Edvard Grieg = GENIUS (Dec 15, 2008)

(posted to Facebook, December 15, 2008)




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md-_fdB3imQ

Okay, so, first off... youtube has tons upon tons of videos of little Asian kids playing this piece and they're all, like... eight years old. And people wonder why Asian kids have been stereotyped into playing the piano and being good at math.

Secondly, I play this piece about four times as slow, but I just learned it tonight, so whatever.

However, I think there's something that can be lost in playing a piece so fast.
But that's how Grieg wrote it!
Maybe, but still. As I was sightreading the piece, I was overcome by this awesome joy that a) I could actually play the piece, regardless of what my piano teacher said and how he thought it looked like chicken scratch, b) Grieg is my favorite composer and I just remembered why, and c) the piece reminded my a lot of Danny Elfman's compositions, particularly those for Nightmare, which, as you should all know, I'm a little obsessed with. But I'm obsessed with Elfman more! : D

So anyway, my point is that I would bet you money that none of those Asian kids on youtube appreciate the underlying genius of the piece and that they learned it simply in order to a) appease their teacher/parents/etc, b) show off, c) win some contest, or d) add yet another piece to their crazy Asian repertoire.

And lastly, I am so, so, so, SO glad that I started playing again.

And I am so, so, so, SO glad that I quit lessons.

...not in that order.

Alright, but really... compare Puck to any Nightmare piece, especially Jack's Obsession and possibly the Town Meeting Song and maybe Kidnap the Sandy Claws. But mostly Obsession.




I am thrilled. Haha, I thought Elfman was a genius? Well, he is, because I'm pretty sure he realized Grieg's genius and stole it.