Tickled Ivories

Musically, my tastes lean toward the percussive,  from classical piano to hip-hop with a deep bass beat. As far back as I can remember, I have always preferred percussion to strings, wind or brass — with one notable exception and that was the tuba which I desperately wanted to play when I was 11 but the cost of even renting the instrument was prohibitive. However, I think the tuba stuck out to me because it gives that “oomph-oomph” beat to a symphony. But I digress.

Of all the percussive instruments, piano is perhaps the most prominent in recorded music, so when a FB friend asked for piano music suggestions, I told her I was “on it”! She had linked to a song by Yann Tiersen which I recognized almost immediately as being from the soundtrack to Amelie. Below are the albums I am suggesting for her, and for anyone else who might be interested — I’ve linked to both amazon and also iTunes, depending on your purchasing preference… of course I’d also recommend going to your local library and checking out their selection, too!

• Mozart: the Piano Sonatas performed by Mitsuko Uchida [Amazon] [iTunes] — you cannot have a collection of piano music without Mozart and Uchida’s performances are beautifully delivered.
• Ragtime Piano Roll by Scott Joplin [Amazon][iTunes] — when you think of player pianos or if you were to walk into a stereotypical Old West Saloon, chances are Scott Joplin’s music runs through your head.
• Gershwin Plays Gershwin: the Piano Rolls by George Gershwin [no Amazon link][iTunes] — there are shelves full of arrangements and recordings of Rhapsody in Blue and an American in Paris but this recording (if you can find it) includes versions of those songs that are pure Gershwin and just the piano rather than the full orchestra arrangements that are more common. So very worth the cash.
• Legend of 1900 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) composed by Ennio Morricone [Amazon][iTunes] — the film itself is a celebration of a very curious piano virtuoso raised on an ocean liner (I highly recommend the film which stars Tim Roth); Morricone, who has scored dozens of films, does not disappoint here. While the soundtrack is largely full orchestra, there are a few pieces that are just piano; Nocturne With No Moon is a sad and beautiful piece that contrasts with the energy of 1900’s Madness #2 and Study for Three Hands seems impossibly complex.
• Sylvia (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Gabriel Yared [Amazon][iTunes]– again, this compilation includes both orchestral and piano tunes but I especially recommend The Scar, Romance and Dying (depressing sounding, yes, but the film is about Sylvia Plath after all)
• The Piano (Composer’s Cut Series) by Michael Nyman [Amazon][iTunes] — possibly a little too dark (I didn’t enjoy the film) but the music is evocative of the character’s isolation and also her passion of just playing the instrument. Listen especially to The Heart Asks the Pleasure First and Big My Secret.
• 32 Short Films About Glenn Gould (soundtrack) [Amazon][iTunes] — as a Canadian, I felt compelled to include Gould even though I find his work uneven; some songs, like Piano Sonata no.3, I find impossibly grating and yet the Goldberg Variations really show the breadth of his skill. Click through the tracks before you buy because Gould tends to evoke strong feelings.
• Night Train by Oscar Peterson/The Oscar Peterson Trio [Amazon][iTunes] — the other Canadian pianist that cannot be left out of a collection: jazz great Oscar Peterson. This album dates back to a 1962 recording that exudes a wonderfully laid-back cocktail lounge feel. My fave track is his rendition of Georgia on My Mind.

And, though embedding is disabled, I wanted to direct you to this lovely clip from The Corpse Bride featuring Danny Elfman’s composition, The Piano Duet.