Hallelujah - which arrangement do you like?

ShiroKuro

I was looking for a “quick study” piece and found two different arrangements of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah. There are other, more complex arrangements, like Kyle Landry’s which I really like, but as I said, this would be a quick study piece, and his arrangement is at the outer edges of my ability (if I could even play the second half…)

Anyway, I found these two arrangements and picked one, but after practice it for a few days, I decided I actually liked the other one better, so yesterday I switched. Now I’m curious what you all think.

Of the following two arrangements, which do you like better?

Here’s the first, Hallelujah as arranged by piano pedagog Phillip Keveren:

The second version, Hallelujah as arranged by post classical pianist Brian Crain:

After a few people share which one like they like, I’ll tell you which one I picked. 😃

ShiroKuro

Also if anyone is curious, here’s the Kyle Landry version, which starts out quick nice but then goes completely over the top in the second half. I would gladly play if I could, but I don’t know if I can the technique and even if I did , I think it would probably take me a few months, so it wouldn’t work for a quick study.

But I had fun listening to all these different arrangements.

Kyle Landry:

If there’s another arrangement you like, please share it. 🙂

KevinM

I much prefer the Brian Crain version.

pianoloverus

This is the best version of Hallelujah IMO

If anyone wants the sheets to this version, please send me a private message with your email address I will be glad to send you a PDF.

Vickigoeswild also has simpler but very beautiful version

Her version shows how an extremely skilled professional pianist can make a relatively simple version sound very beautiful.

ShiroKuro

pianoloverus Thanks for those links!

I love Peter Bence but this one doesn’t work for me. Maybe it’s too far from the simplicity of the original? Or maybe it’s “too original” (if that is a thing). The Landry cover is over the top but somehow I felt that doesn’t stray as far from the original. (BTW one of my favorite Peter Bence covers is Attention).

Have you played the Bence version? It sounds quite challenging!

I absolutely love the Viktoriya version!! That one is available in MusicNotes. I think I might buy it. I need to listen again and make sure it’s the same version as in her video (bc on her website it mentions two versions).

I think that’s the thing about Hallellujah. The original is quite simple (leaving aside the fact that Cohen not the best singer! 😁 )

So the cover versions that work best for me retain that simplicity.

@KevinM and I think that’s why I agree with Kevin and I prefer the Brian Crain version to Keveren version. The Keveren version has more going on musically and has some interesting passages. But it doesn’t have the right feel imo.

pianoloverus

ShiroKuro Yes, I've played the Peter Bence version. I like many of Kyle Landry's performances but not his version of Hallelujah. Too many endless and superfluous arpeggios. His covers are rather unsophisticated compared to Bence or Vicki in the sense that most of them are very similar.

ShiroKuro

P.S. I love the intro and the move into the piece in the Viktoriya version.

ShiroKuro

pianoloverus agreed re Landry. He kind of has one idea and he loops into most of his arrangements. I sometimes wonder if he found a “crowd pleaser” and now that’s an easy win for him so he keeps doing it. But it seems like he’s not pushing his artistry.

Compared to that Bence seems to be always experimenting and adding.

I’m looking forward to listening to more of Viktoriya’s music.

pianoloverus

ShiroKuro I’m looking forward to listening to more of Viktoriya’s music.

Here is another example that shows her skill at arranging and playing.