Week 1: Wanderer over a Sea of Fog! 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of "The Romantic Era" challenge!
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When is a piece of music romantic for you?
↓ Happy Sharing! ↓
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When is a piece of music romantic to you
(asks Martin in the subtitle)
It may be a definition dependent on time early mid 19 century as for paintings etc
For me then nothing defines romantic music more than Chopin.
For guitar music Tarrega and to some extent transcriptions of Albeniz and contemporaries defines it for me - although they are 50 year late painters had moved to impressionism
It may also be music that evokes certain feelings emotions or passion in you.
Musically I think there should be variations in dynamics, tempo, rubato, flashy licks ( if such exist in classical music) or lines that evoke emotions
I have posted some pieces that may be categorized under these definitions.
Two from the archive that have a special romantic meaning for me
1. Por ti mi corazón that I gave my wife as a birthday present last year
2. Serenata Espanol that I played to my sons wedding - note my new cut hair
Two that I just recorded
Chopin Nocture 9,2
Coste les soirées d'Auteuil
These two are both composed close to 1830 but are so different in style.
The Chopin is this week new project. (maybe old Fred will turn in his grave)
The Coste I have played 2 years ago, but the Scherzo part killed me, although I am going to resurrect with it thanks to this challenge, and I just ran through it a couple of times, I have played it better earlier
I had decided to not go into this challenge because I can't seem to learn the pieces in3-4 weeks , but the challenge inspires me to find new pieces as well as take old stuff up.
This week I have been off in my beach house but chose to hurt my hands and arms on handy man work instead of guitar playing.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen Great selection Lars! I especially loved the Chopin (my favorite Nocturne). I also can’t imagine Romantic music without Chopin in it. Thank you for these beautiful pieces!
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen Amazing, Lars! You whipped those out like they were nothing, although I know they are all very difficult to play. I actually am working on the Coste you played, but it will take me longer to get it up to speed. I'm just doing the serenade - the scherzo is way too fast for me!
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Wai joosje Paul Kennedy Thanks, I am glad you liked the selection
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Eric Phillips Thanks. I fell In love with the Coste piece when I heard Gabriel Biancos lesson on TB. As it some times goes with passion some parts later made me sick. The triplets in the scherzo first section which unfortunately is the rondo part ended up discomforting me just before every run. I can’t remember any piece I have spent so much time with as the scherzo without succeeding.
The serenade I probably like the most, although I don’t like the intro and outro ..BORING!
Measure 14 I think is a rhythmical misfit, wrong notation ? compare to the parallel measure 80 .
The phrases that wins your and audiences hearts are the portamentos from fis to b and resolution to a in mm 28-30 and the reallly sweet part , in my opinion, is mm 50 and forward. I have as you hear not worked properly with that for a while.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen I love the piece, too, and Gabriel Bianco really seems the best at playing it. Like you, I loved his TB lesson on it. I must say, however, watching virtuosos like him teach pieces can be a little disheartening, as I know I can never make it sound as good as they do.
I really don't find any of it boring. You bring up an interesting point about the melody measure 14 (it's 15 in my score) possibly being an error, since it doesn't match the parallel measure 80. I think it may just be Coste adding some variety to the melody, but you may be right. One of the things I love about the piece are the huge contrasts in dynamic, tone color, and mood.
Like I said, the scherzo is far too difficult for me, but I am working on the Serenade. Later today, I hope to make a recording of where I'm at with it right now.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen Another amazing post, Lars. That was a lovely tribute to your wife. Your performance on all of these pieces are wonderful. I am still struggling with my first submission and you just posted 4(!) really challenging pieces.
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Jack Stewart thank you. I am looking forward to your submission. And my guess is that it will be a really challenging piece.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen apleasure to see and hear you!
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen love the nocturne so much! so sweet and touching
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Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Thank you. I m glad you liked it.
The tricky things with this piece, because of the many shifts, are to reduce the squeaks and increase legato
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen An amazing selection you did, Lars! So beautiful and profound execution. In Chopin you are talking with the composer, that's the sensation I had. Like you, I think that the challenge is a good opportunity to learn new pieces, but I'm a bit slow, my method to learn new pieces is slow too.
Thank you! -
Moyses Lopes thank you very much. I like the Chopin piece very much and feel I have an idea about it’s execution. I still need to choreograph especially the first to verses with regard to legato and squeaks. Good luck and enjoyment with your projects that I am sure will end up very good.
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Lars Kjøller-Hansen beautiful Lars. Some nice pieces and well played. I haven't heard the Coste piece before
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Hi All, I was not sure if I was going to join this challenge since the Romantic period is not one that I have spent a lot of time studying. However, I did come across a couple of nice little pieces that I decided to work on this month. The first that I am posting is a Coste Etude which I came across in Carlevaro's library. I began using it recently as one of my warm up arpeggio studies. Also, happy mother's day to all those mothers out there!
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Dale Needles I don’t even know this one! Very beautiful., Dale. So well played. Really Coste: his harmonies sound mostly familiar but always with some unexpected moves. That makes it interesting and at the same time at moments difficult to feel the flow. Or is that just me? I have a friend guitarist who doesn’t like Coste, because, he says, it’s like there’s always something missing. I don’t feel it that way, but there is something less naturally flowing compared to Sor, Giuliani, Aguado, and the likes.
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Dale Needles Very nice Dale! Like Joosje, I don’t know this either. I mentioned earlier in the week to both Joosje and Eric that I really need to learn more Coste. Thank you for highlighting him once again
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joosje Thanks, I know what you mean, in this Etude, Coste at times introduces into the chord progression some unexpected notes. For me this is what makes it interesting.
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Paul Kennedy Hi Paul, thanks. I also do not know much about Coste's music, but really like some of his etudes. Also, glad you are back and recovering from your hand surgery.
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Dale Needles That was great, Dale. It's like an extended exercise in deferred gratification. Every time you think you are at a cadence he goes off in another direction.
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Dale Needles Excellent, Dale. Like the others, I have never heard this one. Great harmonic progression.
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Dale Needles wonderful etude and beatiful playing. Like Joosje , I know someone, that does not like Coste- I love to hear Coste
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Stefanie Mosburger-Dalz Jack Stewart Eric Phillips Thanks. It is a lovely little study and with beautiful chord progressions.
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Dale Needles Like said Stefanie, wonderful etude and beautiful playing! I don't know this one too! Thank you for sharing!
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End of the Year Challenge: Finish Strong!
