7 ways to transform a piano into an orchestra

Getting an orchestral texture from a piano isn't necessarily about banging out thick, heavy chords spanning the entire range of the piano. (contrary to this video's thumbnail) There are, indeed, many ways to solicit orchestral timbres from the piano whether it be soft, fluttering string tremolos or subtly accented octaves that recall the horn. Even a cleverly placed triplet rhythm in the lower register immediately brings to mind a timpani in the case of Prokofiev.

I have to add that this video idea was inspired by Beethoven's Hammerklavier which, to me, somehow embodies the very spirit of the orchestra (ironic considering the title, huh) and, ever since I'd listened to it, left me in absolute awe at the capabilities of a piano.


Beethoven (Sokolov):    • Grigory Sokolov plays Beethoven: Pian...  
Liszt (Poon):    • Tiffany Poon - Liszt - Hungarian Rhap...  
Scriabin (Hamelin):    • Hamelin plays Scriabin - Piano Sonata...  
Ravel (Cho):    • Maurice Ravel - La Valse (Seong-Jin Cho)  
Prokofiev (Richter):    • Prokofiev - Piano sonata n°6 - Richte...  
Mussorgsky (Ugorski):   • Anatol Ugorski plays Mussorgsky Pictu...