Eleonor Bindman

Pianist
  • Home
  • Bio
  • Contact
  • News
  • Cello Suites for Solo Piano
  • Brandenburg Duets
  • Stepping Stones to Bach
  • Transcriptions
  • Recordings
  • Reviews
  • Teaching
    • Park Slope Piano Studio
    • Practice Tips
    • Stepping Stones to Bach
    • American Calendar
    • Parent Resources
    • References
  • Playlists
  • Articles
  • Duo Vivace
  • Media
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Press Kit
  • Calendar
  • Shop
    • Shop
    • Cart
    • My account

Archive for Latest

Eleonor Bindman in Pianist Magazine

Bach Cello Suites for Piano in Pianist Magazine

Published 01/05/21
           

Pianist Magazine highlights Eleonor Bindman’s J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano arrangements, saying it just “might be the ideal new project”!

Nothing makes Eleonor Bindman happier than receiving thank-you notes from amateur pianists. 

“Watching my adult students struggle with difficult pieces revealed the need for a new kind of piano repertoire” – says the Latvian-American pianist and transcriber – the kind that helps people participate in music-making of the highest order without weeks of practice, tension or feelings of inadequacy. Her latest project, a piano transcription of J. S. Bach’s Cello Suites, accomplishes just that. And Bach lovers of all ages have expressed enthusiasm for this wonderful new set of piano music, some finally being able to play their favourite music well despite arthritis, others eager for quality warm-up and technique-building material, and many simply relishing a new Bach immersion which makes these stay-at-home times a lot more bearable.

See the piece on PianistMagazine.com!

Home Page, Latest, News

Talking J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano with Classical Archives

Published 12/02/20
           

Eleonor Bindman spoke with Barry Lenson about her new J.S. Bach Cello Suite transcriptions and recordings on the Classical Archives blog:

  • Add to cart

Prepare to be surprised when you listen to the new 2-CD release of Eleonor Bindman playing her piano arrangements of Bach’s Cello Suites. Ms. Bindman’s arrangements faithfully include the notes you will find in the original Bach, but have become works that are new, unique, and completely satisfying on their own terms.

That is just one of the discoveries to be made in this new recording, which follows an earlier, excellent 2-CD recording, The Brandenburg Duets of four-hand transcriptions of the Bach Brandenburg Concertos that Ms. Bindman performed with fellow pianist Jenny Lin.

In nearly every way, the Cello Suite transcriptions feel very different from the Brandenburgs. How did that happen, and what was the thinking behind this new release? We spoke with Ms. Bindman, and here is what she had to say.

Classical Archives: What motivated you to transcribe and record these pieces?

All my transcriptions are motivated by the desire to play my favorite music on the piano. My first major piano transcription – Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain – was made because I just loved the orchestral piece and wanted to have more Mussorgsky to perform.  Max Reger’s piano-4-hands version of the Brandenburgs has been on my music shelf for decades but proved too unwieldy when I tried to play them with my piano duet partner.  So I made a new, playable one, thinking that a good arrangement would really enrich the piano-4-hands repertoire.  The Cello Suites by nature are suitable for amateur pianists so this new set is also intended to provide more playable Bach for them.

See the interview on the ClassicalArchives.com blog!

Order Direct Stream: Order the Score
Home Page, Latest, News
Eleonor Bindman, pianist

Talking Bach Transcriptions With Seen and Heard International

Published 11/16/20
           

Seen and Heard International‘s Robert Beattie interviews Eleonor Bindman about her J.S. Bach transcriptions:

“I spoke to Eleonor about her background as a professional pianist, what drew her into making transcriptions of other composer’s works and about her latest transcription of Bach’s solo cello suites. Some of the most recent transcriptions are for amateur pianists and we spoke about how these motivate and inspire enthusiastic amateurs.

Robert Beattie: Can you tell us about your background as a professional pianist and what drew you to make transcriptions of other composers’ works?

Eleonor Bindman: When I was in college we were encouraged to study a wide range of repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music and virtuoso works. I enjoyed playing transcriptions by composers such as Liszt, Busoni and Rachmaninov. My piano teacher, Vladimir Feltsman, encouraged me to think about how to capture orchestral textures, colours and sonorities when performing these works. I performed Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition at a number of competitions and this work featured in my first solo recording. I included my own transcription of Mussorgsky’s A Night on a Bald Mountain in that recording. In my second recording I performed Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons and included Liszt’s transcription of the Polonaise from his opera Eugene Onegin. Once again, I also decided to record my own transcription of the waltz from Eugene Onegin.

RB: You then went on to record a number of transcriptions for piano duet with Susan Sobolewski and Jenny Lin. Can you tell us about them?

EB: Susan and I recorded the version of Holst’s The Planets for two pianos. Holst originally scored seven of the movements for two pianos before scoring it for large orchestra. This was bookended by a transcription of Bernstein’s Candide Overture and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. I then started to look at transcriptions of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos for piano duet. There is a transcription by Max Reger for piano duet, but I found this work very uneven and lopsided as the primo piano part is much more dense and busy than the secondo part, which has much less to do. I then worked on my own transcription of the Brandenburg Concertos for piano duet and tried to distribute the material much more evenly among the two parts. Jenny Lin and I made a recording of this transcription in 2018 and this was well received by the critics and the general public.

RB: You then composed a series of Bach piano transcriptions specifically tailored for amateur pianists. How did this project come about?

EB: I have a number of adult piano students and I was conscious of the fact that many of them found it difficult to negotiate Bach’s contrapuntal lines. I often found it easier to teach composers such as Chopin where they have to play a melody and accompaniment. I love Bach’s music and I wanted to create a series of short pieces which would allow amateur pianists to find a way into his music. I therefore composed 48 short pieces which I called Stepping Stones to Bach which were distillations of his orchestral, choral and instrumental works such as movements from the cantatas or Passions, orchestral suites or instrumental works. These pieces are idiomatic and satisfying to play and they have helped many of my students to develop technique. They are intermediate level pieces and they are useful for students of all ages. I developed a playlist on Spotify to accompany the pieces which allows students to listen to the original works before playing the pieces.

RB: You have just recorded your own new transcription of Bach’s Cello Suites for Piano Solo. There are of course existing transcriptions of these works as well as for the solo violin works. How do your transcriptions differ from these?……

See the full interview on Seen and Heard International!

Home Page, Latest

J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Piano Score Now Available

Published 10/19/20
           
  • Cello Suites Score Cover
    J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Piano Solo Score
    $36.00 – $50.00
    Select options

The J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano Score is now available to purchase as a download or a hard-copy print edition!

My new transcription of this beloved set shows a refreshing perspective to a pianist, unencumbered by counterpoint and zooming in on the individual line, patterns, tone quality, and the great composer’s vocabulary. I find the experience of playing the Suites on the keyboard not only aesthetically satisfying but also relaxing and joyful. We could all use an opportunity to enjoy our music-making without unnecessary stress, especially in current times. I am also eager to bring these 36 pieces to many pianists and students because they are immensely beneficial for working on tone and finger technique.

Details

  • Page total: 124 pages
  • Hard Copy Printed Orders: Printed on-demand and bound: 124 pages, Premium 28 lb paper, with commentaries and illustrations for each suite.
  • Hard Copies also include download access
  • For those printing after purchasing downloads: double-sided printing has been considered in the file layout, so you are welcome to do so!

Also available:

  • J.S. Bach Cello Suites Mask
    J.S. Bach Cello Suites Face Mask
    $15.00
    Add to cart
  • J.S. Bach Cello Suites Bundle
    $70.00
    Add to cart
  • J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano Recording
    $20.00
    Add to cart
Home Page, Latest, News

J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano is Out Now!

Published 10/09/20
           

The J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano are available worldwide, wherever you listen!

Get it Now

Order Direct Stream: Score

“On the heels of the recent recording – “breathtaking in its sheer precision and vitality” (Pianist magazine) – of her own transcription for four-hands piano of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, pianist Eleonor Bindman has now completed a new project: a solo piano transcription and recording of all six of Bach’s suites for unaccompanied cello. These pieces have been transcribed many times for instruments from trombone to charango, starting with the lute version of Suite No. 5 made by Bach himself. But previous piano versions, particularly in the 19th century, tended toward “improvements” ranging from added harmonies to newly composed accompaniments. Bindman’s goal was to adhere as closely to the original works as possible, making a simple and sincere attempt to bring a new sonority to some of Bach’s most beautiful conceptions. The new recording will be released on the Grand Piano label, a subsidiary of Naxos, on October 9.

Each of the cello suites begins with a prelude, followed by a series of movements named after dances but not always especially danceable; Bach treated these forms with great flexibility. Thus Bindman’s immersion in the cello suites was partially a process of discovering the organic personality of each movement, distinct from the other examples of that dance in the other suites. In some cases the mechanics of the piano affected her interpretation: for example, she tended toward slightly faster tempos than a cellist would be inclined to take. Tonalities also proved to be an important consideration: the E-flat key of Suite No. 4, for example, is notably idiomatic for the piano – doubly so on Bindman’s richly resonant Bösendorfer – despite being a difficult key for the work’s original instrument.…

Learn more and get your copy today!

Get it Now

Pre-order Now on
Home Page, Latest

Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano Release Day is October 9!

Published 08/14/20
           
J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano

The Naxos/Grand Piano label has set Eleonor Bindman’s J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano recording’s release date for October 9, 2020!

J.S. Bach Cello Suites for Solo Piano

The genius of J.S. Bach is recognised and revered by everyone who is musically educated. His output, studied by the greatest composers and the youngest apprentices alike, has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration, imitation and renewal. One common method of renewal is through transcription. As a matter of fact Bach himself regularly transcribed his own and other composers’ music and created different instrumental versions of the same piece. This transcribing practice has persisted and is still very much alive, as evidenced by many current recordings, including this one. Approaches can be as diverse as Bach’s body of work, depending on the form of the original composition, the designated instrumentation and the goal of the arranger. The resulting musical statement may be a faithful reproduction (my personal preference), a transformation beyond recognition or something in between. Regardless of the outcome, the original source is of such exceptional depth and appeal that for the past three centuries it attracted a steady stream of pilgrims, ready to sacrifice their time and energy for the joy of communion.

active
active
active
active
active
active
Home Page, Latest, News
Eleonor Bindman on The Violin Channel

Live on the Violin Channel

Published 08/14/20
           

Eleonor Bindman joined the Violin Channel’s “Living Room Live” program:

Home Page, Latest, News
Eleonor Bindman, pianist

Help Support Local Musicians

Published 04/29/20
           

In support of my musician colleagues during the COVID health crisis, from now through Sunday, May 3, 2020, all proceeds from the sale of my transcriptions and CDs from this site will go to my Local 802 AFM Musicians’ Emergency Relief Fund.

Donate Now
Shop Now To Support

Latest
J.S. Bach Cello Prelude

A Meaningful Pause

Published 03/30/20
           

Pause. That word reminds me of a memorable lesson I learned from my last teacher, Mr. Feltsman. In Russian musical terminology, we use it (pronounced “pauza”) to denote a rest. I was playing some Rachmaninov for him one day at SUNY New Paltz where he still teaches. After a few measures of Moment musicaux Op. 14, No. 3, he stopped me and said: “The rests need to be more expressive. Try it again.” I decided not to ask for clarification – how could one explain making silence more expressive? – and played the beginning again, keeping my focus during the rests. He nodded: “That’s much better. The rests need to speak as profoundly as the notes.”

  • The Importance of Rests: Listening to Silence

In spoken language or in music, a pause has an important role. It emphasizes the meaning of what was just conveyed by giving us some time to process, to catch up in case we were distracted. Public speakers know this well. It prolongs the emotional charge of a statement, letting it penetrate deeper in the silence. When a pause is long enough, it can also create anticipation, a state of greater receptivity and help sharpen our attention. 

People are currently “on pause” in many parts of our planet. Those of us who are lucky to be healthy have to take a break from many habitual actions, especially if living in a city. Amid anxiety-provoking news, ”skyrocketing” numbers and red graphic lines, the only way to possibly control our own situation is to retreat inside and wait. How do we fill – and not kill – our time during this interval, this infinitely prolonged “snow day?” How can we bring meaning to this pause?

I just took a break from writing this, went out and jumped rope in front of my house for the first time in decades. A man with a dog walked by, listening to Brandenburg #2 on a small radio, believe it or not. When I came back in, a sculptor friend called to see how we are doing. He and his partner are the only people I know who still live without cell phones but since they now have to teach art classes online they are discovering the promotional potential of the internet. My teenage son, cut off from interaction with his buddies, put his amateur magician skills to use and finally started giving (online) lessons to kids. As I write this my daughter is working on a new soufflé pancake recipe. (Update: delicious!) My husband, unable to see his coach, discovered that he can play tennis against a wall in the park. Like spring flowers from a dirt patch, new possibilities can arise from our constraints.…

To continue reading, and to watch a video and get a free download, please see this month’s newsletter (and while you’re there, click the subscribe button).

Home Page, Latest, News

Stepping Stones to Bach – Book Two Available Now!

Published 09/20/19
           
Stepping Stones to Bach, Book 2

Johann Sebastian Bach left us an unparalleled legacy. His music has accompanied people through centuries of worship and brought countless moments of reflection, inner peace and wonder. It was even launched into space on the Voyager 1 space probe as one of humanity’s supreme achievements. At any given moment there is likely to be someone somewhere on Earth playing something by Bach. So here we have more Bach to play, and why not?

This is Book 2 of “Stepping Stones to Bach,” a cycle of 2 volumes, 24 pieces each, in a tribute to the format of The Well-Tempered Clavier. Themes from masterpieces like the Brandenburg Concertos, Mass in B Minor, the Cantatas, selected Sonatas and Suites have been simplified and adapted to the modern keyboard. Piano students of all ages can now participate in music-making of the highest quality without having to spend months to learn one piece.

Launch Special

Purchase both — that’s 48 pieces — Book 1 & 2 together as downloads for only $30 total, OR get the printed version with an inscription for the same price as without!

P.S. Purchased Book 1 through this site? Add Book 2 to your cart and you’ll find a special discount coupon to use at checkout (must use same billing email address).

  • Stepping Stones to Bach Book Cover
    Stepping Stones to Bach
    $18.00 – $30.00
    Select options
  • Stepping Stones to Bach, Book 2
    Stepping Stones to Bach, Book 2
    $18.00 – $30.00
    Select options

Home Page, Latest
Stepping Stones to Bach Book

Stepping Stones to Bach Review!

Published 06/17/19
           

Pianist, teacher, and writer Frances Wilson has a new review for the first volume of Stepping Stones to Bach on “A Piano Teacher Writes”:

“Given her experience in both playing and transcribing Bach, these arrangements are excellent, retaining a clear sense of the original while offering early to intermediate pianists the opportunity to play interesting and imaginative stand-alone pieces. The pieces have been simplified and adapted to the modern keyboard, with all the essentials left intact. Each piece has a short footnote with suggestions for fingering and some stylistic/contextual information.


In addition, the well-chosen works in this collection give the early or intermediate player a splendid introduction to variety and glory of Bach’s music. For many of us, our first introduction to Bach is via the two- and three-part inventions, which are undoubtedly wonderful, but Eleonor’s collection offers greater insight into Bach’s music and his musical universe, and as such is an excellent introduction, and, hopefully, a jumping off point for further exploration.… Recommended.”

—Frances Wilson

Stepping Stones to Bach

Stepping Stones to Bach Book Cover
Order Stepping Stones to Bach

Samples

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Home Page, Latest

Primephonic Interview

Published 01/15/19
           

Primephonic’s Jennifer Harrington and I talk about the Brandenburg Duets on their blog and explored some of the next steps for me around the project:

The Brandenburg Duets

What is the process you must take to have your arrangement of The Brandenburg Duets published?

I am working diligently on getting more reviews, attention on social media and other publicity for the Brandenburg Duets recording.  Reviewers are swamped these days and many of them don’t really care much about the 4-hand piano medium or the educational potential of this new arrangement because the classical music field is so star-driven. Fortunately, the listeners really like it so it’s selling well, and I am getting great feedback about hearing the music in a fresh new way and the wonderful mood the recording puts people in. Now I’m about to approach music publishing houses, chiefly aiming for German/European ones, and hoping they will think this is a worthwhile project to bring to light in time for the 300th anniversary the Brandenburg Concertos in 2021.

You’ve transcribed several pieces of music over your career. Do you foresee more projects like this in the future? Any that you can share about?

Yes, every recording of mine includes a piano transcription, as it turned out. I was always fascinated by the possibility of sounding like an entire orchestra on just one piano and I am motivated by making great music possible for pianists to play. I tried to simplify the Brandenburg Duets as much as possible, so that amateurs and students can play some of the movements.  Having taught adults for years, I really value the experience of amateur pianists, not just concert-level performers. Most well-known Bach transcriptions by Busoni, Liszt, Siloti, etc., are virtuosic, so lately I’ve been making shorter and less complicated Bach transcriptions that still sound beautiful.

Do you have any recording projects you look forward to releasing that you can share with us?

Currently, I have about 7-8 shorter new solo piano Bach arrangements (including a solo version of one movement from Brandenburg Concerto #4) and I am adding more for a future recording project.  Also, I want to record the Partitas soon – I have played them for years and feel very close to that music.  

What is your favorite classical music memory?

My favorite memory comes from doing research on Liszt’s transcriptions at the Library of Congress about 20 years ago. To gain access to them I had to fill out a separate slip of paper for each one and give it to a librarian who then descended into what they called “the vault” and brought them out for me, one after another.  I remember sitting in a small private room at that library with those old manuscripts and trying to wrap my mind around the fact that I’m holding the same papers as Franz Liszt once held.  I was looking at his original markings: they were so well-organized with different edits in colored ink that you could still clearly see… I had goose bumps, a sensation of awe, a feeling of time travel touching those papers.  I still get that sensation, even now when I think of it.

See the full review on the Primephonic blog

Home Page, Latest
Next Page →

Quite simply (and irrespective of the particular novelty factor here) this is Bach playing of the highest order. … Listening to Bindman’s recording, I was immediately struck by the mellifluous beauty and sensitivity of her renditions of these iconic cello works; that she has transcribed them so well and plays them with such assurance, grace and finesse makes this 2CD set an easy choice for my Recording of the Month.

Andrew Eales
Pianodao

“Prepare to be surprised when you listen to the new 2-CD release of Eleonor Bindman playing her piano arrangements of Bach’s Cello Suites. Ms. Bindman’s arrangements faithfully include the notes you will find in the original Bach, but have become works that are new, unique, and completely satisfying on their own terms.”

Barry Lenson
Classical Archive

“Her skillfully wrought arrangements… [treat] the solo cello lines straight, and… you get Bach’s text served up with sensitivity and taste… Bindman’s well-considered tempos address the music’s dance origins. …her Preludes and Sarabandes sing out well”

Jed Distler
ClassicsToday

The Six Solo Cello Suites are some of the most celebrated and much-loved works in the classical repertoire, and they continue to fascinate and inspire performers and audiences alike. In this brand new transcription for solo piano, Eleonor Bindman pays tribute to this music’s enduring allure. … The transcription offers scope for some adventurous interpretation, particularly in the wonderfully playful pairs of Minuets, Bourrées and Gavottes. … Like the works included in her ‘Stepping Stones to Bach’, Eleonor has provided pianists with yet more repertoire to explore, and her elegantly, meticulous transcriptions shine a new light on this wonderful music while also remaining true to the original.

Frances Wilson
The Cross-Eyed Pianist

Given her experience in both playing and transcribing Bach, these [Stepping Stones to Bach] arrangements are excellent, retaining a clear sense of the original while offering early to intermediate pianists the opportunity to play interesting and imaginative stand-alone pieces.”

Frances Wilson
A Piano Teacher Writes
© 2021 Eleonor Bindman. All Rights Reserved