Gustav Mahler

How often are geniuses put to the test by the ironic and mocking fate? But they are moving forward neglecting the obstacles, conquering one creative summit after another, leaving behind masterpieces big and small. How many such creators are there persecuted and subjected to severe criticism who live unrecognized but are praised posthumously?

Each genius’s destiny is like a comprehensive book on life, and every work of theirs is a separate story tightly connected with their life experience. All this holds so very true for Gustav Malher, the outstanding symphonist and renowned conductor who lived and worked at the turn of the 20th century.

His famous song-cycles namely "Kindertotenlieder" (Songs on the Deaths of Children), "Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen" (Songs of a Wayfarer), "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" (The Youth’s Magic Horn) are of biographical character and carry the imprints of events closely connected with Mahler’s life. Each of his ten symphonies was part of his life, taken away from his strenuous schedule of the director of the Vienne Court Opera or the New York Philharmonic.

As Schubert’s successor and the last representative of the Austro-German Romantic symphony Mahler left a substantial legacy preserving its great importance till our days.

William Baines. Coloured Leaves for piano

Not long ago, searching for new piano sheet music, I saw in the Internet the works by William Baines 'Coloured Leaves' unknown to me. This is a small piano cycle of three pieces: Prelude, Valse, and Still day. It is absolutely charming piano miniatures written in Romantic style. They attracted my attention, as if to take these three pieces separately, they can be played by middle class students (I’m a piano teacher at a music school), and the cycle as a whole suits for a high school program.
Usually, when I introduce the children to new pieces, we also acquaint ourselves with authors’ biographies. It upset me to learn that the life of William Baines was not so rosy and very short. A very young soul begot these compositions. And each of them is like a page of his life.

Here you may find the sheet music of Coloured Leaves

I thought that the pieces, written by their peer, will be very close to the children. The first piece Prelude sounds like a story. It’s expressed in a frequent meter change, emphasis change and even calm rhythm. The second piece is a light and graceful Valse, which firstly seems to be simple, but has many melodic details, and, well performed, can sound very impressive. But most of all I liked the final piece Still day. It’s full of sadness, calm and serenity.
In my opinion, the title 'Coloured Leaves' fits this cycle very well. Although all three pieces have the same romantic mood, they are very different in their genre and character. Therefore, I suggest you performing of the entire cycle. The piece won’t be arid, and, at the same time, it will allow the students to demonstrate their skills to embody different characters and moods.

S. Smith's Piano Music. Grande Fantaisie L' elisire d' amore

This piece is a brilliant piano fantasia on the themes from opera "The Elixir of Love"("L' elisir d'amore") by Donizetti. Smith showed masterfully feelings of the main characters of the opera: affection, coquetry, rivalry, jealousy, and above all, love - and made them festal and playful.
It’s surprisingly, that the composer retained in his piano piece the characters of the opera’s heroes. It seems the author is painting the image of a timid young peasant Nemorino, of the beautiful coquette Adina, dreaming of elevated love, of the cunning and tricky quack Dulkamar; of the brave but ignorant Sergeant Belcore and of many other characters. Following Donizetti, Smith makes his own parody interpretation of the legend about the magic love potion. In an effort to portray different characters, as well as to embody the comicalness of the situation, the author combines in The Grande Fantaisie 'L' elisire d'amore' absolutely contrasting moments, which require different manners of playing. Frequent changes of dynamic nuances, accents, techniques and ways of playing music help to create a vivid and colorful imagery of the piece. And the light, lofty theme of the "love drink" is a unifying element in such a multifarious and variegated work.
Smith has created a great piece - light, refined, but worthy of virtuoso performers and large concert halls.

S. Smith.The Last Rose of Summer

Some time ago I’ve found in the Internet a piece by Sydney Smith with a fascinating title - The Last Rose of Summer ... I have played it often and for a long time and every minute I immersed deeper and deeper in the amazing atmosphere, created in this work. The composer pictured very masterly the image of a lone flower, the summer’s ending and, probably, last hopes of us all.
Through skilful whirling passages, taking the whole piano keyboard, the barely hearable, modest melody begins to appear, gaining strength with its gradual development. Suddenly, the beautiful image appears to my eyes: a flower of astonishing beauty, growing in the stormy ocean among the fading summer’s nature. This defenseless essence makes you unwittingly stop and reflect. What a grace, elegance and therewith power are hidden in this fragile rose! The composer shows with amazing precision her thin, almost transparent petals, the drops of dew, fallen that very morning on the accurate, as if specially cut leaves. It seems you even start feeling the subtle aroma emanating from this plant. And what a tranquility and tenderness come over the listener while the short moments of contemplation! You draw such a strength and endurance from it!
The Last Rose of Summer ... the ending summer... As if it were our farewell to something. But still, the last hope remains in the soul.
That is the very natural beauty, which we usually do not notice, the last hope, which we all so desperately need.

Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto (Piano Transcription)

I love romantic music so much and perform romantic concertos for piano and orchestra with great pleasure! Sometimes I take scores at home, play a piano solo part and imagine the sound of an orchestra. Recently I’ve found scores with the piano transcription of a violin concerto by Mendelssohn. This was a Paraphrase of the composer Sydney Smith. He was able to merge the solo and orchestral part into one unity. Now, I enjoy learning of this piece. I wonder how Smith could keep all the beauty of the concert by Mendelssohn. The piece has practically lost nothing over the only piano sound. On the contrary, such pieces allow the pianists to perform the whole piece by themselves and immerse in the beauty of music. Especially as its difficulty level is not very high and many musicians could enjoy its practicing thus.
While performing of the piano transcription of the Mendelssohn's Violin concerto, you get into the world of a lone, misunderstood human soul, seeking for calm and serenity. I sometimes have this feeling by myself. May be that's why this work is so clear and close to me.

Sydney Smith. Romeo and Juliet

Not so long ago I’ve been looking in the Internet for any piece of music that could touch my heart and soul. And finally I’ve found the fantasy by S. Smith on Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet". Tell me, which woman doesn’t care about love and devotion? I think each one does. Especially when such strong emotions are running high. There’s everything you need in this piece: the first young love, so sincere and ingenuous, the long-standing war between two proud families, who do not want taking the first step towards reconciliation, good and evil, life and death.
All these themes are shown so brilliant and magnificent in the fantasy. Frequent march intonations describe the picture of self-confident young people, going through life bold and proudly. At this moment the music is dynamic and vigorous. A soft, light and melodious tune, which embodies the great feeling of love, changes the lively and bold tone of the march. And this love is mutual! That’s why the simple melody develops gradually into a tremulous theme.
There are some difficult moments in the fantasy Romeo and Juliet, which hold our attention while practicing this work: a rather large number of virtuoso passages, dense texture of music and octave doublings. But what a pleasure you take in surmounting of all these difficulties. You feel like you were involved in this love story, so tragic, but very beautiful.

Guitar Today

In the big concert hall and near the campfire, in the club and at home: guitar is always a guest of honor in any situation of our live and fits into every scenery well. I doubt strongly whether there is any person in the world, who doesn’t love this soft and sincere sound. One of the most wonderful musical instruments had won my heart for ages. Long before I became a pianist I’ve been enchanted with its modulating touching harmony.

Over many centuries the guitar was a faithful companion of human civilization. It changed strongly its size and shape, which may vary greatly, but its purpose is still the same – to amuse the listeners and to give free rein to the performer’s thoughts and feelings. And nowadays it’s really impossible to imagine some musical styles without this instrument: they are recognized as one of the primary instruments in jazz, blues, country and rock music. Guitars, both acoustic and electric, can be played solo and as a part of the instrument background. It should be noted that guitar-concerts enjoy increasingly popularity and a number of guitarists from different genres (classical, rock, jazz and so on) became self-sufficient world-known stars, e.g. Joe Satriani, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Ritchie Blackmore and many others.


Download guitar sheet music

As a pianist I can add, that it’s always a great joy for me to play pieces which include the guitar part. Its sound enriches the melody strongly, makes it more vivid and memorable.