Transcriptions roll call

[visitor]

just for fun.  
I *heart transcriptions, paraphrases (and though not in my original scope /purpose of this post, variations on themes from/of, or pieces that quote others ).
Hopefully those that also appreciate these will post. Not a bog down the post with 'i like this transcriptions, or favorites etc."
the role call is specifically , who is working on one/some ie w plans to perform or record. if you have work in progress/wip recorded or would like to, please do. if you want to post a video or audio link to the original work it is based on if a less familiar one, please do so. I love to learn about new works, new versions of pieces I might not know about etc.
I'm working on a few, will update later  

btw those you do yourself and amateur transcriptions are welcome (ie perfect_pitch etc)
also in spirit of discussion, would love to know what specifically appeals to you about the original work, the transcription, both, or where you think the transcription is better than the origianl or vice versa....  

[perfect_pitch]

I'll admit - I have my own thread with my arrangements, so I don't want to step in your territory.

I presume anyone on this forum who sees this thread anyway, will (hopefully) seen a couple of my transcriptions. Sheet Music can be found on my signature below.

Not sure what I want to work on next. Work has been a bit hectic, so I haven't done anything in the last few weeks. Tired as all buggery, so hopefully I will get back to them soon.

For me, half the fun is taking a piece that has been written for other instruments, especially large orchestral pieces, and in arranging them for the piano - I'm probably trying to insinuate:

1 instrument can do everything the orchestra can.     

In terms of what appeals to me about the original work? Depends. Sometimes I do an arrangement because it's popular and I'd like to build up my YouTube channel (Rogue One, City of Stars). Sometimes I do it because I really love the piece (Nico Nico Douga, Max Payne) and sometimes I do it because I'm personally interested in playing it on the piano so see if it can be done - mental curiosity (Halo theme and The theme from Skyrim).

I'll admit, that I don't think any of my arrangements are better than the original, but I hope they're just as bloody good.

[visitor]

I'll admit - I have my own thread with my arrangements, so I don't want to step in your territory.
.

step, please step, more then merrier!  

those wanting to see perfect_pitch's great work, please go here
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=62618.0


btw i suppose we can (though less common, i don't know many/ever if any one who has ever posted or remarked on playing these), orchestral reductions, playing from a conductor score, etc. also welcome (though a rarer skill especially in this playground, i have friends from school that did/could do that stuff and it was rad)

[perfect_pitch]

step, please step, more then merrier!  

those wanting to see perfect_pitch's great work, please go here
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=62618.0

Awww shucks.     

Personally I just play by ear, and notate and transcribe by ear, but I guess that's why I earned the nickname Perfect Pitch. I don't have the worry about trying to work out harmonies... I just know them. It makes listening to classical music (and I suppose any music) quite extraordinary. It's like knowing what the artist was thinking, understanding his brushstrokes when painting a picture... I presume.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

It would be difficult for me to avoid commenting here, having now made two professional cds of operatic transcriptions / paraphrases (here are a couple of threads pertaining to the most recent one, which is in the process of being released: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=61099.0
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=63807.0 )

Tbh, I normally prefer paraphrases to fairly straight transcriptions, compositionally (when I write them) for the sheer fun of embellishing the original, and when I play them, for the pianistic challenges. My teacher used to say "they are etudes in bringing out the melody", and that holds very true imo. It seems to me that you get the best of both worlds here: good tunes and some fingerwork fireworks. Because there's a certain theatricality to Lisztian-type paraphrases, I think they are generally better seen live, rather than just heard. The original source material should ideally be full of melodic interest, drama, emotion - if the arranger has done his job properly, that should also come across naturally in the piano only version.

However, I'm not sure I agree they are necessarily as good as the originals. In the operatic field, it is a pet theory of mine that the paraphrases which derive from bel canto (generally) work better than the ones which derive from, say, Wagnerian opera. There's just so much colour in Wagner that the piano struggles to replicate it all (though the best attempts can be really quite something). Bellini, on the other hand, is far less texturally dense and more harmonically simple, consequently easier to arrange.

Two rarer paraphrases to savour:

the handling of the separate parts from 1.45 is a joy.

And one of my recordings:

I would like to find a decent recording of the Thalberg op.70 set, L'art du chant. One already exists but I found it perfunctory. I believe the Finnish pianist Satu Paavola performed the set this year at the Husum festival and if I find that she's recorded them, I will definitely be buying (visitor - you need to get hold of her already-released Thalberg disc, it is fantastic and I heartily recommend it).

[visitor]

It would be difficult for me to avoid commenting here, having now made two professional cds of operatic transcriptions / paraphrases (here are a couple of threads pertaining to the most recent one, which is in the process of being released: https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=61099.0
https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php?topic=63807.0 )

Tbh, I normally prefer paraphrases to fairly straight transcriptions, compositionally (when I write them) for the sheer fun of embellishing the original, and when I play them, for the pianistic challenges. My teacher used to say "they are etudes in bringing out the melody", and that holds very true imo. It seems to me that you get the best of both worlds here: good tunes and some fingerwork fireworks. Because there's a certain theatricality to Lisztian-type paraphrases, I think they are generally better seen live, rather than just heard. The original source material should ideally be full of melodic interest, drama, emotion - if the arranger has done his job properly, that should also come across naturally in the piano only version.

However, I'm not sure I agree they are necessarily as good as the originals. In the operatic field, it is a pet theory of mine that the paraphrases which derive from bel canto (generally) work better than the ones which derive from, say, Wagnerian opera. There's just so much colour in Wagner that the piano struggles to replicate it all (though the best attempts can be really quite something). Bellini, on the other hand, is far less texturally dense and more harmonically simple, consequently easier to arrange.

Two rarer paraphrases to savour:

the handling of the separate parts from 1.45 is a joy.

And one of my recordings:

I would like to find a decent recording of the Thalberg op.70 set, L'art du chant. One already exists but I found it perfunctory. I believe the Finnish pianist Satu Paavola performed the set this year at the Husum festival and if I find that she's recorded them, I will definitely be buying (visitor - you need to get hold of her already-released Thalberg disc, it is fantastic and I heartily recommend it).

oh yeah those are awesome! and i'll definiately seek out the Thalberg disc!!! *heads over to worldcat.org....

[nw746]

Probably outside the scope of this thread, but I like doing the opposite (i.e. arranging pieces for piano or small ensemble for orchestra/large ensemble)..... or sometimes reducing orchestral pieces for chamber ensembles, never anything for piano though. At least not yet. I'd need an excuse. >.>

[visitor]

recently started working on Grandblue Fantasy music, i have the concert transcriptions score i imported earlier this summer from Japan, it's awesome, has that 'Uematsu' sound I like from his work w Final Fantasy, actually this album if there had been a Final Fantasy IX-2, I feel it would have been a lot like what we get here. I'm working on the first opening piece of themes as played by by orchestra from a symphonic disc release they did

what appeals to me is the build up from a very pretty quiet melody (in above , the flute solo), and then the happy sort of march like fanfare - triumphant theme symbolizing setting out on an adventure, so it's happy and full of energy.

[arnerich]

I took the first 8 bars of "To Make You Feel My Love" and turned it into a chaconne, it was an anniversary present for my wife. 

[visitor]

Another type of transcriptions I really like and occasionally work on are score realizations of improvisations, usually by the composer or pianist that improved ie they transcribe themselves, but not always, ie this is really cool
[ Invalid YouTube link ]

Or the a stylized and reharmonized transcription of a song ie voice,  gets reworked for piano, those can be great fun too, ie i ha e this and i don't really like the poppy song it's based on but I love the way he transcribed it to piano

[visitor]

This is cool

[goldentone]

Did you know, Visitor, that in band we played a pop Swan Lake arrangement?
The band began to fall apart toward the end, so I pulled out the stops of my lungs to save
us.  It seemed like your two posts of Swan Lake was channeling my childhood.