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| 40 | | | Performer's name: | BenPiano | | From: | US | | Avatar: |  | | Experience: | 4.5 | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Video link: | http://youtu.be/93Mz_lhriBk | | Home page link: | http://www.youtube.com/user/afpaSTU1096 | | Title of piece: | Dahlonega | | Composer: | BenPiano | | Duration: | 03:20 | | Source of music: | Me | | Instrument used: | Kawai K5 upright - just tuned hours prior | | Recording method: | Audio on Zoom H1 | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | In 1829, the small town of Dahlonega, Georgia suddenly became the center of the second major gold rush in the US. (pronounced dah-LAWN-egg-uh)
Benjamin Parks, attributed by some to have started the rush, described the following chaos: "The news got abroad, and such excitement you never saw. It seemed within a few days as if the whole world must have heard of it, for men came from every state I had ever heard of. They came afoot, on horseback and in wagons, acting more like crazy men than anything else. All the way from where Dahlonega now stands to Nuckollsville there were men panning out of the branches and making holes in the hillsides ."
Numerous gold mines were illegally developed in the area. Miners entering into the Cherokee Nation lands came into conflict with the Cherokee, whose territory they had tresspassed. The miners raised political pressure against the Cherokee because they wanted to get to the gold. By 1830, the Federal Government forced the Native Americans west of the Mississippi River to Oklahoma on the Trail of Tears as a result of the Indian Removal Act.
The United States Mint built a branch mint in Dahlonega in 1837 to coin the gold locally rather than risking the shipment of raw gold to Philadelphia. The Dahlonega Mint was a small operation, usually accounting for only a small fraction of the gold minted annually in the US. Dahlonega gold coinage is prized by numismatists (coin nerds) today.
At its height, Dahlonega supported a population of about 15,000 miners.
In 1848, news of the California Gold Rush reached Georgia, and many miners moved west in search of more gold. The assayer of the Dahlonega Mint, Dr. M. F. Stephenson, tried to persuade miners to stay in Dahlonega instead of joining the latest gold rush, saying, "There's millions still in it," famously misquoted as "Thar's gold in them thar hills."
In 1861 the Dahlonega Mint facility was captured by the South during the Civil War, and after the war ended the US Mint decided against its re-opening. By then, the US government had established a mint in San Francisco. Given the large amount of gold discovered in the California gold rush, the San Franscisco and Philidelphia mints were capable of handling the national needs of gold mint production. Years later in December of 1878, a fire burned the original Dahlonega Mint building to the ground.
Today, Dahlonega is a sleepy retirement community with a population of just over 5,000 residents. |
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| 41 | | | Performer's name: | jotur/Cathy turner | | From: | Santa Fe, NM | | Experience: | 2 years of lessons in my early teens, 30+ years off, playing for dancing since 1995 | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | A Little Street Where Old Friends Meet | | Composer: | Gus Kahn and Harry Woods | | Duration: | 02:18 | | Source of music: | An old sheet music book that I can't find at the minute to list  | | Instrument used: | Casio Privia PX-100 | | Recording method: | keyboard to PC, audacity output to .mp3 | | Technical feedback wanted: | No | | Additional info: | A song from 1932. I skipped playing it at my assisted living gig today, but when I played it for a fundraiser a month ago a friend of mine said her mother sang along  That's what it's about, alright. This is pretty much at a waltz tempo (certainly faster than the Lennon Sisters sang it on Lawrence Welk), but still doesn't *make* me want to get up and waltz. But better than a while ago. Technically, besides the waltz feel for me, the fast thirds are the hardest part, so sometimes they go well and sometimes not so well. Oh well
Lunch was snackies - string cheese, apple, nuts. |
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| 42 | | | Performer's name: | Jayden (Jayden Traynor) | | From: | Perth, Western Australia | | Experience: | 2 months | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Locke'd Out Again | | Composer: | Michael Giacchino | | Duration: | 02:15 | | Source of music: | Sheet music (arranged by pedroboy90):
https://app.box.com/shared/l5lvpjn7ti | | Instrument used: | Keyboard (Casio PX-150)
True Keys - American VSTi (Symphonic Hall - 100wet/100dry) | | Recording method: | Digital keyboard -> computer (Reaper DAW running TKA through UVI workstation plugin) | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | Love playing this little song. It's essentially a 4x4 repeat of the same tune. Second song I have learned to completion since I started learning piano. It's not perfect, but I am happy enough. |
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| 43 | | | Performer's name: | Ganddalf | | From: | Norway | | Experience: | 48 years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | A piece for me to play | | Composer: | Inge S / Ganddalf | | Duration: | 04:48 | | Source of music: | Handwritten score | | Instrument used: | Yamaha AvantGrand N1 | | Recording method: | Zoom | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | I tried to play those beautiful and virtuosic pieces of Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff when I was a novice on the piano. Soon, however, I realised that my technique was too bad and had to face the fact that I would never become a master pianist.
Having a strong desire to impress people I tried to cover up my pianistic shortcomings by writing pieces sounding impressive while being within the technical range I could handle. Just for this reason I have been composing music almost as long as I have been playing the piano. Mostly crap I have to admit. Along with my very slow progress improving my piano playing I have also extremely slowly developed my composition skills.
The piece I play here was written about 5 years ago. A couple of months ago I pulled out my handwritten score and decided to try to re-learn it and use it as my recital piece this time. It was pretty frustrating because it turned out to be more technically difficult than I thought. There is an advantage, however, playing own pieces. There is no reference available to compare with.
Formally it has some resemblance to sonata form, but it doesn't qualify as a sonata. I took out the first five notes along with some of the other material from the exposition and tried to develop it the best I could. The main key is D-major. When I came to the point that I wanted to return to the main key I found that I had drifted away to E-major. To avoid making the piece too long I applied a cadenza as a lame method to return to D-major.
Well, enough about this. This will probably be the only time I present an own piece here, and I hope that you will not be too bored. |
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| 44 | | | Performer's name: | TrapperJohn | | From: | Central PA | | Experience: | 9 yrs. | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Beauty and the Beast (from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast") | | Composer: | Alan Menken (music); Howard Ashman (lyrics) | | Duration: | 03:40 | | Source of music: | Alfred's Greatest Hits, Level 2 | | Instrument used: | Yamaha Clavinova | | Recording method: | Digital to PC | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | When it comes to lyric writing (poetry too I would assume) sometimes the simple can be sublime, as in:
Ever just the same.
Ever a surprise.
Ever as before,
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise.
About the only thing better than a lovely, lilting melody is such a melody accompanied by insightful and clever lyrics - such as those above, which form the "bridge" of this beautiful song from one of Disney's best movies/Broadway musicals.
As one who values and treasures such songs more than just about anything else in the big, wide, wonderful world of music I find the Disney catalog irresistably compelling - and an abundant source of great joy. Where else have we heard so many wonderful songs from one "source"? Not just catchy children's tunes, but delightful samples of this unique and entertaining art form for people of many ages and backgrounds. And it's been like this for years, decades, generations...
For example, what a treat it was even to just watch the movie "Saving Mr. Banks" recently while listening to all the outstanding songs from "Mary Poppins" in the background - did you see this? Did you hear this?
I think perhaps I could spend the rest of my musical days working my way through this awesome catalog in perfect contentment and happy oblivion - and maybe I just might...I can see me now, working on an easy but arthritis-impaired interpretation of "When You Wish Upon a Star" or "Colors of the Wind" at 99...the key question is will the ABF Recitals still be as alive and well as I am then?
Here are the song's complete unique and special lyrics for those who wish to sing (or just follow) along:
Tale as old as time,
True as it can be.
Barely even friends,
Then somebody bends unexpectedly.
Just a little change.
Small, to say the least.
Both a little scared,
Neither one prepared.
Beauty and the Beast.
(Bridge)
Ever just the same.
Ever a surprise.
Ever as before,
Ever just as sure
As the sun will rise.
Tale as old as time.
Tune as old as song.
Bittersweet and strange,
Finding you can change,
Learning you were wrong.
Certain as the sun
Rising from the East.
Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme.
Beauty and the Beast.
(Repeat from Bridge.)
Yes, this is music that is both zip-a-dee-doo-dah and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Hakuna Matata, Trap |
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| 45 | | | Performer's name: | Pathbreaker | | From: | Massachusetts | | Experience: | 13 years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Video link: | http://youtu.be/CGpBUBY1cF0 | | Title of piece: | Capriccio in F-sharp minor, Op. 76 no. 1 | | Composer: | Brahms | | Duration: | 05:15 | | Source of music: | sheet music (Schirmer) | | Recording method: | Audacity | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | The Eight Piano Pieces Op. 76 is one of my favorites from Brahms. For this F-sharp minor Capriccio, I still can't believe how much music is packed into four pages. The piece has been a real marathon to learn both technically and musically.
My view of this piece changes a lot over time so I don't want to reveal any specific things I think about when I play it. In this way I understand Brahms's preference for completely abstract music. What is being expressed in this and other works by him is something that cannot adequately be expressed in words. Though the piece has a clearly agitated and restless character, it finds a peace or acceptance in the end which is not specifically tied to any resolution of the inherent conflict at play.
I think after playing this piece off and on for a very long time I'm starting to really get it. For this recording I took a much more moderate tempo than usual, as an experiment. I ended up liking it so much that it became my submission. My usual tempo has a 4 minute duration on average but this version is 5:14! I really think it works but I would be curious to get some feedback on that.
What I find to be a blessing and a curse with Brahms is that there are many ways to approach the music. A lot of decisions have to be made about how to perform it. I rarely can decide how I want to play it so it can be quite frustrating!
Nobody has ever heard me play this except for my family and I'm sure they must hate it with a passion! |
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| 46 | | | Performer's name: | Inlanding - Glen | | From: | Denver | | Experience: | Off and on for years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Home page link: | http://www.youtube.com/inlandings | | Title of piece: | Four Threads | | Composer: | Glen | | Duration: | 05:14 | | Source of music: | Improvisation | | Instrument used: | S&S NY 1917 O | | Recording method: | Zoom | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | The opportunity to practice and learn a new piece of written music did not present itself this time around. Instead, I want to share a short improvisation sequence, each section a bit longer than the former and in different keys. Maintaining changes in time is always a challenge.
Lunch was roasted brussel sprouts, marinated chicken, and lentil soup. |
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| 47 | | | Performer's name: | (Was)TrueBeginner | | From: | VA, US | | Avatar: |  | | Experience: | 5 years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Video link: | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adeef3pwGSI | | Title of piece: | Purity | | Composer: | Original | | Duration: | 03:21 | | Source of music: | Self-composition | | Instrument used: | upright Essex piano | | Recording method: | Used Flip nano to record, extracted audio, removed noises using audacity | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | I was about to skip this recital due to lack of free time and my piano was out of tune. Then I was able to get the tuner to come two days ago, and today, I get a day off due to the snow storms in VA. So, I got no excuse but to come up with something to submit. Hope you guys like it |
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| 48 | | | Performer's name: | joangolfing | | From: | Iowa | | Experience: | 10+ | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Gavotte and Variations (Suite No. 14) | | Composer: | George Frideric Handel | | Duration: | 02:38 | | Source of music: | Great Piano Works: The Mini Series: George Frideric Handel | | Instrument used: | Roland FP-4 | | Recording method: | Zoom H2 and audacity | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | I played the Gavotte, Variation 1 and Variation 4. The piece was marked as non legato. I kept that style for the entire piece. I am away from my Yamaha grand for the winter and recorded it on my Roland FP-4 digital. |
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| 49 | | | Performer's name: | Ken. | | Experience: | 5 years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Monk's Dream | | Composer: | Thelonious Monk | | Duration: | 01:19 | | Source of music: | Thelonious Monk Easy Piano Solos | | Instrument used: | Milton Spinet | | Recording method: | Zoom H4 | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | This is one of my favorite Monk pieces. It really swings! |
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| 50 | | | Performer's name: | Mar_red | | From: | Poland | | Experience: | Self-taught since 2007 | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Theme from Schindler's List | | Composer: | John Williams | | Duration: | 04:25 | | Source of music: | Lead sheets (only melody and chords) | | Instrument used: | Schimmel upright 40" 1972 | | Recording method: | 1. The t.bone SC 140 Stereoset microphones
2. Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Audio Interface
3. Audacity | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | "Theme from Schindler's List" composed by John Williams is a leading melody of the 1993 film "Schindler's List".
My another cover of the tune from the goldmine of beautiful melodies - musicals and films.
This time no big chords, no runs. Just simple melody and simple accompaniment .
The truth is,for the first time,I have listened carefully to it only two days ago. But it was too late to change my intended submission:).
Nonetheless, as always, I hope you will enjoy this inferior to the original rendition of mine, despite of all its flaws and instances of crackling in the recording - satisfactory recording of an acoustic piano is so difficult, such a pain in the a... .:) |
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| 51 | | | Performer's name: | ShiroKuro | | Avatar: |  | | Experience: | 15 years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Midwinter Memories | | Composer: | Michele McLaughlin | | Duration: | 05:35 | | Source of music: | sheet music purchased from her website:
https://store.michelemclaughlin.com/ | | Instrument used: | digital piano (Yamaha Arius 160) | | Recording method: | digital to PC using auxiliary cable between digital piano's headphones out and PC's mic in. Then I used Audacity. | | Technical feedback wanted: | No | | Additional info: | This is my first recital since 2011, so although this isn't an especially good performance of this piece, I'm very happy to have been able to share something this time and I'm hoping this will get me back into the habit of recording regularly. |
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| 52 | | | Performer's name: | barbaram | | From: | Ireland | | Experience: | 4 years as a teen, little or nothing for years, back at it about 9 months | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Tequila Sunrise | | Composer: | Pam Wedgewood | | Duration: | 02:01 | | Instrument used: | Roland Digital FP-5 | | Recording method: | Audacity digital to computer - I could really do with a external sound card though | | Technical feedback wanted: | No | | Additional info: | I asked my teacher for something jazzy and she gave me this - not sure if it's exactly jazz but it was certainly very different from the usual things I play |
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| 53 | | | Performer's name: | Ohio_Mark | | From: | Ohio | | Experience: | 2+ years | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Red Rose Rendezvous | | Composer: | Martha Mier | | Duration: | 01:35 | | Source of music: | Jazz, Rags and Blues Book2 | | Instrument used: | Yamaha Clavinova | | Recording method: | From piano | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | I really like this piece. Not sure I did it justice with either rhythm or dynamics. I think in hindsight I should have played it slower and added more character. |
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| 54 | | | Performer's name: | MrPozor | | From: | France | | Experience: | Two years, one year with teacher. | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Video link: | http://youtu.be/5osguOzUBrc | | Title of piece: | Prelude in E minor - BWV 941 | | Composer: | Johann S. Bach | | Duration: | 00:53 | | Source of music: | Kleine Preludien und Fughetten, for Klavier
Urtext, G. Henle Verlag | | Instrument used: | Petrof 118 L1 | | Recording method: | Zoom H1 for audio and Canon EOS 650D for video. | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | This piece really made me appreciate Bach's music and I'm glad to have added this to the repertoire.
Learning it was very challenging. It looks easy enough on paper but the two voices really required hand independence on a completely new level.
As always I am not completely happy with the result but it was the best out of two dozen takes and I don't think there's any glaring mistakes except for the uneven tempo. Feedback welcome! |
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| 55 | | | Performer's name: | Sam Rose (Shmuel R) | | From: | Los Angeles | | Experience: | 3 years plus a few months | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Nocturne in C-Minor, No 21 (Posthumous) | | Composer: | Chopin | | Duration: | 03:04 | | Source of music: | Sheet music | | Instrument used: | 1992 Yamaha C3 | | Recording method: | 2x Shure KSM141 recorded on Tascam DR-60D | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | I decided to learn this piece a few weeks ago, and I've been working on it off and on since then. Because it's so repetitive, it's pretty hard to make it "work" musically.
I don't think that I QUITE made it work, but I'd give myself a B+. My touch still needs a bit of development, and the rhythm is a bit wonky in a couple places. Also, I missed a note here and there in the left hand. And to top it all off, my dad, who was sitting in the living room where the piano is (as if fear of the red dot alone is not enough), decided to ruffle the papers he was reading LOUDLY just as the last notes were dying off, even though I told him I was recording. GRRRRRRR!!!!!
I just have to accept that I don't live in a recording studio, and this is the best I can do. Still, I see (or, more accurately, hear) so much progress in my musicality in the last couple of years, and that's really gratifying. Thanks for listening! |
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| 56 | | | Performer's name: | carlos88 | | From: | Colorado | | Experience: | 3rd year back as an adult, 5 years as a kid | | Direct music link: | click to download | | Title of piece: | Bach's Italian Concerto, First Movement | | Duration: | 04:34 | | Source of music: | Sheet Musics | | Instrument used: | Yamaha | | Recording method: | Zoom + Audacity | | Technical feedback wanted: | Yes | | Additional info: | This is the best of some not-so-great recordings, including a couple with one of my cats trying to jump into the top of the piano. I'm glad it's over!
It has been fun working with a piano teacher who had a lot to say about Bach and playing his music. This was the first time I've had a teacher who had a lot to teach on ornaments, technique, Baroque phrasing, etc. Any (and all) mistakes in the recording are mine, the failings of the student :-)
Some of the lessons learned from this movement:
- use a metronome more often and earlier with Bach.
- work on ending sections with dynamics
- lots more work on ornaments |
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