Wrong notes are displayed in red-faced embarrassment.
Mrs. Katherine (Edwin) Jones (“Mrs. Jones,” to me), from whom I studied piano during junior-high school through my junior, high-school year, introduced me to J.S. Bach’s Two-Part Inventions and to this piece, his F-Major, Two-Part Invention.
The Two-Part Inventions are classical (era) duets. The left and right hands cavort and cleverly interplay. Composed before 1723, this series of Bach’s teaching-pieces has now been been studied by generations of piano students.
In those days, during my piano-lesson, when playing for Mrs. Jones, I often added extra notes to chords. Mrs. Jones had keen eyes and ears. Sometimes, I would change or entirely omit notes. Concerning my musical alterations and depending on the particular composer (for instance, if Bach had been the particular composer of the piece I was playing… ) we were studying, she would stop me and tell me:
“Mr. Bach wouldn’t like that…”
Recently, I heard the F Major Invention featured in an internationally-known banking-institution’s television commercial. These commercials feature different persons’ hands playing the F Major Invention as a duet on the same piano keyboard. On hearing the commercial, I was sure that I was hearing a “wrong note” because the rendition was not as I had learned the piece. After hearing the commercial a number of times, I thumbed through my music-library shelves, found a copy of the Inventions; and, what to my wondering eyes should appear? I have consistently played the 5th note of the 1st motif incorrectly for a a near-half-hundred years. This motif is used by both “parts” several times throughout the piece. Mrs. Jones never noticed my error(s). Ha!! Guess that I got the last laugh on this one.
I hope that you enjoy (and, are not aurally offended by) my as-yet-corrected performance and recording.
Dear friends of mine, who were married in 2008, recently celebrated the birth of their first child – son, Liam Jacob. I believe that to have such steadfast, unselfish, and capable parents, who will provide love, discipline, and nurturing – Liam begins his life as one of the world’s most lucky (or, “blessed”) humans.
Sometime during the days/weeks preceding Liam’s birth, I decided to compose a song in his honor. Silently, in my mind, I envisioned the beginning, middle, and ending of the tune. I first recorded a piano-only version on Saturday, June 21, 2014.
This arrangement includes two verses. The evolving instrumentation features a solo-violin that plays the melody throughout. A second violin joins the first during the latter portions of the second verse. Other instruments come and go – a third violin that is pitched above the melody, a viola playing a tenor-like part, a cello outlining certain bass parts, piano, and selected synthesizer parts, including a quite-low-frequency bass voice (sounds better with a subwoofer).
I hope that you enjoy this audio-visual presentation.
Stanley M. Owen was my “Mighty Man.” There are few persons who are able to do so many things and to also do them well. He rarely stopped working and was the most self-reliant person I have known. During his last years, he suffered intensely from peripheral-neuoropathy, but would not allow himself to take enough medication to relieve his pain so that he might remain lucid. While watching his own body being eroded and wracked by the diabolical forces of Parkinson’s disease, he continued to fight for his life and hold on to the little joy in his life – over and over. What resolve! Daddy, you will always be my “Mighty Man.”
I have publicly performed Kurt Kaiser’s solo-piano arrangement of “Father, I Adore You” (words and music by Terrye Coehlo) three times. For Father’s Day 2014, I decided to record this. I am sharing my recording as a tribute to both my Heavenly and Earthly Fathers.
In most every way, my earthly father was a masterful reflection of our Heavenly One. None of us are perfect; however, I am certain that my earthly father came closer than most of us – and, I will always adore him for it. I believe that if you look closely-enough at his picture from February 2014, you may be able to see our Heavenly Father, also.
I hope you enjoy my performance of Kurt Kaiser’s arrangement of Father, I Adore You.
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