What Instrument Do You Play?

[allegroamabile]

Yagan Kiely, who hasn't been on the forums in a while, posted something similar to this a long time ago but I felt very few of the regular posters responded. There are many of you out there that I don't know what instrument you play. Anyways, if you want, you can post what you play along with your favorite piece written for that instrument.

I am primarily a clarinettist but I also can play saxophone and very little piano. I would say my favorite piece in the clarinet repertoire is the Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, and for saxophone, the Glazunov Saxophone Concerto in E-flat major, Op. 109.

[sbeckmesser]

Violin (1st instrument, started when I was eight), piano (2nd instrument, at around twelve, too late to be really good at it), and harpsichord (picked up while studying performance practice in college). I own both a harpsichord (2-manual Hubbard from late 70s) and a couple of violins (1 regular, one Baroque). Looking now for a good and reasonably priced digital piano. I also own a bandoneon and was hoping to play tangos on it but the key layout is EXTREMELY non-intuitive and it may take too much of an investment in time for me to learn. Also had a few conducting lessons but no place to practice the few primitive skills I learned. Have also been seen (and, I hope, not heard) playing percussion instruments in ensembles that need an extra percussionist more than they need a violinist.

--Sixtus

[ZacPB189]

Things I can play, but won't (for reasons not to be explained):
Horn
Euphonium
Tuba

Things I can play and do:
Trumpet (Bb, but I'd like to get an F trumpet when (pronounced "IF") I get enough money)(My high range is horrible )
Keyboard (I like using synthesizers and would like to eventually learn organ pedals)
Recorder/Fife/Flute (I can play anything thats in the lowest octave in the key of C , not dependable in a life/death situation )
Timpani (provided the part isn't too difficult)

Things I would like to learn how to play:
English Horn
Harp
Trombone
improve Flute skills
...
Vuvuzela (jk)

[Rachmanijohn]

I play piano. My favorite piece to perform on the piano would probably be Rachmaninoff's Third Concerto.

[esko]

It's my dream to own a harpsichord!!!! But it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to get one
I play the piano since I was 8, learn to play the flute since 11, and guitar since last year.

Organ's one of my favorite, and I really want to learn it someday.

[Sergeï]

I played the violin for almost 15 years, but haven't had the time of late. What my favourite piece is would be a tough question; I've played quite a few baroque pieces (especially Bach and Vivaldi, sometimes as the soloist, sometimes as part of the orchestra), and I do love them dearly - and what kind of violinist couldn't like the 4 seasons? - but my absolute favourite would rather be closer to the romantic period. Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky all wrote exceptional pieces for the violin, as did Paganini, Sibelius, Saint-Saëns, Bruch,... The repertoire is just so rich it's hard to single one piece out. Beethoven's concerto in D does stick out a bit though

For the record, my girlfriend is a harpist and soprano, and her favourite piece would be either by Boieldieu or Alvars.

[sbeckmesser]

It's my dream to own a harpsichord!!!! But it's nearly IMPOSSIBLE for me to get one

I know what you mean. Until I found my harpsichord (on eBay, in fact) I had despaired of ever being able to afford one. Even kits have always been beyond my budget. The primary electronic substitutes (http://www.rolandus.com/search/?q=harpsichord&x=0&y=0) leave much to be desired, starting with the spacing of the keys. If you are in the USA, keep a watch on the Harpsichord Clearing House (http://www.harpsichord.com/). On very rare occasions, a reasonably good instrument comes up at an unusually good price. Don't hold out for a big two-manual, 60-note, 3-register instrument. You can get stupendous amounts of enjoyment with a more restricted range (which suits all of Bach, except the Italian Concerto and the Goldbergs, both of which require two keyboards) and with, say, two 8-foot registers (I hardly ever use the 4-foot register on my instrument). In fact, at HCH right now there's a Zuckermann Flemish single by Bryan Carroll that precisely fits this description and that sells for only(!) $4,800.

--Sixtus

[lovelymon97]

Yagan Kiely, who hasn't been on the forums in a while, posted something similar to this a long time ago but I felt very few of the regular posters responded. There are many of you out there that I don't know what instrument you play. Anyways, if you want, you can post what you play along with your favorite piece written for that instrument.


I am primarily a clarinettist but I also can play saxophone and very little piano. I would say my favorite piece in the clarinet repertoire is the Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115, and for saxophone, the Glazunov Saxophone Concerto in E-flat major, Op. 109.

Hi,

I am also a clarinettist. Have you played Three Intermezzi by Stanford; Sonate ES-Dur Opus 120 No. 2 by Johannes Brahms and Five Bagatelles (I. Prelude; II. Romance; V. Fughetta) by Gerald Finzi? How do you find these pieces?

[allegroamabile]

IMSLP has everything you mentioned besides the Finzi, due to it being under copyright law. They can be found right here.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Scores_f ... e_clarinet

[lovelymon97]

Hi, allegroamabile,

Thanks for your reply. I am not asking for any score, but I would like to hear some comments or readers' reviews on:

1. Three Intermezzi by Charles Villiers Stanford;
2. Sonate Es-Dur Opus 120 No. 2 by Johannes Brahms
3. Five Bagatelles (I. Prelude; II. Romance; V. Fughetta) by Gerald Finzi

Thanks!