Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum William L Gillock American Composer (1917-1993)

I thought I'd start a a thread honoring and appreciating a great American Composer. At least that's my humble opinion. Maybe in 100 years people might look back at his work, like the way we look back at all the old masters we think of today.

Recently my teacher had me start working in a masterful book called Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style (24 short pieces in all keys). After working with a couple and viewing many on U tube, I'm totally impressed by his work. My teacher also had me pick up 3 of his Jazz/blues books which also has some amazing pieces.

For those in the late stages of the Alfred series these are a great way to advance you playing. They are in a classical reading format with a modern sound. The Jazz and Blues pieces speak for them selves.

In this thread I hope to post with everyone's help many of William Gillock pieces by way of U tube examples that might inspired and motivate the community to try. And at the same time honor this wonderful composer.

Recently David Ruzick a new member posted his excellent take on a Gillock piece, its listed below.

I just need to figure out how to embed the videos. I use the embedded links from U tube, but they never seems to works for me, so I just link to them...

So with no further a do...some William Gillock pieces:

Sarabande

Soaring

Moonlight

Autumn Sketch

October Morning

Fountain in the rain

Fountain of Diana

Legend

Serenade [David Ruzicka] a Pianoworld member...

Seascape

Some Blues and Jazz pieces by William Gillock:

New Orleans Nightfall

New Orleans Blues

Bourbon Street Saturday Night

Jazz Prelude

DownTown Beat

The Gillock New Orleans Jazz style pieces are great !

I've been working through the Lyric Preludes in Romantic Style. I'm currently working on Soaring. I don't have any videos, but here are three pieces I've recorded:


October Morn

Deserted Ballroom

Serenade

Rich

Nice work Rich, I must try serenade. Currently. I have October Morning done and working on Autumn Sketch and Legend. It's nice taking classical training skills out for a walk on these more modern works.

Edit, I just heard your Deserted Ballroom, well done also!

I just ordered his 3 book Jazz/Blues combo with CD for only $15.

His blues stuff is great,

Mark, I love Gillock! I have that Lyric Preludes book and have played almost everything in it. I've done Fountain in the Rain also. I have a whole file of Gillock in my music file, along with Chopin, Mozart, etc. My teacher says that he came to all the music teacher conventions and was as nice as could be. I asked her if she ever had any of her music autographed, and she said she'd never thought of it. Now I send her with my music to every convention so I can get a few things signed before those composers are no longer around.

I can't find my Lyric Prelude book, but I recall two of my favorites being Moonlight Mood and Phantom Rider.

Nancy

I was beginning to think I was the only person around here who had heard of William Gillock, I originally stumbled on his works in our city library, I have the Lyric Preludes book...brilliant!.

Autumn Sketch is my favorite from the book. I've taught pieces from that book many, many times. Super expressive pieces, and not at all difficult.

It must of been so nice to meet him in real life. His stuff is just amazing. Moonlight Mood is on my to do list.

I did a search on Piano World and there were very few references about him. I bet the teachers us him a lot though...

Autumn Sketch is a piece I'm trying to bring to speed. I like it a lot also...

Google: William Gillock

Go to SheetMusicPlus and search for his music.

I've known about William Gillock for a long time through my teaching and it is so wonderful to see adult students appreciate his work!

I like all of your enthusiasm!

Mark, that was a great idea to start this Gillock thread. I think that his music really deserves more honoring and appreciating.

I would also add a Phantom Rider to your list:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaYAS6fOcP4
I'm not able to play it at this speed, but it's actually very nice even at slower tempo.

Thanks David...looking forward to your take on this one.

I'm doing October Morning, Legend, and Autumn Sketch right now and will start Sarabande tomorrow.

Picked up Sarabande yesterday and went over it with the teacher. I never had a piece fall into place so easy and at the same time loved the sound.

I highly recommend it!!!

Here is the U tube example in the opening post:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H5G2P3onZ8

I've uploaded my take on Soaring:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a28-VCpbjEA

Mark: I've heard Sarabande before on youtube. I really like it, maybe I'll try to learn it as well. Are you planing to record video(or just audio) of your interpretation? I'd like to see/hear it.

Wow David, you really play well and record so easy! Was Soaring difficult?

I always have a tough time recording pieces, I envy you. I will eventual record Sarabande. I bet you can nail Sarabande down in a day.

Mark.

PS: I added your U tube video of Soaring to the opening post.

Hi David,

Great job.

Since I'm working on this piece at the moment, it's time for me to put on my nitpicker hat. If I had just listened to you playing I'd never know you were doing this.

The first note of every right hand arpeggio is a quarter note and holding it down for the full length of the note is a skill you will probably want to acquire. If you were to play it on an acoustic piano with out pedal, you would hear the string from that first note respond to the harmonics of the second and third notes of the arps.

Because you are using the pedal, it doesn't change the sound in this piece. However, it is a technique that you will want to have down pat if you decide to work on pieces by J S Bach.

Still, great job on the piece.

Rich

Thanks, actually I think that your comment on Sarabande ("I never had a piece fall into place so easy and at the same time loved the sound.") is quite fitting for this piece as well.



Mark, don't be mistaken. I've had very hard times to record those playings. For some strange reason I got very nervous when I record myself and it takes several tries for me to get decent performance. Also, there's no way I could learn Sarabande in one day. Usualy it takes me two weeks to learn a piece like this and another two to fine-tune it (I usualy work on three or four pieces at the same time) and then I put it aside. I've learned Soaring some time ago but keep on playing it because I really like it.

Rich, you're right. I just tried to play it without pedal and it became apparent immediately. That's why my teacher keeps telling me to practice without pedal and to use pedal only as a reward for a good work Otherwise one gets lazy.