Tag Archives: piano improvisation

In the Bleak Midwinter

I’m sure there have been bleaker midwinters than this (but I’m not sure when.)  The image on the soundcloud is right outside my door, at around eight in the evening last night.   The music behind the image conveys my thoughts around the theme of “In the Bleak Midwinter” — the Harold Darke setting to the words of Christina Rossetti (not to be confused with the more well-known setting by Gustav Holst.)  I hope you enjoy my thoughts.   

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Resolve

I did this one a few months ago, back in the good old days when I could still go to that church and hook up my rig with the tripod, and traverse the keys of that amazing Baldwin grand piano like there was no tomorrow. Sadly those days have been replaced by more difficult days, as we all know.

But anyway I am posting this medley of “Moon River” by Henry Mancini, “Wintertime Love” by Jim Morrison, and the old English version of the hymn “In the Bleak Midwinter.” I call it “Resolve.” It’s a cut on an album called Abandon. If you want a copy of the entire album after hearing this, hit me up and we’ll work something out.

Never did look at this video until tonight. I ripped it to mp3 at the time to stick it on the album, and for a reason that ought to be obvious to anyone who knows me, I only glanced peripherally at the video.

(By the way, if the reason isn’t as obvious I think it is, go ahead and tell me you think it is. If you’re right, maybe I can give you some kind of grand prize on my way to the bank, if and when.) Enjoy, folks.

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Cold This Season

Something made me put all this together, at some point.  First, this is my song “Cold This Season.” It goes into something Old English, then some Sondheim, and then finally the song “On My Own” from Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schönberg.  It may be stuff you’ve all heard before–in some form–but there’s a certain flow and applicability here.  Hope you enjoy it. Andy Pope at the Baldwin Grand.

By the way, this is a cut off of my newly released Suspended album.   Hit me up for details if you want to buy it.   

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A little bit goes a long, long way. 

 

New Piano Album”Suspended” Now Available

suspended-5.jpg

============ Forwarded message ============
From: Andy Pope
Date: Thu, 05 Dec 2019 22:38:22 -0800
Subject: New Piano Album “Suspended” Now Available
============ Forwarded message ============

Greetings –

I’m writing mostly to people I know locally who have purchased my piano CD’s in the past.  But also I am including people from afar whom I suspect might like to have one.   I have a brand new one I have named “Suspended.”  It’s full of twelve songs, as follows:  

1.   “San Francisco” – Scott McKenzie 

2.   “Try to Remember” – Tom Jones & Harry Schmidt 

3.   “Shenandoah” – Traditional 

4.   “Cold This Season” – Andy Pope 

5.   “Dark Holly” – Traditional 

6.   “Send in the Clowns” – Stephen Sondheim 

7.   “On My Own” – Claude-Michel Schönberg

8.   “Kum Ba Yah” – Traditional 

9.   “Bubbles Taboo” – Andy Pope  

10.  “Who Will Buy?” – Lionel Bart 

11.  “California Dreamin” – John Phillips and Michelle Phillips 

12.  “We Three Kings” – Traditional 

If you’re around town and would like to hang on to five or ten bucks to help me out in this endeavor, I’ll be up and down Main Street peddling my newest wares within the next few days or so — you can’t miss me.  If you’re afar, I really miss you, and I’ll send you one for $12 USD if you reply with your postal mailing address.

Hoping you’re all having a happy holiday!  I look forward to hearing from you — 

Cheers,

Andy

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A little bit goes a long, long way.  

 

Resolve

I dug this up the other day, thought I’d lost it.  It’s “Resolve” from my concept album, Abandon.  Thought it was worth sharing, if for no other reason than you get to see me without my beanie on.   (Believe me, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime appearance.)

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Portrait of Betrayal

This is the 5th movement of my recently completed improvisational sonata, Abandon. The concept album consists of approximately forty minutes of completely improvised piano music in a classical and romantic vein.  Original songs of a former day are quoted, amid numerous references to Jim Morrison, Edward Elgar and Henry Mancini. Please message me if you are interested in purchasing a hard copy CD or an online piano album on BandCamp. 

“Betray” Copyright © 2019 by Andrew Michael Pope. Andy Pope at the Baldwin Grand, August 27th, 2019.

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A little bit goes a long, long way.  

Pinnacle

If anyone has use for a CD in this day and age (and I’m almost sure there are those among us who do), my new Pinnacle CD is on sale for $10 on the local market and $15 if I have to mail it to you.

And just in case you don’t happen to have any particular use for a CD in your hyper-modern mode of existence, my music doesn’t cost a whole lot to access in general.  As a matter of fact, here it is.

pinnacle cover

One way or the other, your kind donation is always appreciated.   Here’s to the “Heart of the Arts.”

Please donate to Eden in Babylon.
A little bit goes a long, long way.  

Disturbances

I’ve been a bit under the weather lately, with laryngitis keeping me from speaking or singing.  I canceled everything yesterday, though showed for a single rehearsal this morning before calling it a day early.  Whilst inside, I have wanted to let you know how this Howard upright piano, almost a hundred years of age, sounds in my living room.  Here’s a little something I spun out yesterday afternoon, spontaneously as it were.  The old guard has dignity.  

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A little bit goes a long, long way.