PianoTell Recital #2 Is Now Live!

navindra

Welcome to PianoTell Recital #2!

Click for an index to all the performances:

Click for an optional template that you can copy/paste to comment on each performance:

@"iternabe"#p19256 — O mio babbino caro


@"keff"#p19257 — Over the Rainbow


@"plop_symphony"#p19270 — The Midnight Ball


@"Schubertian2"#p19271 — Ballade 4


@"WieWaldi"#p19272 — Quick Five Blues


@"Nightowl"#p19275 — What A Wonderful World


@"Sophia"#p19287 — A Classy Rag


@"rogerch"#p19288 — Slow Steps


@"thepianoplayer416"#p19307 — When You Wish Upon a Star


@"Sam"#p19315 — The Never Finished Piece


@"MarieJ"#p19422 — Waltz in F minor


@"Player1"#p19541 — Ashokan Farewell


@"Rubens"#p19584 — Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement


@"Cratersmash"#p19591 — Sonata No. 3 in A Minor


@"Gooseberry"#p19656 — Pigalle


@"Rob"#p19990 — Lost


@"TC3"#p20001 — Worried Life Blues


@"lilypad"#p20006 — God Bless the Child


@"BicBic"#p20021 — Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11


@"javiercorre"#p20022 — Sonatas K. 208 and K. 380


@"SalmonJack"#p20032 — Bliss Ten


@"rsl12"#p20040 — I am the very model of a modern Major-General


@"Sgisela"#p20047 — Do Tebe (to you)


@"ShiroKuro"#p20050 — Reminiscence


@"Pathbreaker"#p20064 — Larghetto


@"diretonic"#p20068 — Chega de Saudade (No More Blues)


@"navindra"#p20073 — The Entertainer

Enjoy!

iternabe

Performer: iternabe from North Carolina, USA. I am about 10 months into learning piano.
Piece: O mio babbino caro (aria from Gianni Schicchi by Puccini, arranged by Faber)
Comment Policy: Critical Comments: Anything goes!

Source of music: Faber Piano Adventures Classics Book 1.
Instrument: Roland FP-30X + Pianoteq 8.3 Bösendorfer 280VC
Recording method: Audio: digital out of Pianoteq. Video: OBS Studio + Webcam (Logitech c920/930e)
Additional info: After finishing Faber’s method book 1 for adult, instead of starting the next level, I decided to learn more level 1 pieces. I chose Faber’s companion book for classics and spent about 4 months to learn the 35 short pieces. This is the very last one in that book.

Each piece in the book presents some unique challenges. I enjoyed learning and recording them all. Among them I am a little more drawn to some of the adaptations from operas. I find myself seeking out recordings of singers of those arias, and imagining how I would sing when I play on the piano.

I remember hearing my first recording of this piece and thinking that’s a little too metronomic. I chose to take more liberties in this version for the recital. Not sure if I was making the right choices, though. I am interested to learn if you hear it, whether it resonates with you, or does it sound a little odd to you.

Sophia

Well, as there were so many fascinating pieces submitted this round, I have decided to take my time and savour them all over the next few days/weeks. I will comment as I listen... so far I have only listed to

iternabe — O mio babbino caro

And what a lofty piece to start the recital with! @iternabe we basically started our piano journey around the same time, so it gives this wonderful feeling of "growing up" together. I think you have been making fantastic progress, obviously your zeal and eye for detail are paying off. Very delicately and musically played. And what performance isn't enhanced by a few furry friends watching over you ^_^

WieWaldi

iternabe — O mio babbino caro
I really love to follow your progress. You don't play any fancy things like many other self directed learners do. No, you are following a well tailored path, every piece gets a tiny bit more challenging than the last one, your steps aren't big. But you are making MANY of them! After just 9 months of playing, all this small steps summed up to huge distance.
And because you really mastered every piece you've touched so far, there is no sloppyness. Everything in this piece was just perfect: dynamics, rubato, the mood, the entire interpretation just wonderful to listen to. Can't wait to hear what's coming next.

Nightowl

iternabe — O mio babbino caro
That was beautifully and fluidly played, you have made amazing progress in just 10 months. I love this gentle arrangement - in fact I prefer this to the original version!
keff — Over the Rainbow
A different take on a popular film classic, very well played.
plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball
A fun piece for Halloween, with suspenseful passages. You play very well.
Schubertian2 — Ballade 4
This is Chopin - so enough said, it's not for the faint hearted but you rose to the challenge and that was a stellar performance. Your lifetime of playing piano has not been wasted. The featured works of art were perfect to accompany this Chopin masterpiece.
WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues
I enjoyed listening to this selection from your Blues lesson pieces, you play in a very relaxed and confident manner. Ironically, this music made me feel far from blue - it's more like a cure for the blues. 🙂
Nightowl — What A Wonderful World
Having listened to some of the other submissions, the limits of my skill are painfully evident. In fact, my playing sounds so stilted here that I'm tempted to remove the video from YT, but that would be against the spirit of what the recital is about - players of all abilities putting their work forward in a safe space where they can receive feedback.
Sophia — A Classy Rag
That was very well played, with precision, confidence and flair - you nailed it! 😀 Your playing is in a different league to what would normally be expected after less than a year of playing (although I know you had previous attempts to learn piano, but even so this is something else). You never fail to impress me.
rogerch — Slow Steps
That was beautiful, melancholy and melodious. You are incredibly talented. I love your piano too, the colour of the wood is beautiful and it seems to have a very rich, mellow tone. After watching your performance I am full of envy and admiration, on so many levels.

Well, that's enough for now. More comments later.

Gooseberry

iternabe — O mio babbino caro - It’s a beautiful aria, and you really make your piano sing it!

keff

Performer: keff, an intermediate player from the UK
Piece: Over the Rainbow, music by Harold Arlen, words by E.Y. Harburg in a mild jazz arrangement by Brent Edstrom.
Comment Policy: Comments, likes or dislikes are left to listeners' discretion

Source of music: Sheet music purchased from SheetMusicDirect.com. I found the print size to be a little too small to read comfortably.
Instrument: Kemble (British made) piano.
Recording method: Recorded using a mobile phone then transferred to YT.

Sophia

keff — Over the Rainbow

Wow, that is a very interesting arrangement of OtR... those harmonies seem to gyrate around the melody in some places! Very sweet ending too. And so very impressive to see someone play a five minutes piece in one single take - I usually go to "pieces" after the one minute mark 😁

WieWaldi

keff — Over the Rainbow
This piece was like a rollercoaster in my favourites list. When I heard this song the first time in my life, I absolutely hated this song. It was 1994, I was a teenager and Marusha made a remix of this long forgotten tune. Myself not a techno fan, this wasn't my thing.
A few years later, I accidentally listened to the original version. Not sure if this was Judy Garland's version, or one the the many others similar to it. But I remembered both the title as the melody and instantly thought: I love it! How can somebody spoil such a beautiful song like Marusha did. Your Bar-Piano Jazz version is another thing, it is a very interesting arrangement with a few notes of the main theme in the beginning, a few lovely late-night notes following. And at around the 100 second mark, it dives deep into the original theme with some Jazz flavour. It was so wonderful to listen to. This piece is on my todo list, and I would be happy I could play the normal version. Your Jazz arrangement is somewhat harder, is it? You played it really wonderful, and I totally enjoyed your interpretation. Well done, well done!

btw, just re-listened Marusha's version... I remember why I' didn't like it back then, but today it casts a big smile on my face! 🥰

Gooseberry

keff — Over the Rainbow - A very interesting and spirited arrangement of an old standard. I like it!

plop_symphony

Performer: Arnold Lau, Washington DC - just under 2 years
Piece: The Midnight Ball by Naoko Ikeda
Comment Policy: Critical Comments

Source of music: Strange Sounds, anthology published by Willis Music
Instrument: Yamaha P-71
Recording method: MIDI via Pianoteq (C. Bechstein DG282)
Additional info: Happy (belated) Halloween! Not that I really celebrate it, but it's kind of a thing stateside. I tried learning this piece last year for the same occasion, but it was a bit too difficult at the time. Fortunately it came together in less than a week this year. I record all the pieces I learn as a way of marking my progress and post them on my YouTube channel, so check out some of my other performances on there.

Sophia

plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball

You played for just UNDER two years and learned this in a week?????? Consider me deeply impressed! Such a happy tune - and I loved the very interesting rhythms and dynamics. Really really - no, really well played. Keep going and by next year we can probably expect you to be at concert pianist level. Just kidding 😆

WieWaldi

plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball
This one was really spooky - a very nice match to Halloween. I just couldn't tell if you played here and there a mistake, but it sounded so off, to be good again. Guess this was the way the sheet music told you to play.

Gooseberry

plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball – A playful, funny piece. I like the way you bring out the interplay between its two natures - the naughty, grating, dissonant one and the well-behaved, pleasant, harmonious other. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Very well played!

Schubertian2

Performer: Schubertian, Dallas Texas, all my life, off and on, I'm 73 - I have had good good good teachers and bad bad bad teachers
Piece: Ballade 4, Chopin
Comment Policy: anything goes

Source of music: Wiener Urtext, National Edition, and also the stichvorlage, and early editions online
Instrument: Estonia parlour grand
Recording method: Samson C01U Mic very near the soundboard, GarageBand
Additional info: I am a dedicated amateur. I have worked on this for 6 months with my teacher Alessandro Mazzamuto in Dallas. Now that I am retired I can dedicate a lot of time to practicing. I really love this piece of music. My 'interpretation' is not based upon anything outside the score itself - no YouTube, no prof performances or recordings, no podcasts, no biographies. I have tried to solve all the riddles logically or practically just like I used to do at work (electrical engineering)

Sophia

Schubertian2 — Ballade 4

That's a gorgeous ballad, what is not to like about Chopin. The time spent learning that was well worth it, wow, that last part must be sooo challenging to play and you pulled it off splendidly! Loved the imagery as well, so fitting to the delicate melodies. Thank you!

WieWaldi

Schubertian2 — Ballade 4

Wow - this one was really impressive. One can literally hear, you invested a lot of time getting this Ballada to this level. The really nice about this is to know, you did everything from the sheet music, and nothing else. Basically this is stepping back in time, when there were no audio recordings existing.
Music was always live played, and every artist made it sound differently, unless one had been teached and could copy his teacher. But for all others, there was some paper, hard work to make it sound and then it was very unique piece of music.

I still wonder how it is possible, to play something difficult like this for 13 minutes, without mistakes. Excellent work!

Gooseberry

Schubertian2 — Ballade 4 – That was admirable! What’s most impressive to me is that it is your own interpretation through and through, that you’ve worked on it only with your teacher and based only on the score. And it does capture the nature of a ballade. Beautiful.

Schubertian2 I wonder if I could start a separate thread just to go over all that I learned from working on this and my ideas about what a 'ballade' is. It would be much too long here.

Please do, I would love to read that!

WieWaldi

Performer: WieWaldi, Germany (near Bavaria), 2³/₄ years of active practicing
Piece: Quick Five Blues - Christian Fuchs
Comment Policy: Critical Comments: Anything goes!

Source of music: Sheet music linked in this YouTube Tutorial
Instrument: Kawai CN-29 (Upright Piano sample)
Recording method: Headphone-jack to PC (OBS-Studio)
Additional info: Lesson six of Easy Blues Piano course is called the Quick Five Blues, it has four choruses, and is printed on three pages. I recorded it for recital two, and it has at least one missed note.

Sophia

WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues

Ahhhh... WieWaldi... I always said you are five steps ahead of me, but I need to change my opinion four now. After listening to this three times, I had to change it two the simple fact that you will always be number ONE in blues! Well played!!! I can't wait to reach this lesson 😃

Gooseberry

WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues – Great job! Your playing seems so laid-back, and sounds really bluesy, wonderful. I follow your and Sophia’s beginners blues thread and think you both are making tremendous progress!

Sgisela

I’d like to give somewhat more detailed feedback, but things are really busy right now, so I’m keeping things brief. Here’s my first batch.

iternabe — O mio babbino caro
Great job! You’re making really good progress. Good job switching between registers.

keff — Over the Rainbow
What a nice arrangement! It’s a perennial favorite song of mine, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it with that extensive an intro. Thanks for sharing!

plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball
Very well done and evocatively played! I’m very impressed that you’ve only been playing 2 years.

Schubertian2 — Ballade 4
A huge congratulations to you on this. It is a major accomplishment! Well done.

WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues
Very nicely done! You give it a nice swinging feel. You’ve made excellent progress.

Nightowl — What A Wonderful World
Keep up the good work! This is a great song. If you want to find a teacher, I think it could be a positive experience, but you’re also clearly enjoying yourself as it is.

Sophia — A Classy Rag
This is a great rendition of a classy rag! I like how you you vary the dynamics. You’re making fantastic progress.

rogerch — Slow Steps
I’m always very impressed with people who are able to improvise. This is really beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

thepianoplayer416 — When You Wish Upon a Star
The AI voice over threw me a bit! It’s such a stark contrast to the sentimentality of the music. I think the song works very nicely at this tempo, although I can also see it working well a bit slower. I certainly wouldn’t speed it up any more than this. It’s also nice to hear you coming back to the piece.

Sam — The Never Finished Piece
Kudos to you! I can’t imagine composing something, and I’m impressed by people who are able to do so. It was lovely!

Nightowl

Performer: Nightowl, UK, began playing last November using Alfred's AIO books. Currently going solo but considering finding a teacher at some point.
Piece: What A Wonderful World by G D Weiss and B Thiele, Arranged by G P Tingley
Comment Policy: General Comments only: Polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement.

Source of music: Alfred's Greatest Hits: Level 1
Instrument: Donner DP80
Recording method: Chromebook
Additional info: This song was a number 1 hit for Louis Armstrong in the UK, in 1968. It is a nice relaxing piece to play (until you press the red button, of course!) and makes a pleasant change from some of the dull pieces in the method books. I had a bit of a brain freeze around the halfway point so there is a pause which seems to go on forever - my brain is so annoying sometimes. 😬 Also, I realised too late that my bench was making creaking noises - I need to tighten up the bolts. 🙃 Recording pieces certainly reveals weaknesses, but it is a good way to mark progress in what can feel like a slow journey. My one year pianoversary is on 20th November and I am currently working through Alfred's AIO Book 2.

Sophia

Nightowl — What A Wonderful World

What a wonderful and uplifting piece! I could just hear Louis Armstrong's voice when you played that... I'm also impressed that it is quite long - I don't think I have ever dared to tackle a piece that is longer than a minute and a bit 😆 You are making great progress Nightowl, especially considering that you did not have any prior experience with instruments or even music in general (no, one single session with a recorder doesn't count) 😂

And the ending was absolutely adorable... petting your audience afterward... very fitting to the performance!

WieWaldi

Nightowl WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues
I enjoyed listening to this selection from your Blues lesson pieces, you play in a very relaxed and confident manner. Ironically, this music made me feel far from blue - it's more like a cure for the blues. 🙂

Thank you for your kind words 🥰, Nightowl. It is interesting that someone like you, never getting tired to claim that Blues isn't the genre of favour, quite often likes a Blues. 😇 I could consider this as a compliment (thank you again), or state the following:

Nightowl — What A Wonderful World

This is indeed a very nice song - love it. And it contains:
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 (drum roll)
A Blues Scale! 😮
Actually I heard besides the Blues scale a lot of Blues elements in your piece. 🤣 And I had to look up in wikipedia about its genre: It says "pop". Ok, we can forget about pop, because you can basically consider every song as pop, when it was popular at its time. Same is true for Mozart - back in his days his music was pop music.
The second mentioned genre is:
🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁 (drum roll again)
Rhythm & Blues 😮. A progression of the Blues genre! Blues itself is IMO the easiest genre of all - except of nursery rhymes maybe. But the children of Blues (Boogie, Rock, Jazz, R&B) aren't that easy anymore. You played a quite long piece from a not so easy genre, I mean over 2¹/₂ minutes. Here and there, you hesitated a bit and some notes came a bit late. Still, you hit the essence of this piece. With less than 1 year of self-teaching, I call this really impressive. Give yourself a big hug and then some taps on your shoulder, you can be proud of your progress. 👍

One thing I can not tell for sure is your sitting position in front of the piano. I can't tell for sure because I see only your hands, but I have the impression you are sitting quite low. This makes playing a lot harder, especially for beginners. I don't want to step into this deeper, but if you need help, there is a wonderful piano forum with a lot of amazing players, willing to help you, if you ask... 😗

Gooseberry

Nightowl - What A Wonderful World – It may be a simplified arrangement, but it still is a difficult piece, and you’ve managed to play it well! You’re making a good, steady progress, congratulations! And it is so endearing that you have this amiable furry audience. Does it help with recording anxiety? I think I must try it too 🙂

Sophia

Performer: Sophia Burns, started in January 2024
Piece: A Classy Rag
Comment Policy: Critical Comments: Anything goes!

Source of music: Alfred Adult All-in-One Course Level 3
Instrument: Yamaha Clavinova CLP-811
Recording method: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Additional info: I had just started the 3rd Alfred book and found this lesson rather challenging at first, so I spent a little extra time on it. It took me one week to learn, then another week to play it smoothly and yet another week to bring it up to speed. And then suddenly I realized a recital piece was born 🙂

WieWaldi

Sophia — A Classy Rag
Yeah - Ragtime! This is IMO one of the most difficult genres of all. This specific one might be one of the easier rags, whereas rag&easy is a contradiction by itself. I mean it is like a law of nature: There is no easy rag, (same as there is no easy Chopin). I always forget you are playing just since January, and then you pull a ragtime out of nothing. Flawlessly performed. Kudos!

Sophia I always said you are five steps ahead of me, ...

Haha, every step I make, you do two.
I'm very sure, cause I'm watching you! 😊

Gooseberry

Sophia — A Classy Rag – Girl, you are amazing – you fly through those Alfred books in leaps and bounds, to say nothing of the blues course, and you play so smoothly and delightfully as if nothing was easier! Colour me impressed 🙂

rogerch

Performer: rogerch
Piece: Slow Steps by rogerch
Comment Policy: General Comments only: Polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement.

Source of music: improvised
Instrument: Steinway M
Recording method: Zoom H1essentials
Additional info: I recently sight-read a piece that included a minor fourth chord. I liked the sound of it so I improvised with a minor fourth resolving to the tonic and I'm pleased with the result!

rsl12

rogerch You had in mind to use minor subdominants? Your thinking about improvisation is getting more sophisticated. Glad to hear more of your progress!

Sam Love your use of inversions. The deceptive cadences continually surprised me! Hope your hip is doing better. What a chair!

Rob First section flows so well. The middle section sounds like it's going to be a change of mood, but it returns quickly to the original theme. Loved it.

TC3 I think this is my favorite recording of yours so far. Good arrangement--simple and varied. Your singing voice is also really good on this! It sounds relaxed and confident.

diretonic I can see why you think it's a little busy in places, but I hope you don't tweak it too much because it sounds really good. I particularly like the way you juggle in the middle voice(s).

Sophia

rogerch — Slow Steps

Roger 😍 You know you are my living example to get to improvisation, right? But every time you set that bar higher because you are improving in strides 😃 Very nice and you are right, the chord is beautiful and fits well into the piece. Very impressive!

WieWaldi

rogerch — Slow Steps
One can really tell, you are enjoying to improvise. It looks like a fish in the water. I've heard this style of impro already from you, last time it was good, this time it is good again. Just different, but still with your own signature.
I enjoyed to listen to the beautiful sound, the warmth, the harmony, you did very well changing between Major and minor, here and there (at least I believe, you did). You made a good mix between repeating the known melodies to please the listener and introducing new themes to keep in interesting. I'd call this well rounded improvisation again.
Well done, Roger, I bow to you in respect!

thepianoplayer416

Performer: thepianoplayer416, Canada, 10 yrs
Piece: When You Wish Upon a Star by Ned Washington & Leigh Harline
Comment Policy: General Comments only: Polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement.

Source of music: online sheet music download
Instrument: Steinway grand
Recording method: Canon EOS-M200
Additional info: It's a piece I worked on 2 years ago at a slower tempo. During the height of the pandemic, the city was in a partial lockdown. The conservatory where my lessons were held was shut for several months before the administration decided to connect the teachers with their students through Zoom. Found pieces outside the assigned repertoire to keep my music going.

Sophia

thepianoplayer416 — When You Wish Upon a Star

Such a lovely melody (one of my favourites) and well played! And you did that robot voice thingie again 😃 It was also nice that you provided the lyrics. Very enjoyable performance, thank you!

WieWaldi

thepianoplayer416 — When You Wish Upon a Star
I know Pinocchio since I was a little child. The 1976 TV series was broadcasted a lot in Germany, but this was a Japanese/German co-production and the soundtrack was something very different. Not bad - I was a kid, I liked it back then! And today I have very positive memories about it, especially if I hear the soundtrack, again.

But I must admit, until now, I didn't know When You Wish Upon a Star at all. I guess the 1940 Disney version never made the way to Germany, at least not when I was young.
I liked how you played it. This is indeed a very nice piece, and you got the essence of it perfectly. Now I have listened to the Disney version with the big orchestra, and it sounds likes yours, just with a bigger ensemble. Well played!

Gooseberry

thepianoplayer416 — When You Wish Upon a Star – I didn’t know this song until a year ago or so when my teacher at the time suggested it for me to learn. That’s how I know that it’s not easy to play it at that tempo, but you’ve done a good job there!

Sam

Performer: Sam from Georgia USA - been playing about 15 years now
Piece: "The Never Finished Piece" By Sam
Comment Policy: General Comments only: Polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement.

Here is the youtube video:

Source of music: Original composition
Instrument: Yamaha C3
Additional info: I have been working on this piece off and on since 2015. Every time I pick it up I change things and add stuff. I will probably never finish it, which is where the title comes from. Harmonically I am stuck in the early 19th century! We had an original themed recital at PW last month, so this was polished up and changed yet again for that - if you have heard it already, sorry!

Sophia

Sam — The Never Finished Piece

It sounds very familiar and yet it isn't... because it came straight from your brain 🙂 And even though you called it "Never finished piece", it finished all too soon ^_^ I half expected you'd just stop mid bar, but no, you did give it a proper ending, haha. Very nice and gentle piece!

ShiroKuro

Sam that was great! It sounds finished to me 🙂

Also, I have to mention those lovely flowers and vase you have by the piano! Almost as beautiful as your playing!

Gooseberry

Sam — The Never Finished Piece – Great composition Sam, really neat, I hope to hear more of your own music in the future!

Sam Harmonically I am stuck in the early 19th century!

I think I’m aesthetically stuck in the 19th century, so it suits me fine 😁

MarieJ

Performer: MarieJ from Brisbane, Australia. I've been flying solo on my piano journey since December 2011.
Piece: Waltz in F minor by Tim Neumark
Comment Policy: General Comments only: Polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement

Source of music: Sheet music from composer’s website
Instrument: Kawai ES110 with Pianoteq 8 (Standard)
Recording method: WAV file recorded by Pianoteq, converted to MP3 with Audacity
Additional info: ‘Waltz in F minor’ introduced me to the wonders of the digital age: In a matter of minutes from first hearing the composer playing it on Whisperings Solo Piano Radio I’d located his web page, purchased the sheet music from him, downloaded the PDF into forScore, and was stumbling through the score at my piano.
Still obviously a work-in-progress, this submission draws further on the wonders of the digital age. It comes to you thanks to my DP, Mac and iPad, and four incredible apps: forScore, Pianoteq, Procreate, and iMovie. I’ve had enormous fun, and learned SO much on the way.

Sophia

MarieJ — Waltz in F minor

That was truly gorgeous! From the lovely imagery, the gentle yet powerful playing, and such a very, very pretty melody. It just gently moves along and leaves you with nothing but pleasant thoughts and a great feeling. The quality was very good too, so obviously your digital coming of age worked really well 😄

ShiroKuro

MarieJ that was lovely, as always!
I love it when I can hear something new on the (internet) radio, go buy the score online and starting playing it!

WieWaldi

MarieJ — Waltz in F minor
This was just beautiful. Both, how you played it and the selection of the music itself. There might be a wrong note somewhere, but is doesn't matter. The overall impression was nothing than great, because of a very nice and relaxed tempo.
Also liked the video, it is a very good visual match to the music. Thank you sharing this beautiful piece of music.

Gooseberry

MarieJ — Waltz in F minor – Your artwork and music videos are a feast for the mind and soul – thank you for sharing them with us, and I mean it! You play beautifully, and your choices are always tasteful and inspiring. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of Tim Neumark but now I want to delve into his music.

Player1

Performer: Player 1
Piece: Ashokan Farewell by Jay Ungar (Theme from the docu-movie Civil War)
Comment Policy: Feedback type desired (see below)

Source of music: Faber Adult Piano Adventures, Popular Book 2
Instrument: My Casio
Recording method: Samsung S9 Android
Additional info: At one time I tried to play this and thought it was too difficult so I passed on it. Now, needing something quick to learn and record for this recital, I opened the book and decided to give it another try. After a year and a half of learning and practicing, it's not difficult at all now.

I didn't polish it much because it's not really worth spending that much time on it at this stage of the game. But it's a decent performance all the same.

Sophia

Player1 — Ashokan Farewell

I'm so very pleased you made it to the recital after all, it wouldn't be the same without you 🙂 I have heard that piece before... I know I have. It's a lovely melody, always liked it. I enjoyed your gentle playing and soft touch.... and you played it well. Your love for the piece and the genre definitely showed through!

Edit: now I simply must know the story with the saddle 😃

WieWaldi

Player1 — Ashokan Farewell
You have a very good feeling for dynamics and this allows you to tell a story. Loved the relaxed way you played it. Nice to see, how a difficult piece loses its scaryness after making some progress of piano playing. If you ask me, this is a good sign and it tells you to continue. Awaiting your next recital piece in 3 months. Or 4. Or however the recital schedule will look like.

Gooseberry

Player1 — Ashokan Farewell – Player1, I want to talk to you seriously. Your choice of the piece – so wistful and sad, and with that title – is it to say something? After reading your recent posts I started wondering whether you wanted to say goodbye to the piano? Please, don’t! Please keep playing, find a piece of music that really speaks to you and is relatively easy to learn, or else, find an easy piece that is just nice and will give you instant gratification and a sense of accomplishment – it’s not difficult, the internet is full of all kinds of scores. It is a trick that at least has always worked for me in moments of dejection. Your very personal and emotional relationship with the music is worth preserving and honing, and I’m sure it’s also worth sharing with others. I for one would love to hear you play again!

Sam

Cataract surgery this afternoon - so I can't eat or drink anything today - but i can sit here and listen to the recital!

iternabe — O mio babbino caro - very good for such a short time! Nice touch!

keff — Over the Rainbow - So calm - and sensitive - well done!

plop_symphony — The Midnight Ball - Very cool - and excellent for Halloween.

Schubertian2 — Ballade 4 - Wow, you can be really proud of all your hard work - quite an accomplishment to learn this, and get it to such a high standard, and perform it!

WieWaldi — Quick Five Blues - 6-5-4-3-2-1- Go! Loved it!

Nightowl — What A Wonderful World - Excellent progress!

Sophia — A Classy Rag - Excellent for not even a year yet! Of course, the video and audio weren't synced - thought my eyes were glitching on me!

rogerch — Slow Steps - two improvs in one month! I actually liked the one at PW better, but this one is great too!

thepianoplayer416 — When You Wish Upon a Star - commented at PW - still great over here!

MarieJ — Waltz in F minor - commented at PW - just love that video - so creative!

Player1 — Ashokan Farewell - I have heard many bluegrass groups play this - loved it!

Rubens — Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement - Another great accomplishment - you should be very proud!

Cratersmash — Sonata No. 3 in A Minor - Another difficult piece and wonderful playing! Bravo!

Gooseberry — Pigalle - Never heard this, but is very engaging and delightful. Well done!

Rob — Lost - very cool!

TC3 — Worried Life Blues - Awesome! Loved the singing!

lilypad — God Bless the Child - So smooth - loved it!

BicBic — Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11 - Very good - I have to say I liked the Schumann in the PW recital better. Because, you know, Schumann!

Rubens

Performer: Rubens from Canada. I've been playing since 1983
Piece: Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement, by Sergei Rachmaninoff
Comment Policy: Critical Comments: Anything goes!

Source of music: Unknown edition that I found online (it's public domain)
Instrument: Kawai ES920
Recording method: USB recording
Additional info: I initially wasn't sure whether to share this recording. But then I heard about a friend who is going through difficult times I changed my mind, because to me this music is about loss, but also hope. It's a piece that has given me comfort through difficult times of my own, so why not share it. There is a special moment near the end of the piece here, at 05:50, a moment of catharsis where the mood shifts from the darkest despair to unexpected hope, magically. From then on it seems the cold and harsh winter night has finally turned into a warm blanket... of snow.

Sophia

Rubens — Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement

Well Rubens, I took a break for a day to listen again with a fresh ear and mind... and boy am I glad I did! Eight minutes of sheer perfect playing... well done! And such a lovely story to go with it... that made it such a deep piece. Thank you for posting that, I wouldn't have wanted to miss out! Rach is normally not my favourite genre and slightly out of my comfort zone (nothing to do with your playing, everything to do with my lack of taste), but with your description I could listen with an open mind and see what you were talking about. That is why we need these recitals... if nothing else, it helps us open our minds and hearts to new adventures 🙂

WieWaldi

Rubens — Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement
This seems to be a quite challenging piece. Not just because of the length. It is challenging because it contains so many different expressions of the mood, and I think you got them all right. Needless to say that I am deeply impressed, how a piece of this dimension can be played without mistakes. The night is always the darkest before dawn, you expressed this amazingly good at 5:55.

Gooseberry

Rubens — Sonata no.2, Op.36 (1913), 2nd movement – I’m lost for words. Because, really, all words fall flat after listening to your impressive performance. So I went and listened to you play the 3rd movement 🙂

I once told you that I wanted to play like you when I grow up. I will not retract that confession now, but I want to make a caveat:
I now know that I will never play like you, but you will always inspire me to grow 😇

Cratersmash

Performer: Summer, United States, 9 years experience
Piece: Sonata No.3 in A Minor by Sergei Prokofiev
Comment Policy: Critical comments: Anything goes!

Source of music: imslp.org
Instrument: Piano
Recording method: IPad lmao
Additional info: This piece is really difficult. Really fun sonata to play once you get it down, though!

plop_symphony

Cratersmash — Sonata No. 3 in A Minor Wonderful playing! I'm hoping to work my way up to Prokofiev soon (even his Children's Pieces are pretty difficult). There was some percussion throughout starting in the middle section - was that your foot or something? I thought it actually fit really well and now I'm wondering what this sonata would sound like with a full percussion section.

javiercorre — Sonatas K. 208 and K. 380 I'd say you're ready for your recital. Scarlatti was truly ahead of his time.

Sophia

Cratersmash — Sonata No. 3 in A Minor

Welcome to the recitals, Cratersmash. As you said, a difficult piece and you played it with verve. Well done!

WieWaldi

Cratersmash — Sonata No. 3 in A Minor
You already wrote in the update thread, your piece is difficult. I just had no idea how difficult this is. On top of that, it was almost 10 minutes. No sheet music, all memorized. I am very impressed how good you played this. Lots of dynamics and a very good tempo. Thanks for sharing.

Gooseberry

Performer: Gooseberry from Poland. I started learning to play the piano in 2021.
Piece: Pigalle by Virginio Aiello
Comment Policy: General Comments, polite, supportive, suggestions for improvement

Source of music: Sheet music purchased from Sheet Music Plus
Instrument: Yamaha CLP 735
Recording method: iPhone
Additional info: Sorry for the gloves – my hands get easily cold so I often wear gloves even at home. Actually, I didn’t notice I was wearing them until I was halfway through the recording 🧐! But as I had decided that I would have only one take, just as if it were a real live recital, that was it.

Sophia

Gooseberry — Pigalle

What a lovely, delicate piece! I loved the gloves 🙂 And also VERY impressive for someone who started 4 or 5 years - in terms of music, that is still a baby 😃 But nothing inexperienced about your playing at all, very mature indeed! I listened to your piece twice and then immediately searched for the score... Throughout I pictured a little music box dancer!

WieWaldi

Gooseberry — Pigalle
You started in 2021? Didn't expect this. This waltz is maybe not the most challenging one, but you play it with so much ease, as it was no effort at all. Maybe the piece wasn't easy, but you made it look easy. There was some really nice rubato, very good expression and the most important: it was very musical. Thank you for sharing.

Ithaca

Gooseberry That was beautiful, thank you.

Rubens

Sophia
I love the nonchalant ease with which you play this piece, like a walk in the park. Your rhythm notably sounds natural and musical. You make learning the piano look easy, but not everybody has your gift!

Gooseberry
After 3 years of learning my playing consisted of a loud and unmusical succession of notes. At the same level of experience your playing sounds like a professional recording that could be used as a movie soundtrack.

Sgisela
There is a nocturnal lyricism in your playing that tugs at the listener's heartstrings and pull them into the depths of a soul-stirring journey. The part at 2:58 is achingly beautiful. The typical "wet" sound of the Estonia fits this music perfectly. After finishing listening to this I restarted immediately.

Rob

Performer: Rob
Piece: Lost by Rob
Comment Policy: Anything goes.

Source of music: Own composition
Instrument: Kawai ES920
Recording method: Cubase + VSTi
Additional info: A re-recording of a short piece composed about fifteen years ago.

Rubens

Rob
This is a heartbreakingly beautiful composition. Reminds me a bit of Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla, perhaps because it is in the same mood and key. Your playing is expressive and captivating, and your piano has an exquisite tone, but that's not surprising considering that it's s Kawai ES920, which I used for my own performance 😁.

Sophia

Rob — Lost

Beautiful Rob, so emotional. You are such a talent - both as a composer and pianist. Loved how the mood changed around the 1 minute mark with a striking chord... and then gently moved back to the original theme. Very fascinating indeed!

WieWaldi

Rob — Lost
A wonderful melody for rainy day. You composed a really somber tune, that creates a very strong mood of sadness or pensiveness. Wonderful played, and with your video it just perfect.

TC3

Performer: TC3
Piece: "Worried Life Blues" by Big Maceo Merriweather
Comment Policy: Constructive criticism welcome -- don't be rude, though 🙂

Source of music: my own arrangement, more or less (see below)
Instrument: Roland GP609
Recording method: Zoom H4n Pro (built-in stereo condenser mics aimed at the soundboard), a Shure PGA52 (underneath the piano to capture more bass), and a Shure SM58 (for the vocals).
Additional info: This is nowhere near ready for prime time, but I did promise I'd submit something ... The tune is by one of the Chicago blues greats, Big Maceo Merriweather. I've cobbled something together by listening, peeking at some transcriptions, changing and simplifying where needed, and semi-improvising (especially the call-and-response piano bits, which are just from a set of stock licks and scales, mixed and matched). I’ve opted to keep it pretty simple (note the quarter-note barrelhouse LH pattern for most of the tune), as I intend to play with this my "garage band" (my wife on drums and a pal on guitar), and I don't want it to end up sounding too busy or dense (Big Maceo himself plays with Tampa Red on guitar). It all needs some polishing, but it's getting there.

keff

TC3 Bravo

Sophia

TC3 — Worried Life Blues

Wow very nice! It was so ready for prime time 😃 At least you won't have to worry your life about the recital, haha! I love what you did with the piano too, I'm always so very impressed when people can play and sing at the same time... even if I COULD sing that would still be way beyond me! Now I want the polished version with drums and guitar as an encore ^_^

WieWaldi

TC3 — Worried Life Blues
That was really very enjoyable to me. Only loved it. In your text you talk about how unfinished your practising stage was at recording time. Seriuosly, only the very last note and expression in your face indicates, this could be true. The rest, from the start though the entire song until the 2nd last note was just perfect. So relaxed and layed back.
Your singing is very nice, too. You have a strong voice and you hit every note with great confidence. I always wonder how you can keep the tempo and rhythm with your LH, while talking out of rythm (1 min mark). I think the real singing together with the beat is easier for keeping the tempo. Well, you did everything just right and I am happy you shared this with us.

lilypad

Performer: lilypad from Vancouver, WA, USA. 8 yrs as a child; then since retiring in 2004
Piece: God Bless the Child by Arthur Herzop and Billie Holiday
Comment Policy: General Comments

Source of music: Sheet music book "The Best Jazz Standards Ever"
Instrument: Yamaha digital CLP-635
Recording method: Digital/USB/Audacity to normalize
Additional info: I first heard this back in the late 1960's when Blood, Sweat & Tears came out with it. After making my first recording, I realized that the rhythm was too steady and not like the version I have in my head. I listened to the Blood, Sweat & Tears recording and tried to incorporate their rhythmic nuances. The results were very tentative sounding compared to my original confident and boring rhythm version. I decided to stick with my first recording.

Sophia

lilypad — God Bless the Child

That was beautiful Lilypad - to match your lovely name 🙂 I absolutely love Billie Holiday (how could I not, after all she is the Lady of the Blues!), but I wasn't familiar with this song of hers. So of course I had to look up her version too. You absolutely captured the spirit of her great performance. Thank you for giving me a new memory on someone I greatly admire (apart from you now too, lol) 🙂

WieWaldi

lilypad — God Bless the Child
For my ears, this was a very nice smooth Jazz. Really enjoyed listening to it. Seriously, we need more Jazz like this one in the recitals.

Gooseberry

lilypad — God Bless the Child – Your very atmospheric, lovely playing agrees perfectly with the character of the piece. Beautiful!

BicBic

Performer: BicBic, currently in Utah. Played through school etc, current restart of piano is now ONE whole year!
Piece: Scriabin - Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11
Comment Policy: Anything goes

Source of music: IMSLP
Instrument: Digital Yamaha P-140
Recording method: Line out to Audacity, combined with iphone video in Powerdirector
Additional info: I haven't played much Scriabin. I suppose most of his pieces are a bit too tricky for me! Learning the notes of this prelude is the easier part I think, trying to get the musicality is much harder and I don't think I'm quite there. Very enjoyable to play and learn!

Sophia

BicBic — Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11

That's fantastic for one year, comeback or not! Congratulations on renewing your piano vows... I'm very glad I did the same. Though I'm nowhere near your level yet, of course. You have a very delicate touch, and played with very good dynamics. Very nice!

WieWaldi

BicBic — Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11
This one sounds really challenging, to get the mood done right. Tempo, dynamics, clean playing - everything matters here more than just hitting the right keys at the right moment. I am not familiar with Scriabin, just heard the name, so it is hard to judge if this was played as intended by the composer. To ears (this is what I can tell), it sounded well.
Just read you are playing only ONE year - this is impressive!

rogerch

BicBic — Prelude no.4 in E minor from Op 11
I’m no Scriabin expert but your playing sounds great to me. I like the dynamic contrasts and the way you bring out the motion in the left hand.