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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!
For those who missed the broadcast, here's the One World: Together at Home grand finale yesterday, with four singers accompanied by one superstar pianist (who, as you'd expect, easily held his own ):
Apparently there were eight hours of the global concert, but I was at work and only returned in time to catch the last song on TV, having been alerted to it by my youngest sister (who works in music publishing).
I'd never heard the song before, but was pleasantly surprised by the florid piano accompaniment (possibly 'enhanced' by Lang Lang himself from the sheet music he had) which could almost have come from a Rachmaninov song......
BTW, two of the singers appear to have better pianos in their homes than Lang Lang (who was obviously unable to get his piano tuned). Couldn't Steinway have sent him a grand for such a grand occasion?
"I don't play accurately - anyone can play accurately - but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life."
I'd never heard the song before, but was pleasantly surprised by the florid piano accompaniment (possibly 'enhanced' by Lang Lang himself from the sheet music he had) which could almost have come from a Rachmaninov song......
"The Prayer" was written in 1998 by David Foster and Carole Bayer Sager, among others. Winner of a Grammy and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song, nominated for an Oscar, it has entered the lexicon as a standard contemporary pop song, performed at many weddings. Popularized by Celine Dion and Bocelli. My favorite is Josh Groban and Charlotte Church's duo.
Lang Lang's florid arrangement is not helped by his facial overstatements. He's missing his sequined Liberace jacket to complete his look. Yuja could have helped him out in this department.
Wow, that Britain's Got Talent audition was amazing. I cried after hearing it, partly for what that 17 year old boy had to go through growing up but mostly because of his beautiful voice and how his life is going to change.
Pat, short for Patricia Kawai K-200 Started piano lessons in my retirement, January 2017
I hate to be picky, but did anyone else think that John Legend was way out of his depth in this company? As for Lang Lang and that truly sucky piano, I'm seriously astonished that a professional would release a recording like this when I'm sure there must have been a way to at least get it tuned. (I also agree with BeeZee4 about his gesticulations being over the top.)
I love this song, though I'm sure most serious musicians think it's overly sentimental. Here's the original version performed live at the 1999 Grammys. The only thing I'd heard Celine sing before I heard The Prayer was Titanic, so this was quite an eye-opener.
When I heard it, I was thinking "Lang Lang must have gotten mixed up and set up the camera in his Joplin room. " Maybe he was originally scheduled to play Maple Leaf Rag?? That piano would have been GREAT for that!
When I heard it, I was thinking "Lang Lang must have gotten mixed up and set up the camera in his Joplin room. " Maybe he was originally scheduled to play Maple Leaf Rag?? That piano would have been GREAT for that!
When I heard it, I was thinking "Lang Lang must have gotten mixed up and set up the camera in his Joplin room. " Maybe he was originally scheduled to play Maple Leaf Rag?? That piano would have been GREAT for that!
I agree. Not so great for this, however.
When I was looking for the video on YT, I found several sources, and lots of comments on the performances - yet not one mentioned the out-of-tune piano.
Which left me wondering if that kind of piano (sound) is not that unusual in pop. After all, Elton John's and Lady Gaga's pianos often sound totally artificial and processed (I believe Elton's piano is a digital housed within an acoustic casing).
"I don't play accurately - anyone can play accurately - but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life."
When I heard it, I was thinking "Lang Lang must have gotten mixed up and set up the camera in his Joplin room. " Maybe he was originally scheduled to play Maple Leaf Rag?? That piano would have been GREAT for that!
I agree. Not so great for this, however.
When I was looking for the video on YT, I found several sources, and lots of comments on the performances - yet not one mentioned the out-of-tune piano.
Which left me wondering if that kind of piano (sound) is not that unusual in pop. After all, Elton John's and Lady Gaga's piano often sound totally artificial and processed (I believe Elton's piano is a digital housed within an acoustic casing).
Out of tune pianos sound better #Ragtime masterrace.
'Its too rare to break a hand from playing the piano ... But playing Hanon as written will break your hand'
- Self proclaimed 'piano teachers' on the internet.
"I don't play accurately - anyone can play accurately - but I play with wonderful expression. As far as the piano is concerned, sentiment is my forte. I keep science for Life."
A Dampp-Chaser representative contacted Lang Lang shortly after this video was broadcast. Also, the Schaff company apparently sent one piano hammer for free, hoping the pianist already knows about touch-up tunings.
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