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Like many pianists, I learned to play quite a list of classical pieces growing up. My piano teacher was a lover of the big guys - Beethoven, Bach, Mozart, Chopin, Haydn, and tried to keep my interest by finding pieces for me that were a good match for my incurable love of playing fast. I liked classical piano music, but it was never really in my soul. I was always coming up with my own little ditties, much to the chagrin of my teacher, who of course had her own agenda of how I should be spending my piano time. Somewhere around age ten I heard my first live “boogie” piano and I could not believe how that guy was flying over the keyboard, playing the most infectious and enthusiastic piano I’d yet heard in person. It really captured my imagination.
Shortly thereafter, I unveiled my own version of a boogie tune for my classics-only teacher and I think she about had a stroke. Thus occurred another milestone in a chronic tension between what I was learning in my piano lessons and what I was really wanting to play whenever I sat down at the piano. To me, these often seemed like irreconcilable energies causing a repeated stand-off. By the time I hit about age fourteen, I decided to stop classical piano lessons, and thus let loose the music that was really in there. A good decision for me, for all kinds of reasons, but the sheer joy of playing whatever the heck I wanted was the most important one to me.
Although it’s been many decades since I was “set free” to play and compose at will, I find the influences of the classics are undeniably in there, and of course I’ve learned to appreciate them far more over the years. This little piano ditty started innocently enough, but as I was playing, it began to morph in a familiar old way. Instead of fighting that, I just decided to enjoy it and let it be what it wanted to be. The first part has an obvious Haydnesque feel, but as you will hear, the opposing energies (let’s boogie!) ultimately prevail (Smackdown!!). Personally, I think Haydn probably would’ve loved to boogie – he was just born a little too soon. This was a total kick in the pants to do, and it reminds me of everything I love about playing the piano. Hope it makes you smile!
Shortly thereafter, I unveiled my own version of a boogie tune for my classics-only teacher and I think she about had a stroke. Thus occurred another milestone in a chronic tension between what I was learning in my piano lessons and what I was really wanting to play whenever I sat down at the piano. To me, these often seemed like irreconcilable energies causing a repeated stand-off. By the time I hit about age fourteen, I decided to stop classical piano lessons, and thus let loose the music that was really in there. A good decision for me, for all kinds of reasons, but the sheer joy of playing whatever the heck I wanted was the most important one to me.
Although it’s been many decades since I was “set free” to play and compose at will, I find the influences of the classics are undeniably in there, and of course I’ve learned to appreciate them far more over the years. This little piano ditty started innocently enough, but as I was playing, it began to morph in a familiar old way. Instead of fighting that, I just decided to enjoy it and let it be what it wanted to be. The first part has an obvious Haydnesque feel, but as you will hear, the opposing energies (let’s boogie!) ultimately prevail (Smackdown!!). Personally, I think Haydn probably would’ve loved to boogie – he was just born a little too soon. This was a total kick in the pants to do, and it reminds me of everything I love about playing the piano. Hope it makes you smile!
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davisamerica
Have given pre post feedback .... back after i assure my place in line ... VERY COOL !!