BillM, I agree 100%. The variety in this bar makes it a special place.

Ben, I could be wrong, but I hear some prelude in c...excellent work as alway.

BillM brings back memories of cruising in my Camero convertible with the music blaring on a summer evening...nice!

I only seem to record around recital time these days. Here's another one, a long time favorite of mine. A couple more to go.

And I'm sorry about the video quality. I'm not trying to be artsy - my camera just can't focus here for some reason. I had to move it because my recital piece demanded freedom on the left side of the piano where the camera normally is

I recorded all of these at the same time, so my latest batch all have this problem, including my recital piece.

It sounds a little like the first movement of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. Perhaps the reason for the subtitle "Souvenir of Beethoven"


No, not you - just my crappy camera!


Many thanks! My piano sounds great, not because of my amateur playing, but because it was just tuned a few hours before I recorded this! My tuner is awesome.


More fartsy than artsy unfortunately - my camera couldn't focus for some reason where it was placed this time (and subsequent recordings).

After this and previous malevolence, I fired the cameraman.


Thanks again, everyone, for taking the time to both listen and comment!

I'm really sorry, I blasted all of my comments with a simple click - I'm trying to recreate them as best as possible

Newman - Great, I've had this song stuck in my head now all weekend long!

Weiyan - it's nice to see the action of the hammers!

peterws - you play this very comfortably and fluid - no pun intended

whizbang - I really liked this, and have struggled with Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag. This one, perhaps, sounds a little easier to attempt, but Joplin's stuff is always much more difficult than it sounds!

Augustina - That was great - perhaps your best yet!

Mark... - I thought you got a digital there for a minute!

Stumbler - Nice trills and clear confidence - awesome!

Enjoying all the great music here this month.

BillM: Loved your poignant bluesy rendition of "Cats in the Cradle"

Weiyan: That was such a lovely piece. Well done

Well, my Roland keyboard has been giving me some grief lately, needs repair,but decided to redo one of my favorites anyway..hope you enjoy.

Stumbler~ Lady Campbell's Jig is a beautiful melody, beautifully played.

BenPiano~ Your Stephen Heller Duetto is really pretty. That focus problem might be related to the lighting. If you use a more flat light without reflection coming from the piano, it might solve the problem. Regardless, your playing is really fantastic!
Your Traumerei is most excellent. I have some half-hearted attempts at getting this one presentable and it still eludes me. Great work and I hope to hear it again as it matures under your fingers. It is a keeper - don't lose this one from your already fine repertoire.

BillM~ Cats in the Cradle - it's been years since I've heard this. Your playing and singing style is perfect for this melody. Your steady accompaniment is always spot-on. I liked the solo breaks. Great work, Bill!

Elssa~ as before, I like this rendition of Over the Rainbow. Thanks for bringing it back.

Glen

Thanks, Glen, but I actually just recorded this new rendition over the weekend. Need to get the keyboard fixed now, contacts cleaned, etc, but I had fun with it.

Ah, Elssa - that's it. I was thinking of your rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow that this one reminded me (from a couple of years ago). Very consistent playing - great work, indeed.

Glen

Thanks, again, Glen Your improv is divine as always.

Elssa - that's a nice take on a great song. I've tried it on and off but never happy with the chords. Do you have a chord sheet for your version?

Elssa - an outstanding rendition of one of my favorite tunes! This song fits your style perfectly.

Elssa, that was great...

Thanks, everyone, for your kind remarks! :-)

Thanks, Newman: Well, I usually just take a plain E-Z leadsheet like this one and then reharmonize a few of the chords*, add in some of my runs/fills & stuff:

Over the Rainbow: http://www.wikifonia.org/node/13044

*For example, play a G7b9 rather than G7, A7b9 in place of A7, etc.

Ben piano - Nice nice! Traumerai is an old standard. Clair de Lune next?

Elssa - that`ll never go out of fashion, relaxed easy listening. What a beast you`re playing! I notice your fingers tend to remain near the edge of the keyboard. Wish I could do that wi mine . . .

BenPiano - Traumerei - I like this one. I'd like it even if you submitted it every month.

Elssa, Somewhere Over the Rainbow - nice styling of this classic

Ive been trying out my new ipad just a little fun video, messing around.

Its very cool this ipad though and so easy to upload to youtube just wish I could get a better angle. Anyone managed to get something above the keyboard with their ipad? and if so how did you do it?

Trying out my new ipad - simple jam session


Lee

Popping in to say hi to Seaside! It's great to hear from you. Don't be such a stranger! Hope all is going well for you.

Seaside Lee, there are many third party accessories available to serve to mount your iPad. Check Google.

Allard: Brilliant thanks I have ordered a stand, I'll do something better soon as I get it


Monica!!!

Hi, life's just been so busy but I will try to post again more often

Lovely to hear from you


Lee

I was gonna make a suitable mounting facility and nail it to the cupboard above my head. That`ll please `er indoors . . . but if I can buy something to match the furniture . . well, could be in business!

Hi Peter

I've just ordered this from amazon in the UK

Ipad Mount

I'm hoping it will be just what I need


Lee

Hey, Seaside, I`m much obliged! That could save me a lot o` time. I`ll look into it now Cheers man

Seaside - I enjoyed the foot stomping passages!

Thanks Newman

I was just fooling around really. Just testing my new toy but that angle is not good enough. Hope the new mount works really well because uploading to YouTube is a piece of cake

Here is a new arrangement.
Miss Miller of Glenlee's Strathspey from William Shepherd's 1st collection.
The playing is still a bit rough (especially the 4 on 3 bits)

https://www.box.com/s/q0a0niyzfw6uahhs08jp

I had a couple other arrangements in the queue, but this one wouldn't let so. It even made me play hooky from my regular assigned pieces.

It is influenced by Grieg's Nocturne Op 54 no 4, but I don't know if anyone else will hear it.

Stumbler - Are all srathspey's named after women? And is that in 6/8?

Newman, I don't think all strathspey's are named after women, but all of the ones in the William Shepherd collections are. I've been using his collections as source material for learning arrangement. I obtained the fiddle scores from the Highland Music Trust. They don't have a lot of information on Mr. Shepherd. I wonder if he was obtaining funding by offering to name his compositions after people. "Hey Mr. Miller, I bet your wife would love it if you paid to have a strathspey composed for her"

Strathspeys are normally in 4/4, though this one was 2/2 in the original. I scored it as 4/4, but the left hand is all triplets.