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

Okay, I've mustered up enough courage to post a contribution. Most of you are much better than I.

I've only been playing for four months (that's 16 lessons), so I'm afraid this is about the best it's going to get for the moment -- so please, no throwing tomatoes, okay? However, if you must, please be so kind as to at least toss them gently.

This is a stripped down version of Tchaikowsky's "Waltz of the Flowers," from the Nutcracker Suite, with about 80 percent of the notes missing. I'm not exactly sure if this is Christmas music, but they always perform the Nutcracker around this time of year, so I guess this qualifies.

Hope you enjoy my first recording. Will be interesting for me to return to this thread a year from now to see how much I've progressed.

Enjoy and happy holidays to everyone.
http://www.mediafire.com/?0mzk9tz121w

(2 megabyte download, < 1 minute download on broadband)

Akira,

How enthusiastic I am for your playing accomplishments in 16 lessons! I'm thrilled listening to the piece, a very steady dancing waltz bass, a singing melody, nuances effectively played, a nice sounding piano. Waltz of the Flowers never sounded better to my ears, because it's your waltz and very nicely done.

Yes!

Grin

Betty

Akira, wow, for 16 lessons, you are playing really well! Very steady, very clean - a great debut! Look forward to more of your playing next year - remember the recital in Feb

Mike, that was freakin' hilarious.

Akira, of course that is Christmas music! Very nicely played. You are on your way to a lifetime of enjoyment and beauty. Great job!

Yesterday I played White Christmas for my teacher but she didn't like it, well she said: "It's nice but..."

She gave me advices and new chords to add. Tonight I did another recording. So here's the old version and the new version. Hope you like it.

White Christmas version 1

The new version is still shaky and I missed a few beat.

White Christmas version 2

Serge

Only four months that REALLY good.

Serge

Not only am I terribly tardy in commenting on all the pieces, I've been having a devil of a time getting a clean recording of my piece. As Christmas is rapidly approaching, I guess I'll abandon my goal of a clean take and settle for a take with one huge clunker in the middle [edit: I made a better recording and have swapped it out. Now there's one wrong note but not hideously obvious]:

"God rest ye merry gentlemen" arr. by David Nevue

Mike the video was great...loved the snowflake LOL

Akira: Wow for 16 lessons! ...actually...never mind "for 16 lessons" its great even for many more than 16!!!

Van: a little busy for me but the melody was kept nicely on top

Funky Fred: beautiful playing sir, Pretty Paper is a new one to me and it sounded lovely thank you for posting them both


more when I get more time...sheesh I'm busy at the mo'...

Hi everyone - I've just joined the party and thought I'd call in and say 'Happy Christmas'. Lovely music from you all, and all so varied. Akira especially - you are amazing - did you know anything about music at all before the 16 lessons? I started teaching myself 14 months ago and have been quite pleased with my progress, but I started from nowhere - didn't know a thing about music except how to listen and enjoy. However I guess I may be one of the eldest beginners, Just turned 69 last week - so maybe that means slow progress? I'm enjoying every minute of it although I haven't played today because I've been reading all the threads on here! happy holiday everyone!

Version 2 is sweet, my friend. I enjoyed listening to that.

Monica, I like that version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Your recording is certainly not butchered. I missed the huge clunker, although perhaps you overused the sustain pedal in places. I often have difficulty with that, too. Odd, I suppose, considering that my old college piano instructor told me I had the best pedalling technique she had heard from any of her students. The key word, I guess, being "had." Of course, that was many years ago.

Welcome to the forum, caroloz!

Monica, that was beautiful! There was a clunker? I did not notice it.

Yeah, there was, Kawaigirl, but I finally got a cleaner take so I swapped out the recordings. The one that's up there now is better.

TX-Dennis, if overpedaling was a crime, I'd be a lifer. In this particular piece, you're supposed to hold the pedal down for the entire early part where you're playing just the right hand. So I will plead Not Guilty on that section in exchange for a reduced sentence on the rest of the piece.

MK...nice job...wouldn't have expected anything less...

Hope everyone is on track for Christmas morning...gifts bought, decorations up...etc.
I know MSH got his gift...his M&H Bigboy is HOME for the holidays.

Monica .... that was fantastic.

TX-Dennis ... very nice.

My ear prefers ver 2.

TX-Dennis, yes the version 2 is better, thanks to my teacher.

Monica, your recording is excellent.

Serge

Serge: version 2 is gorgeous

Ooh Monica thats fantastic!


Lee