Etude, Prelude, Nocturne, Polonaise

whoa! God Save us From Showmanship!! That is brilliant

Thanks, Bud.

I can imagine someone in the seat behind me muttering these lines!

Especially like those "flourishes of wasted notes."

Agreed. One of my friends/former professors, a music theorist, has a word for piano players like this: agonizers.*

No wasted notes here, concise and to the point. *

I like Chopin, Liszt and Paganini but I understand to what you refer.

Gary, your "spare" review covers more ground succinctly than multi-paged treatises that try to say what you've said without offending fans of Chopin or Lizst or Paganini. I like what you've written in 31 words, how you've written it.
"...flourishes of wasted notes..." Indeed.

A perfect opening line. Good piece. *

Than you, Carol, Amanda, J Mykell, David, and Sam for the kind words.
They are most welcome encouragement.

Well put. There's a reason why C, L & P (sort of a classical Emerson, Lake & Palmer) end up on those easy-listening greatest hits CDs my mother-in-law listens to.

Nice piece. Says much in short, precise lines. Good work.*

Thank you, Con and John.

You certainly didn't waste any words. Fave*

Thank you, Gloria.

"Like Paganini, but on piano." I hear music here! And I like how you slam the cover over the keys in the last line.*

I like those guys! Then again, I was a ballet dancer once, and dancing to Chopin is fairly orgasmic. This is a gem, Gary. I roll with Bach, Beethoven and Mozart too, by the way.

Nicely done.

I wish I knew music well enough to say something really interesting. I don't, but this is good stuff.

I love the note as much as the poem. Stars to both **

Thank you, Sara. Nonnie, there are probably some pieces by Chopin I could remember long enough to dance to but my local Classical station hasn't played them within my listening yet. But I'll keep listening...
Thank you, Joani. And thank you, Steve. Foster, thanks especially for the note on the note.

Fascinating look at the classics. I'm not convinced, Gary, but you've obviously a better-trained ear than I. *

Thank, Mathew, for reading and responding. I'm grateful.

It is interesting to consider what qualities and properties in a composer's music elevates that work above others. And so on through all the arts...

Well put, spot-on.

thanks dj