Ave Maria (Andante Religioso): Op. 100, No. 19

Apparently this is my first release of a Brahms piece on my website! I did not realize I was missing such an important composer in the classical reportory until now...

This piece is a beautiful Intermezzo by Brahms - one that was introduced to me by a colleague at Washington University in St. Louis. The piece has a wonderful way of playing with dissonant harmonies, coming to quick and peaceful resolution - only to be disrupted again by a twist of harmonics. It's quite wonderful. I believe this is one of those pieces of music that is far more enjoyable to play than to listen to - so for all of you pianists out there, be sure to add this to your list of works! Simply listening to the various harmonies and how they interact (or cease to interact) is a wonderful study in music and leads to some great pedal-work as well!

Enjoy!

This is a very well-known melody by the American composer, Edward MacDowell. He has wonderful music, including this piece, and I encourage pianists everywhere to get to know his music. I hope to record several more of his works over the coming months and years.

This piece is often played as prelude or postlude in churches or for weddings. It has a beautiful melody and is accompanied by an equally beautiful harmonic progression.

As my first recording of an American composer, I hope that you enjoy it!

A beautiful, short piece by Chopin... his "Cantabile" in B-flat is a well-known work that provides a few subtle challenges wrapped in simple melody and carried by enchanting harmonies.

I hope that you enjoy my recording of this work - recorded at home on my 1941 Steinway AIII.

Here is No. 3 in Burgmuller's set of 24 etudes for piano, Op. 100.

Recorded on my Steinway AIII.

I hope that you enjoy it!

Here is a short piece by Cesar Franck that I came across in one of my sheet music sets. I love the melody and the way that Franck uses hanging tones to harmonize.

This recording is dedicated to a young listener, Sayuri, from Brazil. I hope that she will enjoy listening to this recording!

A brief work that has some surprisingly difficult dynamics to it. This was recorded at my home on my Steinway A III. I hope that you enjoy this recording.

My first recording of a work by Burgmuller. I discovered this work in Alfred's "Classical Music for the Church Service: Volume 2." I apologize in advance if people stumbled on this piece looking for one of the many other works titled, "Ave Maria." :-)

This recording was performed at my home on my Steinway A III. I hope that you enjoy it!

Alexander Goedicke was a Russian composer and pianist who, despite having no formal training in composition, was quite gifted in composition. There is little information on this short work, but I find the melody to be enchanting. This recording was performed at my home, on my Steinway AIII. I hope that you enjoy this recording.

It's finally here! I've had a request for the popular "Clair de lune" more times than any other work. I finally committed to recording this a couple of weeks ago and here it is! I hope that my interpretation and recording will not be a disappointment to those who have patiently waited.

Clair de Lune, translated as "moonlight" is one of Debussy's most popular pieces. It is a beatiful work that has much room for interpretation. In fact, the debates about how this work should be played can become quite heated. Although it was composed in 1882, it was not published until 1926.

Apparently, this piece has had a resurgence of popularity due to the release of the movie Twilight - as it appears as a bonus track on the movie's soundtrack. I've never seen the movie, but if you have, and you liked it, then maybe this recording will mean even more to you.

This recording was completed in my home on my Steinway A III piano. I hope that you enjoy it!

This is a personal arrangement of Bach's Prelude in B-flat Minor BWV 867 - The Well-Tempered Clavier, Vol 1. As I played this piece, I mentally converted it from the minor key of B-flat to the parallel major key. I did this as a demonstration of how such simple alterations in music can make such a dramatic difference on the emotions and thoughts that the music evokes. Please click here (or visit the site) to listen to this work played in the original minor key and then listen to this arrangement again - hopefully you'll enjoy both!