The Heart Asks Pleasure First (from The Piano) - Analysis and Performance

[@ricowilko]

The quintuplets! Finally someone addressing the elephant in the room. This part of the score has time signatures all over the shop.

[@stefanstiefsohn5398]

This is one of those pieces which look simple on the surface but can break your heart if the performer understands what it's about.

[@pascalegasse9569]

Thank you very much for sharing ! this is such a beautiful piece. That movie and this music is the reason why I started learning piano 🎹 🇨🇦♥️

[@dementiy2000]

Just can't believe it's true... me also start learning piano because of that movie and music...

[@LucBoeren]

Superb tutorial, thanks so much!

[@jco482]

It's been SO LONG that I haven't had access to an analysis with so much quality! And your interpretation is absolutely lovely! Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge! 🙏

[@seancregomusic]

This is a fabulous piece! I have had so many students work on it and I made a recording of it myself on my old very worn out piano, and it still worked because the textures are that good! The best recording of this piece, ever, is Valentina Lisitsa's.

[@SonataSecrets]

Yeah, it's hard to compete with Lisitsa's... such smooth touch there.

[@jenesuispassanslavoir7698]

I think this is true of so much of Nyman's film music, particularly his Greenaway scores because Greenaway often films these long set pieces that work like paintings and have a lot of narrative space for the music to tell a story. Also love that you included the quintuplets, which everyone seems to miss out.

[@PianoScenesMoviesandSeries]

It's great you're still uploading. I'm a big fan.

[@SonataSecrets]

Thanks Leon!

[@rinztv3603]

Really content worth following, your way of presenting the clips is organized and structured

[@SonataSecrets]

Thank you!

[@rbartels1996]

Actually I noticed that there is a lot of confusion going on about the three pieces. The Heart Asks Pleasure First is a very short piece (1:36 long) and starts right at the Main Part and goes like this: MAIN :|| CHORUS | DEVELOPMENT ||: CHORUS :|| Also, it differs from The Sacrifice (the piece I think you are playing) in some notes. At the end of the first bar, you play b c e b c, whereas it should be b c b c b. And there are quite a few spots in the part were there is a minor second going up and down instead of the 3 notes you play. I think this totally changes the atmosphere of the piece, it makes it a whole lot more passionate and romantic but also more unsettling. There are more differences in the melody and the filling 16th notes, you can hear it for yourself on Spotify. The Promise is just same as The Heart Asks Pleasure First, but it starts with the slow CHORUS and has strings added, as you said. In addition, it has a whole orchestral piece added at the end. Because of the harsh beginning, the unsettling and passionate effect the extra minor seconds have, and because of the abrupt end, I like The Heart Asks Pleasure First most. I'd love to hear other musicians' opinions about it!

[@eltonwild5648]

Thank you so much. Love this piece. I remember requesting this many month ago.

[@SonataSecrets]

Oh yeah, that's right! I have many pieces in line... glad you're still here :)

[@atmadeepmukherjee5550]

Amazing, Sir! It sounds like dance music. You play every type of music so beautifully! You are an amazing pianist!

[@piarno1]

Very helpful analysis and great piece!

[@SonataSecrets]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@conxitapeyrodiaz8110]

Gracias maestro, por tus enseñanzas, que bien nos haces a los que queremos tocar bien, el piano. Para mi eres único, cada vez que me pongo al piano, gracias, gracias maestro.💕💕💕

[@chakkowchau2922]

Nice and clear presentation, thank you!

[@louispetrucciani7558]

Bravo très belle interprétation

[@missjoblue7992]

This is very interesting. Thank you

[@drdandan6128]

Thank you for introducing this! It's my new favorite movie now,🎦 not to mention how good this piece and your analysis are! 🎶😊

[@SonataSecrets]

Yes, they are really good piano pieces!

[@Eva_Piano]

Thank you very much!

[@arvo_cado]

Love your videos. Keep it up💪 I would like to see an analysis about Erik Satie's - Pieces Froides ("Danses de Travers or the "Airs a faire fuir"), just a beautiful collection of pieces. Greetings from Germany

[@SonataSecrets]

Thanks! Didn't know about those pieces, will check it out!

[@gregswanson5069]

@@SonataSecrets Excellent suggestion. Check our this video of a guitar duet of Danses de Travers. These pieces are haunting. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aITZnYB_rLNjfpY

[@myhumbleopinion1036]

Great video and rendition of this piece. Another great piece from the same composer/movie is Big My Secret. It's really something else.

[@SonataSecrets]

I'm practicing it right now ;)

[@ericrakestraw664]

When you played the theme from "Downton Abbey," I commented on how similar it sounded to this piece from "The Piano" soundtrack. Little did I know, you had already covered the Nyman piece. What a serendipitous coincidence! 😁

[@LuddyVonBeat]

Hi do you use sometimes piano software and what do you think is the best vst? Really enjoy your lessons thank you.

[@maternalheart66]

Henrik, could you please do the A major prelude and fugue from Shostakovich 24 preludes and fugues?

[@JeffriAbdullah]

Superb

[@bongosock]

Yes, in the dramatic climax section, he varies the rhythm by removing one note. The result of the removal is very unsettling - in both cases.

[@haimcampbell]

The melody is a tradtional scottish tune "Lord Balgonie's Favourite". It should really have been noted by the composer.

[@LuddyVonBeat]

Seems to me that Led Zeppelin's Stairway to heaven is more inspired by that tune ahah

[@haimcampbell]

@@LuddyVonBeat considering this piece just uses the identical melody line, I would disagree. Perfectly legal, just a shame it's not acknowledged.

[@LuddyVonBeat]

@@haimcampbell I have to agree with you and thank you. I listened first to the version on Seonaidh Morton page and that does sound like stairway to heaven.

[@haimcampbell]

@@LuddyVonBeat ha yes you are spot on, just had a listen. Led Zep were renowned for reworking existing work, so that could well be the base. Didn't Jimmy Page once complain that Plant was lazy sometimes and didn't change the lyrics he stole enough? Composition is beyond me,so I'm not gonna judge too much.

[@friedrichengels9216]

👏🏻💗

[@chanhnguyen2215]

Could you arrange this piece music as a simple edition arrangement.You have already three volumes; I need you have more volume 4 and ect..Thank you and good luck.

[@CatkhosruShapurrjiFurabji]

Hello there, this is just fabulous music! Also, could you please do an analysis on Bartok's piano sonata (Sz.80)? Thanks.

[@Eric-xt3os]

@2:20, you mention the 9, but I thought 9/11 etc. only came after the 7 was introduced, in this case that would be a G, but without a G, isn't B adding the 2?

[@MariMari-mz8mp]

Cool

[@happylittlemonk]

You did not mention that the root of this tune is based on a traditional them, which I think is Irish, not sure.

[@FrancisCharlotteK]

is the whole Piece in a minor?

[@ammipampasoto6122]

😮😊

[@robinpetersson3081]

I've tried to play it but it's too hard, lol. Definitely an intermediate to advanced piece.

[@SonataSecrets]

Yeah... I think the "main" section is more available, then it gets harder in the middle section.

[@jeffreykaufmann2867]

I can only play the first 11 Bars. After that I no longer hear the melody from the accented notes even though I'm hitting them hard. This isn't a piece that I can learn to play by watching a Video. Too difficult.I can Play Beethoven's 19th and 20th Sonata. Easier for me then THAFP.

[@sirchoppy1810]

😎

[@omgtkseth]

Cool analysis and yet you play without passion. It's like playing Nirvana's "Smells like teen spirit" with a harp. You do not understand the piece.

[@laneige4524]

Do not watch the movie!!