Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum ABF Holiday Performances, (really nice holiday music from our members)

Very pretty arrangement of this song. Great job!

Char

I'm looking forward to hearing the rest of the holiday cheer.

Here's my entry (be warned, it's kinda long...)
Walking in the Air

by Howard Blake, written for the TV adaptation of The Snowman by Raymond Briggs, arranged by George Winston. Most of the music came from the new George Winston piano solo book, but the bridge I got from another unreliable source and had to guess a little, so it isn't really faithful to George.

I'm still having trouble setting my Zoom H4 for the proper recording level--I had a better take that recorded too low--this one has a better overall level, but is clipped in a few spots. Sigh. On the other hand, we're having our first snowfall, which is fitting.

Here are the lyrics for anyone who is interested:

We're walking in the air
We're floating in the moonlit sky
The people far below are sleeping as we fly

I'm holding very tight
I'm riding in the midnight blue
I'm finding I can fly so high above with you

Far across the world
The villages go by like trees
The rivers and the hills
The forests and the streams

Children gaze open mouth
Taken by surprise
Nobody down below believes their eyes

We're surfing in the air
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're drifting over icy
Mountains floating by

Suddenly swooping low on an ocean deep
Arousing of a mighty monster from its sleep

We're walking in the air
We're floating in the midnight sky

Nice Work All. Hope its OK, I made a xmas cd for my morning commute I saw that "the piano guy" did a nice "carol of the bells" show, anyone do that?

Here is an idea for snappy little xmas original. It is unusual in that it is a piano duo (as opposed to a duet). Maybe I'll finish it on xmas day.

http://www.box.net/shared/b3i7sfnolt

Oh such great music! I still haven't gotten through it all thanks to that dratted stomach bug my son gave me, but I have played and enjoyed so far:

1.) Super-hunky's "What child is this/greensleeves". If this is a taste of what the "A super-hunky christmas" album is going to be like, I want a dozen copies. I really liked the high note flourishes you hit a couple of times.

2.) Peyton. When I saw you had a new song posted, I immediately called down to my daughter and we both sat and listened to it. A little slower than your usual fare, but very nice and contemplative. I'm glad you put that last verse in, though, as I was starting to feel a little depressed at the thought of an empty nest at Christmas time.

3.) rustyfingers, GREAT JOB with the Winston piece, especially adding that bridge in. I have what's probably the same unofficial transcription as you do, but that part was way too intimidating for me. You play it like a pro.

4.) Mahlzeit, beautiful jazzy job on "silent night." And much more traditional than your unique "spooky night" (from a year or so ago?), which I still like to play every now and then just for something different.

5.) kawaigirl: I do love the Mannheim Steamroller arrangements, and as usual, expertly played.

My piano is being tuned on the 6th, and I hope to put in some recording time after that. With any luck I'll get something posted before the 25th.

Thanks Monica. I know it's slow but it's supposed to be a bitter sweet Christmas tune. It's not totally autobiographical but...I'm getting there. Only, after four years of my kid in GW University it won't be a house I walk back into...it will be a tent.

There is a post about how to reach performance standards....well.....the way I do it is to set my standards very low in the first place!! :p

You might have heard me play before so you know what to expect!


FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

Thanks everyone for bringing in the holiday spirits. I have been doing Xmas cards and such, so this performance thread has been just the right thing.

I've started to listen--it's getting me in the spirit. Here are a few comments:

Mr. S-H, My Favorite Things is one of my favorite things. We played this at my mom’s memorial service and had some of her things there as well! (She was a collector)

Christmas Time is Here: I used to sing this in an a cappella group. The harmonies are just stunning--I like the Jingle Bells reference at the end!

Peyton: Very poignant—I always get very nostalgic around Christmas. I can see that you do too. Thanks for sharing this very touching song. (another Jingle Bells quote—cool).

Mahlzeit: Silent night—very laid back and mellow--nice.

Balladeer: I’ll Be Home for Christmas—Another nostalgic piece—sounds like something from a 40s piano bar. I like it.

C7—neat song. You must have a great memory. How’d you do that?

Glad you enjoyed it. I seem to have a good memory for melodies, nowhere near on the level of Mozart (who could play a complicated piece from memory years later after only hearing it once) but if a melody catches my attention I generally tend to remember it, even years later.

That's cool.

Monica, thanks for the kind words. This still has some rough spots, and I was kind of intimidated by it at first as well, but now I feel like the contrast makes the piece more interesting--if...v e r y....l o n g.

Hey, I thought that was my secret.

I had a chance to listen to a few more.

IrishMak—-Silent Night—so simple and yet so lovely. I hope you had a good time at the piano party this weekend. Sorry I couldn’t make it. I hope to meet you some time.

Monster M&H--It Must have Been the Mistletoe—This is a new one to me. Pretty. Your Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is a great idea for a Christmas greeting!

Epf--White Christmas--I love this one. When I was listening to it I was looking out at our first significant snowfall. Lovely.

Elssa--Christmas Waltz—neat effect. Sounds like a music box! I imagine a little Christmas ballerina dancing around at the beginning, then dissolve to an old fashioned ballroom.

Serge—-White Christmas. I really like the harmonies in this piece.

The office has been enthralled all afternoon between the piano bar and the holiday recital

Mr. S-H - I really like the small high anticipations of the tune just before Greensleeves.

I *really* like having all the different versions of Greensleeves and Silent Night - they're a delight.

Monster M&H - what slick music! and I got Linus and Lucy for free!

Balladeer - that was sweet

Rocky, Rocky, Rocky! how come your piano sounds so much better than mine? I think we have the same one. Maybe it's the player?

Now I'm on the IBP thread!

Cathy

Super-Hunky, I enjoyed all of those. How do you get so much good stuff recorded? I can't even seem to get one piece recorded decently.

Peyton,

I enjoyed this last year, and it's even better this time around. Great job!

mahlzeit,
Your take on Silent Night is interesting and enjoyable. Almost as cool as last year's version.

Balladeer,
That's smooth and sweet. Great I'll Be Home.

C7Player,
I don't know if it's right or not, but it sounds pretty good to me. I've never heard this piece before. Thanks for sharing it.

Monster M&H,
Another repeat from last year. I enjoyed listening again. Very nice.