I want to play this piece ("The Heart Asks Pleasure First" from the movie The Piano, by Michael Nyman). I have played "The Sacrifice," which is like the main theme from the longer "The Heart Asks Pleasure First." And I want to play the version I am currently listening to (problem number one, I'm not sure which version this is! But I think it's from the Soundtrack, and it's got all the variations, so I guess this would be the complete version??)

I have an arrangement from a score book I bought in Japan, but it is a bit shorter, and it is shorter after the part where the tempo speeds way up. This is one of the parts I definitely want! So I need a different arrangement.

Here is one score book sold at SheetMusicPlus, this one lists the piece as "The Heart Asks Pleasure First (The Promise/The Sacrifice)"





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Another book is:




This one just lists the piece as "The Heart Asks Pleasure First."

I am guessing that maybe the first book (where the title includes The Promise/Sacrifice) would be the better choice, since I want all of the variations? Does anyone have either of these books? Or can recommend a different one?

I have been hunting around YouTube trying to find a clip that matches what I want to play, but they have either "The Promise" or "the Sacrifice" (but not both), or it includes strings etc etc....

Any suggestions will be appreciated!!

P.S. Sheet Music Direct has a downloadable score, which is titled "The Heart Asks Pleasure First: The Promise/The Sacrifice (from The Piano)" and is 11 pages! (The version I have is only like 5 pages, so that is a good sign)

Also, SheetMusicDirect is only about $4, instead of $12 or $15 to order one of the scores above.

If anyone has purchased this downloadable version, please let me know what you think of it.

Thanks in advance!

Hi Shiro,

I have both the books you displayed above, but I can't find one at the moment (typical). From what I remember, they are exactly the same except the second book has a larger format (and some different pieces)

I'm now getting confused myself - there is three song titles; THAPF, The Promise, The Sacrifice. I'm not sure which is which, so I will explain it as simple as possible:

The score in the second book (mine is labelled THAPF (The Promise/The Sacrifice) has the music between 7:11 and 9:12 from the Piano Concerto (sorry it's full orchestra and not solo piano)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocmcGqHg81E

It also has a 4-measure intro and outro which is the start of the Sacrifice (first 10 seconds).

I'm not sure about an 11-page version of it though, mine is only 4 pages. Maybe it is a full score for orchestra? Or possibly doesn't have the repeat signs?

Euan, thank you for the very detailed info!! I can't do listening right now, but when I can, I'll post back and let you know which one I decide to get. Knowing me, I'll download the 11 pager and order a book!!

I learned to play The Heart Asks Pleasure First from the second book and it was terrific. Gorgeous song!

Does your version have a fast section at the end, before a slower section? (that's so vague, isn't it!)

Ok, I am getting closer to figuring this out. Here is the version that I am listening to:



This CD is newer, so the version of THAPF might not be exactly the same as the original soundtrack. (By the way, you can't hear much through Amazon's track preview, and you can't hear the part which makes this arrangement distinctive, which is a dramatic speeding up.)

The score I have (which is from a Japanese score book that I must have left in Japan with my in-laws!!) starts out exactly like this, and does have the "Piu Mosso" part, but it's like a page too short, and it doesn't have the slower intro and outro (great word Euan!) One thing I might be able to do, if all the sections are there, is just add the outro myself? (I always do better if I can just play from the score though.)

Musicnotes.com also has the 11 pager. I may not be able to order from SheetMusicDirect because I currently can't print out without disconnecting internet, and with SMD you have to be online and you only get one chance to print out the score

Has anyone ever purchased/printed from SMD?

Shiro,

I've got that cd as well (was a big Nyman fan!). I think what he does different to the soundtrack is just play THAPF (The Promise/Sacrifice) quite slowly through first time, then goes back and plays the same thing at tempo? I've not listened in a while, but that's how I remembered it went. I could be wrong, however.

Incidentally, we have a history with this piece - it was one of the first things I recorded and posted back in 2005(?), and you gave me some good advice to help me play it better!

ShiroKuro,
That will be a worthy challenge. I look forward to hearing it in the future?

This soundtrack is what got me into the dream of playing the piano, since 1993 I have wanted to play the Sacrifice. I hope I will be able to play it soon.

I listen to the soundtrack daily, THAPF is very fast and has the orchestra come in at the end.
The Promise is very slow and mostly in Piano, the orchestra comes in the middle of the piece, The Sacrifice is fast, MF - F, ending with P and rit, no orchestra. The last is my favourite version. Either book would be good.

Mozart79, if you like the music from the Piano, you really need to get "The Piano Sings." It's all solo piano versions of these pieces, incredibly compelling! And in my opinion, the solo performances are much better than the ones with orchestration. (But some people might remember that I have a bad attitude about orchestration!

And thanks by the way, because I actually have a score that's called "The Sacrifice," and your comments are helping me figure out these individual themes, which should help me with the score of the version I want to play.

Euan, I do remember that actually! Your idea, about how to play the version on the Piano Sings even if that's not the score I have, is really great too. I can tell that the score I have is missing the outro, if nothing else, but as long as it's all there somewhere else in the score that I have, I can make my own D.S. and all that.

Strings and Wood, I haven't been doing much recording since I came back to the US for grad school (and no longer have my beloved acoustic piano!)

But, the Sacrifice might just be the very first piece I ever recorded (a billion years ago!) and shared on PW, so it would be really neat to be able to record an arrangement of the complete THAPF and compare!

I love trying to hunt down scores like this! I think they should make a CSI-type TV drama about people trying to chase down just the right score for the right arrangment! We would all be on the edge of our seats!!

Well, it would appear the drama is solved (almost in time to fit into a one-hour time slot!)

I purchased "THAPF The Promise/The Sacrifice" from SheetMusicDirect, downloaded it and printed it. And also played it on that awful Sibelius Scorch thing (spelling??)

As far as I can tell at this point (which is pretty far) this is the score that matches the version on The Piano Sings, with the faster section that's longer than my 5 page version, and an intro and outro (Euan, is that even a word? I love it!)

Oh, and this version is indeed 11 pages! But, no repeats, so probably about as many measures as you have in your version. Of course, that means I have more page turning to do, but that never stopped me!

Thanks for helping me with my quest! And if anyone has anymore comments about arrangements, please share!

Hi Shiro,

I just got back from an out-of-town tournament with my daughter, so I'm late to this party. But I do appreciate your starting this thread and helping to unravel the mystery of the multiple versions of The Heart Asks Pleasure First. When you and Euan first started discussing this piece, it was so way beyond my capabilities I could only shake my head in surrender. But it's similar enough to some Einaudi pieces that I think I might be able to tackle this sometime soon...

Monica, the technique required here is like an extention of that required for Comptine, or even the Galloway version of Canon. The RH is playing .... wait, I don't have the score with me, but IIRC the RH is all 16th notes, and the time signature switches around between 6/8 and 9/8. At the same time, some of those RH 16th notes double as dotted eighth notes (again, this is from memory, but I think that's right) and those are the melody notes.

So the LH is going continuously with 16th notes (and the periodic doubled up eighth or dotted 8th) and the RH is going continously, and the struggle is to keep it from sounding like mud. (isn't that always the struggle!!)

But ultimately it's that same technique.

If you go to SheetMusicDirect, you can see the first page and see what I mean.

Also, I think this is faster than Comptine.... the MM marking is dotted quarter=46 to 56 (56 is the fast part). Comptine is quarter=100.. Wait, does that make THAPF faster or not?? (And Comptine is 4/4, while THAPF is 6/8.... this is like higher level math!!)

Anyway, maybe it's about as fast as Comptine, or a little faster (I should listen and compare before I go spouting off right!) And definitely more challenging.

But I do think that although it's harder than Comptine, it's that same technique, and given your other work, I'd say THAPF is definitely doable for you. I would recommend the SheetMusicDirect score, it's easy enough to read, and it's all there. And $4.00, so that's a bargain.

This weekend I'm working through the intro and the fast part. I just love this piece, and I am SO excited to be working on the complete version, after all these years!