Mark Walsen - Two Piano Apple Pie

[mgj32]

Hi Mark,

Quote: "I don't even know where the style of Apple Pie comes from."

Joplin and Prokofiev, perhaps.

With reference to my earlier remark that there has to be an awareness on first hearing to make one keep returning, I have come to like this quite a bit now. The abrupt ending doesn't bother me any more; in fact it is a kind of shock that sounds natural because it is expected (if that makes any sense), though to say that it is prepared for seems a bit of a rationalization, which is fine. A listener has the right to wonder about anything in a composition, but the composer should also have the right to say anything from, "oh, oh, that note got moved somehow" to "that's the way I wanted it." The explanation may even be extra-musical--Haydn has a symphony where the orchestra gets up, one by one, and leaves the stage.

Anyhow, in Two Piano Apple Pie, I think I relate to the thematic material and enjoy what is done with it, as well as the comments by the other piano.

all best,
mgj