Sonata Secrets

"The Girl with the Flaxen Hair", ("La fille aux cheveux de lin") is no. 8 in the first book of Preludes by Debussy from 1910. For this piece, Debussy writes in a style closer to his early works: diatonic and melodic with nice, lush chords rolling over the piano. There are clear cadences, but this short piece is ripe with quick modulations between three different keys. Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes t...

Maurice Ravel captures feelings of longing and missing in his arguably most famous piano piece. In this video, pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes through the music to find out how that is done. Different registers as well as modal harmony are important factors. Contents: 0:42 Introduction 3:11 Analysis 20:33 Performance Link to Youtube video: https://youtu.be/kBS8e_GMkFM

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn looks at all variations of the simple and chorale-like Arietta theme in the final movement of Beethoven's 32nd piano sonata (and of all his sonatas!). They cover an incredible range of styles, sonorites and energy levels while sharing the harmonic structure of the theme, as well as one fundamental tempo that rules the whole movement. In this music, Beethoven leaves earthly s...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes on this monster of a piece. Beethoven returns to the roots of Bach and counterpoint and fuses it with his typical dramatic charge in this movement from his late period. The music is so intense with extreme dynamic contrasts and fugato treatment of the core motif. Every note matters in this struggle for survival on earth. 0:23 Introduction 4:29 Form 5:45 Analysis 33:48...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn looks at Kinderszenen and especially no. 7 Träumerei, one of Robert Schumann's most loved melodies. There is a dreaminess present in the whole cycle, feeding a nostalgic element of looking back and remembering these poignant states of childhood. Introduction: 0:31 No. 1, "Of foreign lands and people": 2:17 No. 7, "Träumerei": 6:29 No. 12, "Child falling asleep": 10:13

To close the Pathétique sonata, Beethoven writes a fast-paced Allegro in Rondo form. The theme is like static electricity, jumping between smaller objects, and throughout the movement we are treated to various adventures in the different episodes. As always your guide Henrik Kilhamn at the piano.

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn reflects on the 2nd movement of Beethoven's famous Pathétique sonata, Op. 13. The theme in the "Adagio cantabile" is one of Beethoven's sweetest melodies, and we can enjoy just floating along those long legato lines.   Introduction, Analysis (1:00) and Performance (12.50)

Beethoven took the sonata form from Mozart and Haydn and developed it in a revolutionary way, turning his sonatas into epic tales. The Pathétiqe sonata Op. 13 is a hallmark in the repertoire (Pathétiqe referring to "emotional" rather than the "pathetic"), and in this video Henrik Kilhamn goes through the first movement section by section and explains how they fit in the larger scheme of things. In...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn presents the worlds most known classical piano piece: Beethoven's Fur Elise. It's a true musical gem with its soothing theme evolving from just those two notes, and well balanced with two episodes of different character inbetween the returning theme. Introduction and analysis (1:18)

It's ironic that Chopin's most famous work, the Fantaisie-Impromptu, wasn't published during his lifetime. Today we actually have several different versions of it: the first edition by Chopin's friend Julian Fontana in 1855, recent Urtext editions that have removed Fontana's own additions, and one version based on a manuscript acquired by Rubinstein in 1962.  Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes throu...

Chopin's Funeral march, the slow movement from his 2nd sonata Op. 35, stands out as an archetype for such an occasion - but what is it about the music that makes it that way? Pianist Henrik Kilhamn finds out in this episode by going through the piece one section at a time. There is also another famous march from the film score repertoire that uses the same chords! Analysis and performance (11:38)

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes on the second movement in Scriabin's sparkling piano sonata no. 2, Op. 19, titled "Sonata-Fantasy". It's a turbo fast Presto with a never-ending stram of notes, a Moto Perpetuo. The form is a kind of Sonata-Rondo, alternating the cascading waves with a developmental, legato section without ever losing its intensity. Analysis and performance (13.03)

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn goes through the first movement of Scriabin's amazing piano sonata no. 2, op. 19 titled "Sonata-Fantasy". There are two sides to the music: one firm, gripping statement of a signal reoccuring throughout the movement, the other completely opposite of free-floating, improvisational bliss. The two characters are juxtaposed in the middle and are developed in some genius ways of...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes a closer look at Chopin's famous Raindrop prelude. The repeated notes present during the whole piece represents raindrops, which haunted Chopin in his stay in Valldemossa, Mallorca, in the winter of 1838. Analysis: 2:20, Performance: 15:01.

This is one of the most sad piano pieces out there. In this video, pianist Henrik Kilhamn explains how Chopin manage to capture such sadness in his music, and where the prelude fits within music history. It's all about the slow, pulsating chords - every new chromatical shift between them explores a new nuance in the dark side of our emotional spectrum. Analysis and performance (12:17)

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn presents Swedish composer Wilhelm Stenhammar's most famous piece, Fantasy no. 1 in B minor. It contains great power and adventure as well as beautiful lyrical sections, all the time employing a lot of mediant relationships and motivic development. Analysis and profrmance (17:51).

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn interprets Schubert's amazing Impromptu Op. 90 no. 3 in G flat major. The calm lyrical outer sections surrounds a dramatic middle section with tension and turmoil. But which is the real state, and which is the dream? Performance: 22:52

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn attempts an analysis of Satie's emblematic and relaxing Gymnopedie no. 1. The music doesn't behave the way we expect it to; it moves around in modal ways, meandering through constantly shifting tonal centers. It's hard to even decide what key it's in, because of the initial oscillation between two Maj7 chords. Analysis and performance (15:54)

Henrik Kilhamn explains this well known piece that actually consists of two parts between the two composers. Bach uses one musical idea of the arpeggio pattern throughout the prelude and changes the harmony one step at a time, creating a wonderful sense of assuring and relieving. 130 years later, Gounod wrote a melody to the prelude as accompaniment, which is now known as Ave Maria. Performance of...

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn explains this Chopin Nocturne in A flat major, where Chopin fuses the Nocturne style with a crazy waltz middle section. The initial melody is at first comfortable and reassuring, but after the wlatz section it returns in fortissimo and apassionato! Performance: 13:05

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn follows the yellowed leaves in Tchaikovsky's October - Autumn song - from The Seasons, Op. 37a, for piano. Right and left hand are often in dialogue with their melting, melancholic melodies. Performance: 12:43

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes apart Scriabin's ambiguous harmonies in his sparkling Etude in F# major Op. 42 no. 4. The chords seem to exist in two states simultaneously, with some notes acting as bridges inbetween. The Etude is written in 1903, and we are now entering Scriabin's middle period where he is really starting to look outside of traditional harmony.

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn discovers Scriabin's early Nocturne in F# minor, Op. 5 no. 1. The general mood is similar to Chopin Nocturnes, however Scriabin's harmonic world is darker and the air is thicker. Henrik explains how he achieves that in this analysis that is more focused on harmony.

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn presents one of Alexander Scriabin's relatively well known pieces: Etude in C# minor, Op. 2 no. 1. Written by a young composer in a highly romantic style, this short piece is filled with intense emotion throughout.

Pianist Henrik Kilhamn takes on this massive work by Chopin. Rocking back and forth like Gondolas in a canal, the Barcarolle is full of shimmering water sounds and the sections flow seamlessly into each other. The melody begins calmly but turns throughout the piece into powerful rejoicing. Between all the rich nuances the Barcarolle contains true beauty.