Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Members Recordings - Pianist Corner "Moonlight Becomes You" (1942)--Burke/Van Heusen

Dear Hakki,

I tried recording two Beethoven Bagatelles today, but my trills and turns were still too stiff and the scales too uneven.

So, the song is "Moonlight Becomes You" (Johnny Burke/Jimmy Van Heusen). The date on the sheet music says 1942 (well, actually, it says MCMXLII, but who's counting?). It is in the key of F maj., mostly, but does lots of chromatic stuff. I've said it before, and I'll say it again--I am amazed (and grateful) that the arrangers of this music managed to fit symphonies into notes that ten normal fingers can play. What you hear from me here is a straight reading after three weeks of being obsessed with this tune--nothing fancy and no shenanigans, and yes, I took the repeat.

This was recorded on the MCMXL Lester spinet with my little Tascam DP-004. I present it to you today in both mp3 and flac!

Hope you like it.

Moonlight Becomes You (mp3)

Moonlight Becomes You (flac)

--Andy

I could almost see Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in the boat...

I glanced through the topics, and Lo and Behold, another Andy recording! Once again, you've produced a very fine rendition of a 40's ballad. Sensitively played. Thanks!

Another "piano styling of the great standards" by Andy Strong. Well played - as always !!

Your little 1940 Lester Spinet is fast becoming the best known Lester piano in the world !!! And, of course, the EBVT tuning doesn't hurt either

My grandmother used to play this song a lot, before she passed on. Thanks to this, I'm actually gonna go down to my basement and dig out her old sheet music tomorrow (there's also a bunch of piano rolls with this type of music on there, but I have no clue where to find a working player, let alone a portable one).

And that's a Lester spinet? That's honestly better than some 6'+ grands I've heard.


I read that as Bill Cosby.

Not quite the same ...

Great playing, Andy. Your sense of time and dynamics on this is wonderful.

Glen

Hi Andy,

The best of these beautiful old tunes never die. Your rendition of this classic is excellent. Thanks for sharing your recording.

D

Allow me to diagram, for those who might be confused:



Thanks for listening, friends! I seem to be obsessed with this vintage American pop stuff! I feel "Paper Moon" coming on...