Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Recital #29 -- General Discussion Room

Sorry I'm a little late in my comments. I've had a gig every day and I was too pooped. Outstanding work by all and it's really great to track everyone's progress. Here's the first half.

01. Mr Super-Hunky - A Star Named Apple/ New Beginning So smooth Mr. SH! Recording is awesome and your touch so even. Well done!

02. Inlanding - Glen - Elegie Such lovely playing as always Glen. Fabulous balance and touch. The recording is a little tough on the ears. I get this too when I have the mics so close and it sounds to overwhelming. Anyway something to figure out for both of us.

03. dannylux / Mel - Czerny Romance in E Op.755 Very nice Dannylux. Your playing is always something to look forward to in these recitals being one of the better players. Recording quality is outstanding as well.

04. Plowboy - Prelude in E Minor Op. 28, No. 4 No this is not easy. It is easy to learn the notes but to create the perfect touch and balance is very difficult. You're doing a very good job here. Timing is very good. LH probably can be less which is tough to control (very advanced). Quite a good performance IMO.

05. slpianoproject - Nocturne in C# minor Op.27 no.1 Lovely playing slpianoproject. Maybe lay back on the LH a little (but you already know that) and a little muddiness on the low notes to consider. Very nice tone overall and a very solid performance. I would say that the Forte section sounded fantastic. Great work!

06. CarlosCC - Julia Progressing so well Carlos. You're achieving that evenness that's so important in this genre and it sounds great. Great balance between the hands. Fabulous.

07. Diana (sinophilia) - Frankie & Johnnie + Space Shuttle Blues What a wonderful performance for 11 months! I'm so proud of you. Keep it up! Progressing fast.

08. wouter79 - Allegro non troppo in c minor, op.38 no.2 Great work Wouter as always. Now you encounter the need for finger legato. Tough thing to master and this is way too fast anyway to implement easily. But you are doing a great job here. Maybe lighter on the LH. Rhythm and evenness has improved greatly. Definitely a quality performance.

09. SwissMS - Little Prelude in D Major BWV 936 I'm sorry to hear about your relapse. I'm so happy to hear that you're able to go back to the piano and play this well after such an event. Congratulations on your excellent performance and keep at it!

10. CASINITALY (Cheryl) - Sneakin' Round Nice! Switching to blues now I see and doing a great job at it. Really getting a nice tone for this genre so once again, a great job and excellent progress.

11. Andy Platt - Invention No 4 in D Minor Very nice tone Andy and fantastic evenness in playing. Great facility in handling the complex rhythm. Fantastic!

12. Amaruk - The Christmas song from 'An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf' Very pretty performance and such a nice tone and balance between the hands. Such gentleness to the sound. Great stuff!

13. Peyton - After All Beatiful playing as always and the recording quality is awesome. Proud of you for both composition and performance skills. Always looking forward to your work every recital. You put so much into it and I get so much enjoyment from listening.

14. joangolfing - Grieg Waltz Op.12 Lovely performance Joan! Always looking forward to your playing and your enthusiasm shows in your performance. Great work.

15. Greener / Jeff Green - Moments Musicaux - A flat major; Opus 94 No. 6 Beautiful sound and very nice performance. You did a great job and really nice tone. It would be easy to make this sound harsh and you obviously had the great skill to make it not so.

16. Riddler (Ed) - Reflections in D When you play solo piano, it shows off your technique more and clearly you've improved a lot over the years. Just love the sound and tone you make. The balance of the sound on the clustered chords is BEAUTIFUL. This is an excellent transcription (regardless of your changes to it). And it never hurts that we like the same kind of music!

17. Monica K. - Just Because I Love You Wonderful playing! Of course I wouldn't expect anything less. Just steady improvement that keeps showing up in the end product. Lovely music and lovely piano sound. So enjoyable to listen to.

18. ladypayne - Improv in G minor Impressive ladypayne. You are showing more confidence and control of the instrument. Clearly improved evenness and tone. Fantastic!

19. Jake S - Fur Elise Beautiful tone Jake. I couldn't believe what I was reading about 1 year on the piano. Just outstanding touch for such a short time. You're making excellent progress. Way ahead of the curve actually.

20. Serge88 - Fly Me To The Moon Excellent Serge. Great tune choice, great sound and great tone. So entertaining.

21. Teodor - Donnie Darko - The Artifact and the Living Wonderful job. Great evenness and nice tone. Nice balance between LH and RH. Pedalling was good too. Recording was a little muffled to appreciate the fine points but what I could hear was fantastic.

22. (Was)TrueBeginner - Us Great sound! Another talented composer! To improve the sound a bit, lessen the LH a touch and less pedal. Instead shoot for more finger legato to get a melody that stands out more clearly. Overall so nice to listen to. Really nice job.

23. MusicaMusique - Keresem Az Utam Is this your first recital MM? Glad you can join us. You didn't say much about your background so it's hard to judge. But for a play by ear and just overall performance, it sounds really good. Great time and tone is good too.

24. MrPozor - Un poco adagio Well done MrPozor. Your hard work has paid off and it is excellent. Your progress is very good for 9 months! Keep doing these recitals and you might be surprised at how you are judged (better than you think).

25. Jazztpt (Russ) - Another Song + Maya One of my favorite pianists on the recitals and the forum! And another where musical tastes always intersect mine. Your playing is just amazing. Such a wonderful and complex composition with such lush voicings. Great touch and tone. It's really beautiful. Can I play like this when I grow up? When's the next gig?

26. Sand Tiger - Shadow Great job Sand Tiger. Making good progress and it is excellent that you are venturing into composition. Fantastic!

27. PhilzPiano - Prelude no. 1 in C major Beautiful sound for self-teaching! Nice tone and hand balance. Need to work on evenning out that rhythm more. Don't rush that RH. Excellent progress.

28. Daren - Quanta Qualia From the first chord, I heard an advanced player! Great sound with such high quality touch and tone. Beautifully recorded too so that we can hear the nuances. Outstanding.

29. timmyab - Allemande from French Suite no 4 Enjoyed listening to another advanced player on this forum. I always look forward to your work. Really beautiful playing. So enjoyable!

30. Peterws - Regrets. I have a Few . . What a wonderful production. Obviously no beginner. Great touch and rhythm. Just enjoyed the whole production with the extra instrument sound. You composed that melody? Wow. Amazing. Very advanced melodic sense. Fabulous talent.

31. MaryBee - Waltz in C# minor, Op.64 No.2 Very nice MaryBee. Really great improvement since you've had a teacher. A little muddiness there to consider. Otherwise very nice tone and cantabile melody. Beautiful effect on the RH melody.

01. Mr Super-Hunky - A Star Named Apple/ New Beginning

An absolute pleasure to listen to. I didn't realize it was original the first time I heard it. It sounds professional... Thank you for sharing.

02. Inlanding - Glen - Elegie

Very beautiful piece. I didn't notice the mistakes you claim to have made Has an almost haunting quality to it. Well played.

03. dannylux / Mel - Czerny Romance in E Op.755

This is my first time actually hearing Czerny, with the exception of some of his drills. I agree it is both dleightful and exquisite. You play it very nicely. I like some of the higher pitched runs in the final minute.

04. Plowboy - Prelude in E Minor Op. 28, No. 4

I am a big Chopin fan. I love the chords he uses. You play with a nice tempo. Don't beat yourself up on this one it sounds great! Thanks for sharing.

05. slpianoproject - Nocturne in C# minor Op.27 no.1

Yes. More Chopin! I love this. The middle part after the 2:20 mark is just fantastic. Don't worry about it not "Being perfect". It sounds great and you have every reason to be proud of it.

06. CarlosCC - Julia

I am one minute in and already having a blast listening. You have done a great job with this. I have only heard it once or twice in the past, so I am not too familiar with it. I recently discovered Einaudi myself, probably in 2011. I bought my mom the 'Le Onde' album for Christmas that year, I don't get to see her much and she responded similarly to Einaudi as to how your wife did to this particular piece, that it has a feeling of warmth. I think you expressed that emotion perfectly. Sorry to hear of her loss.

07. Diana (sinophilia) - Frankie & Johnnie + Space Shuttle Blues

For 11 months you are doing great. Recording can definitely be a pain, but I think you got some good takes here. Keep up the good progress!

08. wouter79 - Allegro non troppo in c minor, op.38 no.2

I don't have any suggestions to your questions, but I think you've done very well with it. It is impressive you are not using the pedal.

09. SwissMS - Little Prelude in D Major BWV 936

Sounds good. I have not played Bach, or even really heard much of his music, honestly, but I like you rplaying it was a pleasure to listen to.

10. CASINITALY (Cheryl) - Sneakin' Round

Bravo Cheryl! As others have said, you can really hear the fun you're having, it is even projecting on me. You did very well with the longer strings of notes. Sounds great, I knew there was a reason I was looking forward to hearing your submission. Next time I sneak around, ya know because I tend to sneak around quite a bit, I will have this in my headphones

11. Andy Platt - Invention No 4 in D Minor

Although I haven't heard a slower version of it, I think the pace works just fine. How long have you been working with this? Trills are a sticking point for me, as well. Most of the time I can play them decent enough with my right hand, could definitely improve, but LH trills? No way.. I can't do it.

12. Amaruk - The Christmas song from 'An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf'

The first thing I noticed is how smoothly you play. I have never heard this before but it was pleasurable to listen to. It definitely has a "Christmas-y" feel to it. Very impressive that you transcribed it on your own. I don't think I would be able to do that.

13. Peyton - After All

I absolutley love your original work. I remember when you submitted 'Coffee for Breakfast', i thought the same thing. This piece is just great, I love the runs up and down. I envy your skill at writing, I think I have mentioned to oyu in the past that I would like to be able to write.

14. joangolfing - Grieg Waltz Op.12

You play it well, nice even tempo, although I am not particularly drawn to the music itself. Perhaps I need to expose myself to more Grieg. Anyhow, a good performance! Keep it up!


That's all I got in me for tonight. Great job, everybody!

I must say, I really like doing the 10 a day method. It gives me a chance to thoroughly listen to each piece without getting over repetitive in my comments which is easy to do with my dodgeball command of the english language.

Next group:



41. Saranoya - Menuett in F You must have great concentration as well as great confidence in yourself to be able to practice AND perform in a pub in front of others. Thats really incredible. The thing is, it's seems to be working out well as your playing sounds great. Carry on.

42. windywindy - Waltz in A Minor KK IVb/11 Wow I was very impressed with how smooth and flowing your playing is. You handled the tricky technical sections well too. Nicely done.

43. lyricmudra - Melodie from the Opera 'Orfeo' This was a very delicate piece that sounded so nice the way you played it. Your control of the trills was outstanding as well.

44. Sam S - Arabeske Op. 18 Sam, I'm not sure why, possibly the length of this piece, but I listened to this performance both casually and critically. I must say I am impressed with how much attention you are putting on everything. This piece sounds beautiful but also I want to say 'correct'. Your efforts are obvious in your playing.

45. Copper - Greensleeves It's great to hear you play again Copper. I've always wondered if you're playing the music in your head while flying. A beautiful tune like this I could humm or sing all day. Some of my best stuff is composed while riding my lawn tractor cutting the grass as there is nothing else to do.

46. Kenjazz - My Romance Wow, you've got a bunch of really cool broken chords leading into a classic groove. This is good stuff. Very professional once again.

47. PianoStudent88 - No Walk Today " I am learning to go beyond the bare notations of the score into musical interpretation and bringing the piece to life. " I couldn't possibly agree more. Very nicely done.

48. carlos88 - Sarabande (from Pour le Piano) This is a beautiful piece and some of the deep brooding chords really worked for me. Very dramatic. This is also top notch playing from you. Well done.

49. GrouchoMarx - Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 Okay, this was nothing short of insanely good. Your opening trills are phenomenal. You should be so proud to be able to play like this. Just incredible.

50. BillM - Georgia On My Mind Bill this was enjoyable as always to listen to. As feedback, I'm hearing 55% vocals with 45% piano volume mix. It sounds great or you could sing just a bit further away from the mic to get at 50/50. Either way, your still around your sweet spot. Very nice.

I've listened to most of the more inexperienced here (except a few I'm unsure about using that description! )

Now onto the rest, based on genre: Contemporary


01. Mr Super-Hunky - A Star Named Apple/ New Beginning - Participating in 13 recitals now, I'm sure I can pick your stuff out of a line-up. You've your own style that's unique to my ears, and probably everyone's here. A very high bar set with this first piece of the recital.

3 things that I really liked and appreciated about this:
- It's definitely your style, but I hear some new ideas incorporated that really sets this apart
- It's a personal creation of yours that makes this alone in comparison and stand out
- That you dedicated this to Apple, whom I knew very little of but knew enough to appreciate her contributions and adore her cute avatar

First class, start to finish.

12. Amaruk - The Christmas song from 'An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf' - Nice work both transcribing and playing this piece!

13. Peyton - After All - Let me get this out of the way first - great playing and originality, as always! I appreciate the musical interpretation of the space above our heads that defies comprehension - It's so vast - so old - so seemingly desolate - and yet here we are.

Movin' and a shakin' - like there's nothin' out there at all. But that empty space is incredibly remarkable when thought upon, or reminded about with your piece.

17. Monica K. - Just Because I Love You - Very nice, I loved this - you brought the right sort of gentleness to the keys that this piece required.

18. ladypayne - Improv in G minor - I liked the intensity you brought to your creation!

23. MusicaMusique - Keresem Az Utam - Nice job playing this from ear!

28. Daren - Quanta Qualia - A very nice piece well played!

30. Peterws - Regrets. I have a Few . . - Way to bring out your regrets in your piece, I could hear them.

32. BenPiano - All of These Things For You - Dude, get a... nevermind - just don't do this ever again.

Second Half!

32. BenPiano - All of These Things For You Very pretty song and your voice fits perfectly for it. Such a treat and absolutely enjoyable!

33. Ganddalf - Sonata A-flat major (Hob XVI - 46) first movement Lovely Ganddalf! Obviously difficult from the tempo (a little struggling there with evenness -- I can tell). Nice tone and touch. Great job and a tough piece!

34. beechcraft409 - Ombre Well done beechcraft! Don't be so hard on yourself. You sound good and enjoy the journey.

35. Richard (zrtf90) - Notturno Op. 54 No. 4 Another advanced player I look forward to hearing. This was done so nicely. That RH melody was so mesmerizing with the rubato and fantastic legato. Balance between LH and RH is outstanding. Tone, especially on the chords was perfect. Dynamics fabulous. Great work!

36. Yamaha G3 & P-80, Mike White - Album Leaf Very nice Mike and I like how the melody stands out on your RH. Good hand balance.

37. Ken. - Let's Cool One Here's our Monk expert once again! I get you confused with the other Ken but you're the true Monk guy and it's fascinating how you find these most obscure tunes and manage to play them so well. Great work as always and so enjoyable to share liking the same kind of music.

38. FarmGirl - Brahms 118 #2 Very nice Farmgirl. Beautiful piano tone you bring out. Really great listening to it. Some subtle muddiness from the pedal and maybe a lighter LH. Nice!

39. Mar_red - The Shadow of Your Smile & Misty - Medley. Very nice production. Wonderful sounding fills on your RH very solid cocktail sound. Enjoyed it a lot (will be playing this tune at my next gig too!)

41. Saranoya - Menuett in F Nice job! Sounds great. What a commitment to have to run to a pub to get a recording. Amazing.

42. windywindy - Waltz in A Minor KK IVb/11 Nice tone and touch for 1 year! That's great. You should be proud of yourself. Making progress.

43. lyricmudra - Melodie from the Opera 'Orfeo' Beautiful! Absolutely wonderful performance here. So delicately played with mesmerizing tone. All your recital submissions have been top notch.

44. Sam S - Arabeske Op. 18 Very nice Sam! Definitely been improving since you've done those piano camps. Nice tone and good rhythm. Very fun listen!

45. Copper - Greensleeves Our old timer on the recitals! Still creating great music and always fun to listen to your submissions.

46. Kenjazz - My Romance Very unique arrangement of this standard. Imaginative intro and lush sound and harmonies. How did you time that bassline beginning? Or did you have to cut and paste? It was so smooth. Very lovely. Of course I have a special appreciation for the jazz guys and know how hard it is.

47. PianoStudent88 - No Walk Today Very nice performance! Really enjoyable to listen to. You had a very even rhythm and really drove the music forward nicely. Maybe a little less pedal would sound better (relying more on finger legato).

48. carlos88 - Sarabande (from Pour le Piano) Nice tone Carlos. First thing that hit me. Great touch and balance on those hands. The chords sounds great. Fabulous work. Didn't lose chops from absence!

49. GrouchoMarx - Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 Amazing to be doing this as a beginner. Sounds great. Excellent progress. A lot of evenness in notes that would be unexpected for this stage. Well done.

50. BillM - Georgia On My Mind What would a recital be like without your playing and singing Bill? What is amazing is that you don't run out. Combined with Piano bars, you're just a musical jukebox! Excellent accompaniment to your singing as always. It's always a treat to listen to you.

51. Pavel.K - Nocturne 21 in C minor posth. 1 year? Are you serious? That is beautiful tone for 1 year. Such a wonderful touch. I would have thought 5 years! Congratulations.

52. Allard - To Zanarkand Very nicely done my friend! Really nice and you are doing very well. Just be conscious of over pedalling. A little muddiness once in a while.

53. MileHi Steve - Stagg Brew Beautiful production Steve! I admire the work you put into creating the full sound of this recording. I like the EP effect. Really fits.

54. aTallGuyNH - Just The Way You Are Great performance of a cover (my era). The chords are nice and lush. It sounds wonderful. Just working on solidifying the rhythm next time. You need a very strong pulse for these types of tunes. And watch out for the occasional muddy pedal.

55. Aimee O - Sonatina in G Enjoyed it Aimee! Is this your first recital? If I'm not mistaken, please accept my congratulations on making the move the submit and I thoroughly enjoyed your performance.

Yes I read it from the notes, I have no recollection from playing it before at all and can't play it without the sheet music.

Whoever it was with that Einaussi submission, you did a great job.

joangolfing- What a great way to start my day. This is one of those pieces I used to play occasionally and then forgot all about. It is so lovely. I really like lively the way you play it.

Greener- forgive me for the "really nice playing" typical response but... hey, what can I say. You do a really nice job with this.

peterws- I get so used to hearing straight acoustic piano it was a bit of a shock to hear the other voices. Very nice composition. The horns are used very tastefully. I especially like the section about 2/3rds of the way through just before the strings come back in. Very tender piano and the horn.

Jazzwee- Always a treat my friend. When you guys come a touring here in Maine please let me know!!

some random comments on performances I really liked

Ganddalf I've never much cared for Haydn but this sonata sounds very good, of which a great deal of credit must go to you. Your performance is really good. I especially like how even it sounds, and your trills are excellent. Would have liked to see a video.

BillM Well performed. I like your voice and think your playing is very expressive. All in all a very compelling performance.

Pavel.K Never heard this nocture before. You play this very well for someone of your experience level, it actually sounds quite mature. Nice dynamics and tone, and I love the sound of the piano. There are some slow downs that disrupt the over all flow somewhat that you should try to fix.

Allard Damn this piece sounds good, should probably learn it myself. You play with a lot of intensity and emotion, which is of outermost importance. I'm sure you'll play this piece to the highest standard with a bit more experience and practice.

Some more comments. I'm just loving this recital!!

31. MaryBee - Waltz in C# minor, Op.64 No.2 Are you sure you haven't turned professional on us? You have completely nailed how this waltz needs to go. I love the left hand, just in it's place and at such a tempo! The ornamentation is just beautifully judged. The phrasing of the melody is excellent. I am super super jealous! And a sweet story about you and your son too!

32. BenPiano - All of These Things For You Wow, another professional. So forget about taking lessons, I think you need to give them. This was an amazingly well crafted song and beautifully performed song. Very nice playing, just a perfect accompaniment. Wonderful, simply wonderful.

33. Ganddalf - Sonata A-flat major (Hob XVI - 46) first movement This is a beautiful performance. You have judged the tempo extremely well, giving space to the music to breath but allowing it to move at a good space. With these long pieces it can be hard to keep things moving in the right direction but you have accomplished that easily. Overall I think you've made this sound a lot easier than it probably was!

34. beechcraft409 - Ombre Such a tender interpretation, beautifully shaped. You let the subtle variations in the left hand show through without dominating. The melody is nicely phrased too and there is great dynamic range.

35. Richard (zrtf90) - Notturno Op. 54 No. 4 Well, you may hear / feel those hesitations but they do not come across to the listener at all. This sounds wonderful, full of color and wonderful tone. The tempo is perfect, with wonderful rubato as needed. The interplay of the hands with those typical Grieg syncopations is fabulous. Beautiful.

36. Yamaha G3 & P-80, Mike White - Album Leaf This isn't a Debussy piece I know at all. I let it wash over me; nicely played. Perhaps dampen it down just a little bit to make even more of that Debussy atmosphere?

37. Ken. - Let's Cool One I think you got the laid-back feel of this pretty well; you brought out the wonderful harmonies very nicely.

38. FarmGirl - Brahms 118 #2 Another very professional performance. I'm not usually sold on Brahms piano music but this was just fabulous. I loved the tone, the pedalling was excellent and it was wonderfully shaped. If you asked me how long this was I would have said three minutes tops!

39. Mar_red - The Shadow of Your Smile & Misty - Medley. I hadn't looked to see what this was before it started playing but it was instantly recognizable. Both of these are favorites of mine and this was a gread medley. The left hand chords are fabulous - yes, quite guitar like. The arrangement was great and delighfully played; nice ornamentation and little touches. The tremelos / trills are outstanding! I will admit I prefer Misty a little less adorned and slower, but for the style you chose I can't fault the performance - you got it to swing and there were great touches.

40. Jazzwee - Stella by Starlight There is almost nothing to say, this is just wonderful. I simply switched off, relaxed and enjoyed the cool sounds running over me. There was nice piano work all the way through, very enjoyable.

More comments:

31. MaryBee - Beautiful. I love "your" Chopin.

32. BenPiano - I bet your wife is very proud! It is a beautiful declaration of love. I do not know how you can do it composing, writing and singing ... I think this is all very difficult. Good job!

33. Ganddalf - I'm a pure amateur and I don't think I could play this (or other) piece of Heyden... It seems very hard, to me. I like the way you play this piece and I don't agree about this being boring. On the contrary, your playing is beautiful. My sincere congratulations.

34. beechcraft409 - One more Einaudi . I saw this piece when I bought the "The Best of Ludovico Einaudi" book but did not pay much attention to it. After hearing your interpretation I changed my mind and I'm glad to have another pianist playing Einaudi. I know it's not easy to "get" the sound of Einaudi because it takes a lot of abstraction ability, but I think you got to keep the "environment" throughout the entire piece. I like it! And thank you!

41. Saranoya - Menuett in F That's brave playing in a pub! Very nice, except for the ambient noise. You phrased it with great care and I got an impression you had thought through the piece.

42. windywindy - Waltz in A Minor KK IVb/11 I love this Chopin waltz - I stumble through it and you show how it should be played. You gave it enough tenderness without making it sloppy. I liked the way you phrased the very long melodic lines. Perhaps try to make the chords on the second and third beats a little quieter?

43. lyricmudra - Melodie from the Opera 'Orfeo' This sounds like a challenging piece - which you allude to in your notes. I really felt the passion in it. The melodic lines soared and I admired the way you kept that very much on top of the accompaniment. The piece sounds like it could be too "busy" but you were able to keep the attention where it was needed. Very nice.

44. Sam S - Arabeske Op. 18 First off, where's my star? Secondly, this is a wonderful achievement. Even though the sections help break the piece up, to keep a single movement going for that long is commendable. I thought you were able to do a great job of tying the whole piece together while giving each section it's own flavor. I think you were at your best on the more lyrical sections so perhaps if you bring some of the lyrical flavor to the more "robust" parts, it will improve the piece even more?

45. Copper - Greensleeves Very simple, very elegant, nicely done. Henry VIII would have approved Though I think this was a piece where and acoustic piano was needed ... it was a little too electronic for a 500 year old tune in my humble opinion.

46. Kenjazz - My Romance You coax a wonderful warm tone from the piano / piece. The Band in a Box really helps with this mood, but it's your playing, with the broad brush strokes of sand and then subtle splashes of color that really make it special. Loved it. (That Gershwin knew what he was doing, huh?!)

47. PianoStudent88 - No Walk Today I think your tempo adjustments sound very natural and overall the piece works very well. You shape some of the phrases carefully and retain a warmth even where there are a lot of repeated chords.

48. carlos88 - Sarabande (from Pour le Piano) There is a beautiful warmth to this piece and I loved the pedalling, giving that Debusseyesqe feel necessary. I think you probably good have done even further with that in some of the thick passages with deep bass notes. There was a nice separation of the different voices in some sections.

49. GrouchoMarx - Prelude Op. 32 No. 12 This is simply crazy good. Not only all the notes played at great speed, but a wonderful warmth to the big chords so they don't end up bangy. And a great dynamic range. Just terrific. And I'm forgetting what you say about "more accessible" ... this is stupid hard and you nailed it!

50. BillM - Georgia On My Mind I keep thinking, Bill can't find any more tunes out there he hasn't done and each time you come back with the perfect one. I loved the tenderness in the playing and your singing, as always, just perfectly suits it.

27. Philzpiano

Unfortunately this file appears to have been corrupted during the upload. My fault for not listenng to it all the way through! For anyone that's interested I have uploaded the MP3 again to the Box file sharing website - link below. I shall be back to comment on all the other marvellous performances later!

Box.com - Philzpiano Prelude in C major

05 slpianoproject - Nocturne in C# minor Op.27 no.1, Chopin
While not one of my favorites, this is a beautiful and challenging nocturne. Good job with it.

06 CarlosCC - Julia, Ludovico Einaudi
I haven't heard this one before, Carlos. I can see why your wife likes to hear it. Very calming and pretty. Well done.

07 Diana (sinophilia) - Frankie & Johnnie + Space Shuttle Blues
Nice job, Diana. Both pieces flow pretty nicely. You are doing wonderfully for only 11 months at the keyboard.

08 wouter79 - Allegro non troppo in c minor, op.38 no.2, Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy
Yes, I think you're too picky. To my ears the melody flows nicely throughout the piece. Another great performance.

09 SwissMS - Little Prelude in D Major BWV 936, Bach
Wow. Your health challenges sound daunting indeed, yet you have persisted in the face of great odds and triumphed with this wonderful performance. Great job!

10 CASINITALTY Cheryl - Sneakin' Around, Dennis Alexander
Cheryl, this is a really fun little piece. I was left wanting more - the sign of a great performance.

11 Andy Platt - Invention No 4 in D Minor, Bach
Nice job, Andy. This is quite challenging, and you play it well.

51. Pavel.K - Nocturne 21 in C minor posth. Wow, this performance was absolutely gorgeous. And for just over a year playing is quite an accomplishment. Keep up the great work.

52. Allard - To Zanarkand This was probabably my most anticipated piece of the recital. I love this tune and you did it justice with a wonderful performance of it. I may suggest you try a gentle rolling chord on a few of the main initial chords in a way that extends the beauty of these chords. It sounds very nice. Great job with this beautiful piece.

53. MileHi Steve - Stagg Brew First off Steve, you get DOUBLE extra points for taking the music of another instrument and recomposing it into your own. I do a ton of this. Heck, triple extra points. Why not. I'm glad you pre-explained the sound before I heard it as it clarified some initial confusion. I loved the tune and the way you played it, however I would personally prefer to hear a piano sound (even on a digital) as opposed to a laser beam-spacey one. You know what I mean. This piece played by you right now on any decent piano sound signature would sound fantastic.

54. aTallGuyNH - Just The Way You Are Okay tallguy, straight to it. First off, great song selection. I will support saying that by looking at my very first recital submission. Same song. Next up is your playing. You have the main beauty and melody of this piece down. But you have it down in blocky sections. All of your 'sections' that make up this piece are complete and contain all the correct melodies in the correct time. My advice is to do two things. First I would suggest removing the tiny spaces or gaps between these musical block sections and simply connect the blocks. But connect them in a gentle and flowing way. The second thing would be and experiment with a few notes around any one single note that gets constantly repeated. You can't play a melodic piece in Morse code. Sometimes you get make a creative buildup around a note only to really emphasize that note when you finally play it. This is an advanced skill but you are at the point in which you could start doing that with this piece and your performance of it. Overall, all things considered I would give you and A.

55. Aimee O - Sonatina in G Hi Aimee. I don't often get a chance to listen to Beethoven so it is always nice when I do. This sounded like a very fun piece to play with an uplifting tempo. You did a nice job with this.


Well that's it. I have no idea how the level of talent in the ABF is sustainable when you have performances like a lot of the ones in this recital. We'll see.

Incredible once again. Everyone.

44. Sam S - Arabeske Op. 18 - Yes! - I got my first ABF badge.



Silliness aside, Sam, seriously impressive! This is an entire brain consuming amount of music to learn and play.

I've never had any doubt of your musicality. Now I'm equally impressed with your patience and focus to put this on a recording.

I think you deserve a special badge of your own for playing this so well!

Round two..some more heaps of praise:
16. Riddler (Ed) - Reflections in D I’ve never heard Reflections in D. Your version is beautiful! I’m willing to bet that your transcription can stand next to the original.

17. Monica K. - Just Because I Love You I’ve always seen the name David Nevue around here, but I never sat down and listened to his work. Now I see what the hype is about.. wonderfully done.

18. ladypayne - Improv in G minor What a powerful opening! Very passionate piece, and I like it a lot.

19. Jake S - Fur Elise I can’t believe you’ve only been playing a year! Great job. This piece has some tricky places, and I thought you did well with them.

20. Serge88 - Fly Me To The Moon I am such a sucker for this song! Thanks!

21. Teodor - Donnie Darko - The Artifact and the Living Your piano gives it a nice haunting feel. Thanks!

22. (Was)TrueBeginner - Us Very pretty! I am really starting to get jealous of all of you composers.

23. MusicaMusique - Keresem Az Utam Unfamiliar with this one also. Thanks for the introduction! I’ll have to check it out based on your awesome rendition.

24. MrPozor - Un poco adagio I appreciate your hard work in playing without errors! That is not one of my strong points, especially if I think anyone can hear me. Great job... I think you brought out the spirit of the piece well, too.

25. Jazztpt (Russ) - Another Song + Maya Stunning! I liked both of them. Maya seems like a jazzy lullaby! Brilliant!

26. Sand Tiger - Shadow Wow, great job, and after only a year of playing to boot! I can hear a flute or whistle influence in there for sure.

27. PhilzPiano - Prelude no. 1 in C major Beautiful. No matter how many times I hear it I still love it, and your performance reinforces that.

28. Daren - Quanta Qualia I never heard of Patrick Hawes, but I’m going to have to look him up now. Thanks for exposing me to this piece. Your performance was just gorgeous.

29. timmyab - Allemande from French Suite no 4 Thanks for both versions! I enjoyed them. I think I like the fast one the best.

30. Peterws - Regrets. I have a Few . . Amazing job with the arrangements! You’re a talented composer.

31. MaryBee - Waltz in C# minor, Op.64 No.2 My favorite Chopin piece. Congratulations not only on playing one of your dream pieces, but also on playing that piece beautifully.
32. BenPiano - All of These Things For You Wow… you can sing and play at the same time. That alone puts me in awe of you. That song is just fantastic. Your wife is a lucky lady!

33. Ganddalf - Sonata A-flat major (Hob XVI - 46) first movement I am extremely bored with the fact that you didn’t play the rest of it! What a performance! Everything sounds so clear and perfect.

On to the classical submissions:

03. dannylux / Mel - Czerny Romance in E Op.755 - Ok, my only experience with Czerny has been boring and dry beginner's learning type stuff.

This blew away that preconception! So rich and wonderful. I really liked the way you played that massive run on the keys toward the end. It's no doubt that it took some practice to get down, but it sent a shiver down my spine!

04. Plowboy - Prelude in E Minor Op. 28, No. 4 - One of my favorite Chopin Preludes. Well done, and a fist bump for sticking with it until you were ready to share it here on the ABF!

05. slpianoproject - Nocturne in C# minor Op.27 no.1 - Amazing performance, something us noobs dream of performing!

14. joangolfing - Grieg Waltz Op.12 - I know this piece, and gladly hummed along with your playing!

15. Greener / Jeff Green - Moments Musicaux - A flat major; Opus 94 No. 6 - Well played!

And some more thank yous:

Yes, I was cursing myself for that very reason! Especially since I wasn't used to practicing with all of the repeats. I sure am learning things for next time! And thanks for your kind comments

I have been practicing more with my metronome.. glad it's paying off in noticeable dividends!

You're too kind! I hope you do try it again.. I bet it would sound fantastic!

I appreciate your thoughtful critiques, along with the praise:) The dynamics were admittedly a pain in this piece. I have 3 different versions with conflicting markings, and spent time working out of at least two of these books(the original had the piece spread out over 4 pages and it was extremely annoying to read from). So I kind of got off track with the markings. Some of them, admittedly, I was hoping I would correct in a better recording. But the Romanza ones definitely weren't in the one I mainly learned it from, although both other editions agreed on them, so maybe I should have used them. I do have a teacher who has consistently pointed out my laziness over the ones in measures 2 & 18, however! I will try harder next time

Thanks! Hopefully you never actually have to hear me sing.. When I was a teenager, I was belting out a song with the windows open, and a neighbor called to make sure I was okay hehehe



I can't imagine you ever having a hard time with a piece like this, especially after being able to record a 10 minute Schumann piece! The few little Schumann pieces I've played have turned my left hand into a train wreck. But thank you! I can't wait to sit and listen to yours.

I'm glad it was easier on you this time 'round!

It is! I barely got it in on time, but I managed. Thanks for your welcome.. hopefully I will be a regular contributor to these as I've gotten a lot out of the experience.

I appreciate the compliment!


And also thanks to anyone else who has made it down to listen to #55! I am flattered that you all take the time to listen