Prelude No. 15, nicknamed the “Raindrop” by Chopin’s gf George Sand, presumably because of the endless goddamn plunking on that A♭, which feels like rain. Of all the pieces in the classical repertoire, I think it would be fair to say that this is among the wettest. I’ve been playing it since I was about 14, but I still have to look at the music because I’m a hack and a grifter.
"there are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists." -Horowitz The Piano arch is the final confirmation of Natalie's lesbianism and we love that for her! Gold stars all around.
I think she would interpret the 15th movement from Messiaen's Vingt Regards well. There's something about it which is so intensely emotional towards the end. While the music itself is quite different to Satie's Gymnopedies/Gnossienes, both pieces make you feel the same way, kind of nostalgic, I suppose. This Chopin prelude also sort of makes you feel nostalgic as well.
This calmed my cat down in the middle of her zooming around the house. Not sure if she is a Chopin fan or a Natalie fan. Either way, I appreciate the calm.
watches: regal, sombre, magnificent, elevated performance of art r e a d s d e s c r i p t i o n: "Dedicated to my virtual 18th century lover Élisabeth"
one of my favourites of Chopin. the turbulent "stormy" B section makes the return of the A section that all the more sweeter and softening. it really places the main theme into a new context. the story goes that this prelude came to Chopin whilst he was asleep during a rainstorm and the sound of the rain caused him to dream that he was drowning, trapped in a lake with the water washing over him. he woke up with a start and still shaken, ran to the piano and penned this to calm himself down. true story or not, this piece is a brilliant example of romanticism era musical symbolism and of Chopin's uncanny ability to invoke the bittersweet.
This painting holds a really special place in my heart. This is a self portrait by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, hangs in the National Gallery in the 18th century painting octagon room. It’s so majestic, you can’t possibly fathom the effect that this big sky has with the figure-subject; It really does feel as if Le Brun is moving towards you.The composition feels so familiar and alive; the colors are vibrant and technique is brilliant, the fabric which is so virtuosly done and her masterful use of chiaroscuro which here is so subtle yet sublime; but granted, it’s Le Brun we’re talking about!
I remember first listening this music when I was 12, during the movie _Prometheus_ . There's no day ever since I haven't listened or thought about this melody. I absolutely adore your rendition, Natalie. Thank you.
I was listening to Satie alot today thanks to your highlighting of it. Thank you for these, love them so much :)
2 года назад+2
It's amazing how creators like Natalie can introduce new things to people, in this case classical music ☺ the and TwosetViolin are doing great work on that front!
2 года назад+2
If you'd like more, try listening to Debussy and Ravel as well!
The portrait in the background stares into my soul and is the final judgement of my life's actions. She weighs my heart but does not tell me how heavy it is because she can not speak. She is a painting.
Honestly- playing this surrounded by lavish furnishings, while alone, and also as a poetic queer person, is like channeling Frederic's own spirit and probably way closer than a concert performance to how he wanted this piece to be experienced. C'est magnifique, chère Contra.
Chopin wasn't queer and let's be real, you don't know a thing about how he wanted 'this piece to be experienced' - you're just saying how *you* think it should be experienced.
@@helvete_ingres4717 there's some proof that he was, but those letters are kept mostly secret. And i have to say that no one can know what he wanted - not now after almost 200 years
@@helvete_ingres4717 Chopin wasn't from like ancient history it was only the 1800s, we know quite lot about his life including his intentions for his art in quite a lot of detail. It is certainly the case that playing in private living rooms and salons rather than concert halls was his preferred venue, and this is also clear from his musical style: Gentle, playing with the tone colours of a quietly played piano.
@@TheYopogo you describe his 'musical style' in caricatured terms, in exact complement to the common caricature of Liszt as nothing but a flamboyant technical performer which I'm sure is how it is in your head. 'Piano' is short for pianoFORTE, to make a general characterisation of 'gentle' is to characterise it as UNmusical, especially for as piano-centric a composer as Chopin who fyi wrote in forms like the concerto too. Listen to the actual top-tier of his piano writing, not just the tunes you'll hear in TV shows and such - say the coda of the first ballade, then tell me what is so 'gentle' about it
Your journey as an artist and a person has been something quite special to watch. Your playing is lovely, the setting is exquisite and I hope you are doing well.
I came across your channel when you uploaded the Gymnopedies. I really admire your content and I’m glad you’ve decided to start sharing some of your musical passion too. I’m in University for piano now and composition now, and honestly I love your interpretations. Never stop doing what you love :)
That page turn was slick AF. One art to master in piano is the art to flip pages without the flow of the piece breaking. This rendition as a whole is excellent!
On one hand, I cannot help but deeply appreciate the beauty of this piece, as it is played by a literal based goddess, Natalie, and on the other hand… *flashbacks to Halo 3 intensifies*
I'm not sure makeup is a passion of hers anymore, she's not posted many makeup looks to her insta in a long time. I think she's gone past her learning and experimentation stage and just has a few standard looks she's happy with that she uses most days
I feel like she's... Perhaps distancing from the 'drag' persona? Maybe it makes her feel, I dunno, like play-acting hyperfemininity isn't quite it anymore.
I love this. The whole vibe. Feels like you could be a character in a book by Stefan Zweig, a poetic, quiet intellectual girl working on her piano while deciding which suitor to pick, the dashing young lieutenant from the garrison or the beautiful pastry chef from the shop on the square.
I don't know the music word for the middle part of songs, but the middle part of this never fails to make me weep desperately. Came here for a video to watch while eating breakfast and now I'm ugly crying over my toast and coffee.
Sweet! Love Chopin! My favorite dead musical artist from that era! People are more familiar with the "funeral" dirge then him, it's sad. He wrote such great pieces full of light and darkness sometimes in the same work. Natalie plays it so beautifully!
I love this piece!! I also remember playing it as a teenager, and it was always the best when it was raining outside. I wish I had my piano with me rn😭😭
The plunking of that A might be annoying to you who is playing it but it really does sound like the gentle rain. I loved it. Thanks for sharing the calm.
I don't know much about piano playing but i find it amazing how much subtle control you have over the volume of each hand separately- it makes it so that repetitive "raindrop" line somehow connects all the phrases together. Really contemplative
Please keep posting this kind of content, lol I haven’t ever had much of a foot in the door on baroque/classical/pre-20th century music, and this is cool
She makes classical music feel like a safe place. I've always felt like I didn't belong in that kinda music and always avoided it like the plague. I trust her taste and talent. This is good music!
Beautiful! I love this prelude. This used to be one of my favorite Chopin pieces, but now I'd say Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 1 and Etude Op. 10, No. 3. Actually - it's hard to choose. It's all good.
Ok so I work at an animal shelter, and I just realized that I recognize this piece because we play it for the dogs sometimes to help calm them down :’) Well played Natalie, beautiful ❤️
This might be the most basic opinion out there, but "Raindrops" has always touched me deep to the core. It's the very first piece I've heard from him (knowing it was his), and ever since it's brought up goosebumps, and almost always brought me to tears. For me, the proper nickname to this song would be "Teardrops". Natalie's playing didn't change this emotion it inflicts, I felt a personal interpretation with it. I have nothing but respect for Natalie's skills, I'm certain Berklee would've done wonders to already ample skills. I have a friend who flew from here in Finland to train drumming in Berklee himself, and I have the impression it's an intimidating, but exciting opportunity. It's no wonder if you feel overwhelmed by the skill level with people there. But my love for Natalie's work is here, in this channel. I'm glad I ever found this channel, and fell in love with the video essays - even the terrible gaming streams with A+ entertainment, yet C- gaming skills.
I'm not very into classical music (literally only know one by name and thats moonlight sonata as I sometimes listen to it going to sleep) and as far as I know I've never heard this before but it made my heart ache, it's such a beautiful piece of music but there is something so lonely about it to me... Maybe that's just the last 18 months colouring my experience though!
![The moment we stopped understanding AI [AlexNet]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/UZDiGooFs54/mqdefault.jpg)
Prelude No. 15, nicknamed the “Raindrop” by Chopin’s gf George Sand, presumably because of the endless goddamn plunking on that A♭, which feels like rain. Of all the pieces in the classical repertoire, I think it would be fair to say that this is among the wettest. I’ve been playing it since I was about 14, but I still have to look at the music because I’m a hack and a grifter.
I always need to look at my hands when I type - you’re not alone.
you're a beautiful and amazingly talented goddess and i'm simping hard 🥰
Love you🎹💜💜✨✨🎶
Reject: comfort of self-deprecation
Embrace: acknowledgement of own hard work and talent
MY QUEEN!!!!!!!!!!
"there are three kinds of pianists: Jewish pianists, homosexual pianists, and bad pianists."
-Horowitz
The Piano arch is the final confirmation of Natalie's lesbianism and we love that for her! Gold stars all around.
No kidding, I’m all three of those things... 😳
SPEAKING of which - anybody who hasn't heard his take on the prelude definitely needs check it out!
I'm a half-jewish, bisexual piano teacher. I wonder where I stand.
So according to Horowitz, Chopin was a bad pianist!
@@justin6777 😂
I'm honestly shocked that, with an army of stans so voraciously devoted, Natalie has to TURN HER OWN PAGES?! We have failed her.
I'm certain there's a good couple thousand of us who would dedicate our lives to turning pages on Natalie's behalf
Sheesh
@@alexladon9757 she could literally start a cult if she wanted she’s being very responsible tbh
Natalie ??
This is unacceptable
Hey Natalie, I just wanted to say that from one pianist to another, I'm really loving these piano vids! Would love to hear more
More!!!!
Agreed!
I play guitar. And I KNOW you do too Contra! Bust out the les paul if you still got it woman!!!
I think she would interpret the 15th movement from Messiaen's Vingt Regards well. There's something about it which is so intensely emotional towards the end. While the music itself is quite different to Satie's Gymnopedies/Gnossienes, both pieces make you feel the same way, kind of nostalgic, I suppose. This Chopin prelude also sort of makes you feel nostalgic as well.
Can you stop being so wildly entertaining, I can't stan any harder.
can’t afford to
We say that, but we always manage to.
i love the reclaiming of that random ass 18th century portrait as a picture of natalie
And now that lady is Natalie's gf in Ambition
This calmed my cat down in the middle of her zooming around the house. Not sure if she is a Chopin fan or a Natalie fan. Either way, I appreciate the calm.
Nyatalie fan
Maybe it calmed you and your cat took notice. Animals are emotional sponges after all. Take care of yourself to take care of your cat.
OMG same thing JUST happened to my cats!!
Yep, same here. My Cleo is loving this 😻😻
watches: regal, sombre, magnificent, elevated performance of art
r e a d s d e s c r i p t i o n: "Dedicated to my virtual 18th century lover Élisabeth"
one of my favourites of Chopin. the turbulent "stormy" B section makes the return of the A section that all the more sweeter and softening. it really places the main theme into a new context.
the story goes that this prelude came to Chopin whilst he was asleep during a rainstorm and the sound of the rain caused him to dream that he was drowning, trapped in a lake with the water washing over him. he woke up with a start and still shaken, ran to the piano and penned this to calm himself down.
true story or not, this piece is a brilliant example of romanticism era musical symbolism and of Chopin's uncanny ability to invoke the bittersweet.
Listening to this while it is raining outside my window. This is a revelation
Ah, sweet crysalism.
Loving the self portrait in the background, she actually does look like you. 😊
Edit: A stunning performance, both visually and audibly.
This painting holds a really special place in my heart. This is a self portrait by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, hangs in the National Gallery in the 18th century painting octagon room. It’s so majestic, you can’t possibly fathom the effect that this big sky has with the figure-subject; It really does feel as if Le Brun is moving towards you.The composition feels so familiar and alive; the colors are vibrant and technique is brilliant, the fabric which is so virtuosly done and her masterful use of chiaroscuro which here is so subtle yet sublime; but granted, it’s Le Brun we’re talking about!
@@matteomagurno3068 Yes, there is something about it, almost like she is staring back at me.
i got the notification for this video just as i was about to doze off... thank you for the most beautiful lullaby
I remember first listening this music when I was 12, during the movie _Prometheus_ . There's no day ever since I haven't listened or thought about this melody.
I absolutely adore your rendition, Natalie.
Thank you.
I was listening to Satie alot today thanks to your highlighting of it. Thank you for these, love them so much :)
It's amazing how creators like Natalie can introduce new things to people, in this case classical music ☺ the and TwosetViolin are doing great work on that front!
If you'd like more, try listening to Debussy and Ravel as well!
Listen to Galina Ustvolskaya and leave those famous composers to the plebeians
The greatest performance of this piece is by Sokolov, give it a listen.
The portrait in the background stares into my soul and is the final judgement of my life's actions. She weighs my heart but does not tell me how heavy it is because she can not speak. She is a painting.
It´s Élisabeth Vigée-Lebrun´s self-portrait. She was a badass lady.
@@themroc8231 I truly believed it was a fan-made portrait of Natalie, the resemblance is uncanny
It's beautiful
😭😭
ahh Natalie you did the female arousal prelude!
Is this a regular thing, now? Natalie playing classical music? I could totally get behind that. :)
Fantastic rendition of the piece. I love it. :)
Honestly- playing this surrounded by lavish furnishings, while alone, and also as a poetic queer person, is like channeling Frederic's own spirit and probably way closer than a concert performance to how he wanted this piece to be experienced. C'est magnifique, chère Contra.
Chopin wasn't queer and let's be real, you don't know a thing about how he wanted 'this piece to be experienced' - you're just saying how *you* think it should be experienced.
@@helvete_ingres4717 Shut up, let us romanticize our lives in peace
@@helvete_ingres4717 there's some proof that he was, but those letters are kept mostly secret.
And i have to say that no one can know what he wanted - not now after almost 200 years
@@helvete_ingres4717 Chopin wasn't from like ancient history it was only the 1800s, we know quite lot about his life including his intentions for his art in quite a lot of detail.
It is certainly the case that playing in private living rooms and salons rather than concert halls was his preferred venue, and this is also clear from his musical style: Gentle, playing with the tone colours of a quietly played piano.
@@TheYopogo you describe his 'musical style' in caricatured terms, in exact complement to the common caricature of Liszt as nothing but a flamboyant technical performer which I'm sure is how it is in your head. 'Piano' is short for pianoFORTE, to make a general characterisation of 'gentle' is to characterise it as UNmusical, especially for as piano-centric a composer as Chopin who fyi wrote in forms like the concerto too. Listen to the actual top-tier of his piano writing, not just the tunes you'll hear in TV shows and such - say the coda of the first ballade, then tell me what is so 'gentle' about it
Can't wait for your rendition of "Torrent", which is far wetter than this...
The ocean etude (Op. 25 No. 12) is definitely wetter than torrent
@@lmichaelgreenjr Came here to say this
@@lmichaelgreenjr Touche
Just when we thought we couldn't get any more wet...
@L. Michael Green Op. 10 No. 1 "Waterfall" would also be quite wet, the first Godowsky version more so than the original
I’m sure Madame le Brun (or dare I say Élisabeth) in the background is just as delighted by the beautiful playing as I am!
beautiful, breathtaking and truly simp-worthy. You have done it again mére
Very beautiful and soul cleansing, thank you for sharing
Well this cured my postpartum depression. Thank you Natalie 💕
Breathtaking as always, Natalie. Hope all is well ❤️
Your journey as an artist and a person has been something quite special to watch. Your playing is lovely, the setting is exquisite and I hope you are doing well.
Waking up this beautiful autumn morning, then drinking a warm cup of coffee while listening to this was absolutely magical! Thank you Natalie.
I love this song. I'm such a nerd that it always make me think of that Halo 3 diorama commercial. You played it wonderfully.
Halo 3's Believe and Prometheus' David intro scene are two of my favorite uses of the piece.
Yes! Maybe the best TV ad for a game I've ever seen, in large part due to this perfect song choice.
lol I just commented the same thing - thought I would be the only one. I'm so glad there are more of us.
I came across your channel when you uploaded the Gymnopedies. I really admire your content and I’m glad you’ve decided to start sharing some of your musical passion too. I’m in University for piano now and composition now, and honestly I love your interpretations. Never stop doing what you love :)
This is the piece that got me into classical music. I love the journey it takes you on.
That page turn was slick AF. One art to master in piano is the art to flip pages without the flow of the piece breaking. This rendition as a whole is excellent!
This is my favorite Chopin song . I used to listen to it all the time to study or smoke weed.
what a lovely steinway, the inside case looks beautiful.
Natalie you are SO talented never stop posting these performances!
Thank you for inspiring us
When I sing, I am always looking at the sheet music in my mind. I visually memorize it and have I running through my head as I sing.
Your music is the song of the nightingale from which the darkness of the night recedes, if only for a brief moment. Bravo.
On one hand, I cannot help but deeply appreciate the beauty of this piece, as it is played by a literal based goddess, Natalie, and on the other hand… *flashbacks to Halo 3 intensifies*
I adore that you are using this secondary channel to share your other passions with the world. Makeup tutorial streams soon?
I'm not sure makeup is a passion of hers anymore, she's not posted many makeup looks to her insta in a long time. I think she's gone past her learning and experimentation stage and just has a few standard looks she's happy with that she uses most days
I feel like she's... Perhaps distancing from the 'drag' persona? Maybe it makes her feel, I dunno, like play-acting hyperfemininity isn't quite it anymore.
I love this. The whole vibe. Feels like you could be a character in a book by Stefan Zweig, a poetic, quiet intellectual girl working on her piano while deciding which suitor to pick, the dashing young lieutenant from the garrison or the beautiful pastry chef from the shop on the square.
I don't know the music word for the middle part of songs, but the middle part of this never fails to make me weep desperately. Came here for a video to watch while eating breakfast and now I'm ugly crying over my toast and coffee.
Sweet! Love Chopin! My favorite dead musical artist from that era! People are more familiar with the "funeral" dirge then him, it's sad. He wrote such great pieces full of light and darkness sometimes in the same work. Natalie plays it so beautifully!
your tempo is less restrained here, more musicality and less metronome compared to the satie. thank you you for this lovely rendition
Beautiful playing of an amazing piece. That major modulation in the b section is what hope sounds like.
I love this piece!! I also remember playing it as a teenager, and it was always the best when it was raining outside. I wish I had my piano with me rn😭😭
im dealing with some weird combo of grief and regret and guilt and all kinds of things right now and this song is really comforting me right now
This is really peaceful to listen to while I draw :)
I’ve always loved the music she puts in her videos, so it’s super cool to hear her perform music too
There's a playlist on Spotify, it's so perfect
This is a very beautiful performance. Thank you for sharing.
This brought some peace to the chaos. Thank you!
This piece was my gateway drug to classical music
The plunking of that A might be annoying to you who is playing it but it really does sound like the gentle rain. I loved it. Thanks for sharing the calm.
Her genius is only matched by her beauty and grace.
I love Chopin's preludes, beautifully done.
I don't know much about piano playing but i find it amazing how much subtle control you have over the volume of each hand separately- it makes it so that repetitive "raindrop" line somehow connects all the phrases together. Really contemplative
Please keep posting this kind of content, lol
I haven’t ever had much of a foot in the door on baroque/classical/pre-20th century music, and this is cool
I thought this was a stream and clicked instantly but this is nice too ❤️
She makes classical music feel like a safe place. I've always felt like I didn't belong in that kinda music and always avoided it like the plague. I trust her taste and talent. This is good music!
This is the first piece I learned how to play on the piano, and the one that inspired me to learn. Love the dramatic middle section!
Nice piece. I appreciate your use of dynamics throughout. It really added more depth and emotion. Thank you.
Ive been watching your videos for comfort with my depressions and it’s been helping a lot. And now this? Playing my favourite composer? I’m dying
You got the print of the Madame Le Brun portrait people say looks like you! I love it!
Such a delight!
Absolutely beautiful!
A lovely reminder of the variety of your talents.
Perfect background music for my puzzles
I love these new piano videos, they are always so well made :D
I really love that you're sharing these. Thanks Natalie.
Beautiful, thank you Natalie.
SO BEAUTIFUL 😭👏💕 BRAVO
Each time, more sublime. Thank you.
This is lovely.
This is absolutely beautiful.
As always, thanks for what you do Natalie
I loved this. Your talent blesses all that listen and see you. Thank you.
This is lovely. Thank you for sharing this beauty.
Astonishingly beautiful. Thanks Natalie.
Beautiful! I love this prelude. This used to be one of my favorite Chopin pieces, but now I'd say Nocturne, Op. 9, No. 1 and Etude Op. 10, No. 3. Actually - it's hard to choose. It's all good.
My all time favorite piece of classical music.
Thank you for the performance. ❤
chills. one of my fav pieces from Chopin. thank you for this.
Gorgeous . You are so talented !
Beautiful.
Yesss!!! I'm so happy ContraPianos is here to stay! Keep 'em coming!
Ok so I work at an animal shelter, and I just realized that I recognize this piece because we play it for the dogs sometimes to help calm them down :’)
Well played Natalie, beautiful ❤️
truly gorgeous and talented 🖤🖤🖤
Nice. One of my favorite classical compositions ever.
Lovely, thank you.
It’s just so gorgeous, I keep coming back to listen. You play beautifully.
I seem to find these when I need them most. Thank you for sharing your talent and your love for playing beautiful music.
Beautiful!✨❤️🎶
Natalie, not only are you entertaining and funny, but you have wonderful, tasteful talent. Bravo 😀
Beautiful. ♥♥♥
So very beautiful,thank you so much !
Beautiful!!
Thank you for reintroducing classical music into my life ❤️
Thanks for reminding me of how much i love this melody
Listening to this as it's raining outside, lovely as always Natalie
i definitely needed this
That was really beautiful. Thank you. It’s been a long day, and that was so lovely and calming.
Lovely, as always. 💚
Beautiful!
This might be the most basic opinion out there, but "Raindrops" has always touched me deep to the core. It's the very first piece I've heard from him (knowing it was his), and ever since it's brought up goosebumps, and almost always brought me to tears. For me, the proper nickname to this song would be "Teardrops".
Natalie's playing didn't change this emotion it inflicts, I felt a personal interpretation with it. I have nothing but respect for Natalie's skills, I'm certain Berklee would've done wonders to already ample skills. I have a friend who flew from here in Finland to train drumming in Berklee himself, and I have the impression it's an intimidating, but exciting opportunity. It's no wonder if you feel overwhelmed by the skill level with people there.
But my love for Natalie's work is here, in this channel. I'm glad I ever found this channel, and fell in love with the video essays - even the terrible gaming streams with A+ entertainment, yet C- gaming skills.
I'm not very into classical music (literally only know one by name and thats moonlight sonata as I sometimes listen to it going to sleep) and as far as I know I've never heard this before but it made my heart ache, it's such a beautiful piece of music but there is something so lonely about it to me... Maybe that's just the last 18 months colouring my experience though!