Hi all - I’ve been playing the piano for a few years now and thought it would be fun to share the occasional video of me practicing some of the more obscure sheets out there. I was inspired by the “Sheetmusic Man” posts from a few years back about Richard Kraft’s awesome collection, and the great Mike Ferrell performances that followed. I’m nowhere near that league, but I think I can provide enough info about what these arrangements are like for those who are curious (like I was!)
1st out the gate, The Hobbit (1977) (which I think Josh will appreciate!)
Wow, Michael, color me impressed. Not only do the piano arrangements give the cues a suitably ominous and somber aura, but you play them very well! The video composition is very cool, too, aesthetically speaking, which adds to the ambience.
We (I) need a full album of these arrangements on CD!
Bit of a tangent: the opening notes of Misty Mountain Cold always reminds me of the opening to Far and Away. Great melodies just find a way of resurfacing
Hi all - I’ve been playing the piano for a few years now and thought it would be fun to share the occasional video of me practicing some of the more obscure sheets out there. I was inspired by the “Sheetmusic Man” posts from a few years back about Richard Kraft’s awesome collection, and the great Mike Ferrell performances that followed. I’m nowhere near that league, but I think I can provide enough info about what these arrangements are like for those who are curious (like I was!)
1st out the gate, The Hobbit (1977) (which I think Josh will appreciate!)
This is fantastic, bro! I can hear Orson Bean and John Huston talking over it in my head lol! I wore this box set out as a kid. Just hearing this brings back so many memories.
I took a stab at playing the 2 published sheets from Chinatown. The 1st sheet was published at the time of the film's release, the second was printed in a film noir piano book a few decades later. I thought it was interesting that the 1st arrangement isn't a reduction of one of the score pieces, but rather something specifically tailored for the piano. I've always been curious if piano arrangements are approved by the composer, or even how common it is for them to be arranged by the composers themselves. Anyone have some insight on this?
Also, here's a bonus Polanski for those interested:
Michael, thanks for the two CHINATOWN versions. I have always assumed (apparently in error) that, unless expressly stated, that each published sheet music version was identical to the one released at the time of the film's release.
Your two are somewhat different. So I have learned otherwise.
Here are the four published "Theme from CHINATOWN" sheet musics that I am aware of: These the two that you played: -----1. Theme from CHINATOWN (Ensign) (USA Issue) -----2. The Film Noir Collection (UK Issue) These are two other published versions: -----3. The American Film Institute Top 25 Film Scores -----4. Great Movie Music of the 20th Century, (1927-1999)
Are you aware of any differences in the latter two?
