Friday, May 8, 2009

Regular blogging schedule to resume in 3, 2, 1...

Ok, the job hunt is over, and normalcy is making good on its threat to return. I've plenty to post, but for now, let's prime the pump with a shaky recording of Alexander's Ragtime Band. I admit to a love / hate relationship with this piece. First, the lyrics are totally annoying.

The can play a bugle call, like you never heard before
So natural, make you want to go to way
That's just the bestest band what am...

I mean, who wrote this, Popeye? (Answer: Irving Berlin)

But my initial dislike was more than lyrical. The jumps were unnatural to me, and rather than playing them, I had to basically memorize them, because they made little intrinsic sense to me. Once memorized, though, the piece start to come together a little for me, and at that point, it became fun. I played this a lot two weeks ago, and into this past weekend. But then I found I could not polish it to my liking, and I got all annoyed again. So here it is, as good as it is going to get.

Enjoy.


Alexanders Ragtime Band - Aw2pp

Box.net link

- Aw2pp, who is all a-twitter about his new job, and will tell you about it later

7 comments:

pdxknitterati/MicheleLB said...

Congrats on the new job! Are you submitting something for the AB recital?

Always Wanted to Play Piano said...

You bet. In fact, I have a "real" recital scheduled for the first Friday in June. I had hoped to play Le Onde in it, but I couldn't get any momentum on it. So I dug out I Due Fiumi, and will play it for the sure-to-be-bewildered audience.

I think I have it far enough along at this point to submit it for the ABF Recital, but I will have to do so in the next day or so, because I will be in Toronto all next week for training.

AnthonyB said...

I hope you can get something recorded for the abf recital. (After all, with my Una Mattina in first position I'm sure to get everyone in the Einaudi mood! ;)

Strangely, the iMeem link sort of works, but it only plays the first 30 seconds of the song. So the box.net link is still the better choice.

I do hope you conquer Le Onde eventually. I've put that one off for a while, myself. :) I guess I'm concentrating on some of the not as popular stuff first in hopes I can do the more well known stuff justice by the time I get there. Only time will tell if this strategy will pay off.

Michelle Himes said...

I'm so glad that you got a job. I was getting worried about you and your family. My son (with 7 kids) thinks his job is hanging by a thread. I hate what's going on with the economy right now. Anyway congrats on the new job.

I enjoyed your Alexander's Ragtime Band. I always liked that tune - never really paid much attention to the lyrics, just like the music. Maybe because my granddaughter danced to it in her first tap recital years ago.

Looking forward to your recital piece. Oh, and good luck on your "real" recital. Evidently, from what I've read on PW, you should eat a banana before you leave the house. I guess it's supposed to calm you. :-)

mom3gram

Always Wanted to Play Piano said...

Quick response on the economy - it is my observation, based on the level of IT hiring I see right now, that the worst is behind us. In February and March, I had a relatively difficult time getting someone to talk to me. Now, it seems like I am fending them off with a stick.

BTW, mom3gram and pdxknitterati... my next post will be my ABF recital. Are y'all submitting anything?

Michelle Himes said...

Submitting a recital piece....hmmm...well, a part of me would like to, and a part of me thinks I'm nowhere near ready for that. But the biggest holdup would be that my computer is upstairs, and my digital is downstairs, on opposite sides of the house. I would need a really, really, really long cable. I'm not interested in spending the money on a Zoom at this point.

Anonymous said...

New Job! Hooray! So glad to hear this news.