Types of piano music

I found this interesting quote on pianos. I think it would put you in the right mindset to the journey we’re about to embark: “Life is like a piano, the white keys represent happiness and the black show sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys also create music.” – Unknown.

I find piano music simply fascinating. The instrument has the ability to take your thoughts far away. Every time I sit on my digital piano, time just fly by me. Those 88 keys can lift your spirit, soothe your pain, open wounds and heal that is there to heal. I would like to take you into the different types of piano music and its characteristics.

1- POLONAISE

The Polonaise is a Polish dance in ¾ time. The meaning of the word “polonaise” is “Polish” in French. This is a dance that Polish people usually dance at carnivals and other social gatherings as the studniowka. It is common to start the studniowka with a polonaise.

Frederic Chopin is famous or his sublime pieces written in this style. Even though his Polish heritage made his compositions strictly rooted to his country, many composers ventured into the powerful and moving polonaise. Ludwing van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian Bach and Peter IIylich Tchaikovsky have written polonaises. The polonaise is one of Poland’s five national dances. Mazurka, krakowiak, oberek and kujawiak are the others.

2- MAZURKA

The mazurka is a fusion between two other Polish dances, the Kujawiak and the oberek. During the 19th century it gained popularity among European ballrooms. It is a well-known dance all over the country, the Polish Anthem is a Mazurka. It is a famous classical music style; Frederik Chopin wrote 69 of them all over his lifespan. Even outside the borders of Poland others composers wrote mazurkas. Russia, France, Sweden, Portugal to name a few had been bewitched by the intoxicating beauty of the Mazurkas.

Russia has a deep fascination with this Polish dance. Tchaikovsky wrote many of them and are highly ranked among his work.

3- NOCTURNE

A nocturne is usually a piece of music that is inspired by night. Somber, mysterious and slow. The name comes from tunes reserved only for evening parties. The first recollection of the name nocturne used on such a piece of music comes from the 18th Century during Mozart time. Don’t be misled by the name, a nocturne was not meant to be inspired by night only, but it could have just been a piece that was played at night, similar to a serenade. Chopin was a prolific composer of this type of music, he wrote 21 on them, being “Nocturne in C sharp minor” one of the most recognizable.

4- SONATINA

If you’re reading this far you must have seen the word “sonata” before. You must assume that a “sonatina” is the same thing as a “sonata,” you’re both right and wrong about that assumption. A sonatina is a small sonata. A sonatina is so small that is really not classified and a piece of music. A sonatina is lighter and more cheerful than a sonata. You can compare Beethoven’s sonatina in F Major with his Moonlight Sonata and easily recognize that the sonatina is ligheter, the sonata is so much heavier and sad.

5- SONATA

The etimology of the word “sonata” comes from the latin word “sonare” which means “to sound.” It can also mean “a song played” in contrast to “a song sung.” The sonata went through many changes before landing in the classical era. By the 19th Century, it “came to represent a principle of composing large scale works.” As Wikipedia states.

6- CONCERTO

A concerto (plural: concerti) is a musical piece divided into three sections or movements. There’s usually one solo instrument playing and an orchestra accompanying the instrument. During the Baroque period, the concerto’s popularity waned but to be revived again in the 20th Century.

Many composers wrote music under this form. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote five violin concertos. Haydn wrote two cello concertos and more than a dozen piano concertos. Other famous instruments for this type of music are the flute, oboe, claritet, bassoon, horn, trumpet and harp.

7- WALTZ

This is a dance that is usually danced in a ballroom. This ¾ time folk dance is originally from Austria and Southern Germany. As the matter of fact, the waltz is called “Walzer” in Austrian. The French philosopher Montaigne, described it as a dance where each partner held each other so close that their faces touched. During the 19th and 20th century, many form of the waltz existed, such as the ¾ waltz, 6/8 waltz, and 5/4 waltz. A well-known piano piece is the Minute Waltz by Frederic Chopin.

8- PRELUDE

This a short piece of music, it changes from piece to piece. During the Baroque era it was used as an introduction to a longer and more complex piece. During the Romantic era, it became a standalone piece. A prelude is mostly improvisatory.

It is well documented that the first preludes were organ pieces. Mostly played in churches around 1448. During the Renaissance, it was used as a piece to warm up and check the instrument sound quality. The firs piano preludes appeared in France during the 17th century. The development of 17th century Germany preludes led to something similar to a keyboard toccata.