Piano Key A to G

Today's piano podcast is, in timely fashion, an homage to the fallen heroes who gave their lives so that we may have ours. I will be talking briefly about the history and symbolism of perhaps that most famous of bugle calls: The Last Post. Why is this short work so infused with solemnity and meaning in our collective conscious?"At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them."#LastPost#PianoCover#RemembranceSunday#RemembranceDay#ArmisticeDay#MilitaryTribute#FallenHeroes#PianoMusic#Remembrance2025#LastPostCover#MemorialMusic#VeteransTribute#EmotionalPiano#WarMemorial#TributeToHeroesFor more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

This podcast episode commences a new series, on contemporary pianists that I consider the absolute best currently recording. And, we had to start with my personal favourite, Canadian artist Jesse Brown! I discovered his music in 2018, and his catalogue has been my steadfast companion ever since. Given that I’ve always received the best recommendations of new music from friends - most often just via hearing their background playlists, and being curious - I thought it might be nice to share my own discovery journery with you. We’ll delve a little into the background of this composer, and also listen to snippets of three special works, analyse their genesis, and certain interesting features. Chosen tracks as follows:Flocks [2018]Havana 2012 [2019]Reading the Clouds [2021]For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Okay, I admit: shameless plug for my latest album 'Cutting Room Floor: One Take Solo Piano' which released this week. But, I also felt it an opportunity to discuss elements of refining your recordings - and sometimes, just 'letting it be' is the key.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Initially this show was planned to showcase the many physical and mental gains we may experience, on deciding to study the instrument. However, I soon realized this was not going to make for a particularly original podcast! So, instead, I’ve decided to talk about three very personal benefits that studying the piano has gifted me. I hope this bitesize episode will be an enticement to you, at whatever stage of your life, to consider delving into the fascinating world of the keyboard.1 Talking to the composer2 A hidden world of magic and mystery3 The power of musical self-expressionFor more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Following on from last week’s episode, I had in my mind the idea of discussing unusual chord progressions in pop music: modern pioneers that pushed the boundaries of what was permissible to listen to. In this week’s podcast, let’s pick three perfectly eccentric examples of harmonic oddity in popular music classics, analyse their content, and speculate on how they get away with it! Following a brief reminder of David Bowie’s ‘Changes’, we’ll look at the following:Wuthering Heights Kate BushLay Lady Lay Bob DylanMad About The Boy Noel Coward/Dinah WashingtonPlease write in to the podcast if you have other examples you think merit a mention - there are many - we just picked three here to keep the show short!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

An unlikely combination of random events hit me over the past fortnight, enough to fashion a piano podcast out of them - and apologies for the brief intermission! This weekend finds me exploring the contribution [positive or negative] of ‘altered states’ to the compositional process. Approve or disapprove, should we at least acknowledge that without the ability to temporarily step outside of the room, the canon of musical creativity might be significantly less than as it currently stands? Let’s briefly talk about David Bowie, Christine McVie/Fleetwood Mac, and in a smaller way, my own output and evolution. [This show is dedicated to the absolute one-off that was Ozzy Osbourne.]For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

An interesting juxtaposition this week: the recall of a duo of Haydn pieces I hadn't played for 32 years; and the simultaneous inability to remember why I walked into the kitchen! Thus was set in motion a podcast about memorizing your piano music, and the benefits you might reap... which interestingly extend beyond the bounds of mere concert performance.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

A good deal of my time this week was spent messing around with a choral work by Sir Edward Elgar. It is a beautiful, delicate setting of the Eucharistic hymn ‘Ave Verum Corpus’ - in Latin, ‘Hail True Body’ - and, since I had finally managed to transcribe and record the piece, I thought it might be an ideal opportunity to look at the subject of piano transcriptions. Specifically, what are they? Why might we be interested in attempting them? And how would you go about making one in the first place? For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Following on neatly from last week’s discussion around musical motifs, let’s explore the related, but subtly different world, of the ostinato. What exactly is it? Can we recall some famous examples? What is its purpose, both for the composer and listener? And, crucially, can we come up with some piano improvisations, incorporating first melodic and then rhythmic ostinati?!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

How do composers grab our attention, and maintain it when we're listening to a composition? Simple! These use 'motifs' - short musical hooks, that embed themselves in our ears, repeating and evolving throughout the work, providing familiarity and reassurance as we allow ourselves to be taken on a journey of discovery, hopefully encouraging us to return to the piece again and again.Let's define precisely what we mean by motif, and explore some super famous examples. Finally, just how easy is it to come up with a cool new musical motif? Hmm...For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Following on from last week's podcast concerning 'aleatoric' or chance music, I wanted to continue with the improv. So, today let's explore the wonderful world of Brian Eno, and Ambient Music. Having rediscovered his 1978 masterpiece 'Music for Airports' this week, I thought: why not try to compose a short piano piece in a similar style?We'll discuss what essentially we mean by 'ambient' music, and then take a listen to some musical efforts!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Something slightly different this week, as I found myself in a creative vacuum: why not allow random chance to intervene? Like many composers before, let's take a dice roll to determine various musical parameters, within which I will attempt to improvise a short piano piece!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

I mentioned in a recent podcast about musical snobbery, and so I thought we might explore elements of this topic today. Why do many people consider the Classical genre to be the pinnacle of achievement? Why is pop music thought of less seriously? Is there an argument for a musical hierarchy? In this show, we will compare and contrast different genres, and consider the merits in each case. I will also leave you with a collection of 10 pop records which I rate as examples of high art within the genre.Simon & Garfunkel: Kathy's SongJoni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and MindNeil Young: Harvest MoonKate Bush: This Woman's WorkBob Dylan: Don't Think Twice, It's AlrightEtta James: I'd Rather Go BlindFleetwood Mac: SaraGeorge Michael: Cowboys and AngelsElton John: Someone Saved My Life TonightDinah Washington: Mad About The BoyFor more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Following the Victory in Europe [VE] Day celebrations this week, I thought it timely to prepare a podcast show on the topic of wartime music. So, I have chosen three of my favourite songs - all patriotic staples - which continue to move us to this day, some 80 years later. We'll listen to some musical snippets, recall poignant lyrics, and notice an unusual feature connecting all three pieces.At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

What exactly is a fermata, and why might composers opt to use it in their music? We'll delve into the meaning behind the symbol, and consider a couple of famous examples, together with moments of my own usage!There is more than a hint of magic embedded within this modest musical notation.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Something a little different this week: I thought we’d explore some psychological elements of the musical experience - specifically what makes us return to our first encounter with a work? How does this initial exposure cement our ongoing impressions of the piece; and are we missing out creatively because of this unconscious bias? [I failed to mention in the podcast, but the player of the Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 was Bernd Glemser!]For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Following last week’s show looking at the individual musical keys - their moods/colours, and specific composers’ preferences - I thought it followed neatly to begin a series examining a handful of classic pieces, in each Major and Minor pitch class. So, let’s start at the beginning: C Major. I’ve picked three essential compositions that I believe every budding pianist should know, and be able to perform well. Let’s take a brief listen, and then analyze some interesting features from within each score. I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast episode, which actually marks the half-year of the weekly show! You may [probably you will!] disagree with one or more of my choices - if so, please leave me a comment, either on YouTube, or the podcasting platform of your choice. Which three would you have chosen?For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

As this podcast is entitled 'Piano Key: A to G' I felt it about time to take a closer look at the individual musical keys. So: are the different pitch classes merely transposed versions of one another; or in fact, do they each possess inate tonal qualities/'colours', and deeper emotional associations? Many notable composers are known to have preferred certain major and minor keys when writing, and it might be interesting to look at some specific examples, and consider why. I will also be examining my original output, to see what if anything it reveals about my own predilections.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

For today's piano podcast episode, let's look at the primary chords in music, and discover how simply knowing these three triads will open up a world of possibilities musically - you will suddenly be able to play thousands of songs, spanning multiple genres: Classical, pop, rock, folk, and so on.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Something slightly different this week! Following questions from a podcast listener, I thought I'd put together an episode outlining how you might go about recording and releasing your own piano music with the wider world. Now, it soon became apparent that this would work better as a YouTube visual, rather than simply an audio file. Hence, I am encouraging you to head over to William Haviland Piano on the video site, where you can watch the full length version of this discussion. Any questions about what I'm explaining, please leave a comment, or contact me via my website whaviland.comFor more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Greetings piano lovers! In today's podcasting episode, we're going to take a brief look at my compositional process - specifically, how I go about putting together a new solo piano piece. This might be of interest to other composers, who wish to compare and contrast; equally, if you've always wanted to write music but have not yet attempted it, perhaps this will provide the inspiration to start!Next week, we'll have a double episode: a podcast, and also a YouTube visual, in which I will detail how to record and release your music to the wider world. So, please stayed tuned!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

In today's episode, we delve into the world of one of the most iconic film series of all time. Yes: the names Bond. James Bond. As you may be aware, the 007 franchise recently saw creative control pass [from longtime producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson] over to American behemoth Amazon, via its subsidiary MGM Studios. Now, we won’t be discussing British concerns about what this entails for the titular character; rather, let’s explore elements of another weighty topic: that of musical themes throughout the collection. Specifically, how does the score, through its constituent parts - such as suspenseful progressions, and an instantly recognizable Bond Chord - underpin and weld together the 007 Universe?For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

In today's episode, we look at Maurice Ravel's most popular composition: Bolero. Despite being an instant success, the writer never held it in quite the same regard as the public. Let's examine some key aspects of the score, and consider why Ravel may have been dismayed by its popularity.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

For this week's piano podcast episode, let’s investigate the concept of 'rubato' in music, and discuss why I think it matters.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

For this week's piano podcast episode: some reflections on a 15 year musical project, started by the possibilities of YouTube; and why creativity is good for the soul.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Something slightly different this week! I thought we'd discuss my eight favourite recordings to take with me, should I ever be marooned on a desert island. As some of the pieces are original works, we'll also discuss elements of the individual compositional processes, and inspiration behind the works. I hope you enjoy the show!For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

Mind totally blown this week by my discovery of the existing powers of artifical intelligence to create seemingly endless new music. Let's delve into the topic, and what I think will be the first of many episodes on the subject of AI.For more information: whaviland.com/podcastHappy piano playing/learning!

In this podcast episode of Piano Key A to G, we'll look at one of the most famous pieces of music in the Classical piano repertoire: Erik Satie's '1st Gymnopedie'. What's special about this composition? And can it be re-fashioned [with a few tweaks!] into an alternate, 21st Century work? For more information, please visit: www.whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano learning/playing!

In this episode, let's talk about bringing old masterpieces into the 21st Century! For more information, please visit: www.whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano learning/playing!

Let's explore this fascinating and fairly uncommon musical interval, known by many names, including the 'Devil's Chord'. Why is it rarely used in its true [harmonic] form in Western music? For more information, please visit: www.whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano learning/playing!

Greetings piano podcast listeners! I hope 2025 is getting off to a good start. In today's episode, we'll be looking at my favourite film score: John Williams' 'Superman', and considering a number of elements, including leitmotif, which add to the drama and excitement of Richard Donner's groundbreaking superhero movie. I hope you enjoy the show! For more information: whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano playing/learning!

Happy New Year everyone! Join me for a quick musical January episode, where we consider some positive New Year's Resolutions for 2025. Please do let me know your resolution plans! Happy piano learning/playing! whaviland.com

Let's take a brief look at the music of Cole Porter, specifically an unusual piece structurally: Begin the Beguine!

For Part Two of our Christmas piano podcast, let's delve into one of the darkest of carols: The Coventry Carol. What is special about this piece of music? Merry Christmas everyone. Happy learning/playing! whaviland.com

Let us take a brief look at the magic of Franz Gruber's 'Silent Night' - my favourite Christmas carol. What is the enduring importance of this festive classic, in our modern world?

For Episode Six of my piano podcast, let's take a look at a wonderful online resource for obtaining free public domain scores: The Petrucci Music Library. I thought this would be an excellent subject for a short podcast show, because in the New Year, I want to do a series of episodes, looking at specific scores and their interesting features. Of course, it's always nice to have music books/collections, but sometimes people may not have the means to afford them. This online resource has been invaluable to me over many years, and it occurred to me this week that some people may not know about it. I hope this information is useful, and a little entertaining, to you! For more information, please visit: www.whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano learning/playing!

For Episode Five of my piano podcast, we're answering a listener's query about the inner workings of the instrument. I felt this would fit neatly with a short summary of the piano's evolution, specifically from its closer ancestors: the clavichord, and the harpsichord. What exactly drove the increases in physical size, and the keyboard's dynamic potential? How did these changes affect the composers of the time? Why are some note's strings multiples, and others not? And what exactly do those three pedals do? Grab a coffee, or glass of wine, and accompany me, William Haviland. on a fascinating musical journey! For more information, please visit: www.whaviland.com/podcast Happy piano learning/playing!

In this episode, we'll investigate cadences in music - exactly what are they, and how can we recognise and use them? As always, happy piano learning/playing!

Episode three of my new piano podcast deals with basic chords [triads] and their possible 'inversions', or put another way, the rearranging of their constituent parts. We consider some examples, and attempt to analyze how the music changes when we use chords in their root, first, and second inversion positions. What is the purpose of inversions - why should we use them in our music? Happy piano playing!

Episode Two of my new piano podcast deals with the subtle but profound distinction we hear and feel in Western music, caused by the simple change in the third note of the diatonic scale - creating a ‘major’ or ‘minor’ atmosphere. We will explore the meaning of the terms, and compare compositional examples. If you have not yet caught the Introduction or Episode One of this piano podcast, please do so if you have time, because they lay the foundations for what we are discussing today! And if you are enjoying the show so far, do please leave me a rating, thumbs up, or comment - perhaps let me know in which part of the world you are listening? Next week, we will continue the discussion, by analysing chord inversions, and attempting to understand how this simple re-arranging of note order affects the intent, and our subsequent appreciation, of the music we’re listening to. Happy piano playing/learning to everyone!

For Episode One of my new piano podcast, I thought the Harmonic Series might be a suitable place to start, because it is the scientific underpinning of our entire tonal system, expounding eloquently the pre-ordained. mathematical relationships between notes of the scale - be they harmonious, or dissonant, in nature. I shall attempt to break down what exactly is meant by the Harmonic or ‘Overtones’ Series, and offer an explanation as to why our scale is divided into twelve equal intervals, forming the basis of our diatonic - major and minor - understanding of music. Unbeknownst to most of us, when we listen to a particular note, or ‘tone’ - for example, as played on the keyboard of a piano, bowed against the string of a violin, struck on the side of a bell, blown through a flute, or even sung by a vocalist - we are actually hearing a long and unique series of interrelated tones, possessing sympathetic vibrations with one another, on the factual basis that each sound wave oscillates at multiple divisions at once. These multiple frequencies, at the fundamental, half, third, quarter, and so on, cause harmonics, or overtones, thus giving each particular note its individual quality or ‘timbre’. When a low C on the piano is struck, with a frequency [in Hertz] of 65, it also produces faint, related overtones, at each multiple above, thus 65, 130, 195, and so on. This in part explains the richness and complexity we hear in low base notes, as our ears [consciously or otherwise] are able to pick out elements of the Harmonic Series. If you have an acoustic or digital piano to hand, or if you are just moderately interested in the instrument: grab a drink, and sit down with me for half an hour, as we unpick the extraordinary, fascinating divinity of sound! For further information, please visit my website: whaviland.com/podcast

Greetings piano enthusiasts, and welcome to the introductory episode of my new piano podcast: Piano Key A to G! I'm William Haviland, and it's lovely to have you with me. We're going to take a weekly journey together, discussing various musical elements related to the keyboard - be it melody, harmony, history, all with a view to better understanding the great compositions - whether Classical, popular, folk, and so on - that we've inherited. I will be sharing my thoughts on a multitude of musical works, each time attempting to uncover what makes them special. If you are a beginner or more experienced player, just a piano fan, or perhaps someone considering picking up the instrument, this podcast will have something for you. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe for future content. And mostly importantly... Happy playing!