Chopin Fantasy Impromptu, Op. 66

So. Yundi Li!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love this version by Yundi Li. Definitely one of the most talented pianists in the world! And plus, he’s young 😉 *wink wink*.

Once again, Mister Delicacy is back. His delicacy is ever present. The taste of delicacy is the same, but this particular piece has a very different emotions from the previous one.

For one thing, do you see the passion at the beginning? And the dynamics of it? And yet, it is not quite that strong. The melodies are soft and touching, but at the same time, express the energy of life.

And oh!!!! the contrast in the middle. Regard, 1:08. Right after the most explosive melodies comes the peace. The contrast is very noticeable, yet it does not feel awkward. It feels natural, like sunshine after the storm. Listen… does it bring innermost peace of your mind and soul? (or does it bore you to death…) Imagine, a green meadow with sunshine mildly pouring down, and the right amount of wind blowing, the right temperature… It seems just like a paradise, yet, it has longings that even a paradise cannot quench.

And another contrast. 3:24; listen! It goes back to the start. Exact same notes. But, different feelings conveyed because you are experiencing this after the peaceful moment.

And at 4:14, you will notice that the music starts taking a different course. Dramatic, and tragic, almost. However, those are also the beauty of life; they make you ‘alive’. Again, very delicately expressed. It makes one think of sorrow and yet, marvel at the beauty of it.

Immediately at 4:29, there is yet another twist. It is as if one has acquired all the knowledge of the world, and knows both sorrow and delight, both unrest and peace. I see God.

So, through twists and turns and contrasts, this music lets us feel the awe of life, whether it be sorrow or happiness. If you listen carefully, it is as if reading a beautiful story of life. Life is not always full of delight. Sometimes it is filled with misery. However, even those moments make life beautiful and ‘alive’. Those two are not always separate concepts. You learn to cope with both of them. And when you’ve acquired certain point of wisdom, you are way above the psychology of this earth; you are beyond and feel the final peace that is meant to be in your heart.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Delicate, delicate, PURELY delicate. I have used the word ‘delicacy’ and its alternative forms about seven times. And beauty, about 7 times as well. ‘Yet’, 5 times. However, that is all I can say. Chopin’s work is delicacy, yet paradoxical, but therein lies the true beauty.

Chopin Ballade No.1

Ok, back our ‘his delicacy’, Frédéric Chopin.

Listen… (I personally LOVEEEE Zimerman’s touch here. 🙂 )

Basically, I explained everything I have to say about Chopin in my previous entry, but yet again, IT IS DELICATE. One could never use too much of that term when describing Chopin.

At the start… listen to his delicate touches, and delicate notes. They are quiet, yet they have a power to touch minds. They are simple, yet they capture minds. They make you focus.

This music is soft, yet amazingly romantic. I myself am practicing this very piece at this moment, and I think of romance when I play it. The emotion of love helps to carry out the notes better.

There is also a hint of faint longing. At every turn of the music, listen… longing, the longing is hiding. The desperation of it! If you inspect the pianist’s expression, the solemn longing is in his face.

At the same time, there is mystery. The music is quite veiled, but not too much. There is the beauty of it; it stimulates wonders to the listeners, yet do not give all the answers.

You may have realized, by this point, that I have used ‘~, yet ~’ form a lot. Yes, contradictions. As irony in literature is beautiful, this contrast in music is ‘delicate’. This is really hard to craft in music; that is why it has to be carved ‘delicately’, just as Chopin.

Music is an art, just as art, dance, and literature is. It is also wonderfully scientific and mathematical. And it contains history and philosophy.

In this perspective, how is this Ballade really like?

Well, there are patterns. Repeating patterns. With different notes and feelings. He plays with them, the pieces, and does a very good job with it. Again, his ‘play’ is ‘delicate’, like building a sand castle that, by a single mistouch, will break down.

So; it is not just ‘mere music piece’. It is everything.

Imagery, for example. How many imageries does it create? A moon, a moon clouded by clouds and mists, a peaceful yet dark waves, a love, happiness, tragedy; to only name a few. And yet, philosophies and the weight of life lie upon.

Listen one more time. Keep these in mind. And do not limit it to what I’ve explained; remember, music expresses ‘everything’.

Frédéric Chopin

This is Frédéric Chopin. What comes to your mind when you look at his portrait?

Well, first of all, definitely not ‘masculine’ or ‘well-built’. He is closer to feminine and delicate. And yes, those were his characters. Known to be quite feminine and ill very often, he was a delicacy of a man. Is that bad? No, of course not. Not at all in this case, at least. His ‘delicacy’ produced some of the most beautiful pieces in music history. Also known as ‘the poet of the piano’, his music is ‘delicacy’ itself. No other words to explain its beauty. I’ve used the word ‘delicacy’ in this paragraph 4 times, but that word describes his music and the true person that he was.

His music trickles into your soul though those delicate notes… so carefully and ‘delicately’ carved. Carved. Pieced. Written. Painted. Stroked. Just pure delicacy and beauty. Its pureness is almost astounding. And at the same time, it has traces of romance and deep passion.

It’s as seeing a pure gem with light shining through… and beautiful color spectrum visible at its edge… and you wonder and gape at its beauty.

Ok, sadly, today was just an introduction of this amazing guy. 🙂 On my next post, I will include a piece by Chopin that shows his million different charms really well.

(picture citation: http://www.pianoparadise.com/chopin.jpg)