In musicology work numbers that are assigned to compositions are called opus numbers. In abbreviated form “Op.” stands for one composition and “Opp.”refers to more than one work under the same opus number. If a composition was published posthumously, it was denoted as “Op. posth.” Opus numbers not necessarily mean a chronological order of works. The word has its origin in …
In the past, learning piano could be a daunting experience, but not anymore! Thanks to today’s technology learning can be easy and fun. No question, the best way to learn piano is with a piano teacher! However, there are alternatives that are worth looking at. Online piano learning services offer great flexibility, you can practice anytime and anywhere. For many, …
They say you should never meet your hero in person. Ignaz Moscheles did and still remained a fan. How did it happen? Who was Ignaz Moscheles? Isaac Ignaz Moscheles (23 May 1794– 10 March 1870) was a composer and piano virtuoso from Bohemia. He was born in Prague into a German speaking Jewish family. His father was a merchant, …
Beethoven was blessed to have many excellent teachers and mentors, but nobody was so influential in his life than Christian Neefe. Who was Christian Gottlob Neefe? Christian Gottlob Neefe (5 February 1748 – 28 January 1798) was a German musician and composer, who also was a writer. Neefe was born in Chemnitz, Saxony, into a poor family. His musical talent …
Beethoven composed his piano trios with the same dedication as he did his string quartets. Many consider them equal to the string masterpieces. This article will summarize the most important aspects of these works. Piano trio is group music, a form of chamber music, with piano and two other instruments, most often violin and cello. Piano trios are usually written …
What is scherzo? It is an Italian word, meaning joke (scherzo /ˈskɛərtsoʊ/, plural scherzos or scherzi). In music execution it can mean a certain way of playing a piece. If in a musical notation scherzando is written by the composer, it means that the music should be played in a playful manner. The other meaning is to describe a complete …