Hello all,
my name is Martin and i'm a 44 year old male from England.
I've been playing for 3 years and am studying for LCM grade 5 piano.
Here is my first video, go easy on me

Hi Martin,
Very nice indeed. Thanks for sharing your talent.
Bill

Welcome to the forum PianoU1 (Martin). Quite nice. I haven't heard many rags with slower tempos and it really brings out some nice contrasts.

Thankyou for the generous comments.

David Ruzika - I like Bach, and that was a very charming piece, and nicely played.

Cathy

Thanks, Bill! Yes, I'm going to use youtube from now on.. I'm finally used to how to do it.

Here's another one, on youtube.. Hope you enjoy:

MOON RIVER

Elssa - What a great morning coffee tune. I really like your improv intro and ending. Very well done.

Elssa - I like folk music, and that was a nice piece.

Sam and Laurie - of course I loved it There's an English county dance musicians workshop coming up in Albuquerque in January and I'm looking forward to the mix of instruments.

Cathy

Nice little rag, Martin. Very enjoyable.

Nice Moon River, Elssa. I haven't played this song in years. Maybe it's time to dig it out again. I certainly enjoyed your version.

My favorite vocal version is Patti Page

Thanks, Dennis. I think it's just about my all-time favorite song, and that video you posted is lovely.. Never heard that version before, but it's really nice!


Thanks, Ed! BTW, I demonstrate all of these runs, fills, intros, endings, turn-arounds, etc in detail with the songs "Misty" and "Moon River" in my new instructional video (www.learnpianowithelssa.com).

I had a fairly good practice tonite and ended up with a little extra me time so i decide to stop in the bar for a few (to my misfortune I really haven't hung here that much).

WOW!!

Just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed all the pieces!!
There really is a nice range of talent and I love the diversity.

Round of drinks on me!!

Elssa - love your song selections and your tasteful and highly listenable performances - so very enjoyable!

As I've said before, someday when I grow up I want to be able to play songs like that, like that!

I guess I'm just going to have to get into your instructional video, the link to which you smoothly and deftly make available in replies to compliments you get here - I like how you do that, in the best tradition of free enterprise marketing - I'd do the same if I had an instructional video...

JF

Hello my dear friends,

I am finally back from my India trip - and I was amazed to see so many wonderful pieces played at the piano bar this month! Elssa, the Two guitars is awesome, it was a very popular gypsy dance melody in Russia in the 70s-80s, only there it is played faster and more cheerful - thank you for bringing some very nice childhood memories . I wish I had score for this melody, as I really would love to learn this piece one day.

David, I loved your Bach prelude also, very refined playing. I'd love to hear more from your baroque repertoire.

I see Rickster falling in love with Elssa hands... while I way away for two weeks Although seeing Elssa playing I totally understand why

I also so happy to see the new faces here and listen to your music. Welcome folks!

I still have a lot to catch up, but here is my November contribution that I recorded yesterday night - not polished enough (you'd notice an awkward pause after section A), but I fell in love with this little miniature and I will continue working on it.. I hope I got a decent interpretation (I never hear anybody playing it before).

Ruth Watson Henderson - Toccatina



Being in India and having quite a few oil massages and lots of Yoga there I found my fingers more flexible and sensitive, and my feel for the keyboard improved. But I missed my piano practice while I was away... Anyway, I am glad to be back

Why Martin/PianoU1 - it's easy to go easy on you! That was wonderful - I love pensive pieces, and I love ragtime, and you did this quite well

Cathy

Yes, very enterprising and absolutely OK by me, as long as I continue to get my 15% for the compliments.

Actually, I was going to suggest that Elssa paint a few ads on her hands, which certainly get some attention at times, but I was concerned that might be considered a bit ... uh....heavyhanded.

Another great performance, Elssa. You have really mastered this style of playing.

Ed

I hardly ever learn extra pieces besides what I work on for the recitals but I was testing out the pianoteq 3.5 demo and noticed that I could make a recording of a short piece with it.

The piece is in the Best Of Ludovico Einaudi book and is titled Le Onde Conzone Popolare (Francia, 1500ca.)

This was likely Ludovico's inspiration for Le Onde. I only spent a few minutes working on it before pushing the red dot so I hope you don't mind the timing issues.

http://www.box.net/shared/s907m7qu8v

I went to visit my sister today; So we decided to play some Duets. We don't get to play them very much since I see her about once a month. Anyways this is one of the only songs we can play decent at the moment, so here is My Heart Will go on from Titanic:) I still can't turn pages but enjoy.

http://www.box.net/shared/3y69c9g099

tatiana - what an interesting piece - well done.

Anthony - what a nice warm-up before I go to the recital this really had a nice singing feel to it.

Augustina - I remember sitting down and playing through a book of duets with a friend of mine, it's great fun. What a treat to share the red dot with your sister.

Cathy

Tatiana, lovely Toccatina! You play it very well.

Anthony B, Short and sweet, nicely done.

Augstina, Sounds like fun. enjoyed it.

Here is a bonus from me, since I've already submitted one this month.

I had forgot about doing this and just discovered I had it on Soundclick.

It is a multi track production of Blue Velvet played with tine piano, strings, bass, and drums.

AntonyB - what a lovely playing! (I also started to learn Einaudi's version of Le Onde yesterday, I love the melody)

Studio Joe - that was a very professional recording, I enjoyed listening to it so much, thank you for sharing!

Say Joe, I played that more than once! Where I dance we'd turn on the disco ball for that one I loved it .

Cathy

Thanks.

I'll be impatiently awaiting your version of Einaudi's Le Onde.

Martin, this was a nice and very thoughtful performance. I am not familiar with this piece - is it supposed to be played slowly? I like your tempo, it really brings up the melody. The middle part sounds really exceptional.

Cathy and Joe, thank you so much for listening to Toccatina and commenting on it, I really appreciate this. This is not the type of music I'd usually play, but I thought I'd give it a good try

Here is my second contribution, this time from my usual classical/romantic repertoire - Arietta by Grieg, recorded yesterday.

ok, I'll give it a priority

Hi Tatiana,


Welcome back, and thanks so much for your kind comments. I'm enjoying listening to your new pieces too! You're absolutely right about Two Guitars.. It's a lively piece and should be played that way all the way through, not just at the end. I redid it and tried to put more pep into the whole thing this time. I couldn't play it too much faster, though, as my fingers would get all tangled up.

TWO GUITARS (#2)

BTW, I do have a score I could send you if interested, but this is mostly my own arrangement.

thanks for your kind comments, the score has a direction of 'thoughtful' which leaves a lot of room for interpretation!