Composing for 5 Pianos
Dear Greg,
I just recently saw the 5 Browns in concert and they played a few of your transcriptions. How do you do it? Also, I was wondering - do you tour? If so, how could we mid-westerners catch a glimpse of you, or better yet, you and Ms. Roe??
- Eliza
Dear Eliza,
How do I compose for 5 pianos? Hmmm. I generally begin by conceptualizing how to best take advantage of my instrumentation (5 pianos). Even with the most challenging situations (slow and quiet music for five pianos, for example), I try to find ways to musically justify the existence of all the instruments on stage. I want my original compositions and arrangements for five pianos to sound like they couldn't have been written for any other instrumentation. In the case of arrangements, that often means completely rethinking my original musical source.
Unlike many composers, I don't really work at the piano. Instead, I usually hear everything in my head at once, and then I spend most of my time translating what I'm hearing to staff paper. The process usually takes a couples months to produce just a couple minutes of five piano music.
Do I tour? Yes, I do! Here's where to find the latest updates in my schedule, including the Anderson & Roe Piano Duo schedule.
Hope to see you soon!
- Greg
Star Wars Fantasy
Dear Greg,
Hi there, im Kiwon Korean. i've been going musical college in Kyungsung University. im senior in school. i heard your play in "Youtube" as chance would have. that is "Starwars Fantasy". i was so impressed..... so... i verry verry wanna play that piece.. could i get score, if you don't mine...... ? l'll wait your answer :)
- Ki won
Dear Ki won,
Thanks for your enthusiasm! Sadly, my "Star Wars Fantasy: Four Impressions for Two Pianos" is not available for sale. Someday I'll tend to the huge host of copyright complications associated with the piece and make the piece available to the public.
- Greg
Star Wars Compositions
Dear Greg,
I am 12 and love playing the piano and practicing (which I understand you love to do as well). I am also a huge Star Wars aficionado and am captivated by your Star Wars Fantasy impression 1. Is it possible to obtain the sheet music so I can try to play it?
- Alex Wagner
Dear Alex,
I'm so happy you like the first impression! (My personal favorite is #2 ... or is it #4...?) Anyway, there are copyright issues that must be cleared before we can sell the scores to the fantasy. I'll do my best to get on top of those issues, but with all the exciting things going on at the moment, I can't promise it will be in the near future. I'll email the mailing list when that day comes, but in the meantime, there are a number of other scores available for purchase that I encourage you to consider! Visit the scores page for more information.
Best wishes,
Greg
Libertango Hang-Ups
Dear Greg,
Hi, I am attending a High School of The Arts, my major is piano. I was amazed by your arangement of LibreTango. From my understanding the composition will not be available untill 2010, My final exam, Duet concert will be held in 2010, so i would greatly appreaciate your effort to finsh all the legal stuff ASAP. If by any chance, something comes up and it is not possible, would you share what ever methods were needed to transcribe the piece so i can get started?
- Jovian
Dear Jovian,
Thanks for your devoted interest in my arrangement of Piazzolla's Libertango! I never said anything about the score being released in 2010, so don't get your hopes up yet. (Liz and I plan to notate our New Account of the Blue Danube Waltzes to release it in 2010. We'll turn our attention to the Libertango arrangement after that.)
As for "what ever methods were need to transcribe the piece"... it's not like I plug the notes into a formula and let the computer do the work. There's a great deal of creative and original work that goes into creating an arrangement of a piece; rarely does a faithful, dogmatic treatment of an original's notes result in an arrangement that is faithful to spirit of the score.
My arrangement of the piece comes with its own set of intellectual copyrights, and while I invite you to create your own arrangement, I kindly request that you do not copy mine.
Mailing list members will be the first to learn of the work's eventual publication. In the meantime, best wishes to you; have an awesome duo concert!
- Greg (April 25, 2009)
L'escalier Du Diable
Dear Greg,
I recently stumbled over your interpretation of "L'escalier du diable" on youtube and have to say that I love it. It´s better than any interpretation I heard before. I really would like to buy it in a high quality version. Is it somwhere available or can you make it available e.g. on iTunes. Thanks a lot!
-Rainer
Dear Greg,
I saw your video of Ligety's "The Devil's staircase" and i loved it (i posted a comment in youtube). Do you have a record with this composition? Thank you in advance.
- Eduardo Pola
Dear Rainer and Eduardo,
Thank you for your ultra kind and flattering comments! Unfortunately I have not yet professionally recorded the etude. I certainly hope to some day, but it may be a while; the album I am currently preparing does not include the etude.
Best!
- Greg (Nov. 4, 2009)
Nokia
Hi Greg!
I'm impressed! I want to know if its possible to get the sheet music of you piano variations on a theme by Nokia! thanks
- Rafael
Dear Rafael,
Thank you for your interest! Unfortunately there are copyright issues for me to untangle before I could ever begin to think about publishing the score. Today's modern world makes it very difficult for classical composers to reference popular culture sources. Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals, nearly all of Liszt's transcriptions, paraphrases, and reminiscences, and most of Mozart's variation sets would have been extremely difficult to compose in today's labyrinthian world of copyright law.
Someday, when I have an army of lawyers at my disposal, perhaps I can consider publishing my variations and Star Wars Fantasy. For now, the following adaptations composed by me are for sale:
- Khachaturian's Sabre Dance for piano/four-hands
- Bach's "Erbarme Dich" from St. Matthew Passion for two pianos
- Saint-Saëns' The Swan for two pianos
- The Cuckoo in Sussex by Daquin/Anderson for two pianos
- Schubert's "The Crow" from Winterreisse for two pianos
- The Cat's Fugue for two pianos
There are a number of other adaptations for two pianos, four-hands, six-hands, and five pianos temporarily under exclusivity clauses. Follow us on Facebook or sign up for the mailing list for updates regarding these pieces.
- Greg
Scores for Sale
Hi Greg!
I'm impressed! I want to know if its possible to get the sheet music of you piano variations on a theme by Nokia! thanks
Rafael
Dear Rafael,
Thank you for your interest! Unfortunately there are copyright issues for me to untangle before I could ever begin to think about publishing the score. Today's modern world makes it very difficult for classical composers to reference popular culture sources. Had the composers been alive today, Saint-Saëns could never have composed Carnival of the Animals, copyright law would have prevented Liszt from writing his transcriptions, and Mozart would have gone broke paying necessary fees to write his variation sets.
Someday, when I have an army of lawyers at my disposal, perhaps I can consider publishing my variations and Star Wars Fantasy. For now, you can find the scores available for sale on the scores page.
- Greg
Blue Danube & Libertango
Dear Greg,
hey can i ask if your piano duet scores are for sale? i am interested in specifically the piazzolla's tango and the blue danube. Love it!! =)
- Jeremy
Dear Jeremy,
Thanks for your interest Jeremy! Unfortunately the Libertangoarrangement and A New Account of the Blue Danube Waltzes are not for sale. Not only have Liz and I decided to make a couple of our arrangements exclusive for a while (we know, how nasty of us!), but several of our scores are still completely illegible (including both of these) and face an onslaught of copyright issues. The day I get around to settling these copyright issues and manage to notate the messy handwritten manuscripts into the computer, I will post the news on my website and email the mailing list. I hope that day won't be too far into the future, but I honestly cannot predict when this will be!
However, in the meantime, there are a number of other scores available for purchase. Visit the compositions page for more information. For those of you looking for wild four-hand/one-piano music, consider the Sabre Dance arrangement. Additionally, you will be able to hear several of my latest compositions on the upcoming Anderson & Roe Piano Duo CD, to be released early this winter, including "Erbarme Dich," "The Cat's Fugue," "The Cuckoo in Sussex," "Danse macabre: remix," and "The Swan," all available for sale.
- Greg
"Oblivion" Score
Hi Greg,
Wonderful arrangement of 'Oblivion'. Is your arrangement published by any chance? Available for sale? I am playing with a flutist, would love to have your arrangement, maybe transposed for flute?
- Josephine Yung
Dear Greg,
where can i buy sheet music which is "Oblivion" by Astor Piazzolla, arranged for EUPHONIUM and PIANO by Greg Anderson? i am a euphonium player. i want to put this music at my concert.
- No Name
Dear Josephine and No Name,
My arrangement of Piazzolla's Oblivion is available for purchase here, along with scores of other, erm, scores. :-)
- Greg
"Star Wars Fantasy" Score
Dear Greg,
I am 12 and love playing the piano and practicing (which I understand you love to do as well). I am also a huge Star Wars aficionado and am captivated by your Star Wars Fantasy impression 1. Is it possible to obtain the sheet music so I can try to play it?
- Alex Wagner
Dear Alex,
I'm so happy you like the first impression! (My personal favorite is #2 ... or is it #4...?) Anyway, there are copyright issues that must be cleared before we can sell the scores to the fantasy. I'll do my best to get on top of those issues, but with all the exciting things going on at the moment, I can't promise it will be in the near future. I'll email the mailing list when that day comes, but in the meantime, there are a number of other scores available for purchase that I encourage you to consider! Visit the scores page for more information.
Best wishes,
Greg