What I find fascinating with this piece is that it starts and ends with satirical themes that are twisted versions of pianist’s exercises. The percussive themes satirize Clementi’s instructional pieces, but then they are transformed into something different. Is the music affectionately portraying a child pounding away at notes, or suggesting a nostalgia for lost days? Sometimes the music can be interpreted either contrasting way! Here is a Wikipedia link explaining the Title of the piece I have difficulty playing the beginning of the piece, it is so exposed - you have to jump right in! Often the first page is not as flowing as the rest of the piece, it is hard to get the pulse going. Maybe that’s because I am thinking too much about the line, my playing needs to be more percussive with this piece, especially at the beginning. Having the piece going through my mind, I am analyzing phrases being in 1 or in 4 or in 16. A very satisfying piece to play.

Just got back from a lazy summmer vacation and had a chance to read Blair Tindall’s Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music Blair Tindall was a professional Oboe player in the New York City classical music scene. This book is her story, which amounts to a brutal expose of the classical music world. Looking back on the times I played in restaurants and bars, I realize that none of the managers knew what they wanted live music to accomplish for their business, musicians are usually pushed to the sidelines. After more than 20 years of training and professional performing, how can musicians be so underpaid and unappreciated? Mozart in the Jungle is required reading for all musicians! (You will never be able to enjoy Itzak Perlman’s music after reading this book…) classical music profession