1812 Overture
Learn as much as you can by using the whole clip. Try to play along. If it goes too fast, stop and start the whole clip, replaying parts as you need. If that doesn't work, try looking at the individual clips and the broken up segments.
The whole thing:
1812 - two hands (beginner) - slow
1812 - two hands (beginner) - medium
1812 - two hands (beginner) - fast
1812 - one hand (intermediate) - slow
1812 - one hand (intermediate) - fast
1812 - one hand with chords (advanced)
1812 Overture sections with two hands (beginner):
The order of the sections in this song is:
1. Horse
2. Horse
3. Donkey
4. Other Donkey
*watch out for the shift for Other Donkey
here are the donkey sections cut into smaller pieces:
3.1 - donkey first part
3.2 - donkey second part
4.1 - other donkey first part
4.2 - other donkey second part
1812 Overture one hand:
1. one hand Horse
2. one hand Horse
3. one hand Donkey
4. one hand other donkey
1812 Finale section (advanced):
Finale slow
Finale medium
Finale fast
sections:
1. Finale octaves section RH only
1. Finale octaves section both hands
2. Finale chromatic walkdown section
3. Finale ending section
Audio/Video References:
This song is often heard and performed around the 4th of July at fireworks celebrations. The association with Independence Day is strange, because this piece was originally written to honor the Russian defeat of Napoleon outside of Moscow. Maybe it's because of the cannons. Yes, the piece has real cannons that fire off near the end, just after the famous melody we are learning. I love how over the top, ridiculous, absurd, cacophonous, and literally bombastic this song is, and I laugh every time I hear those cannons.
This is the quality sound recording version that doesn't have video, the melody we're playing comes in at about 13:55. The cannons and bells in this one are (believe it or not) at a reasonable volume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbxgYlcNxE8
And two ridiculous versions of this:
Number one, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra putting on quite the show and firing off cannons and fireworks with costumes inside Royal Albert Hall. A bit harder to hear our melody in the end, maybe because they're firing off the cannons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUmu-dmF4us
Number two, a Japanese military band performing outside on a rainy day, for reasons that become clear around 4:15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agLcUUGEK_c
The whole thing:
1812 - two hands (beginner) - slow
1812 - two hands (beginner) - medium
1812 - two hands (beginner) - fast
1812 - one hand (intermediate) - slow
1812 - one hand (intermediate) - fast
1812 - one hand with chords (advanced)
1812 Overture sections with two hands (beginner):
The order of the sections in this song is:
1. Horse
2. Horse
3. Donkey
4. Other Donkey
*watch out for the shift for Other Donkey
here are the donkey sections cut into smaller pieces:
3.1 - donkey first part
3.2 - donkey second part
4.1 - other donkey first part
4.2 - other donkey second part
1812 Overture one hand:
1. one hand Horse
2. one hand Horse
3. one hand Donkey
4. one hand other donkey
1812 Finale section (advanced):
Finale slow
Finale medium
Finale fast
sections:
1. Finale octaves section RH only
1. Finale octaves section both hands
2. Finale chromatic walkdown section
3. Finale ending section
Audio/Video References:
This song is often heard and performed around the 4th of July at fireworks celebrations. The association with Independence Day is strange, because this piece was originally written to honor the Russian defeat of Napoleon outside of Moscow. Maybe it's because of the cannons. Yes, the piece has real cannons that fire off near the end, just after the famous melody we are learning. I love how over the top, ridiculous, absurd, cacophonous, and literally bombastic this song is, and I laugh every time I hear those cannons.
This is the quality sound recording version that doesn't have video, the melody we're playing comes in at about 13:55. The cannons and bells in this one are (believe it or not) at a reasonable volume.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbxgYlcNxE8
And two ridiculous versions of this:
Number one, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra putting on quite the show and firing off cannons and fireworks with costumes inside Royal Albert Hall. A bit harder to hear our melody in the end, maybe because they're firing off the cannons.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUmu-dmF4us
Number two, a Japanese military band performing outside on a rainy day, for reasons that become clear around 4:15.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agLcUUGEK_c
