PianoTell Recital #1 Is Now Live!
@bSharp
Wow, played entirely from memory - that's incredible! Very pleasant to listen to, thank you!
@WieWaldi
That was adorable! I want to learn that piece too eventually ^_^ So far I have only heard you play blues licks or easy sight reading exercises, so this was a real treat... obviously you are a rowlf of all trades 
@SalmonJack
Your description fit the imagery so well... something that is growing, growing and growing and never ceases paint a complete picture. You just add to it until it's finished... and then you just want more of it 
@Calavera
Very pretty! It builds up to a nice climax and then quiets down... only to treat us to a second highlight - with an abrupt finish. Well well done!
@rsl12
WOW!!!! For a moment I thought I had entered the movie Toy Story - I love, LOVE, LOVE that theme. Your singing has improved SO MUCH, wow, a HUGE leap from the previous recital. And the piano complemented it so nicely... I could listen to that type of music for hours! Love the lyrics too, did I mention it should be used in a movie? 
And who can help but smile back when a performance ends with such a happy smile... loved it from start to finish!
@TC3
Another piece where you just can't help thinking happy thoughts while you listen... wow TC - you DO put the joy in boogie and blues Loved it, thanks so much for your great performance!
@iternabe
I always enjoyed that piece. In fact our washing machine uses that melody each time it finishes the laundry... and I always let it play right to the end because I never get tired of it Yours is a very nice arrangement too. Really impressed with your 7 months of learning - in your case too, your persistence paid off!
@ShiroKuro
We just purchased new speakers for my PC - and they are actually rather high end, meant be used with hifi equipment. So I could admire the music in its full glory and the quality wasn't bad at all! Thanks so much for sharing... what you call "just a practice recording" is probably the summit of what I'll ever be able to reach... if that
- Edited
Player1
Thanks P1, I think you're right, I do tend to linger too long on some pieces. I can play the piece a little faster, but when I do that the mistakes happen. I feel that playing it so slowly makes it sound a bit dirge-like and in truth it's a bit painful to listen to - something I should not really inflict on people! My recital is way below the standard of all the other submissions, but that is understandable as most of them have been playing much longer than me - some of them have played for decades! Everyone is very kind though, so it's a positive experience for me.
"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)
@lilypad
Another lovely piece, this recital just never stops giving Very well played. I can relate 100% to a not-perfect recording getting from bad to worse... but this one (to my ears) is very well played. Pretty harmonies and a very pleasant melody. Thank you!
@TheBoringPianist
That was ANYTHING BUT BORING How dare you call yourself boring pianist Teasing of course, that was lovely. I'm not surprised you made it to the finals, belated congratulations!
@Rob
What a talent! Both the composition as the way it's played. And such an adorable image which made it really alive. I have a good mind to play this when we have dinner tonight... it's perfect for a quiet and peaceful moment together!
@diretonic
Borrowed by a cat eh? Sounds like you borrowed ours... full of life and mischief I really love blues and you played it well. Very impressed!
@Serge88
Misty is a gorgeous piece.... loved your introduction and the way it's played. And another happy smile towards the end... perfect finish to a perfect piece
@Rubens
Wow Rubens and @Josephine, that was gorgeous! You got yourself a prodigee there Only FIVE YEARS of experience? You are so multi talented - not only restoring pianos, but obviously you play them too. I can't even tell where Rubens stepped in, but let's just say the entire piece was lovely. Compliments to you both - a real surprise indeed. I should have made two happy dances
@twocats
So bubbly and happy! Your playing is so beautiful - and when I realize you just recorded that on the last day or so I'm actually turning green with envy Great performance!
@navindra
Ahhhhhhhhhhhh last... but not least. Not only a lovely performance, but obviously you are able to just stoically play in front of the most beautiful background in the world and in a busy hotel. RESPECT! And your hat makes you look like such a cool cat - I bet some asked for autographs thinking you were a visiting celebrity, lol!
Wow, can't believe how fast that went by. I honestly didn't plan to listen to everything in a single day, but once I got going, it became a marathon session. @navindra a special thanks to you for your impeccable organization of this first recital!
So many great recordings, everyone! A few stuck out in my mind and I'd like to give you my compliments before my thoughts fly away as they're prone to do (hence my inability to memorize anything on the piano):
@BicBic I really enjoyed your Shostakovich, it really had the feel of his music
@Rob your composition was so lovely and I'm looking forward to hearing more of your pieces in the future. If you put it to sheet music I'm sure it would be very popular!
@rsl12 you made me laugh out loud with your special lyrics! But seriously, I'm so impressed that you improvised all that AND sang along.
Sophia I can't even tell where Rubens stepped in
I only played the part from 1:07 to 1:51 in the track. You can hear the shift between musical personalities. I actually prefer her musicality to mine. My Chopin is often too heavy-handed and overt, maybe too "Russian"? (That's what a Polish professor once told me, which makes sense considering my training background.)
19. TC3 — St. James Infirmary
That was a great performance, perfectly executed. You are quite a player!
20. iternabe — The Trout
You absolutely nailed it there! Amazing playing, for a player who only began 7 months ago.
21. ShiroKuro — Nuvole Bianche
A beautiful piece, played well, which was a real pleasure to listen to. The sound quality was fine.
22. lilypad — Manhattan 1928
Nicely played.
I think that many of us experience similar things when trying to get a decent recording - red button syndrome is very annoying.
23. TheBoringPianist — Prélude, Fugue et Variation, Op. 18
That was a very professional recital, even more impressive as you were playing in a competition, to an audience. I can't imagine the nerves involved in doing that. Well done.
24. Rob — Sunday Morning
That was absolutely lovely. You have immense talent. You are mind blowingly good.
"Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars." (Final line from Now,Voyager, 1942)
Rubens now that you mention it, it does feel very Russian! I can't even tell you what I think Russian style sounds like, but maybe more intense and muscular? I also had a Russian teacher, and then later a Polish teacher (tempered by a very mellow American professor in between).
Josephine A beautiful piece and beautifully played! I tried to learn it last year but it was too difficult for me. But I have a great teacher now, so maybe I can play it in the future
Thank you! Once you're feeling confident with arpeggios and chromatic scales I'm sure you'll be able to play this piece
Sophia Your playing is so beautiful - and when I realize you just recorded that on the last day or so I'm actually turning green with envy
I did re-learn it recently (in March, so actually seasonally appropriate) so I'm glad it didn't take very long to get it back. With all the talk of neuroscience techniques it turns out that "learning stuff in your formative years" sticks around better than any works I learned in the past couple of decades. Thank you for your kind words!!
- Edited
1. Player1 — Energico
Hey, it sounds like your fingers are moving faster! Next time angle the video so I can see the kitty! I know you hate metronomes--did you find a video you could play along with? I think it would help a lot with keeping the tempo steady.
2. rogerch — Improvisation 6
It's sounds very coherent and fluid! You are right to be happy with how it turned out.
3. keff — A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square
A pretty arrangement! I know how hard those kind of harmonically complex arrangements can be to read/memorize. You played it really well.
4. Sophia — Fascination
Great job! Your rhythm is great, and you seem comfortable with hand independence, jumping around the keyboard, and finger crossovers. You're almost not a beginner any more!
8. hebele — Downtown Abbey theme
It sounds like a good piece for practicing pedal. Your pedaling is smooth and not muddy. Sounds great!
13. Nightowl — Plaisir D'Amour
I didn't notice any hesitations. It sounds very nice! And what a nice pretty piece for beginner level.
14. bSharp — High Heels
Not a bad performance for a piece you haven't played for a while. The rhythm sounds good--I could see where rhythm mistakes could happen easily, but I didn't hear any from you.
15. WieWaldi — Rainbow Connection
I love this song, and it fits with your muppet theming. It sounds solid! For a beginner piece, it's pretty long, but you managed to get through the entire recording without mistakes!
16. SalmonJack — Alia
This definitely doesn't sound finished--there isn't a big dramatic arc like I hear in your other songs. But it is a nice ending. I'm curious to find out how you flesh out a song like this. For melodic minor, I often revert to harmonic minor because my improvising brain can't handle melodic minor up and natural minor down!
17. Calavera — Chrono Cross - Scars of Time
At first I thought this was from Chrono Trigger, when they go to the future world for the first time. But then it started sounding unfamiliar (I've never played Chrono Cross). Still, it brought back a memory that I enjoyed. You played with great drama!
19. TC3 — St. James Infirmary
Nice build-up! I like the harmonic movement at the end too--I might have to analyze it and see if I can steal something from it. The improvisation problem with changes like that is you have to land at exactly the right place--you analyze it from where you want to land the ending and work your way to the beginning, but when you improvise, you can't do that.
Thanks to those who helped put this together! I’m not very clear on who the recital coordinators are, but this is a great inaugural recital, and it’s wonderful to see so many submissions! It’s really exciting that this became a reality!
For submissions that were made both here and on PW, I’m thinking I’ll alternate where I post my comments, but I will try to get to everyone! I decided to start at the end for this set of responses.
25. diretonic — Borrowed Blues. I’m not familiar with Dr John, but I enjoyed this tremendously, and I appreciated the story of how you came across the music. Thanks for sharing!
26. Rubens @Josephine — Waltz Op.70 no.2. What a fantastic story of how this submission came to be! Also lovely and sensitive playing by both Rubens and Josephine. I thought the contrast in character worked very well, in the context of the piece.
27. Serge88 — Misty. A wonderful performance of this great standard! You seem more and more confident with each new submission.
28. twocats — Rustle of Spring. In my neck of the woods, it’s high summer, but the Rustle of Spring is most welcome! I’ve heard this piece a few times before, and it’s definitely a crowd pleaser. I’m very impressed that you were able to whip up the recording without much recent practice. I really enjoyed the contrasts, and you did a great job with the dramatic moments.
29. navindra — Bluebird (in Mauritius). What a great story and fun video! I’m so glad you felt comfortable playing (and recording) there. This was a fantastic ending to the recital. The music felt like it was perfect for the setting of the bright blue sky and sandy beaches. It did, however, look like the piano strings were suffering from the humidity 
.
More comments to come, and thanks to all who have commented and/or listened to my submission!
That's what I wanted! Thanks!
- Edited
Nightowl
Your playing isn't "below standard," you're exactly right on the money for your playing level. You get the feedback you deserve based on your playing, not because anyone is fluffing you. That would be a cruel thing to do to anyone.
The arrangements in the method books are meant to teach, not play for entertainment. That's why they're awkward and don't sound very good. You only need to practice them until you can play them all the way through and have learned the technique they're teaching with that piece. That means being able to play 75-80% of a piece without mistakes, at tempo, is good enough to move on.
I believe that a piano student should be doing 3 things:
- Their lesson pieces on a weekly or semi monthly basis, 75-80% learned and played to tempo.
- A performance piece that can be learned and polished to PW/PT recital submission quality within 2-3 months.
- A stretch piece that can take as long as 6-8 months to learn and polish which can be played without mistakes at a "formal" recital. (Not that you have to do that, just be able to play it to that standard.)
You're trying to make your lessons pieces into #2 and #3. It's not necessary or desirable to do that. Learn what the lesson piece teaches and move on at a consistent pace. For #2; find something just a bit beyond where you are and split 2 or 3 sessions per week for both your lesson and this piece. The stretch piece is supposed to be special and something you really want to learn to play. You have to do a little bit of research to find something in this category because you have to gauge your playing progress and then project where you think you'll be in 5-6 months so you will have most of the skills to play the piece you select. This is hard but not impossible. You have to add 1 or 2 extra sessions per week for this one.
So, a plan emerges. You're (I think) around midway through book 2. Look at the last piece in the book. You can start learning the original score for that if you want, or find something equal to it by checking all of the internet sources for similar grade level pieces. That's your #3. You have 6-8 months to learn it. By the time you do, you'll be at or near the end of your Alfred's book so the timing will be right.
Now look through your supplemental books and find something midway through one of those. That's your #2 piece. This should be equivalent to 3 or 4 lessons pieces ahead of where you are. You can also check the various internet sources for grade level stuff to find something in this range if there's nothing appealing in your supplemental books.
If you get stuck, ask for recommendations. There is so much knowledge here that not taking advantage of it is almost a crime. For instance, I think you could easily learn the original score of Bach's Minuet in G Major (Petzold) by Thanksgiving if you put your mind to it, certainly by the end of the year even if you got lazy in your practice sessions.
This got too long winded. Sorry.
- Edited
Nightowl
Thanks for your comment. I spent a few months away from home. Came home exhausted with jet lag. I've been working on the pieces I submitted to online recitals before but nothing new. I didn't expect to participate in an online recital until I came across the Air in D minor by Henry Purcell.
Practiced it for a few days on a Yamaha keyboard at a slightly slower tempo. After the first recording decided to redo it at the conservatory where I have my lessons at the current tempo. Sounded just right.
- Edited
Nightowl Well played and the lyrics made me smile. I enjoyed the first verse but was less keen on the imagery conjured up by the second verse - it really made me cringe, but no doubt it would make children laugh. Thanks for an entertaining performance.
My original version had a lot more blood! I think the lyrics were something like "his finger fit with ease / and blood splattered the keys" It looks like I made the right choice!
Sophia WOW!!!! For a moment I thought I had entered the movie Toy Story - I love, LOVE, LOVE that theme. Your singing has improved SO MUCH, wow, a HUGE leap from the previous recital. And the piano complemented it so nicely... I could listen to that type of music for hours! Love the lyrics too, did I mention it should be used in a movie?
Aw thank you! I want to smile more, but I'm afraid of ruining my mouth shape that I've been working so hard at. It's like I have cotton balls in my mouth. Hopefully soon I'll figure out how to sing and have human expressions at the same time!
PS check out Trout Fishing in America. It sounds like it's up your alley. Here are a couple more bangers:
My Hair Had a Party Last Night
The Window
Sam's Last Boogie
Nightowl Thanks P1, I think you're right, I do tend to linger too long on some pieces. I can play the piece a little faster, but when I do that the mistakes happen. I feel that playing it so slowly makes it sound a bit dirge-like and in truth it's a bit painful to listen to - something I should not really inflict on people! My recital is way below the standard of all the other submissions, but that is understandable as most of them have been playing much longer than me - some of them have played for decades! Everyone is very kind though, so it's a positive experience for me.
It might make you happy to hear that everyone cringes listening to themselves. I certainly do. I hear all the silly mistakes I wish I hadn't made unless I force myself to be less critical. The good news is if you keep doing it, the mistakes seem less harsh, and you can start enjoying what you produce. Also, your recordings become like a diary, and you can listen to old recordings and hear how much progress you've made over time. Also, my enjoyment of listening to these kinds of recitals is very different from my enjoyment of hearing a professional. I am not super interested in immaculate, perfectly recorded pieces. I like hearing people who have made progress through struggle.
twocats you made me laugh out loud with your special lyrics! But seriously, I'm so impressed that you improvised all that AND sang along.
Thank you! I had finally gotten a handle on improvising, but singing is really putting my brain on overdrive, so I'm glad you recognize my struggle!