Explore three Classical-era performance practices — rhythmic flexibility, pedaling, and improvisation — to see how these concepts can enrich your interpretations of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.
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See a fortepiano vs. piano comparison using sound creation, sound qualities, and tuning to help inform your interpretations on the modern piano.
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The pianos used in Mozart and Beethoven’s era evolved dramatically — and those changes shaped what composers wrote. This video compares different fortepianos so you can hear their impact.
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Mozart and Beethoven wrote their piano music to be played on fortepianos — early pianos much different from modern pianos. Let’s take a look at these instruments.
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Unequal temperaments, also known as Well-temperaments, give subtle characteristics to each key. These characteristics were exploited by composers like Mozart and Beethoven — but are completely lost in today's equal temperament.
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Mozart wrote more than just notes. He wrote detailed articulation marks – like slurs – that dramatically affect the interpretation of his music.
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Modern pianists are often told to ignore Beethoven's pedal markings, so why did he write them? Let's look at the question using a piano from Beethoven's era.
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Lost on the modern piano: The creative effects achieved by using fortepiano knee levers (pedals). Let's take a look at how these unique characteristics can be exploited in Mozart's music.
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Was the octave glissando in Beethoven's C Major Piano Concerto as difficult for Beethoven as it is for today's pianists? Let's look at the problem on Beethoven's instrument.
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