Rachmaninov's Waltz No. 5 op. 42: Two-Four in A Flat

Hmmm. Maybe it's settled. I have a good ear.

I hit Debussy music and was just listening to different classical and piano pieces while looking some things up and writing and this one came on which caught my attention:

Waltz No.5 Op. 42: Two-Four in A Flat.

I was really impressed with the performance so I was trying to figure out WHO was doing this incredible playing. I looked up the CD and it was "Sergey Rachmaninov" The Chopin Recordings.

But, I thought, maybe it was a style again, so I was looking up the performer and it was Rachmaninov. No wonder! I was just a liiittle bit proud of myself for noticing a great performance or performer, without any other clues as to who it was.

I am now listening to Bolero, ballet for orchestra (or piano) by Maurice Ravel and it's sort of interesting as it goes on. At first I didn't notice it much, but then I thought it sort of sounded like, I don't know...Bolero should make me think of Spain or something, but this makes me think of a Jewish melody or something. Like something from...? I don't know...Israel, right? If you listen to it, you can hear it but I didn't notice that part until the end. It's sort of a march towards the finish line song with people swirling around at the edges of the line. A solid line with circular movements on the periphery.

I really, really, like "Dance of the Knights" by Sergei Prokofiev (from Romeo & Juliet). My favorite part is right after the beginning, where it sounds like swords or knives are being drawn and hitting eachother. Very cool. I don't know how that was done, but very effective.

I also like "La Damoiselle Elue" by Debussy from the Music Box Archives Vol. 01. It's definitely a music box song but...hmmm...I don't know...now I'm changing my mind. I've heard better performances and it's a little bit too tinkling for me. It's okay but a little sad. I can't really read whether this is la Dame Elue or la Dame Blue. I would say she's blue for sure, regardless. Oh, I do like it towards the end where you can hear a clock and then what I would describe as a hummingbird. The piano sounds like a hummingbird, you can hear it at the end.