In this post remembering important events from piano history in the month of March, learn about the birth of two prominent composers, read about the premiere of one of the greatest oratorios, and remember a pioneering Croatian composer.
March 1 – Birth of Frédéric Chopin
Frédéric Chopin was born on March 1, 1810 in Żelazowa Wola, a small town outside of Warsaw. While he spent most of his adult life in Paris, Chopin’s love for the music of his homeland shows up in his mazurkas and polonaises. His virtuosic technique led to incredible new heights in piano playing, notably in his etudes, sonatas, and ballades. Today, Chopin is remembered in the annual International Chopin Piano Competition held every five years in Warsaw, Poland. Interested in learning about Chopin’s approach to teaching? Read this article by Jane Magrath about Chopin’s teaching style:
March 3 – Birth of Margaret Bonds
Margaret Bonds, an American composer, was born on March 3, 1913 in Chicago, Illinois. One of the most important students of Florence Price, Bonds was a Black composer known especially for her vocal compositions. One of her best known piano compositions is Spiritual Suite, a collection of three advanced works including “Troubled Water.” Are you teaching or learning Bond’s “Troubled Water?” Discover many excellent performance tips from pianist Sarah Rushing in this From the Artist Bench video:
March 5 – Death of Dora Pejačević
Dora Pejačević was a prominent Croatian composer and pianist who lived from 1885 to her untimely death on March 5, 1923 at the age of 37 after childbirth. Her compositional output of 58 opuses includes a variety of works for solo piano as well as lieder, a symphony, a piano concerto, and multiple chamber compositions.Typical of this transition period, her works are Romantic in style and explore virtuosic pianistic textures set against lyrical melodic lines. Interested in learning more about Dora Pejačević’s piano music? Check out these two repertoire videos by pianists Asher Armstrong and Ryan Kee:
March 23 – London Premiere of Handel’s Messiah
Although George Frederic Handel wrote a number of excellent works for keyboard, he was especially known for his operas and oratorios. On March 23, 1743, Handel’s famous oratorio Messiah was premiered in London. The three-part English oratorio is a musical delight, featuring over two hours of arias, choruses, and instrumental selections. Many pianists first encounter Handel through his Gavotte in G Major. Watch this video to learn more about this important pedagogical piece from pianist David Cartledge:
OTHER RESOURCES YOU MIGHT ENJOY:
- WEBINAR: Chopin: Scherzo No. 2 in B-flat Minor, Op. 31 with Spencer Myer
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO: Chopin: Waltz in B Minor, Op. 69, No. 2 by Susanna Garcia
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: You consistently have high school students that play extremely difficult repertoire such as Chopin Ballades. How do you prepare them to play this difficult repertoire at such a young age? by Nancy Bachus, Paul Wirth, Donald Morelock
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Chopin’s Teaching by Jane Magrath
- MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Chopin’s Pleyel by Jean-Jacques Eigeldinger
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO: Pejačević: Piano Sonata in A-flat, Op. 57 by Asher Armstrong
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO: Pejačević: Erinnerung (Remembrance), Op. 24 by Ryan Kee
- DISCOVERY BLOG: Five Things You Might Not Know About Margaret Bonds by Sarah Rushing
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO: Bonds: Troubled Water by Sarah Rushing
- MICROCOURSE: Music by Black Composers for Early Advanced Students (From Unsung Heroes in Piano Pedagogy: 20 Pieces by Black Composers to Use in Your Studio Now)
- REPERTOIRE VIDEO: Handel: Gavotte in G Major, HWV 491 (“Rigaudon”) by David Cartledge
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