Thomas Wiggins was born
Beginning of the composer’s lifetime.
About this piece
According to a concert program from 1868, after one exceptionally severe thunderstorm, Tom listened to the drain then "went to the piano and played what is now known as his Rainstorm and said it was what the rain, the wind, and the thunder said to him." Thomas Wiggins was just 5 years old when this happened and the Rainstorm would become one of his favorite tunes, one he would keep playing throughout his life.
This piece was first published in 1865, and we can hear a gentle and naive main tune giving way to a stormy and triumphant middle section. The new theme in this new section is constantly interrupted by an insistent wave of chromatic waves in the bass. Alternating such contrasting ideas is one of the main challenges in this piece.
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It could be a good match if you're an intermediate pianist with a solid foundation and strong technique.
Level guide
Equivalent to RCM level 8
Equivalent to ABRSM level 7
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Sources & credits
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