Yet More Piano for You

By Chopin:
Military Polonaise (Opus 40, No.1)

Yet another one I'm learning for the first time in my adulthood.

Scherzo (Opus 31)

and another interpretation:


Believe it or not (and I hardly believe it myself, I'll admit), I played that for my senior piano recital. Not quite that way nor quite as fast (you may have guessed that much) as Yundi Li and on a piano not quite (ahem) that nice, but I did play it. And, if I may be permitted to say so, I do not think I would wish to play the piece the way Yundi Li (talented though he is) does the piece. That's just my opinion, of course. But I thought it was an interesting example to share and there you have it. Zimerman is more to my taste and what I would aspire to imitate, but that's just personal preference again.

This one I'm working to restore to my memory. It's there but the past thirteen years have buried it a bit.

My Sophomore recital piece was Schubert's Impromptu in A flat (Opus 90, No. 4):


I'll admit, I felt quite accomplished with that one, until I realized there are about a thousand videos on YouTube of ten year olds playing this. Yeah, so, I wasn't a prodigy. I can still play the entire thing from memory, which is nice.

And, just because I really do love it so much, here's another version:


There. You've had your culture inoculation for the week.

Fine Art Friday - Clowns

Overwhelmed with all the plans out there for introducing your children to classical music? (This is one reason I'm not a Charlotte Mason homeschool mom. We don't "do" music or art the way she prescribed. I tend to be rebellious like that.)

Or are you simply looking for a fun classical* piece to share with your kids? How about this one?
"Clowns" (Op. 39 No. 20) by Dmitri Kabalevsky


I play this** for my girls all the time. They run around and act, well, clown like. I increase the tempo, they run around even faster.

Fun for all.

*Note: my piano teacher taught me that there are four eras for what we call Classical music.
Baroque (1600 -1750)
Classical (1750 - 1820)
Romantic (1820 - 1900)
Modern (1900+)

The most disagreement seems to come as to when "Classical" became "Romantic" and you will likely find lots of different dates and lots of heated arguments (ah, the wonder of the Internet) about this but the dates I gave will serve as a rough guideline.
"Clowns" would fall under the Modern heading.

**By which I mean I actually play it on the piano, not I play them the YouTube Video. This is one of those pieces I've had memorized for a long time.

In Which We Discuss Beethoven, Pianos and Powerful Music

This part I can play:

And this part I can't...yet. (Yes, I'm actually working on it):

This is Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", which is also known as Sonata Quasi Una Fantasia, Opus 27 No. 2 (the last section is sometimes just called his Presto Agitato)

And another favorite, just because it's one of the most beautiful things ever written:


My most favorite, and not by Beethoven:

Would it be a bit much to have this at my funeral? I don't care. I want it.

And, while we're talking funeral music, let's go ahead and have this one too:

I'd prefer live symphony orchestra, obviously, but I suppose what will happen is one of my daughters will play this from whatever replaces iPods in the future. That'll be OK too.

Does that music not make you choke up a little bit? If it doesn't, might I suggest you find out where you left your soul today?

One of the reasons I've taken to piano practice in earnest again is because sometimes all I want to do is sit down and pound out a nice, moody piece of Beethoven's finest. And, while piano playing may not be exactly like riding a bicycle, I'm happy to say my skills are returning faster than I thought they would. (An hour a day of serious practice will do that.)

Now, to buy a piano with decent key action and tone...I asked Philip yesterday at what point in our marriage I would be able to buy a piano both the size and cost of a small car. I just wanted reassurance that I would get one before my fingers are crippled with age. He assured me it would happen sooner rather than later.

We'll see. Of course, if we get a bigger house (and that's a pretty big "if" right now), we'll have to fill up that house. And what better way to fill a room than a nice five foot long baby grand piano, right?

Sunday Song - Be Glad!

Sunday Spiritual Songs

Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Text: John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807-1892
Music: Frederick C. Maker, 1844-1927

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word,
Rise up and follow Thee.

O Sabbath rest by Galilee,
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with Thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!

With that deep hush subduing all
Our words and works that drown
The tender whisper of Thy call,
As noiseless let Thy blessing fall
As fell Thy manna down.

Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease;
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of Thy peace.

Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire,
O still, small voice of calm.


A video of the alternate tune by Repton:

Sunday Spiritual Songs

It Is Well With My Soul
Words by Horatio Spafford
Music by P.P. Bliss

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
it is well, it is well with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and hath shed his own blood for my soul.
(Refrain)

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
(Refrain)

And, Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
even so, it is well with my soul.
(Refrain)

History of the song.

Crystal Lewis singing the classic hymn:

Sunday Spiritual Songs - My Redeemer Lives

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand on the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my shall behold, and not another. Job 19:25-27

Resurrection Sunday isn't just in the New Testament - Job looked forward in time, I look back in time but our conclusion is the same:

My Redeemer Lives!

My Redeemer Lives
copyright John Willison

For I know my redeemer lives
And in the end He will stand on the earth
For I know my redeemer lives
And in the end He will reign on the earth

Though my flesh it be destroyed
Yet with my eyes I will see God

For I know my redeemer lives
And I will stand with Him on that day
For I know my redeemer lives
And I will stand with Him on that day

Oh my heart it yearns within me
For the day when Jesus returns
Oh my heart it yearns within me
For the day when Jesus shall reign

Though my flesh it be destroyed
Yet with my eyes I will see God

For I know that my redeemer lives
And I will stand with Him on that day
For I know that my redeemer lives
And I will stand with Him on that day


And, just because it is Easter:

Sunday Spiritual Songs

How Deep the Father's Love For Us
Music & Lyrics by Stuart Townsend

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which marr the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Sunday Spiritual Songs - In Christ Alone

"In Christ Alone"
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townsend
Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music

In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

*There are many versions of this song on You Tube. None are as touching as the sound of a congregation of ordinary people, sinners saved by grace, singing it with all their heart. If your church is seeking new hymns, there are none better than the songs the Gettys and Stuart Townsend are writing. *