3 of My Favorite Concertos for Piano

2021-10-08

Theme：Artists ＆ Songs, Keyboards, Wind Instruments

ドRhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin became widely known in Japan thanks to the TV drama Nodame Cantabile. Rhapsody in Blue is a concerto for piano with a jazz band accompaniment. Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor by Rachmaninoff’s masterpiece also became famous thanks to Nodame.

This time, I would like to introduce some piano concertos that I am currently addicted to. Actually, I read a staff member’s blog the other day and it inspired me to talk about piano music because I have been studying and playing classical music for a long time! Please check out this post below.
“3 of my favorite but not so famous classical piano pieces”

■ Saint-Saëns：Piano Concerto No 2 in G minor, Op 22

The first piece is Piano Concerto No. 2 by Saint-Saëns. The pianist in the video is the virtuoso pianist Arthur Rubinstein from Poland. The improvised cadenza at the beginning made my chest feel tight and I was instantly pulled into the performance. After the piano solo sings its yearning solo at a slower pace in the second movement, the tempo picks up speed in the third movement and then hits its fever pitch in the passionate final movement. I recently learned about this piece when I heard it in a movie called Nocturne that I watched on Amazon Prime. It’s a horror film about a rivalry between twin sister pianists. This movie must be full of sympathy for those who have been playing music for many years. The plot is shocking as various emotions keep driving the main character in the world of music where there is no correct answer. Please watch this movie if you’re interested.

■ Grieg：Piano Concerto in A minor, Op 16

This one is also a performance by Arthur Rubinstein. I recently listened to this at a concert and got hooked on it. This is the only concerto by Grieg who was also famous as a pianist, and this piece is one of his most popular works. The phrase that is widely used from the high to low keys of the piano at the beginning can be often heard in TV shows to express disappointment. However, the interpretation (performance) of this opening phrase can completely vary depending on the pianist. I recommend listening to some performances by different pianists and then compare each performance. My favorite is the melody with a light rhythm at the end of the first movement before the opening phrase returns. You will be surprised by how it suddenly comes back!!

■ Ravel：Piano Concerto in G Major

This is a long-time favorite of mine, rather than finding out about it recently. The composer Ravel is described to be the ‘magician’ of the orchestra so this is a very interesting work full of playfulness. The first movement begins with a whip crack, followed by the phrase with a difficult to grasp rhythm, but it is just worth listening to. My favorite part that I like the most is the second movement. The graceful melody is so moving that it will make you cry. In fact, when I played the second movement as a percussionist in the orchestra, I saw our teacher who was also our conductor start to become teary eyed, and it moved me so much that I also started to cry. This piece will remind you why music is wonderful. The third movement is played at an incredibly fast tempo by the pianist Martha Argerich. Also, listen to how the E♭ clarinet is used. It is so unique, so you have to listen to the whole movement.

What do you think? In 2006, Nodame Cantabile first aired on Japanese television and became a smash hit. Thanks to Nodame, I think more people now think that viewers of the show became aware of the classical music world in Japan. Classical music is deep and if you know about composition, the composer’s passion, and the historical background before listening to the piece. It will let you see a different perspective and give you pleasure. There are more famous works other than these three I introduced this time, so if you’re interested, please listen to other famous pieces!

Before ending this article, I would like to show a couple instruments used in the orchestra.