variations on the core themes. Scriabin throws different ideas and textures at us on our way towards the stars, if we follow the poetic narrative of the sonata. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn brings you with him on the flight. Link to video: https://youtu.be/5IlzIRTkuzA

The 4th sonata is somewhat of a turning point in Scriabin's production where he starts to leave the tonal world behind and reach something new. This music is a challenge, not only to play and perform, but to analyze as well. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn gives it his best shot in this episode. Link to video: https://youtu.be/pB85-VvD_PU

Insisting marching rhythms, crazy register changes and raw harmonies - this is the Rock'n'roll of classical music! Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes through the piece with an analytical mindset. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/loZOTrjDugA

Rachmaninoff's B minor prelude, Op. 32 no. 10, is known to be inspired by the Böcklin painting "The Return", depicting a man waiting outside a house before arriving. Rachmaninoff presents a rich inner life of emotions in his prelude, going between solemnity, pride and resignation. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/6sXGdJ2VerU

The G major prelude from Op. 32 is one of few calm pieces in major among Rachmaninoff's 24 preludes. The left hand accompaniment conjurs Barcarolle vibes as if swaying back and forth on calm water, and the right hand melody enters as if sailing. There's an interlude in minor that shimmers even more poignantly for a brief moment, but the music soon returns home to the warm and safe major. With pian...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn looks at the short and sweet Rachmaninoff Prelude in G# minor, no. 12 from the set of Op. 32. A solemn melody in the tenor runs through the piece, with a lot of exciting harmonies and textures on the surface. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/DugmKG5COE0

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes into the details of Keith Jarrett's legendary improvised concert in Köln 1975. In the substantial "A section" the music is centralized around the two chords Am and G. Jarrett goes between them in an almost hypnotic state through several different styles. After that he embarks on a free exploration in the "B section" before finding the way back to A major in the final "C...

Rachmaninoff sets two voices against each other in his most famous piece: the C sharp minor Prelude, Op. 3 no. 2. The fateful motif in the low register rings like funeral bells and the response in the high register tries desperately to find a way out of the nightmare. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn plays and interprets the music. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/Pv-PeRDq2WA

We continue with Mozart's A minor sonata (K.310) with the slow second movement "Andante cantabile con espressione" in F major. It presents a calm and heartfelt melody together with a somewhat playful character, but in the middle section all the pain and tension from the first movement surfaces again. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/eUD3OpONns4 Emoji artwork provided by...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes through Mozart's A minor sonata's first movement in depth. It revolves around a signal rhythm as the first subject and "moto perpetuo" rolling 16th notes as the 2nd subject, and the way Mozart integrates all elements through the course of the movement - effortless but nonetheless original - is a testamony to his genius. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/IIUoryL-qXU Emoji...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn presents Bach's Invention no. 8 in F major, BWV. 779. It's another canon with a jumpy subject that switches between 8th and 16th notes texture every other bar. Link to Youtube video: https://youtu.be/daep8vcMYH8

In this popular invention, Bach treats a raging subject in three sections. It fights to break free but Bach manages to contrain it using his powerful counterpoint. With pianist Henrik Kilhamn. Also, we learn about the hemiola. Youtube video: https://youtu.be/dYuX8P4lhZQ

Continuing with Bach inventions we encounter another counterpoint mechanism: The canon. The subject starts in the right hand and after a while the left hand imitates exactly the same subject while it's still being created in the right hand. Henrik Kilhamn breaks apart the building blocks in this analysis video. Link to Youtube video: https://youtu.be/sNLU87J2s9o

Back to basics: Johann Sebastian Bach wrote 15 of these "Inventions" in his son's score book as exercises. They are full of clever musical inventions in counterpoint which was the dominant style during the Baroque period. No 1 in C major uses only a short subject as the foundation for the whole piece, to which Bach applies appropriate mechanisms of transformation. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn plays toge...

Mozart's Turkish March - the final movement from his 11th piano sonata in A major, K.331 - is one of the most famous classical piano pieces of all times. The music emulates Turkish military bands with drum rolls and modal qualities. Henrik Kilhamn goes through all different sections that keeps returning in the rondo in detail. Link to Youtube video: https://youtu.be/6-pg-lMoCFY

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn analyzes Mozart's Sonata "Facile" in C major KV.545, 1st movement: Allegro. We find all the usual Mozart elements of phrase efficiancy, scales and amazing sequences, and although Mozart said it was "for beginners" it's never easy to pull off his gestures as smooth and free of friction as you would want them. It's also a good piece to understand the core building blocks of so...

Mozart's Fantasy or Fantasia in D minor is somewhat unusual in several respects. First, the form is free from the usual sonata structure and instead presents a collection of ideas and themes after each other. Second, the character is much darker than the typical Mozart in major keys (until the second part arrives in D major). And third, Mozart didn't actually write the ending that have come to be...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn presents Schubert's 2nd Impromptu from the first set, Op. 90. If the playful, seemingly never-ending scales are a gentle stream in a sunny nature scene, the raw and rough chords in the middle section is a heavy storm brewing. Analysis and performance (last half) (12.52). Link to Youtube video: https://youtu.be/CBFgQ-vbMtk