New Moon.
ln former days taking piano or violin lessons pretty much always included learning how to compose and how to improvise. Bach taught his students how to improvise, unless they seemed to be entirely tonedeaf, according to his son Carl-Philipp lmmanuel. Beethoven was an excellent improviser, Mozart was also an improviser. There is a famous anekdote from one of his concerts in Vienna. As it happened the emperor himself came to listen on this particular occasion. And after the concert Mozart was invited to meet his imperial high and dryness in person. The emperor addressed Wolfgang and mentioned that he was a keyboard player himself, and that he was very impressed with the little piano concerto that Wolfgang had just played. He enquired if Mozart was willing to show to his odorous richness the sheet music of the piano part he had just played. Mozart said: ‘Certainly, with pleasure.’ And he proceeded to run to the stage, where he grabbed a piece of paper from the clavichord or whatever keyboard he was using. He ran back and handed it over to the emperor; there was nothing on it. Mozart had improvised it at least partly.
These days improvising is no longer standard in piano lessons. lt should be, but it isn’t. Up to the end of the 19th century many pianists improvised. ln fact: Vladimir Horowitz in his younger years still ‘preluded’ during his concerts. This was an interesting custom for piano players which was very common at recitals. They made a little improvised bridge from one piece to the next, and thereby connected the musical ideas of two different pieces to eachother. Of course great skill was needed to do this, but many piano players could pull it off easily.
The custom of the art of improv and composition being included in al music lessons started in ltaly in early conservatories, and the piece l want to discuss today is connected to those very early days of musical education. lt’s a composition of mine called ‘New Moon.’ See vlog below:
*** NEW MOON lS AVAlLABLE ON MY SlTE LlKE RlGHT HERE!: https://mikebodde.nl/product/mike-bodde-the-moons-tunes-pdf/ ***