SUMMER SADNESS - Tchaikovsky June Barcarolle (from The Seasons) - Analysis

[@acinomknip]

June is one of my favourites! Thank you for this wonderful analysis!

[@tamara.mw.]

Your analysis made me enjoy this piece even more. Gonna go learn it right now! thank you! ☺️

[@genesis6483]

Hey Henry! Love the vid, it's pretty much perfect :) however i have an interesting theory and would love to hear your opinion on this! So for me June has always stood out for being a bit unusual compared to the rest of the seasons pieces. Why is this so particulary melancholic and why in June?? I know it defnitly fits the poem but i mean it could've been a slight bit more "happy"? I just started reading Tschaikovsky's biography i discovered that his mother had died in the middle of june, and even 23 years later when he was in his 40s he still couldn't speak about her loss without tears in his eyes, according to letters. He really loved her. I all makes perfect sense to me know! What do you think? Is that maybe the reason 'June' is so incredibly sad?

[@SonataSecrets]

That's a very interesting theory, I didn't know that. At first this is not what I associate with June either, so it would make some sense I suppose...

[@청솔-p9q]

😂

[@mariapap8962]

Living in the very south of Europe, it was both interesting and useful for the understanding of the mood of this piece, to hear about how summer evenings in the north are. Thank you!

[@ratikumar3889]

wonderful analysis, thank you

[@PianoDawg1620]

I can never get tired of this piece. Amazing analysis!

[@annykwok6578]

Thanks! Love the way you dissect and explain the piece. The introduction on the background of the publication was also very interesting. Your analysis absolutely helped me to understand this piece better. Thank you!

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you! 🙏

[@olgakviatkovskaia4587]

So true analisis, flamante. Thank You. Wonderful pianist. 💖🎶🎶💖

[@oliviaegbunike5704]

You actually bring joy to my life, I'm amazed with your music analysis, I adore every video, super chuffed 😀

[@IsospinSymmetry]

Thank you for the analysis :) I am actually learning this piece for my ABRSM Grade 8 exam, and I want to enjoy the whole process, not just an exam robot. I really love the music pieces that have a mysterious sadness, and that the whole body is like flowing ocean waves. Pedaling through the whole piece can have a feeling of the echoing ocean waves

[@sylviestephanides8391]

Vous êtes un merveilleux, adorable pédagogue. L'émerveillement se lit dans vos yeux, dans votre voix, dans le son du piano si lumineux et tendre et souriant.... Et c'est tellement inspirant ! I love you! ❤

[@wisdomwayne]

Thank you Sir for this analysis. I am about to approach learning this for the Grade 8 exam. This analysis was most helpful.

[@Sulpha_Star1]

Great video my friend, love your passion for the clever chord changes used that create feeling and emotion. Also you play the piece very well at the end, when I finish what I'm learning now this is next on my list

[@smutnamezatka]

Man! An amazing channel and a beautiful rendition of my ever fave piece of piano music! But here's the FULL story of my encounter with the Barcarolle: Back in the early 90s I happened to lay my hands on a random CD with that piece on it, actually the whole Seasons. The artist or the pianist were unknown to me, however, as it was a defaced CD, probably one of those misprints that get rejected and thrown away (as far as I remember it read "The Beach Boys" on the disk, haha). I was a hard rocker around that era, yet I got to love the music regardless (no wonder why). Eventually I found out it was Czajkowsky and the tune was called June out of The Seasons. Years later, as I began performing as a duo (acoustic guitar and flute), I introduced this piece to my flautist and we arranged the piece for us. It sounded great for guitar as accompaniment and also doing the coda solo, and the flute running the leading line. But then I somehow lost the CD! So I had to find the recording. And here where the real pain began: while there are countless renditions of June available on internet, none of them was as rhythmic and as rocking as THAT one from the Beach Boys, just none! I started my search from all those Russian classic players, but they were all as one man making the rhythm disjointed, either with annoying pauses dragging the ever needed 4/4 signature into chaos full of suspense, or galloping like a crazy Rachmaninov. No, no! And, to my surprise, the bigger name, the worse it was getting, with Lang Lang being the worst! Olga Scheps' rendition being the only decent one - still not quite as that original one. Until… I found out my June here! Man, your rendition just holds together greatly, it rocks, it flows, with virtually almost no silly holding over notes, no hanging over, nothing - it just flows smoothly. I'm Polish and I just hate what 95% of pianists do to my Chopin, that is transforming his tempo/timeline, which is supposed to look like a sinusoid, into a stock market rating graph! Horrible. So, thank you for doing justice to June and for me finally being able to put my quest for the recording of my fave June to an end. Your rendition I could almost confuse for that unforgettable "The Beach Boys" rendition, but now Im kind of ok with the fact I havent found it - as Ive found yours. :-)

[@SonataSecrets]

Wow, thank you so much for sharing, I'm truly honored! And I'm happy you found peace in your search somehow in my interpretation. When it comes to Chopin, Zimerman is one of my favourites, I think he manages to hold a balanced and transparent approach that is nevertheless full of life. Although I can't see that he has recorded the Seasons (but for example in the Chopin Barcarolle he is my ideal).

[@lykeioschoolprojects9806]

wow interesting story. May I offer a suggestion as the best rendition (my opinion) of the Seasons and other Tchaikovsky piano music by none other than the great Sviatoslav Richter. His lp with only Tchaikovsky piano pieces must be one of my top 5 out of thousands of Classical music piano recordings. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIibmpVpd7Ktqac a bit on the slow side, but oozing melancholy, a quality quite inherent with Richter as a person.

[@RUT812]

You play beautifully. 😊I’m working on this piece now.

[@ЭммаХасанова-з3л]

БРАВО!!!

[@AlanMcLean-p6v]

Thank you for a very detailed analysis of this lovely piece. The melody is ur-Russian - there’s sadness even at the height of summer.

[@edadib2571]

Thanks so much for teaching and enlightening us about the nuances of beautiful classical piano. I love your channel and I'm forever grateful.

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you so much Ed!

[@oleksiipotapov3488]

Amazing work and performance

[@PianoStopcom]

Well done! I really liked your tutorial, thanks for taking your time and filming it!

[@SonataSecrets]

Thanks, I'm happy you liked it!

[@Rosangela161]

Thank you, didactic and educative post. I love it. Congratulations.

[@SonataSecrets]

I'm glad you liked it :)

[@Rosangela161]

@@SonataSecrets ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐+

[@colinmcnamara344]

I love this tune, and i keep hearing it quoted in jazz tunes, which always makes me smile :)

[@nachobioteck]

This is is my favorite channel now! You do such a good job!!

[@SonataSecrets]

I'm so happy you like the content Ignacio. Thanks so much for supporting the channel!

[@daevaskye]

Beautifully played and I think you really capture the " simple but beautiful, melancholic melody' in your interpretation without the overuse of rubato typical of so many other renditions.

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you so much!

[@siutan6315]

Thanks for the insightful analysis !

[@deborahpuerini360]

cannot get this beautiful song out of my head! Love your version. Thank you so much.

[@chechemko]

Bravo, perfect lesson, love it

[@jennifergoldin8179]

Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing your musical insights and for your lovely playing

[@sevdanovruzova7242]

Thank you so much 💓 🙏👏👏👏

[@sarahmiller2217]

I love your videos, especially when the little emojis pop up - so descriptive! They help me so much with learning pieces. Thank you 😊

[@eylul9303]

this was lovely thank you!!

[@thedogofchucknorris]

I love your channel, i really like your interpretation! I’m slowing it a bit down on the left hand when its playing some consecutive solo notes, it also sounds really pleasant. The beginning is really “simple” it feels really nice to play, I totally recommend!

[@SonataSecrets]

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoy it! :)

[@Shaggyy27]

Loved this, great work!

[@paulhwbooth]

A fine teacher.

[@1955robyn]

Wow! If only I had watched your analysis a few years ago. I played it with a community orchestra my daughter conducted. I wish I had appreciated the nuances more fully then. I shall revisit the piano solo version again. Thank you!

[@quynhaugust9592]

I love your analysis. I also watch your video on Chopin's Fantasie Impromptu and it helps inspire me to practice the piece. Thank you so much for your time and your contribution to the youtube music community.

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you, I'm happy to be here :)

[@heatherduthie9609]

You’re brilliant. Love the way you talk about this piece and you play it so beautifully. Really enjoyed your explanations of the different sections of the piece. You could have mentioned the fact that the composer is using the G Melodic Minor scale quite a lot in this piece, I think it’s quite significant :)

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you Heather! You're right, that's what I reach for when I highlight the F#, but of course Melodic minor is the more efficient technical term to describe it.

[@vejebe]

Great analysis. Learnt a lot. Thank you! Just started today with the first part. I played it slowly though.

[@jubalschoolofmusic3676]

One of my favorites pieces and you explained so good. I enjoyed your video

[@jjl8511]

Really beautiful piece.

[@valeriehitier9026]

Instructif merci

[@juliataranto6442]

Thank you. 😊 I have just embarked (embarced ha ha!) on this new piece. Your analysis and interpretation is so helpful. Such beauty in your playing. I am excited to learn it. Any tips on how to memorise it would be appreciated.

[@ricardonascimento6020]

Espetacular!!! Ganhou um inscrito.

[@SonataSecrets]

Obrigado!

[@garydmcgath]

Melodies made out of scales are a Tchaikovsky trademark, but this one's unusual in using an ascending scale. All the other examples I can think of (Pathétique Symphony, last movement of the 4th, Nutcracker Pas de Deux, etc., etc.) use descending scales.

[@tkegamingrb3780]

A barcarolle would be a song composed and sung on a boat. To understand this song, it would be like calming peaceful waves at the beginning and end, but at the middle point, or the climax, it would be like encountering a huge wave, a tsunami!

[@aurorixix]

Thank you!

[@happybattery]

thx so much ❤ support you🎉

[@alonfarji]

3:30 The D is not in tune, gives it the atmosphere of old recordings

[@twinblades-thewilltokeeplo6084]

Really enjoyed the analysis as I'm learning this piece. Hope you do Romance In F Minor by Tchaikovsky as well. =)

[@christopherzhu3161]

Love your analysis! Could you do more Bach?

[@carolzhang5076]

I’m struggling with ending of the first part, how can I practice it efficiently? Thx!

[@SonataSecrets]

In general I believe in checking each hand separately to see what the required movements are and how to do them, and them practicing slowly, and doing short bits at a time. After that move on to balance and rubato etc.

[@carolzhang5076]

@@SonataSecrets many thanks! I will try.

[@carolzhang5076]

Next question please - the usage of pedal made the music sounds ‘not clean’, any tips for practice? Thx!

[@kipkak80]

really good videos

[@pingw4315]

beautiful, thank you

[@izabellamardo1074]

Lindíssima música

[@johanveerman1529]

She called up. - Crowded House. It's like the same tune..?! 👂🏻

[@petersmets3104]

thanx Johan, for weeks I was wondering where I heard these notes before and indeed ... it was this Crowded House song. Yes!

[@CindyMusicPianoWorkshop]

How would you suggest one with small hands to play R.H chord like in bars 7, 8,9?

[@mariatucci438]

Giugno Barcarolle

[@mariapap8962]

"Giocoso" actually means playfully.

[@bifeldman]

I’m not sure you address the right hand two note slurs in the coda correctly. This is a real challenge and very curious.

[@acord5551]

🎵🎶

[@iacovnegru497]

Russian nr 1 ...rachamaninnof nr 1 music

[@yanlu149]

This is too hard for me

[@gerganastefanova-minona3362]

It's too fast. Not like this interpretation!

[@mahkeducation1583]

Very detailed analysis. Thank you very much!