Category: keyboard duo

Solicitude

This is another of my arrangements of a tune from Southern Harmony, and Musical Companioncompiled by William Walker and published in 1835. It’s a compendium of marvelous, mostly anonymous hymn tunes from American folk musicians.

My original settings of these arrangements featured solo piano but with the participation of two string instruments (a high and a low) and a treble woodwind which were written in such a way that they could be performed live by separate instrumentalists or covered by a second keyboardist performing on two, stacked synthesizers.

After I’d done two albums of folk tunes like this (the second one was mainly Irish tunes), I gave up on the idea of ever doing them live and began the task–only partially complete…many more to go–of rewriting them as solo piano pieces with no orchestral accompaniment.

As sometimes happens, you go back to things. I finally decided the practicalities of sheet music publication “aren’t the boss of me,” and I’m video taping them in their original form. I’m also publishing their sheet music as “keyboard duos” in case there’s some keyboardists out there who want to do them. I love concert grand piano, but I also love a good electric keyboard and these days I’ll bet there’s a least as many of those in homes as acoustic pianos.

One last tidbit: I love the string countermelody I wrote for this arrangement. (The Southern Music tune is the right-hand of the piano, NOT the string line…that’s mine!) I’m going to steal my own countermelody (from myself) and make it the main tune in a song of my own!

Resignation (original arrangement)

Yesterday was Maundy Thursday and at the evening’s tenebrae service, I played this tune. I never posted a video of the original orchestrated version, but I did post a video of the piano solo I made of the same tune (see https://hiltonkeanjones.com/2023/05/19/resignation-2/). I really like this orchestrated version. I actually like all my orchestrated folk tune arrangements but there’s no sheet music market for that. Ah well…hope you enjoy “watching paint dry” while you listen. The second verse is my own compositional contribution (a restatement of the tune but in the the relative minor for you theory buffs).

A Summing Up

There’s a book a friend of mine, Robert Help, read when he was about my age, called The Summing Up, by Somerset Maugham. I’ve not yet read it (it’s on my list with several thousand others), but just the title strikes a responsive chord with me. It’s what I seem to be doing right now: summing up all I’ve written and recorded (audio and/or video), and where the scores and recordings might be found, listed all in into one spot: https://hiltonkeanjones.com/compositions/.

It’s a monumental effort. In addition to what’s already on that page, I have 46 more original compositions to get on there and 34 arrangements of public domain tunes. That’s not counting all the links that need to be added to existing listings on the page and any new pieces I might manage to write and record.

Why?

As a former composition student, now himself a teacher and a friend, once answered when I asked myself why I continued to write: “Because that’s what you do.” It’s probably the best answer I’ve ever heard. (I assume that answer also applies to organizing what one has written.) Although, I am well aware and fully admit “vanity of vanities! All things are vanity” is even more true.

The most recent addition to the composition page is an updated version of The World of Starlit Butterflies.

The World of Starlit Butterflies, 2022, 1 movement, solo piano
VIDEO – AUDIO
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/the-world-of-starlit-butterflies-digital-sheet-music/22378788
https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1225362/Product.aspx

The World of Starlit Butterflies, 2022, 1 movement, keyboard ensemble (piano & electronic keyboard)
VIDEO – AUDIO
https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/the-world-of-starlit-butterflies-digital-sheet-music/22377404
https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/en-US/se/ID_No/1224408/Product.aspx

The piano part is completely rewritten so it’s shorter and hopefully more interesting but still fun to play and listen to. The 2 keyboard version and the solo piano version have exactly the same piano part. In other words, the strings are optional. Using the second keyboard gives pianists the chance to experience ensemble playing, a skill they’ll need in order to earn a living later in life. The fundamental piece is the solo piano version, the video that leads this article.

I seem to have found “my place,” writing pieces and arrangements for piano that fit the “easy intermediate” difficulty level. I’m quite happy to have found “my place.” It’s my happy place! Those pieces are selling!

Keyboard duos

I’ve been writing a bunch of original pieces (and dozens of arrangements of public domain folk tunes) for what I think might be a combination of instruments that would be attractive to private piano teachers of intermediate and beginner students, especially beginners who only have access to a keyboard. 

They’re for piano (the lead instrument, easy intermediate — may be acoustic piano or electronic) and electronic keyboard (primarily string sounds) in a very easy supporting role. The primary instructional goal is ensemble playing for keyboardists. This is something pianists/keyboardists need to learn but is often neglected but is an eventual, valuable professional skill.

Scores are available for perusal and purchase at SheetMusicPlus at these links (there are score samples and audio & video media):

Garden of Stars: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/garden-of-stars-digital-sheet-music/22377395?narrow_by=garden+of+stars
The World of Starlit Butterflies: https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/the-world-of-starlit-butterflies-digital-sheet-music/22377404?narrow_by=the+world+of+starlit+butterflies