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Welcome to the General Discussion Room for the AB Forum Recital 12!!!

Please utilize this room for any discussion of the pieces in Recital 12 that is taking place in the main Recital 12 thread.

Discussions and replies can be posted at-will. Feel free to comment on any or all individual pieces. Some members offer comments on each submission individually; others offer general congratulations. Either approach is fine.

Critical discussion should take place in the Recital 12 Critical Discussion Room.

For those who wish to comment on all pieces, a copy and paste template for offering feedback can be found here:

Recital 12 Response Template

Please use this thread only to discuss recital performances. If you have any comments or suggestions about ways to make the recital process better, please start a separate thread.

Well, the bios aren't all up in the main thread yet, but the player works, and I'm listening! To Lisztener. Lovely...

I just started too. Lisztener, yours is just beautiful! Can't wait to hear the rest of the recital.

I really like the steaming player.

01 Lisztener - Gone, Jim Chappell
I am not familiar with Chappell's work, but this piece is wonderful. Of course, you play it beautifully, Lisztener, and your piano sounds terrific as always. Wonderful job. I don't heear any of those mistakes you mentioned. This one is a keeper.

02 dannylux - Nocturne in E Flat, Mikail Glinka
Once again, Mel, you bring us a lesser known but very beautiful piece. I really like this piece and the way you played it. I have at least heard of Glinka (unlike most of the composers you choose), but I am not terribly familiar with his work. This is another keeper.

03 AnthonyB - Stella Del Mattino, Ludovico Einaudi
We have heard this piece in several recitals now. It sounds like a rather difficult piece for some one who has only played for 10 months. I know I have said this before, but you are making amazing progress. Well done indeed.

04 Ode2Joy - Prelude in F minor BWV 881, J. S. Bach
No need to be nervous about a submission here. You are among like minded people whose experience varies from very little to several decades. There is certainly no nervousness showing in your performance. A very nice job with only a couple of VERY minor hesitations. Well done.

05 Mr. Super-Hunky - Magicland, Mr. Super-Hunky
Interesting composition, Mr. S-H. It sounds more classical than "New Age." I hate that name for the genre. It makes me think of the folks who believe in crystals, ghosts, reincarnation, and other occult "stuff". I remember one woman of my acquaintance who sold crystals at "psychic fairs." She once told me stories about having conversations with dead people and with ghosts. The lady once told me "I've talked with Jesus Christ three times, and I don't even believe in him." I thought that was amusing, so I had to ask, "If you don't believe in him, how did you know he was Jesus Christ?" Her reply? "He told me." Of course. But, anyway, back to the music. Nice composition. It is, as you say, haunting. Great job.

06 jazzyprof - Etude op.25 #1 (Aeolian Harp), Fredryk Chopin
Since I haven't listened to your other recording, I don't know if you are getting "better or worse", but this one iw quite nice. This isn't an easy piece. Great job.

07 Mateusz 'Mati' Papiernik - Polskie drogi (Polish roads), Andrzej Kurylewicz
Mati, I can see why you feel so strongly about this piece. It is quite beautiful. Thanks for sharing it with us. You played it tremendously well. Beautiful job.

08 Peyton - The Last Man Alive, Peyton Higgison
Nice piano work in the style we have come to expect from you. Interesting piece, as well. The lyrics are emotional and somewhat depressing. A very moving piece.

I guess that's it for tonight. Monica hasn't posted any of the others yet. I have truly enjoyed every piece thus far whether light and airy or dark and jarring.

Well, I guess I can use the streaming player, can't I?

09 Monica K - Fairest Lord Jesus, arr. David Nevue
Monica, I have always thought this one of the most beautiful of hymns. This arrangement, which I have not heard before, adds to the ethereal beauty of the hymn itself. Simply amazing! Great job, professor!

10 Knotty - Just Friends, Jim Snidero
Impressive job! I love a jazz trio. I seriously considered paying $300 for 2 tickets to a fundraiser concert for Midland Opera Theatre (the local opera group) featuring a jazz piano trio tomorrow night, but I don't own a tux, and it is black tie, so I decided not to go. Well, okay, that and the 300 bucks.

11 Benny - Comptine d'un autre ete: l'apres, Yann Tiersen
Very nice job on this now quite familiar piece. I always enjoy this piece, and you played it well.

12 Ohitpro - Morning Snowfall, Carol Matz
Very nice piece and very nicely played. I enjoyed listening. Great job.

13 b528nf7 - Bill - Ol' Man River, J. Kern, O. Hammerstein II
Bill, I like this song, and your performance is enjoyable as always. Nice job.

14 Riddler (Ed) - Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin
Another wonderful piece from the Great American Songbook. I have always had difficulty maintaining the proper tempo on this one. I keep wanting to speed up as I go along. You do not appear to be suffering from that same difficulty. Great job!

15 Kawaigirl1 - Winter Walk, David Nevue
A very beautiful "new age" piece. Did I mention that I hate the name "new age?" As always, madam, your playing is flawless to my ears. Truly an excellent performance.

Okay, that really is all for tonight. Wonderful playing one and all. I shall listen to the others as time permits. I do so look forward to listening to everyone's performances in every recital.

This place is so addictive.

Lisztener - I can't believe how professional this is. Whooo (letting out a breath after holding it in amazement at this and the slide show). What a great start to the recital. Thanks

AnthonyB - so well done. You don't have to do something other than Einaudi, your pieces are great submissions to the recitals. You interpret his pieces admirably. I like the way you can distinguish between the two hands, a very nice mix. It does amaze me that you can play polishedly (?) after only 10 months, tho.

Monica K. - this is an old favorite of mine, too, and I liked this arrangement very much. You have a great touch and interpretation in your playing. If I could play in the style in which you play, I'd play like you - that makes sense to me! It's just that the style in which you play is just not within my capacity or personality, but I like it very much.

Knotty - I love it. Really well done.

Benny - yes, this is becoming familiar to me. I like your take on it, and particularly like the tempo at which you played it. I think it will never grow old.

b528nf7 - vintage Bill I'm so glad you found this forum, because I always like having another piece from you. This is a great song, and it suits you.

Riddler (Ed) - well, substitute "Ed" for "Bill" above and it would be equally true. I love your style of piano playing, and you did a great job with this. It's on my list for some day.

Orez Eno - wonderful. Wow! being able to play it with an audience! That's wonderful! I only do those kinds of things in the context of a band, where my part kind of hides. A piece of this complexity would be beyond me solo. Thirty-two bars is my limit. And I liked your rendition a lot. And did you say that you're an amazing student ? At any rate, congratulations on a fine performance.

John Frank - I had to laugh through this one - we play it as part of a medley of old-time tunes for contra dances I love your repertoire, and this was played with danceable enthusiasm, as it should be. Nice going.

Diane Cornellier - another one of my very favorite pieces, and I never tire of it. You made it quite charming. I'm glad you played it for this recital.

Seaside Lee - a bookend to Lisztener. How beautiful, and what a lovely interpretation. Thank you again for your playing for us. Oh - where's the tip jar? I'd leave folding money in it for this.

Gary001 - how fun to have another version of this submitted! You play with great confidence, and I *really* admire the ornaments. I haven't ever gotten that far with this piece, and they were really nice.

WJ3 - Walt - a third one! I'm in heaven! I *loved* it. It had a wistful and contemplative sense to it that really fit it well, as if you had sat down at the piano, in a kind of quiet solitude, and this just came out as what you were feeling at the time. Well done.

Deep Elem - ah, a recital is not a recital without your great stylings. I just have no idea how people play with this kind of ease and flowing. I dunno - it's like, watching Casablanca or something. Whooo yet again.

mlr1899 - I love it! I am such a rag fan. The speed is perfect - just the right jauntiness - you know, the guys with the cigars out of the corner of their mouth, smirking at the bar girls - tho I think Joplin wanted other venues for his rags, too. Maybe the old - was it Shakey's? - pizza parlors. Or Main St at Disneyland. This was great.

rustyfingers - oh wow. What a smokey piece. I love that lazy left hand, what a great accompaniment. And the 8va near the end was the perfect touch. This was great.

Hisalone - yeah! that did really liven things up. I really like all your recital pieces.

Another great recital -

Cathy

When I grow up I want to play like you!

I felt proud until I heard you, people.
Now I know where I can get if I keep adding baby steps everyday (rushing to practice right now)

Thanks to all of you that make this recital possible (great players included)

(EDIT typo)

Thanks Cathy - for a great idea of the exciting kind of very stylized show dancing that can be choreographed to "Hava Nagila" played prestissimo by full orchestra and chorus see:

Hava Nagila Dance

Regards (and L'Chayim), JF

Exactly! Remember that many of the people who sound great have been participating in these recitals over the past three, and when many of us sent in our first contribution we sounded a lot worse than we do now.

P.S. 77 participants, w00t!

I've just began listening to this extraordinary recital. 77 pieces! Whoa! As for now I can say the level is tremendously high - detailed comments will follow

Thanks for the pleasure of being able to play among you all.


M.

dannylux
Wow, congratulations on this excellent performance! Never heard of the composer, but it's beautiful music.

Mr. super-hunky
Great job. I'm jealous at your ability to compose a piece like this, I couldn't have told it was self-composed.

Theowne
Amazing. Sounds very difficult, but I'd say you own this piece. Gorgeous!

Will randomly comment on more pieces in the next days/weeks.

I'd just like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to you all for the tremendous inspiration that you have given me.

And also the great listening I'm enjoying now.

Cheers all

It always takes me forever to get through all the pieces so this time I thought I'd do it a little differently. I wrote down the names of all the folks that took the time to review the last recital and I thought i would start with them.

#9. Monica- You just get better and better! I love the piece but I really love the feel you have for it. It just seems to flow from your fingers. Before i read what you had to say about it I was really thinking it sounded like a hymn! Especially the beginning and end.

#70 Hisalone. Booggy baby! great rendition of that tough piece. It sounds like something you can just keep speeding up and improving. Very cool.

#22. John Frank- I never realized what a neat piece that is. Nicely done.

#25 epf. - Hey, really nicely done. The turns are really fun. Great job. 123...123....123

#73. Sandy - Sandy, I kept looking up at my computer to watch the movie... It would be a great soundtrack for an old silent film. That was great. Surprise ending.

#46. Mandrew- Lovely. what a great job filling in from bare bones. I especially like the little blues turns you throw in every now and then.

#13. B528 Phew, I'm glad I'm not the only one trying to sing on the recital. Very enjoyable. I really like the way you work the singing with the playing... Very smooth. OK... what's with the synth at the end? Great touch. It got me smiling.

#27. Serge88- After the last tune I kept waiting for you to sing... Nice. sounds like you lucked out too getting it on the first take. You can hear that you were really into it.

#38. Jotur- Yeehaa. rousing!

#56. Rustyfingers- great playing. Good feel for that bluesy thang.

#32. joangolfing- what a lovely work. You really played it well.

#05.-Superhunky- You have definitely found your forte. Really interesting piece. some of the melody is haunting but in a nice mysterious swirly kind of way. Hey, I hope you share that cd when it's done?

66. DDH- ahh, I just love Schumann. You played it like a pro. Sweet rubato.

#28- Seaside Lee i kept waiting for Louis to start singing. that is a fantastic job!!! Mix the drinks and stand me by the piano cus I can listen to that all day!!

#14 riddler- why would anyone look down on that work? It's got so much to it. I love it. good job.

#43 Mahizeit- what a great feel. What clunkers? what a wonderful moody improvisation. Nicely recorded too. I'm going to come back and listen to this again. It's fitting my mood this rainy foggy morning.

#65. Piano dad- I love this waltz. I was holding my breath to see how you would handle the fast parts. Excellent. nice rubato too.

#7 Mati- first I just have to comment on the sound of your recording. really nice! I don't know what you did but it has a very sweet mellow sound. as for the work... wonderful! beautiful melody and fantastic playing. I'm coming back to hear this again.

#50. Greg- It would have been funny had i come to this last as I am beginning to fall into a stupor. You played around with this right? I love the upper part you finish with.

#29. Copper- OK, nice final piece for me this morning. great job copper!


This was a very enjoyable way to start my day. As always I'm overwhelmed by how well people play on this forum. I'm jealous but in a good way. It just makes me want to work harder and also helps me to not feel quite so alone here with my piano knowing that there are so many great folks out there doing the same thing and doing it so well. Thanks for sharing everyone.

Wow, what a great way to start my morning by listening to everyone's fantastic performances. Thanks Monica and Mahlzheit for putting this recital together The streaming player is great!

Here's some comments of what I have listened so far:

Lisztener: That was a beautiful performance. You play with such feelings and emotions.

Dannylux: You always find these old but beautiful masterpieces. Your playing standards are high and I really admire your playing. Bravo!

AnthonyB: Einaudi, one of my favorite composer. This is a great piece and you played it very well

Ode2joy: That was a delightful piece. Bach's pieces are difficult to play and you brought out the various voices well.

S-H: I always enjoy listening to your compositions. This piece had that "hauntingly" beautiful melody. You always add the S-H style and flair to your music which makes your playing unique.

Jazzprof: Absolutely beautiful playing. Chopin's work aren't easy to play and you've done a great job.

Mati: The tune to this piece is so familiar. You played it very beautifully.

Peyton: Your piano playing was fantastic and to incorporate singing is not easy. In my opinion you've captured the feeling of the piece well.

Monica: I so look forward to hearing you play and you haven't disappoint. You had played with such grace and expression. Bravo!

Knotty: What a great improv job you did! It sounded like you had fun playing the piece as well.


more to follow....

Fantastic playing everyone, I'm too much of a newb to feel like I can critque but everyone just impresses the heck out of me.

Mel, as usual blows me away with his grace and exquisite playing. Such a natural.

AnthonyB extremely impressed, you are so talented. Keep it up you blew me away too for 10 months of playing all I can say is "you got it"

Listzner, I felt like I was in a concert hall. Such beautiful playing


Mr Shuper-chunky very beautiful as usual. wowsers

Monica you did that hymn great justice. The phrasing throughout the whole piece was incredible. You built it up so well and then it soared like an eagle and it made my heart soar as well. Superb!!!

I wish I could comment on each and every one but I'm just not a very sit still kind of person so I want to say "Great Job everyone"

I'm swimming in a lake of recital-ness...

Once again you have all outdone yourselves. Bravo! I've been listening to the streaming player this morning with great enjoyment. You give me something to aspire to.

Isn't this super? What a beautiful and diverse collection of "ear candy". I'm proud to be in such lofty company with all of you. Now, back to more of this enthralling concert.

LaValse
What a beautiful little piece, well done! Does Scriabin have more gentle pieces like this?

Ozor Mox
Very nice. I much prefer this to Celine Dion's singing.

Etorrales
Subtle and beautiful. Very good dynamics and control.