Good Piano Songs

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: calpha
When I played....I always played from memory. Mostly that came from my high school wind ensemble----we played pretty tough stuff for high schoolers, and by the time we went to competitions I always just watched the conductor 100% of the time b/c I had all the music memorized. That's the only gift I ever had for music---I never had to try to learn something---I just did. But as far as hearing something without the music and playing it in a matter of minutes----I could never do that. I could pound it out.....but nothing near what the bastards with perfect pitch could do.

The hardest stuff I ever played was probably the real piano music of billy and Elton (not just the melody----but the actual piano piece). Funeral For a friend was the hardest thing I learned.....but my chops are gone and I can't play the hard part anymore.

The first thing I think of when someone says piano is Elton John and the whole Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album.

 

[newt]

Originally posted by: calpha
When I played....I always played from memory. Mostly that came from my high school wind ensemble----we played pretty tough stuff for high schoolers, and by the time we went to competitions I always just watched the conductor 100% of the time b/c I had all the music memorized. That's the only gift I ever had for music---I never had to try to learn something---I just did. But as far as hearing something without the music and playing it in a matter of minutes----I could never do that. I could pound it out.....but nothing near what the bastards with perfect pitch could do.

The hardest stuff I ever played was probably the real piano music of billy and Elton (not just the melody----but the actual piano piece). Funeral For a friend was the hardest thing I learned.....but my chops are gone and I can't play the hard part anymore.

I started taking piano lessons while i was 3 years old up to 12th grade. I had perfect pitch ( and i still do, guess that's about the only thing you don't need to practice in music) and I could play everything from memory (which I cant do nearly as well now). I didn't like practicing at all and I always started practicing 2 hours before the lessons. I was going to give up while i was 10 years old but the instructor didn't let me. She believed i had talent. But I think I played poorly compared to lots of other hard working students because piano is something you really need to sit down and play no matter how talented you are. Finally I gave up taking lessons after high school, and my excuse was that I needed to focus on my real career. Now my career path looks pretty good at this point, however, there's always this deep sadness in me whenever i see someone playing piano. I wish I had tried harder instead of wasting my talent. 14 years of music training left a deep sense of music in me, and I could still play decently. But I always wonder what would have happened if I took it more seriously.......Maybe I should start taking lessons again.....

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: calpha

Originally posted by: jcwagers
Bruce Hornsby - Mandolin Rain, The Way It Is, The Valley Road

Bruce can play----I think he went to Juliard ?

Bruce is awesome. Check out Big Swing Face for a different twist to his music.

 

[Analog]

The King must die - Elton John (from the Elton John album)

Skyline Pigeon - Elton John (from the empty sky album - done on harpsichord)

Fur Elise (Beethoven)

Glad (Traffic - accoustic piano version by Steve Winwood)

toccata and fugue in D by Bach (on Piano, not organ)

HTH my opinion anyway.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Walking in Memphis

 

[aircooled]

RV by Faith no More. RV

 

[Modeps]

Im surprised at all of you, no one said Billy Joel....

 

[Jzero]

See also:
The following John Tesh albums--
Live At Red Rocks
Avalon
Grand Passion <--almost entirely piano

People love to bash John Tesh, but he actually is a decent pianist and a very good songwriter.

 

[Jzero]

Also
Torre D'Alchemista - La persistencia de memoria
or something like that (The persistence of memory in Italian).

 

[glen]

Morning Has Broken
Primary Performer: Cat Stevens
Written By: Cat Stevens, Eleanor Farjeon

 

[JetBlack69]

Originally posted by: Intake77
Im surprised at all of you, no one said Billy Joel....

That's what I was thinking, Piano Man!!!

 

[KeyserSoze]

Trust me on this, ok? Cuz I bought this Sheet Music, I learned it, and loved it:

November Rain-Guns 'N Roses






KeyserSoze

 

[fonzinator]

Originally posted by: dolph
some of my favs:

fantasie impromptu - chopin
"revolutionary" etude (c# minor) - chopin
1st movement of "pathetique" sonata
3rd movement of "moonlight" sonata - beethoven
rhapsody, g minor - brahms
prelude c# minor - rachmaninoff

and yep, i played them all.

sorry for not having opus/#s.

<----Shakes the hand of a man with fine musical taste!
Rachmaninoff's Prelude C# Minor Opus 3, No. 2 was my fav piece to play. Truly an awesome composition.

Bolomite: Franz Liszt - Liebestraum no. 3 ... Totally awesome song but the hardest piece I ever attempted. I never did perfect it, the speed was beyond my ability. I gave up piano shortly after that piece and picked up the guitar. Now I'm 100% guitar. I wish I had time for both instruments, but I don't. I am very thankful for the years I spent playing classical piano though! These two pieces bring back good memories of lots of hard work.

 

[StinkyMeat]

Anything Ben Folds Five or Ben Folds.

Just give them a listen. He's amazing.

 

[Alienwho]

Up for the afternoon crowd.

 

[AstIsis]

Liszt, Chopin, and Rachmaninov are among my favorites but you might want to check out Alberto Ginastera also. Particularly Piano Sonota No. 1 & 2, and also "Tribute to Roberto Garcia Morillo".

 

[Kelemvor]

Anything by Yanni or even John Tesh. Also there's a female player that has concerts all the time but I can't think of her name. I'll edit this later if I can remember.

 

[calpha]

Lots of talented piano players in this forum. And you are all bastards. Just never had the chops for the hard stuff. Fingers too dumb and too slow.

 

[Kelemvor]

The femals I couldn't think of is Lorie Line. She's really good.