Study based on How High the Moon.

I never ordinarily post non-original work - no cover versions, arrangements and on. This one is an arrangement of sorts so...bad..

It started when a student friend and I were looking through some of my recordings of old fashioned pop songs to build a folio in the hope of winning a few bookings at receptions and other events once lockdown is over. Most were "improvisations" although I'd choose the best takes, even cheating to learn a good improvisation. Several were quite flashy and flashy is not wanted at receptions where subtlety and background music is needed.

Anyway, she suggested some pieces could be turned into easy studies that might help players wanting to be a bit more elaborate. Coming from the classical I'm a bit unorthodox this sort of music. As they were recorded on midi it seemed feasible. Except the worst was cleaning up the piano roll so it could convert to a meaningful manuscript.

Anyway, here's one, a kind of fantasia on the tune (usually played very up-tempo, this one's quite slow and the mp3 won't tie up totally with the music.

I don't know if the idea will work or has any mileage. If you're of a mind to comment on any aspect of the thing, thank you and it will be much appreciated.

Wow, I love it. This is a sort of mix between romantic and jazzy. The treatment of the  background is beautiful, and sometimes there are short scales a bit out of the "tonality". NIce work. I had to listen to it several times (because I like it). Thanks!

This is really gorgeous, the piano writing is so fluid and colorful! I wish my improvisations were as rich as this.

wow

On 7/16/2021 at 3:00 PM, Luis Hernández said:

Wow, I love it. This is a sort of mix between romantic and jazzy. The treatment of the  background is beautiful, and sometimes there are short scales a bit out of the "tonality". NIce work. I had to listen to it several times (because I like it). Thanks!

 

Crikey - apologies. I hadn't noticed your reply. I only pop in from time to time. But thank you for listening and your generous comments. Pleased that you liked it. Of course, it would be no use playing something like this at a reception where people just want some kind of background, not a concert!

On 9/5/2021 at 11:57 PM, Snake_Cake said:

This is really gorgeous, the piano writing is so fluid and colorful! I wish my improvisations were as rich as this.

 

Thank you for your kind remarks and listening. LOL - I wish my ordinary improvisations came out closer to this but as said I learned some of it from earlier takes so it's cheating in a way.

I was always attracted to Liszt but never got much further than his Liebestraum 3 (which was my first lesson on playing the melody with the thumbs of both hands! ....I'm just a very poor man's Liszt, I guess.

On 9/6/2021 at 5:54 AM, Left Unexplained said:

wow

 

Yes?  Thank you for listening and your brief but kind comment....well I hope it was + rather than minus! but...whatever. As a study I've been told the written music is cluttered and more difficult to understand than play! 

Absolutely Delightful~!