Relaxing piano music recommendations?

[imageWIS]

I'm looking for something that is perfect as soothing background music while studying. I don't have any preconceptions regarding musical time periods, so anything from classical to neo-classical is fine by me.

Thanks!

Jon.

 

[Dedalus]

Erik Satie - GymnopÃ

dies
Brian Eno - Music for Airports

 

[kwilkinson]

I personally find it relaxing and conducive to studying to listen to Thelonius Monk.

Maybe that's just me though.



Then again i just read that you said classical or neo-classical, so disregard that.

Unless you take my advice, then disregard my comment to disregard.

 

[JetBlast]

Brian Eno - Music for Airports

+1

JB

 

[Ambulance Chaser]

Jim Brickman. John Tesh.

Well, you asked.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser

Jim Brickman. John Tesh.

Well, you asked.

I said relaxing, not suicidal.

Jon.

 

[Godspeed]

Eluvium - Copia

 

[Dakota rube]

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

Unless you take my advice, then disregard my comment to disregard.
Thank you, Major Major.

 

[Violinist]

It's incredibly depressing to me as a classical musician that many people find "classical music" relaxing, and like to play it in the background at dinner or while studying. No one would put Kandinsky or Caravaggio in a walk in closet, I don't understand why they do the equivalent with music.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Violinist

It's incredibly depressing to me as a classical musician that many people find "classical music" relaxing, and like to play it in the background at dinner or while studying. No one would put Kandinsky or Caravaggio in a walk in closet, I don't understand why they do the equivalent with music.

Must every thread on SF derail?

Because I can't study to Schubert's 8th Symphony or Tchaikovsky PathÃ

tique. I was purposely looking for study music...the music in this case is a means to an end.

As well, wasn't a not insignificant sum of classical music composed as background music for other affairs, such as dinner and parties?

Jon.

 

[gamelan]

Originally Posted by Dedalus

Erik Satie - GymnopÃ

dies

+1. first thing that came to my mind. otherwise, it seems like anything mellow by Chopin or Debussy would do the trick.

also, you might want to try one of the many Mozart piano concertos.

-Jeff

 

[Full Canvas]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

I'm looking for something that is perfect as soothing background music while studying. I don't have any preconceptions regarding musical time periods, so anything from classical to neo-classical is fine by me.

Thanks!

Jon.

For studying: Ray Bryant's album "Alone at Montreux" can put me in the relaxed zone. If you don't mind some subtle bass with your piano, Charlie Haden's bass with Hank Jones' piano in the "Steal Away" album can be quite relaxing. Although it wasn't about relaxing piano music, post #14 in http://www.styleforum.net/showthread...ght=hank+jones has some of my thoughts about Jones.

Also, James Levine, recorded a Ragtime album, "James Levine Plays Scott Joplin". It is faithful to Joplin's wish that Ragtime be played slow. This is another relaxing album. It's still published by RCA in Japan. I'm sure you can purchase it from some internet store.


After the exams: "La Fille à Cheveux de Lin" (Debussy) is relaxing. That with the "GymnopÃ

dies" by Satie mentioned in previous posts are in a little loop I made for those moments when I wish to unwind and melt into a puddle.

____

 

[Mr. Checks]

Since you're not really listening to the music, I'd opt for one of those "100 relaxing classics" 6-disc sets that cost 19.99.

 

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Mr. Checks

Since you're not really listening to the music, I'd opt for one of those "100 relaxing classics" 6-disc sets that cost 19.99.

I am though, it's just as background, but it has to be smooth enough to let me multitask in peace.

Jon.

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by Godspeed

Eluvium - Copia
+1 and Eluvium - An Accidental Memory

Originally Posted by Violinist

It's incredibly depressing to me as a classical musician that many people find "classical music" relaxing, and like to play it in the background at dinner or while studying. No one would put Kandinsky or Caravaggio in a walk in closet, I don't understand why they do the equivalent with music.
Yeah, I hate it when people get all "individual" with how they enjoy their music when it doesn't match my own tastes.

Jon, why don't you just go the internet radio route? On iTunes they have a number of classical stations and a few are piano-focused.

Besides what has already been mentioned, Debussy has a few piano works worth listening to (torrent search for Samson Francois.) I highly recommend Eluvium and if you like it, George Winston is worth checking out, too.