Frederic Chopin was a Polish composer and pianist who lived in the 19th century. His musical genius and unique style made him one of the most influential composers of the Romantic era. One of his most well-known and beloved compositions is his set of 24 Preludes, Op. 28. Among these preludes is Prelude No. 20, commonly known as the "Testi Fryderyk Chopin Could It Be Magic" or "Chopin Prelude in C Minor.

Ede Terenyi. History and Analysis

The juxtaposition of classicism and actuality is a good description of the ambiguous position occupied by the Second Viennese School not only in the eyes of the scholars who research it, but also of composers who can be regarded as its successors. However, in the works and writings originating from the Second Viennese School we find a concentration of problems encountered by contemporary composers, especially the modernist ones. The aim of this article is to examine the role played by the representatives of the Second Viennese School in the reflections of selected twentieth-century composers, concerning their place in music history, the expressive categories present in their work, and their ambiguous attitude to tonality. A separate subject to be explored is the discourse used by contemporary composers to describe the music of their predecessors, full of both analytical categories and vivid metaphors. The quoted composers (Witold Lutosławski, György Ligeti, Helmut Lachenmannand Jonathan Harvey) may be identified with more-or-less radical modernist views. This article is guided by the thinking of Gianmario Borio and the idea of “historical appropriation”, according to which analysis of the works of the past helps composers to create their own artistic identities and to define their own place in the history of music. Keywords: the Second Viennese School, Witold Lutosławski, György Ligeti, Helmut Lachenmann, Jonathan Harvey, historical appropriation, contemporary composers’ writings

SUMMARY. Author of several hundred musical works, Ede Terényi (b. 1935) is a weighty and original personality within the cultural life of Transylvania. Composing did not mean to him merely a process of artistic creation based on incidental mathematical formulas. His entire being is continuously living within and through music. Music is the meaning of his life, his motivation for existence. He is a man with great sensitivity who lets himself be inspired by a word, an image, a gesture, a verse or a wonderful piece of music he has just heard. His works have been created by spontaneous inspiration, on the one hand and by a steady, conscious work on fine tuning his music, everything that belongs to the so called craftsmanship in composing, on the other.

Dimitrie Cantemir - Bridge of knowledge between the Orient and the Occident - Studies and Articles

Prince Cantemir’s theoretical musical creations aroused interest to musicologists2 in particular, but also to other categories of musicians, historiographers and anthropologists etc. A large number of articles, studies and books have been published since the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, their authors surprising more or less, aspects concerning the original creations of the Moldavian Prince but also aspects of his biography like some mismatch of the events presented by the latter in his works compared to the reality of his era.

Tesis doctoral. Universidad de La Rioja, 2015

This thesis studies the impact of Gerhard’s acquaintance with Arnold Schoenberg in his music and aesthetic thought of the 1920s. In the first part I examine Gerhard’s relationship to Schoenberg’s compositional and pedagogical principles, particularly during the period of studies in Vienna and Berlin (1923- 28). Schoenberg’s teachings are contextualized with respect to Gerhard’s earlier musical education. In the second part I study the transformation of Gerhard’s musical language in the period 1921 - 1927. I compare the first Apunt for piano (1921) –composed shortly before moving to Vienna—with three pieces composed for Schoenberg that I consider particularly interesting: the Divertiment for wind instruments (1926), the Andantino for violin, clarinet and piano (ca. 1927) and the first movement of the 1927 string quartet, written as final project of his studies in overt homage to Schoenberg’s String Quartet Nr. 2 Op. 10. None of these works has been thoroughly analyzed up to now. My study gives a detailed account of the compositional techniques implemented in these pieces and of the relationships with the music and ideas of Schoenberg. Significant affinities of Gerhard’s compositional methods with the music of other contemporary composers such as J. Matthias Hauer, Frederic Mompou, Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók are also examined. My analysis explains Gerhard’s methods of motivic integration, his use of symmetry and transpositional combination as key constructive determinants, the penchant to octatonic constructions in his harmony, his earliest techniques of serial pitch-class organization, the abundant (and often ironic) allusions to elements from the musical past (particularly from the 17th and 18th centuries) and the ascription of the pieces composed between 1926 and 1928 to neoclassical formalism. The understanding of Gerhard’s compositional technique and its transformations during the period of studies with Schoenberg is essential for an adequate comprehension of his mature works and the subsequent developments in his musical language.

Saint-Saëns, presidente della Société des instruments anciens

In this paper I propose a path of research that is entirely tangential to the long artistic and professional career of Camille Saint-Saëns, useful, however, to provide a further element of knowledge to that long phase of discovery and revaluation of ancient music that interested not only the choices of our composer, but also that part of the French musical life oriented to defend and strengthen the values of tradition in the name of the revanchist spirit that influenced the transalpine culture at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The story began at the beginning of the twentieth century and involved Samson’s author as honorary president of the Société des instruments anciens: a small ensemble founded in Paris in 1901 by Henri Casadesus who had the peculiarity of performing with old instruments on a repertoire of unpublished pieces from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, made by composers (often little known) belonging to the most important European musical traditions. The declared intention of the Société was to “reconstituer fidèlement l’ensemble des sonorités qu’employaient les compositeurs de l’époque" through a repertoire of completely unknown pieces, ‘discovered’ in unspecified French and foreign libraries. The members of the ensemble belonged almost all to the same family as the founder, but there was no lack of external participation such as that of the young Alfredo Casella, hired as harpsichordist in the first decade of the twentieth century. The vague indications in the brochures on the unknown pieces proposed by Société and the absence of feedback in the musicological literature have raised more than a few doubts about the true origin of this repertoire. The reason for Saint-Saëns’ authoritativeness as a famous composer for such a faded musical story remains unknown.

Classical Music With Big Mike

‘Could it Be Magic’, was the name of the pop song written by composer and singer Barry Manilow. It was magic, as it’s opening was taken directly from one of my favorite Romantic Era composers, especially for piano music, Frederic Chopin.

Barry Manilow

Frederic Chopin, the Polish composer and virtuoso pianist, was the quintessential Romantic composer. There was so much beautiful piano music from Frederic Chopin in his too brief life, that I call him Mr. Piano. We thank God for the time he did grant us with this wonderful composer of such beautiful romantic piano music.

Frederic Chopin [1810 – 1849]

Manilow incorporates Chopin’s short Prelude #20 in C-minor in my favorite piece by the legendary pop star. In showing how Manilow uses Chopin’s theme, I am in no way denigrating Manilow for using it.

Barry Manilow was doing the same thing as classical music composers whenever they ‘borrowed’ themes from their fellow masters. They did this as a sign of compliment and respect for those composers.

Also, many times the great composers, when liking one of their own themes or musical ideas very much, would often use that same theme in more than one piece they composed.

So, in the same way as I view classical composers borrowing and not stealing musical ideas, I see Manilow as not stealing from Chopin, but borrowing his theme, as a way to honor and show admiration to the great Frederic Chopin.

Of course, Manilow borrows more than just the theme, he literally borrows the whole short piece [with the beginning at the beginning of his song and the ending at the close of his song]. It is truly magic-Chopin magic, that is!

So, please turn up the volume and listen to Chopin, Mr. Piano’s prelude in C-minor, and then listen to it again in Barry Manilow’s, “Could It Be Magic”.

Chopin: Op.28, No. 20 Prelude in C minor :

Barry Manilow: “Could It Be Magic” :

20, commonly known as the "Testi Fryderyk Chopin Could It Be Magic" or "Chopin Prelude in C Minor." It is a hauntingly beautiful piece that captures the essence of Chopin's musical style. The prelude begins with a somber and melancholic melody in the C minor key.

The opening notes set the tone for the piece, evoking a sense of sadness and longing. As the piece progresses, the melody becomes more intense and passionate, displaying Chopin's ability to convey a wide range of emotions through his music. Chopin's use of harmonies and chords in this prelude is particularly noteworthy. He often combines dissonant and unresolved harmonies, creating a sense of tension and unease. This effectively captures the listener's attention and adds to the overall emotional impact of the piece. In addition to the captivating melodies and harmonies, the technical aspects of this prelude demonstrate Chopin's virtuosity as a pianist. The piece requires a high level of skill and dexterity, with its fast-paced arpeggios and intricate fingerwork. Chopin's ability to seamlessly transition between delicate passages and powerful chords showcases his mastery of the piano. "Testi Fryderyk Chopin Could It Be Magic" has been widely performed and recorded by numerous pianists over the years. It remains a popular choice for pianists and continues to captivate audiences with its beauty and complexity. Overall, this prelude is a testament to Chopin's unique musical voice and his ability to evoke deep emotions through his compositions. The "Testi Fryderyk Chopin Could It Be Magic" remains a timeless masterpiece that showcases Chopin's genius and continues to enchant listeners to this day..

Reviews for "Testi Fryderyk Chopin: The Musical Magician"

1. John - 1/5 stars - I was really looking forward to "Testi fryderyk chopin could it be magic", but I was left disappointed. The performances felt lackluster and uninspired, with no real emotional depth. It felt like the singers were just going through the motions without any real connection to the material. The production values were also quite poor, with the stage design looking cheap and outdated. Overall, I would not recommend this show.

2. Sarah - 2/5 stars - "Testi fryderyk chopin could it be magic" had potential, but it ultimately fell flat. While the concept of combining Fryderyk Chopin's music with magic tricks sounded interesting, the execution was disappointing. The magic tricks were poorly executed and lacked any sense of wonder or amazement. Additionally, the pacing of the show was off, with long stretches of nothing happening. The musical performances were decent, but they couldn't make up for the overall lackluster production. I wouldn't actively discourage others from seeing it, but I wouldn't recommend it either.

3. David - 2/5 stars - I had high hopes for "Testi fryderyk chopin could it be magic", but unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. The magic tricks were predictable and lacked any real wow factor. I found myself wanting more from the performances, as they felt too safe and predictable. The show lacked any cohesion or clear narrative, making it feel disjointed and confusing at times. Overall, it was a missed opportunity to create something truly magical and memorable.

4. Emily - 1/5 stars - I found "Testi fryderyk chopin could it be magic" to be a complete waste of time and money. The magic tricks were amateurish and poorly executed, with obvious sleight of hand techniques. The musical performances were also lackluster, with no real passion or emotion. The show felt disjointed and unorganized, making it difficult to follow. Overall, I was extremely disappointed and would not recommend this show to anyone.

Discovering the Magic in Testi Fryderyk Chopin's Musical Compositions