PIYW #2: "Play 'Pachelbel's Canon' Your Way" is Now Live!

rsl12 · 2025-09-15T09:03:00+00:00

PIYW #2: Play "Pachelbel's Canon" Your Way (September 2025) Play It Your Way is a quasi-monthly event for beginners, professionals, classical, jazz, or pop...

navindra

Performer: Navindra Umanee in the USA. On and off piano lessons since September 2019.
Comment Policy: All comments; anything goes! Strong honest feedback helps me.

Source of music: Decades ago, Casio created some rather high quality arrangements of some popular pieces of music, including Canon (Pachebel). These were published in Casio's Green Songbook and also included as demo and tutorial songs on countless Casio keyboards.
Instrument: Estonia Model L168
Recording method: This was my second attempt ever to tune and record an acoustic piano. For tuning, I used pianoscope and the Grand CyberHammer. For recording, I used the Audix SCX25APS system feeding into a Roland R-26 portable recorder. Finally, Logic Pro was used to add a touch of reverb using Space Designer’s Piano Warmth preset, and I mitigated the issue with the damper noise using iZotope RX10 (thanks to a hint from rach3master!).
Additional info: Although I clearly recorded this well before this PIYW was announced, or indeed before PianoTell even existed, I very much played this my way with my own touch. I thought I'd join in the fun and submit my recording here, but apologies if you've seen this already... just skip on ahead! "Canon in Mauritius" was a cross-geo project, with the piano recording done in the US and the beach scenes filmed in Mauritius at La Cambuse Beach in Plaine Magnien. I added some low key LED lighting to the piano as well.

keff

navindra Well played

WieWaldi

navindra Actually, I counted on you to participate. I was just not sure, if you re-post your existing performance or if you are investing extra time to redo a new take. Both options are fine and honestly there is no reason to do a retake as your existing one is perfect and to the point.
One thing - how do you manage at every recital to submist as last but not least? I get it when you are hosting the recital, in this case you can add yours and open up the thread. But in this case, it was rsl in charge, right? How do you do it? How do you find the right spot to submit?

Simonb

Hi navindra

I will undoubtedly use some old recordings at some point. I don't think we have old recordings Police here!
Lovely recording.

Cheers

Sophia

navindra Hehe, I agree with Wie Waldi... I too think you just conspire to be the last every single time 😃 That's a lovely video, especially with the very fitting images of the beach scenery, lovely!

I enjoyed all submissions, very much. It's nice that one tune can result in so many completely different styles and arrangements!

rsl12

This is a copy of a post made after this PIYW was published. The original post is here: ShiroKuro

Performer: ShiroKuro
Piece: Canon in D by Pachelbel + ShiroKuro + Lee Galloway
Comment Policy: Positive comments only (no criticism or suggestions for improvement please).

If you want to skip the beginning part, you could start at 2:40.

Source of music: This is my "original" mash-up arrangement
Instrument: Yamaha C2
Recording method: iPhone
Additional info: This is a mash-up arrangement I made myself. The first half is a traditional arrangement that includes some themes that are often left out of shorter arrangements, which is why I wanted to play it. I then referred to Lee Galloway's arrangement to embellish the LH part of the traditional arrangement, and then I segued from the second to the last section of the traditional arrangement into the latter half of Galloway's arrangement. Hopefully that makes sense!

This is the first time I've tried recording this piece (and I've been neglecting it while I work on the actual pieces I have to play for the jury at the end of the semester) so please forgive the rough spots. It gets "better" after the first three minutes.

If you listened to the whole thing, thank you! 😃

rsl12

WieWaldi Canon in D! Finally. Just wasn't expecting to hear in here, in this thread.

I put a copy of the @ShiroKuro post on "Play 'Pachelbel's Cannon' Your Way: rsl12

rsl12

Feel free to add comments and late submissions below. Enjoy!

keff

CRNA66 Well done. Lovely sound.

CRNA66

keff Thank you!

keff

rsl12 Bravo. Shows what joy music can bring.

keff

Simonb I like your style.

navindra

Oh my what a fun and fabulous recital to listen to! Some very nice surprises here... will be sure to comment individually when I get a chance!

keff Thank you!

WieWaldi Thank you!

WieWaldi One thing - how do you manage at every recital to submit as last but not least?

3 words: procrastinate, procrastinate, procrastinate. That usually works for me, except Jane snuck in after me in Recital #5.

As for this one, I was already in bed on Sunday when I suddenly woke up near midnight, realized it was the 14th and that @rsl12 always manages to get the earliest of starts in the morning. So I got up in a panic and submitted my recording at the last minute... true story! 🤣

I thought it would definitely be unfair to be first, given that I already had this one in the pocket.

Simonb Thank you! We definitely welcome prior recordings in the regular recitals as well.

Sophia Thank you as always! 😀

rsl12 Thank you! Yes, all my recordings are one individual take, but I usually have several takes to choose from.

Nightowl Thanks so much! 2 out of the 3 kids are mine, with the other being my little niece. 🙂

keff

HeartKeys Comment Policy: Negative Comments Only

None.

rsl12

keff My detective eye sees that you didn't obey the written notes! (Also, you told me earlier that you were going to play around with it.) I think most of the styles you tried work well. I was looking forward to an improv section, but this probably wasn't the best tune for trying it. I enjoyed listening!

keff

rsl12 I was looking forward to an improv section

Thanks for the comments. Improv is just a step too far at the moment but who knows what may happen in the future.

rsl12

CRNA66 Good job on a piece that demands quite a bit for a beginner! Every four bars brings a new consideration. Your rhythm is good and your fingers all found the right landing spots.

CRNA66

rsl12 Thank you for your comments!

rsl12

@Sophia thanks for putting up with my rhythm irregularities! Most of the time, my lack of precision caused your precision to sound inaccurate, so I appreciate you shouldering the blame! Looking at the sheet music, you thought at first your part would be simple, and I think I did too. But you found out that those scale runs and jumps are tricky, using different fingers in both hands, but musically keeping them as one voice. I appreciate all you went through to make it work. Also, @WieWaldi thanked me for keeping you busy, helping ensure that he stays ahead of you in the Blues course for at least a little bit longer!

Sophia

rsl12 Looking at the sheet music, you thought at first your part would be simple

Haha yes, no kidding. I thought it would be similar to the Diabelli duets I played with my mom as a kid - just five fingers in a set position. But as soon as I started learning it, I noticed I ran out of fingers by the second bar - with no idea what to do! Luckily you helped with finding the best fingering, which instantly changed “impossible” to “learnable”.

Well, you know it still wasn’t a bed of roses and you were privy to many of my more anxious moments where I thought I wouldn’t be able to lick some of the harder runs. But we did it in the end. Thanks for putting up with me, and no doubt playing it quite a bit slower than you had in mind initially 😃

Ohhh and I see what you did there - The Ronphia Duo. It does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it 😍

Lastly, I really like how you put the video together. I still think the contrast in light and darkness is probably unintended though 😛

WieWaldi

keff It sounds different to the versions I have in my mind. But it is the Canon - the chord progression is so unique and there are obviously many ways how to interpret it. I am glad, yours sound different to the ones in my head. Otherwise, music would be boring, haha. I like how you played it, how you started gentle and increased the volume and the polyphony. Albeit, the increasing of the intensity is something I've heard in all arrangements as far as I remember. Guess, this and the chord progression is the essence of the famous Canon. You got a task and you delivered - congrats.

WieWaldi

CRNA66 Well done. This Faber arrangement is exactly how I remember this famous piece. Love how well you kept the tempo and how you worked with the dynamics. I think, this one is a wonderful piece for beginners, and I am glad you took the opportunity and shared it in this special recital. Keep going, you are on a good track.

CRNA66

WieWaldi Thank you for your comments! I love Faber arrangements at my level. It lets you do a simple short arrangement of things you’ve heard before and feel like a pianist. Ha!

WieWaldi

rsl12 What a disappointment - no kittens on the keyboard... Yawn!
Joking aside, this one was wonderful. I like the jazzy/bossanova arrangement, rsl picked for this. Very refreshing to hear a total different arrangement. In the beginning I thought it might be strange, because the increasing of the intensity was too quick. But after it turned out to be the intro, only, it worked perfectly well. You both had an unfair advantage, having 4 hands making up for a fuller arrangement. And you made the best out of this advantage, it sounded just wonderful.

I didn't wanna talk about it, but the video cut is amazing. Love especially the beginning, where rsl counts in, giving the impression both are sitting in the same room. Clever idea.

Something to criticize? Of course I have: It is your camera positioning, rsl. Having a bright window in the background will always render you dark and makes up for weird colors. Even at the risk of have someone else of your family walking through the picture, I would have placed it on your right hand side. But hey, why not? I already complained about not having kittens on the keyboard.

rsl12

WieWaldi Having a bright window in the background will always render you dark and makes up for weird colors. Even at the risk of have someone else of your family walking through the picture, I would have placed it on your right hand side.

Sophia is in the light, and she plays the melodies with a light touch. In the subtle dark, I provide the subtle harmonies. Also, I like how the black keys look with the backlighting. Actually, the reason I shot from that angle (I did have a choice) was because my left hand was more important, and Sophia's right hand was more important. I could have curtained the windows I suppose, but then I wouldn't look so mysterious!

Sophia I still think the contrast in light and darkness is probably unintended though 😛

Yes, but I like it anyways! It fits our personalities!

WieWaldi

HeartKeys I am so infinitely jealous of your ability to play anything by ear. And improvise over it on top is the cherry on the cake. IMO, this is what a real musician is about. To circle through all the keys is very strange for this piece, but it works. Like that idea a lot, it makes this one more unique, besides of your improvisations. Very well played, thank you for sharing this one.

WieWaldi

Simonb For not being able to practice enough and recording it at the 2nd take, I found it amazing. It would be even amazing, if you practiced more and if you needed more takes. If there is anything to criticize, it is the buzzing of your recording equipment. And maybe the transition from straight to swing. But I like, that you transitioned into bluesy/jazzy style. Your default style, to be said. The question is, is there a possibility to make the transition smoother? Anyway, I am glad, you played it swung. And it is a no-brainer to start it the classic-straight way. Well done.

Simonb

Hi WieWaldi

Yes, that noise in the recording is very annoying. I don't know what caused it.
At the time I did the recording I didn't feel great, and I didn't know about it until I'd uploaded it from my phone, so I couldn't be bothered to start the process again.

I'd love the transition to have been smoother as well, but sickness and lack of talent beat me 😀.

Cheers

Sophia

keff That is a pretty variation on the Canon theme, keff. Very delicate and sensual, I enjoyed it. Glad you put your regular books aside for a minute to treat us to this lovely performance 🙂

Sophia

CRNA66 Welcome to the recitals (I believe this is your first submission, right?) All I can say is wow, lovely! Very well played, rhythmic, calm and certain of yourself. If you were a cat I would have said sure footed and elegant, but as a human, I'd probably have to call it sure-fingered and confident 😅 How long have you been playing? You mastered one thing I have yet to tackle: that smooth page turn has me green with envy 😃

CRNA66

Sophia 😁The loud page turn! So glaring. But hey you called it smooth so I’m going with that! Thank you for your supportive comments! I had finished that piece last month and happened upon the PIYW and thought why not? Somebody has to represent the beginners! To answer your question I started last Jan ‘24 with the Adult Piano Adventures and now I’m halfway through book 2. I have a piano teacher and go every 2 weeks. I absolutely love it!

« Previous Page Next Page »