Pianist performs Chopin’s finest

Gianni DiCrosta/Roundup

 

Anita Chang takes a deep breath before her first note.

Two spotlights shine down from above. One on her and one on her piano
 
She closes her eyes, and lays her fingers on the keys in front of her.
 
At this point you become a bit curious, because she continues to keep her eyes closed as she plays.
 
Smiling at lighthearted melodies, and frowning at thunderous tones.
It’s almost as if she isn’t playing the music, because you become more entranced in her
emotion.
 
She physically appears angered by low tonal notes, and almost laughs at high notes.
Chang performed at Pierce College’s Performing Arts Mainstage on Thursday for a crowd of nearly 150 to commemorate the 200th birthday of composer Fré dé ric Chopin.
 
Chopin is most famous for his solo piano compositions.
 
“When we talk about the music of Chopin, we talk about melodious melody,” said Chang, a pianist since the age of five. “He can make sorrowful emotions sound so beautiful.”
Chang performed six pieces during the concert, starting with “Nocturne in F Major” and ending with the beautiful “Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat Major.”
 
Each piece came with a background story. Chang made sure the audience understood Chopin’s plights and sorrows, as well as his happiest moments.
 
These stories helped the listener appreciate the emotion that Chopin poured into all of his works, from unattainable loves to lost friends.
 
The “Ballade Number 4 in F Minor” really captured that human emotion. The piece was written as an ode to one of Chopin’s childhood friends who died of tuberculosis.
 
“Balade Number 2 in F Major” attempted to place you in a particular situation, as the piano reflected the waving movement of flowers blowing in the wind.
 
“Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat Major” was truly the shining moment of the concert.
Acting as the pinnacle of the entire event, the composition concluded the concert beautifully.
 
While the stage backdrop only consisted of chairs and sets left from previous performances, it never once took away from the show itself. Audience members’ eyes were fixated on the physical and mental effort Chang put into every piece.
 
When experiencing this kind of music, you can’t help but think of how the original
composition may have sounded.
 
However, Chang played all of the works wonderfully.
 
Chopin himself would have been proud to hear his music played so authentically.

 

 

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