November 15th is the Adult Beginner's Forum fourth quarterly recital. While it has been designated as a "holiday" recital, where folks can play tunes about any holiday they feel like celebrating, any solo piano piece that you would want to submit will be gratefully accepted!

This thread is the designated point to let everybody know what you would like to submit for this upcoming recital. There are no "dibs". If we end up with five versions of a tune, then it's quite likely to be a very popular one and I'll spread them out througout the recital submissions. However, it would be sad if a popular tune wasn't submitted merely because someone thought that everyone would be doing it.

Here is the list of what folks are submitting in alphabetical order by title. Submit your selection and any changes or discussion in posts to this thread:

IrishMak[/b]: Angels We Have Heard on High - Liz Story arr.
LiztAddict[/b]: Ava Maria - Schubert arr.
icekid767[/b]: Carol of the Bells - George Winston arr.
loveschopintoomuch[/b]: The Christmas Song - Dan Fox arr. in 1972 Readers Digest
s54mo827[/b] Medley: First Noel/Oh Holy Night - arr. by ear
dvdiva[/b]: Hark! the Herald Angels Sing - Chris Rice arr.
johnny boy[/b]: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - arr. by ear
Monster M&H[/b]: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - arr. by MM&H
Monica Kern[/b]: The Holly and the Ivy - Fresh Aire arr.
Balladeer[/b]: I'll be Home for Christmas - arr. by ear
Frank_W[/b]: Jolly Ol' Saint Nick
Opus45[/b]: Night of Silence by Daniel Kantor
Roger Ransom[/b] Oh Holy Night - RR arr.
Debussy20[/b]: Le petite nègre - Debussy
Frycek[/b]: The Polish carol Lullaby Little Jesus - Chopin
mahlzeit[/b]: River - Joni Mitchell arr.
Schubertian[/b] Roumanian Christmas Songs - Bartok
dh[/b] Silent Night
Peyton[/b] Silent Night - Blues arr.
Patty39[/b] Sylvester bells
mr_super-hunky[/b]: Medley: Still Nacht/Christmas Time is Here - S-H arr.
Sandy Moore[/b]: What Child is This - Melody Bober arr.

Debussy20: Le Petite Negre

Maybe we should also specify arrangement, too? I'll be playing the Fresh Aire arrangement of The Holly and the Ivy.

Good idea Monica. That way someone else might want to play the same song with a different arrangement.

Hey there Debussy - I was thinking of Brickman's arrangement of SN......not married to it yet, so let me know if ur doing the same/different arrangement....tnx

MIke

gmm1 -
I was going to play this:
http://www.sheetmusicarchive.net/dlpage_new.cfm?composition_id=1224

If I can get it ready, as I'm having a difficult time with a certain section, I will submit George Winston's Carol of the Bells.

I will be doing (hopefully) Liz Story's arrangement of Angels We Have Heard.

I'm planning on recording "Night of Silence" by Daniel Kantor.

This can be played (and sung) along with "Silent Night". I might attempt to record them together (if that's even possible for me to do??), or perhaps a version of "Silent Night" in addition to "Night of Silence".

If I'm unable to record them together, then you guys can sing "Silent Night" while listening to my recording of "Night of Silence"...that would work too.

Already I'm looking forward to this- Night of Silence is beautiful, and I've always loved River!

Uh oh, what have I gotten myself into already... Can't promise that I'll make it sound good.

My "stille nacht" song is a very unique version done by Mannheim Steamroller. By combining their unique "flair" to this classic, along with my own improvisation of their score, I'm sure the tune will be almost unrecognizable by the time you hear it!!

BTW, not that this title needs translation, but just in case there is actually someone dumber than me, "stille nacht" = "silent night" !! :rolleyes:

Hmm, I wonder if I should just pick one now...

At this point, I'm leaning towards David Nevue's God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. But maybe I should stay off Bob's list until the beginning of Sept, when I'll do some more planning. Sorry for thinking out loud here!

Personally, I think that just the fact that people are sort of "snapping up" their song choice is a very positive thing.

I feel that everyone is now becoming more motivated than ever and am expecting an unprecedented Holiday recital turnout.

If this whole recital thing is motivating members to practice more and giving them something to shoot for as well as a real opportunity to perform (as opposed to reading posts like "I have no motivation!!), then it is a truly wonderful thing.

Absolutely! It's a WIN-WIN!!!

Can't wait to see what you do with this! I LOVE their Stille Nacht. I toyed with the idea of doing Veni, Veni, but all I have is a vocal score and I don't know if I could figure out a piano version AND get it together in time...

Mine will not be part of the holiday theme so I can keep mine a secret for now

Peter

Irishmak:

I've had to learn several songs just by "trial and error" (as well as memory too!) as there is no score available for certain songs....i.e never released.

This is not a negative thing however as it will force you to open up your mind and ears and really (and I mean REALLY) concentrate on transfering the sounds in your mind, through your fingers and onto the keys.

It may take several minutes per bar or line to keep plunking down notes, but ultimately it, will be worth it. I really hope you give it a try.

I notice a conspicuous absence of Chanukah, Ramadan, and Kwanzaa songs from the list.

No, I'm not volunteering.

The Polish carol Lullaby Little Jesus in Chopin's Schrezo No1 (me or Kathleen one or both)
Maybe Silver Bells or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - that is if I have recording capabilities by Nov 15th (a big if)

Please put me down for "Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" arranged by Chris Rice. Thanks!

Way cool! there are 9 reservations already.

"Have yourself a mery little christams" - arranged by ear.

or since MarkB requested, I can also try "Hanauka Song" by Adam Sandler

"I'll Be Home For Christmas" Arranged by ear.

Balladeer

"I'll be home for Christmas" Arranged by ear.

Aaaarggh what a shame.

I'll leave my choice open for a little while longer,... I only have silent night and white christmas on my could play list so far...

double post

I can give up my peice if any one wants it.

I don't think you have to; I agree with Bob that duplication is probably inevitable and not a bad thing (except where "Feliz Navidad" is concerned; that song gets on my nerves after one listening ).

I agree with Bob and Monica- everyone is going to play any song a bit differently, so if several people choose the same one, it will be interesting (to me, at least) to see how each person interprets it.

I hate, Hate, HATE that song! It has two words for the chorus. TWO FREAKING WORDS! And only two lines for the verse! It's the worst song ever written. Hey, maybe we ought to have a Silent Night pianoathon and get in the record books for the most interpretations of a song in a single forum thread.

If I can find a Liszt piano transcription of Silent Night, I am in for the Silent Nightathon.

Wish I had the ability to play the Chopin selection Frycek mentions.

I am definitely "giving" it to her. I know it will be a great performance.

I have to settle for that old Mel Torme standard: The Christmas Song. The "chestnuts roasting by an open fire" one. :rolleyes:

The arrangement is by Dan Fox, and it is from a collection of 114 All-Time Family Favorites put out by Readers Digest in 1972.

I'm choosing it because you can play it fairly slowly. I don't do fast very good.


Kathleen

Hear, hear! And after our posts, I doubt anybody would dare to sign up for it, so we can breathe easy.

prospero ano y felicidad

so it has six words! :p

(please forgive the lack of a tilda over the n in ano, I can't figure out how to make that happen)

don't have any particular song planned, yet, but it won't be Feliz Navidad!

Sorry I missed recital 3; I didn't have anything post-worthy! Maybe it will be ready by recital 4.

felix navidad...da da da da da....felix navidad...da da da da da

I think I'll write up my own piano transcription of this COOL song.

Exactly[/b] the reason I chose mine, Kathleen! LOL The arrangement I am working from is much, much slower than you usually hear this song. I might be able to keep up....

If no one's claimed Feliz Navidad as their song, I'll take it! It's one of my all-time holiday faves! Catchy rhythm, catchy melody, catchy lyrics!

Come on, everyone sing with me! "Feliz navidad, feliz navidad, feliz navidad something in Spanish, some more Spanish, and even more Spanish!"

You guys are going to make me lose my reputation as one of the few people on the whole PW forum who never flamed anybody.

Bob, I suggest we rename the recital from "Holiday Recital" to "Recital for Any Holiday Song EXCEPT Feliz Navidad."

"Feliz Navidad" - All the Spanish I know. I once used it to tell a Mexican friend "Happy Birthday." He looked at me strangely.

Jeez... What's the matter with him? Maybe he just doesn't speak proper Spanish. Harumph!! :p

I have a theory why we hate it so much.

If you happen to hear it in a place where you can't shut if off, change the station, or plug your ears, etc.., then it's difficult to get it out of your head.

It's one of those songs that activates neural synapses & resonates in that weird part of our brain & results in a pathological condition where the brain repeats it unmercilously until we are able to flood that area of the brain with some other stimulus (other thoughts, alcohol, etc..).

Feliz Navidad is particularly virulent when it gets into the brain.

I think Feliz Navidad sung by "Charro" is what what the true meaning of
christmas is all about!; isn't it??

You know, that Hoochie Coochie chick with the big Bazooka's!!

I see Charro on TV advertising some car fix-it place. She looks pretty good for a woman her age (what...about 60)?


I should look so good. :rolleyes:

Kathleen

Otherwise know as an "earworm."

Come on now be fair.

Here are the actual lyrics.

Everyone sing along with Charro!


Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of my heart.

We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of our heart.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of our heart.

We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of our heart.

From the bottom of my heart.

Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Feliz Navidad
Prospero Ano y Felicidad.

We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of our heart.

We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
We wanna wish you a Merry Christmas
From the bottom of our heart.

From the bottom of my heart.
From the bottom of my heart.

We wanna wish you
From our hearts.

Didn't they have one of those in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan?

Really Copper, you have a cruel streak!

That was more like an ear.... bug??? LOL
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earworm

19 repetitions of "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas" is about 17 too many. Copper, a pox on you for posting those lyrics and getting that frigging song stuck on my brain.

Heh, I don't think I ever heard Feliz Navidad before. I'm strongly considering it for the recital now.

*presses Play again*

AHhhhhhhh! A treky!
Get the laser blasters from eposoid 45b.
Just Kiding

Copper defintely needs to get a REAL job. He has much too much time on his hands. :p

Kathleen

I wonder if playing Mr. Garrison's Christmas Song from South Park would get me banned.

Hmmm...

Probably.

Mel

Since Scott was asking about the recital in the other thread, I thought it was probably worth bumping this up to see if anybody else wanted to put their dibs on a piece.

I realized only belatedly that bumping this unfortunately also runs the real risk of The Song That Must Not Be Named of getting stuck in everybody's head again...

Another *BUMP*

Hmm, maybe it's about time to start practicing my piece... only about 8 weeks left.

Eight Weeks????

How the heck did that happen??

I had three months just yesterday....

I'm feeling more than slightly panicky myself. I signed up to play a song that I attempted to learn last Christmas and made reasonable progress on it then. I figured that a year later with all my improved piano skills (ha!), that it would be a piece of cake. That has turned out to be an overly optimistic assumption on my part. When I was learning it last year, it was before I owned a metronome. So when I said to myself, "hey, self, you'd better check your playing of this piece against the metronome before pressing that Red Dot," I had the rude realization that I have *serious* timing issues with this piece... and in essence I have to un-learn everything I had done last year and start from scratch.

Only 8 weeks? Yikes!

I'm playing a Melody Bober arrangement of "What Child is This." It's that or send in my "Oh Holy Night" from 2 years ago...that would need to be relearned if I wanted to record it again. That's my current Christmas repertoire!!

OK, I'm going to really try to fake a version the only Christmas song I really like and it's NOT Feliz Navidad.

I'm working on Oh, Holy Night, the ransom version. We'll see.

Hi Bob,

The First Noel ~|~ Oh Holy Night (medley) in Key of C

Final answer *giggle* Thanks.

~~Sharon

BTW: Re-enlisted (for another year) with Pianomagic last ight. Mike Anderson is just a trip - so great. I played some stuff for him - was shakey and nervous, but more calm than I used to be - he's just a person, afterall. Plus, I had more patience with myself... was not in such a rush. And I was more forgiving of my mistakes... This I call progress.

Is "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" taken...if not, then I'm on it. Just a simple, straight version with some personal voicing added.

Oh dear me - (blowing bangs out of my eyes) - it looks like a few people have picked Oh Holy Night. I was just playing the first noel and OHN went into a smoother transition - a better fit on the turnaround.

We'll see.

~~Sharon

Great idea, Bob. Count me in!

I'm going to join in the Holiday Recital — my first recital ever, I might add — with a simple beginner's version of "Silent Night." And maybe a second song, if I feel brave and make good progress. It's liable to be another old-fashioned Christmas song that many others are doing ... but that's not such a bad thing, right? Carols are beautiful.

Deborah, carols are beautiful, plain or dressed up.

It's nice to sit at the piano and play tunes you are familiar with... and carols ROCK!

Looking forward to hearing you play.

~~Sharon

Since it's only 6 more weeks and I still haven't practiced my chosen piece (River), I'm thinking it'll be a good idea to pick Silent Night as a backup piece.

i still have 8 measures to brush up, 8 measures left to learn. so i have 16 measures left to get up to speed by recital time. i havent practiced much because i have been sick....went to the doctors only to give me breathing treatments, and with a prognosis of i will get better in about a month. ARGH!!! just give me some antibiotics and get on with it!!! anyhow, not ready and hopefully i can practice in my dreams because i am not at the bench much just flipping through the channels and nestled on the couch. lots of cnn on and discovery. anyhow i still wont say what my recital piece is but its not a carol but still a christmas piece:)

OK Funburger - my guess on your piece.....

"So This is Christmas"

Ok, let's see if I get myself trapped - I might have a recording device now, because last week I bought a new laptop, it has a built in microphone and an MP3 recording software. I haven't tried it out, but should be able to find some time on the weekend....

Last excuse: my piano is not tuned...(heating season just started have to wait two weeks)

If it works I'll submit "Sylvester bells" or "New year's bells", composer unknown. The German title is "Silvesterglocken".

Gone into hiding, Patty

I started practicing my Holiday Song way back in August. Kind of silly when the temperature was in the high 90's, and I'm playing about chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

There was no way I was going to procrasinate (something I do quite often now that I am retired, hey...I got all the time in the world).

I have a lot of polishing to do and hope it will "shine" by recital time.

I am still seriously thinking about doing it in sections if I start on the blundering trail.

Kathleen

I'm not sure what you mean by the blundering trail but I know that I "know" my piece but I still blunder.... Getting a recording of my piece is going to be a challenge.

Keep at it Sharon, I really want to hear you play.

Bartok - Roumanian Christmas songs

How sweet of you.

(((HUG)))
~~Sharon

Oh me, oh my. I still don't have any recording set up, so will have to just listen to all of your wonderful playing. Gaby Tu

I will try and do my own blues version of Silent Night.

I may have to retire the piece I was going to do, and record something else... This thing is giving me fits! There is some time, tho, so we will see....

I know the feeling, Mak. I am still having timing issues with my piece. I can play it correctly to the metronome at MM = 50. Only problem is, I'm supposed to be playing it at MM = 84. And there's only about a month left.... double yikes. Unfortunately I don't have another holiday piece as a backup.

I can play thru it- mostly. It's supposed to be very slow and that helps some, but it's still way too choppy sounding. Luckily, I do have the book of fairly easy Christmas arrangements that I have been working a few other pieces out of, so I would have some backup...

Does anyone know of an intermediate arrangement (or early-int.) of 'Somewhere In My Memory', the John Williams song from Home Alone?

I've been humming it for days and would like to see if I could get it going for Christmas...Liz

Lizzy,
Go to sheetmusicplus.com or musicnotes.com and search on john williams. He has composed so much stuff you will have many options. You might prefer musicnotes for this because you will be able to preview most of the options and see which one best suits your needs. Plus, you will be able to download it immediately and start learning it today. I guess we can assume this is your official commital to the upcoming recital?

Thanks, Dean. I checked out sheetmusicplus yesterday and, yes, was overwhelmed with John Williams stuff, but not able to see anything to judge levels. So I'm headed over to musicnotes now...

Recital? Silly boy.

Seriously, I have no way to get it on-line - I'm putting it on my New Year's resolution list, however, so maybe spring? Liz

this recital -
what format should the files be in?
where do I send them?
when do you need them by?
etc

This is how we did it last time, Schubertian. I assume this time will be similar:

http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/32/2663.html#000000

I've updated the list as best I could. Again, please don't let duplicates deter you if you want to submit a particular song.

Just found out about the recital so I sent my version of the brahms intermezzo in A. Hope it is worth a listen =)

Hi Bob,

I just sent you my first recording,
Prelude in C from Bach.

ok - so I have finally figured out how to record my playing. Then I figured out how to get it to BoxNet. Now, how do I submit it for the recital - or is it even appropriate for the recital (it's not classical - it's not Christmas - and it's not perfect)?
http://www.box.net/public/pmnyed6rys

w-scott--the submissions were supposed to be in by nov. 14 so its a little late. please please post it in the piano bar though, as this is some excellent playing!!! i love this!!!

oh - ok - thanks!

Where is the piano bar? lol

Here is this month's piano bar: http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/32/3168.html

A new thread is opened every month. So this month's is called the "November Piano Bar".