Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) was a contemporary of Bach, Vivaldi and Handel and was one of the most prolific of all composers, having penned (at last count) over 3,000 compositions of many different types, sizes and styles.

It is reported that in his lifetime he was just as celebrated and popular as the other three Baroque giants.

Here is one of his simpler works to open the Bar in a gentle, classical manner. This is from "Essential Keyboard Repertoire, Vol. 1" from Alfred.

Minuet in G

JF

John,

Well done. Nice and light with very good control to a smooth finish. An excellent beginning to the February bar.

Andy

Sweet! Delicately rendered John.

JF, it is a joyful piece very well played with subtle touch.

Bar already opened this early morning ?(or is it late night ?) Due to the ABF recital next door, I did not have any new piece for the bar. This one I recorded months ago, but I don't think I have posted it yet.

At Sundown(original)

TB

TB,

That was a very beautiful theme. It has kind of a Spanish flavor which I really like. It could easily be made into a classical guitar piece - that's sort of the image I had while listening. Really nice.

Andy

John Frank - Very Nice! Did you change the settings on your Clavinova? In addition to your excellent playing this recording has a richer, deeper tone quality. Well done.

John,
That was a very nicely executed piece, a fine rendition, indeed!

TB,
Enjoyable composition, good chord changes and a nice melody to accommodate the descending baseline theme.

Glen

TB - This is a nice composition. Your melodies seem to have a wistful, melancholy feel that I like very much.

This will be my one contribution of the month. I know some of you have heard this before, I've tried recording it a couple of times and ended up being so dissatisfied I pulled it off. It's a song about my father, who passed away last year, and for what ever reason I just can't seem to sing it the way I want. This time I really like the piano accompaniment and the video but, once again, don't like the way I sang it. (My wife thinks I get especially tense when I sing it...). Anyway... I give up. This is up on youtube to sink or swim on it's own..

Great job on that piece. I had never heard of Telemann before, but he sounds like an interesting character.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telemann



I enjoyed that!

Both, thanks for sharing!

John, nice job on the Telemann!

Peyton,
Your tune flys right, emotion and dynamics are perfect. The fact you describe why you wrote it provides even deeper meaning to what one hears in your wonderfully written and performed composition.

Thank you for that

Glen

I put this together as an exercise to familiarize myself with common guitar chords on the piano. Chords are Em, G, C, D, & Am (I think!)

Ben,
Very nice to watch your hands work as you create!

Glen

Peyton - I remember this song from the first time you posted it. It was one of my favorites of yours then and still is. Excellent composition and performance.

Ah Peyton - I thought this was wonderful. There are a few places your voice wavers. It's only natural. We all carry emotions in our throats. Thankyou for explaining why you wrote the song.

Me too.

I really liked your video, too; the fading in and out of the different angles was extremely effective!

Thanks Glen, Bill, TLT and Monica... I don't usually get so nervous about a "performance". Hey, we're all just amateurs here but for what ever reason I really wanted to put my best foot forward on this tune and just can't seem to do it. I can't seem to sing it like I normally do. (One lesson learned is to listen off the headphones as well as on.. with headphones on it seemed better.) Monica, I just discovered the "Ken Burns" effect in imovie and love it. It's the next best thing to having a second camera (something I wish I had).

Peyton,

Your song was exceptional on all levels. The accompaniment to the lyric was supportive and not overwhelming. Your singing was as it should be, heartfelt. I thought the words were very powerful expecially the title where "judging distances" can be a metaphor for how we interact in our relationships. As we have all expereienced personal losses they can be devastating until we look back and celebrate the totality of our loved ones. I'm sorry for the loss of your father.

Andy

Ben,

That was a very interesting exercise. There were some hints there of several composers. I thought I heard a little Yann Thiersen in the beginning. This for me is a great way to warm up during a practice session. Choose some chords and just let it loose. You developed some good ideas.

Andy

JohnFrank, nice job on the Telemann piece. I'm not too familiar with his work, but he sounds like a more melodic Bach. (A sentiment that would probably cause great consternation over in the Pianist Corner, but I call them as I see them... )

BenPiano - Sounds like you have these chords down. You seem to be moving around the keyboard with confidence.

TrueBeginner, that was another lovely composition from you. I think the title suits it well.

Ben, the term "exercise" doesn't do justice to your piece. Exercises are boring. Your piece was not. Very pretty; I like the chord progressions. And I had to chuckle at the title screen to your video.

Thanks, Andy. I used to really enjoy just strumming on the guitar and humming a melody along. The chords came naturally and without thought because I had been playing for so long. I'd like to do this on piano, but play a right hand melody instead of humming, and like you say, just let loose. But nothing is near automatic or natural yet. Hope to get there someday.

Now off to google Yann Thiersen.

ETA: Thanks Bill and Monica, glad I could make you laugh.

My February Piano Bar submission is a piano vocal of a song written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1968.

Bill and Peyton, your ability to play and sing together is amazing. These powerful songs serve an excellent start for February's Bar.

Ben wrote:

Now off to google Yann Thiersen.



Ben,

I think "Comptine d'un Autre Ete - l'apres midi" is a popular one you'll find on Toutube. I spelled his name wrong, I think it's Tiersen.

Andy

Bill,

I really enjoyed that. A real memory maker. I liked the setting you selected on your piano, it fit very well with the song. Your vocal style is great, nothing forced and very relaxed.

Andy

Here's my submission!
hearts and soul piano solo

mp3: http://www.box.net/shared/u4k2qqbt0c
vid: http://s821.photobucket.com/albums/zz139...artandSouls.flv

Ladypayne,

That was very cool. I've never heard that played as a solo. You gave it a lot of character and took it beyond a kid's duet. Very enjoyable.

Andy