Music is hard. Doing this for a career is hard. It’s not your usual 9-5 job that you can forget about at the end of the day. It’s something that permeates your life, the good and the bad, whether you want it to or not. It resonates with and pounds against your soul and it forces its way out – either with love or frustration. And just when you think there is no possible way for more, it creeps in with warmth and fills you with something inexplicable. Yes, music is hard. But there’s nothing else I’d rather do.
With that in mind, here are some more of my favorite pieces to listen to for a “pick-me-up”:
Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet
You all know how I feel about this piece (swoon!). It’s the perfect balance of playfulness, love, agitation, and heartbreak. Read more here.
Also, check out Prokofiev’s piano arrangements:
Bladed Stance by Marcos Balter
This is a super cool 21st-century composition that involves complex rhythms, play with colors, and whistling. Yep. Read more and check out a live performance here.
Op 117 (Intermezzi) by Brahms
I love the emotion in this work. A group of three lullabies, Brahms tells a different story through each one. Read more here.
So yes, music is hard. But I can honestly say that it fills me with life and purpose. All of these works are extremely different, but they all cry out with beauty and pain in their own relatable ways. What are some of your favorite pieces?
Be sure to check out parts one and two of my music favorites!