Next month, I'll be playing for a retirement home. I'll be going in before dinner and playing for about 30-40 minutes straight and I need about 10-12 pieces to play. What are some good pieces to play?

I want to set a limit on classical's and anything modern and most importantly, difficult. I think pop would be the ideal way to go because these people need something to brighten up an otherwise dull day. Nothing minor or too slow. I'm going for catchy but "tame".

A song I was thinking of was maybe Maple Leaf Rag, The Entertainer, and that one song from Sound of Music (do-re-mi).

I can't stress enough on how much I prefer easy to learn songs over difficult ones. While I have 8 years of experience under my belt (I'm 16), I "retired" 2 years ago and I'm doing this for community service.

older people like tunes they know like londondary air (was made into danny boy) and other such pieces

Zac

If it's primarily pop songs you're interested in, you'll probably have better luck posting your query in the Non-Classical forum.

Steven

My age probably qualifies me for that retirement home!
Bearing in mind that the average age of the residents will probably be somewhere in the seventies I think it might be a good idea to include some of those evergreen "sing-a-long" standards that great entertainers like Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor used to include in their radio shows which were very popular in the late 40s and 50s when the old folk were young. Songs like Gershwin's Swanee or Toot-toot Tootsie are sure to get those arthritic feet tapping.
Jolson's radio-shows are well worth seeking out as his guest on many of them was the acerbic Oscar Levant (with whom Jolson has some witty exchanges) who, as well as accompanying the singer in some of his numbers, also performs a solo spot in which he plays (none too subtly at times!) some of the popular classics.

They will LOVE big band classics such as Misty, Stardust, Georgia on my Mind, Satin Doll, Autumn Leaves, Moonlight Serenade, Little Brown Jug, Tuxedo Junction, Harlem Nocturne, etc. You should be able to find an book with easy arrangements of these. These folks will love Glen Miller tunes. Also, Gershwin always works well, such as Embraceable You, Strike Up the Band, and Someone to Watch Over Me.

Broadway songs are always a good choice. South Pacific, Oklahoma, Carousel, etc. A lot of it is great music too.

I really dread getting older than I am when I hear generalizations like these. Most of us will end up in a retirement home of some sort, and do we really want the younger generations making generalizations like this about us?

Maybe one of the reasons nursing homes can seem so depressing is that the people are offered banalities rather than stimulation--like a well played sonata.

Tomasino

It seems that you're not above making generalizations yourself, Tomasino!
At the age of 60 I guess I might be in a nursing home along with you pretty soon. I hope that my faculties will still be in tact enough for me to switch on my radio and listen to a Chopin sonata well-played by Rubinstein. Then I can go into the communal room and enjoy listening to music by Richard Rodgers, Hoagy Carmichael, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and Kurt Weill (all composers implicated in this thread) played by kind, well-intentioned people like Mikozee.
Banalities indeed!

Wood-demon,

My post was about the generalizations made about old people, and the kinds of programmatic offerings made in old people's homes based on such generalizations. On reading it a second time, I see that by implication I made a too inclusive generalization about music other than classical music.

I take your point. But are you missing mine?

Tomasino

Perhaps I am, Tomasino. But, then, if you look at the age of the originator of this thread (16)surely one can forgive him (or her) for his misconceptions while trying to do his best by attempting to offer a programme that he thinks might appeal to the majority.
It might be a nice idea to include a Chopin waltz or a Schubert Impromptu in his selection but, there again, he requested song suggestions which is why I, and presumably others, responded to the request with such responses . It also appears from the post that Mikozee might not have the confidence to tackle such pieces, let alone a full-scale sonata.
I have to admit that I love the old "standards"; one can participate, if so inclined, in a communal sing-a-long...which can't be a bad thing if it draws people together.. that classical music (for want of a better term) and the screaming and cacophony that passes for a great deal of today's popular music usually precludes.
Hopefully I shall remain a young slip of a thing for many years and, like Artur Rubinstein, still be playing Brahms at the age of ninety, but if ill-health dictates otherwise I shall welcome the good offices of people like Mikozee visiting my place of residence to entertain me.

with my suggestion, i was just going by what my grandparents like while they are at my house, and by the way, i'mn also 16 so i was just tring to help tomasino, i didn't mean to offend you

Zac

I hate to tell you this, but a lot of people in retirement homes these days came up with the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and the Monkees, etc. etc. Also, Maple Leaf Rag is not a song. Your best investment is a good fake book (or ten)...check the table of contents - could not live without these things...they are the best help you can get.

One of the best books of familiar songs is The Great Looney Toons Collection.

LOL!
You'd better not let some of the more "bewildered" catch sight of the title...it might cause offence.
I told you a lot of the residents would probably remember Eddie Cantor!

I think that's a slight stretch (unless they did tons of drugs ), but it's certainly true for fifties rock 'n' roll, doo-wop, girl groups and early Motown.

A jolting realization, in any case.

Steven

In case any classical music is wanted, Clair de Lune, Debussy Arabesque #1, Chopin posthumous Nocturne C#minor, Schumann selections such as Traumerie, and Poulenc Trois Mouvements Perpetual have gone over well for me in these situations.

actually, some Classical music would be good. just think about people going to classical concerts these days, many of them are in their 60s or 70s or more. i would think that at least some old people like to hear something classical, especially some shorter pieces, like Fur Elise or something. but seriously, some Bach preludes would always be good, especially if they would have heard such pieces in church. i know that my teacher played Bach in the church services.

play some of Grieg's short lyric pieces. Also some debussy is nice as well.