Today marks the final chapter of my Cole Porter blog series. As I mentioned a while ago, this composer was far from being an overnight success. Although Love for Sale was featured in the revue called The New Yorkers, its lyrics were considered much too explicit for society in 1930. Nevertheless, this song composed two years after Cole Porter reintroduced himself to Broadway, has become a popular standard. In fact, many jazz instrumentalists and vocalists continue to include Love for Sale in their performance repertoires.
When I reflect on the collection of songs that I played and recorded for this series on Cole Porter, I certainly can appreciate Porter’s contribution to the American Popular Songbook with a different perspective. There’s something very valuable about getting acquainted with a composer’s musical language. By this I mean his or her manner of creating melodies and harmonic progressions as well as choosing certain chords and presenting these with certain overall and specific rhythmic patterns. In the case of Cole Porter, there is the additional element of his lyrics which definitely have an impact on his musical structure.
During the 16 years when I was actively composing concert music (classical music), I gained a tremendous amount of knowledge by getting to know the lives and works of many classical composers. My pattern was to select a specific composer because I had heard a piece that I really liked. I would buy the CD and purchase or borrow the musical score from the library. Usually, I would be curious about the creator of the particular piece that had caught my attention. This motivated me to find and read the biography which in turn introduced me to the even more of the composer’s compositions. Before I knew it, I was listening to many new (at least to me) pieces of music. This process combined in a way that energized and enriched my musical life.
Because this experience made such an impact on me, I find myself inspired to draw upon a wealth of knowledge which relates to specific pieces that my piano students are working on. This approach has been expanded because of my work with the Hudson Studio Faculty members. Every week, I hold a conference call to discuss the lessons, progress and program of each Hudson Studio student with his or her piano instructor. In this process, I share an assortment of information and insights that apply directly to specific pieces so that their students are learning.
When we teach our intermediate students who want to play classical piano music as part of their lessons, we take this single composer approach as well. Teaching our piano students how to play the pieces from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook as well as the Clementi Sonatinas provides a very effective way for them to develop their piano technique, music reading skills and a knowledge of music theory. This way, the process of developing piano proficiency becomes much more important than perfectionism and we take advantage using each composer’s musical language. Our students can then enjoy selecting and learning how to play their favorite classical piano pieces with a skill set and level of confidence that they wouldn’t have gained otherwise.
In the same way, my preparation, practice and playing of the Cole Porter collection for these recent blogs has taught me a great deal including today’s featured piece. Love for Sale required that I address the fact that converting the opening Eb7 chord into a ii V progression just wouldn’t work. I also had to find interesting ways to use the Handi variation, because the song has 8 places where it can be used. Then I had to decide whether to follow the directive indicated in the sheet music of Love for Sale which instructs performers to play this song “with swinging rhythm” or play it with a Latin rhythmic accompaniment as many musicians do.
Rhapsody Music offered some great examples of both swing and Latin rhythmic renditions of Love for Sale. Pianists Junior Mance, George Shearing and Art Tatum were among those who favored swing style. The customary Latin rhythmic treatment offered its own variety of alternate examples. In addition to versions by Ramsey Lewis, Tito Puente and Astrud Gilberto, Dr. John managed to put his personal stamp on this Cole Porter classic.
Another track that I found brought to mind the first time I heard Love for Sale. During the year when my brother Charlie and I began gigging together, we happened to hear a recording of Love for Sale by the Arthur Lyman Group. Played with a Latin style arrangement (it was actually a simulated Polynesian style which later became known as exotica), this particular record caught our attention for another reason. We had a classmate who had the same name as this performer. It felt like a paradox to us, because our friend certainly didn’t seem like a person who was a musical performer.
It’s funny, but songs often trigger interesting personal memories. Ask anyone you know to name a certain song that reminds them of an event or person in their life, and you’ll be amazed at how much comes to the surface. Likewise, I’ve noticed that so many adults who take piano lessons, as well as parents who want their children to learn to play, do this because of a deep personal connection with music.
Perhaps it’s time for you to connect with your own musical memories. Do you wish that you had practiced the piano when you took lessons as a child? Or did you learn to play the piano years ago and would now love to see your son or daughter benefit from the value that taking lessons can truly provide?
Whether you live near our centrally located Natick Piano Studio or close to our convenient Hudson Studio, we can give you what you need to connect your keyboard skills with your creativity. Contact us today to find out how.
Remember, our patient and encouraging piano instructors are always dedicated and delighted to help you Learn to Play the Music You Love.
