Contains:
"En Face Du Miroir (Facing The Mirror)"
- taken from the Isadar solo piano complete collection, "Red" (also available on SMP)

Sounds like: Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Liz Story, George Winston, early Windham Hill solo piano artists

Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Album & Songbook Review by: Kathy Parsons

Red is pianist/composer Isadar?s genre-defying tenth solo piano album and seventeenth independent release from the past twenty years. It is also the third installment in a trilogy of solo piano albums released in the past year - Reconstructed, a Will Ackerman-produced anthology of some of Isadar?s best piano pieces; O Christmas, Isadar?s second piano Christmas album; and now Red, a bittersweet love-themed album that took seven years to produce and that consists of the first new original solo piano material Isadar has released in more than ten years.

I have been reviewing and thoroughly enjoying Isadar?s releases since his second piano album, 1999?s Active Imagination, which still stands as one of my favorite recordings. Even though I have been a big fan for many years, I was still blown away by Isadar?s live performance in my house concert series in July 2010. The man has magic fingers and an extraordinary piano touch that are perfectly suited to express his imaginative, distinctive, and emotionally powerful music.

Isadar is also a singer/songwriter and an electronic musician who creates the music videos for much of his music, dramatizing the stories that inspired the songs. I will always be partial to Isadar?s piano albums because his voice and vision are unique, incorporating jazz, new age, pop, and classical stylings into a musical language all his own.

Red opens with ?Broken Valentine,? a free-flowing expression of heartbreak and the broad range of emotions that go with it, alternating between grief and confusion then shifting to perhaps anger and resignation - a great beginning. The title track conveys the freedom of an improvisation while weaving together a variety of upbeat themes. ?The Man Who Broke My Heart? is energetic and in constant swirling motion - also very free and from deep within. ?The Stairwell? is darker and much more mysterious, overflowing with Isadar?s intriguing accented rhythms and picturesque compositional style. My favorite track is the almost nine-minute ?Letting Go,? a piece that intertwines a series of musical vignettes into a powerful, colorful musical collage. I love the way Isadar seamlessly goes from flowing and smooth to a bouncy jazz style to high drama without missing a beat. Great stuff! ?En Face Du Miroir (Facing the Mirror)? is much lighter, with fingers dancing nimbly around the piano keyboard. The album closes with ?Blood ... Thicker Than Water,? again a combination of changing themes that could well be a musical family portrait - different personalities working separately and as a unit, bound together by the unseen ties that keep families together through thick and thin.

Isadar has created another piano masterpiece that should be more widely heard than his previous releases due to the success of Reconstructed. I hope so, anyway! Red is available from isadar.com, Amazon, iTunes, and CD Baby. Very highly recommended!

Isadar?s Red: Solo Piano Sheet Music Collection is a note-for-note transcription of all seven pieces from Isadar?s 2013 CD/download release by the same name. The music was transcribed by David Shenton (shentonmusic.com) with clear, concise notation that includes dynamics, pedaling and metronome settings.

Isadar is an amazing pianist with a style all his own, so this isn?t a book that most pianists will be able to just sit down and play. It will take some work and attention to detail to get this music right, but it will be well worth the effort. Having the recording for handy reference would be a big help.

Rhythms are often complex and syncopated, but are usually repeated within each piece, so once you have them, the rest will follow fairly easily. There are only a few chords with a reach of more than an octave and none of the key signatures are terribly difficult. The layout and spacing of the music is excellent, and the paper stock is a bright white 9?x12? format with a stapled binding.

If you enjoy listening to Isadar?s music, I?m sure you will enjoy playing it, too! This songbook is available from isadar.com. Recommended!

The songs with their key signatures and the number of pages is listed below:

Broken Valentine - C minor (3 flats) - 4 pages
Red - A minor (0 sharps or flats) - 5 pages
The Man Who Broke My Heart - A minor - 6 pages
The Stairwell - F# minor (3 sharps) - 7 pages
Letting Go - F minor (4 flats) / C minor (3 flats) - 8 pages
En Face Du Miroir (Facing the Mirror) - Ab (4 flats) / F minor/ Bb minor (5 flats) / Db (5 flats) - 7 pages
Blood ... Thicker Than Water - A Minor/ C (0) / F (1 flat) - 7 pages

Isadar is an artist on both Enlightened Piano Radio & Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, the latter featuring some of today's biggest names in solo piano music, including Ludovico Einaudi, David Nevue, Brian Crain, Kevin Kern, Robin Spielberg, Michele McLaughlin, Philip Wesley and over 300 more...

Also available as sheet music in physical songbooks, digital downloads, as well as software for Yamaha Disklavier player-pianos.

For more information, visit his website at: http://www.isadar.com

Contains A Night in the House of Usher Un Jour affreux avec Le Diable dans le beffroi, Les accords de septième regrettent!!!, Petite Valse,Fêtes galantes, and Prélude à ?L?Histoire de Tristan?

From Robert Orledge's notes:

My interest in the wonderful music of Claude Debussy began in the 1980s when I researched and published a book with Cambridge University Press entitled Debussy and the Theatre. During the course of my studies in Paris, I was amazed to discover that Debussy planned over 50 theatrical works but only finished two of these entirely by himself (the opera Pelléas et Mélisande in 1893?1902 and the ballet Jeux for Diaghilev?s Ballets Russes in 1912?13). Of the rest, many were never started musically (like Siddartha and Orphée-roi with the Oriental scholar Victor Segalen, 1907); some had a few tantalising sketches (like the Edgar Allan Poe opera Le Diable dans le beffroi, 1902?03); some were half-finished (like his other Poe opera La Chute de la Maison Usher, 1908?17); while others were musically complete but had their orchestrations completed by other composers (like Khamma, by Charles Koechlin, 1912?13; or Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien and La Boîte à joujoux by his ?angel of corrections? [?l?ange des Corrections?] André Caplet in 1911 and 1919 respectively).

For it has to be admitted that what some scholars call Debussy?s ?compulsive achievement? could equally well be viewed as laziness, especially as far as the minute detail required for calligraphing his orchestral scores was concerned. It was as if creating the music itself was of greater importance than controlling its final sound, even if Debussy was an imaginative orchestrator when he found the time and energy to do it. It also seems true that Debussy also preferred inventing ideas to turning them into complete pieces. However, despite the lack of detail in many of his sketches (missing clefs, key signatures, dynamics, phrasing, etc.) the notes themselves are surprisingly accurate, whether or not they can be compared with a later draft. Thus, a large number of sketches exist for his Chinese ballet No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence and it is not too difficult to see which parts of Georges de Feure?s 1913 scenario (see below) inspired which ideas. But Debussy hardly made any attempt to join them together after the first few bars.

It was usually up to his publisher, Jacques Durand, to find solutions when Debussy risked a breach of contract. Debussy was supposed to supervise the orchestrations completed by others, but this supervision was usually very light and restricted to quiet, sensitive moments in which problems were easier to spot. Far from jealously guarding every one of his created notes, as Ravel did, Debussy once even went as far as to ask Koechlin to ?write a ballet for him that he would sign? on 26 March 1914 when he was hard-pressed to fulfil his lucrative contract for No-ja-li with André Charlot at the Alhambra Theatre in London. In the end, Debussy (through Durand) sent Charlot the symphonic suite Printemps instead, whose orchestration had been completed by Henri Busser in the Spring of 1912.

So, when I was offered early retirement as Professor of Music at Liverpool University in 2004, I seized the opportunity it would give me to spend time trying to reconstruct some of Debussy?s lost potential masterpieces from his existing sketches and drafts?then orchestrating them in Debussy?s style when this was appropriate. I had begun this mission in 2001 with the most promising project, the missing parts of Scene 2 of La Chute de la Maison Usher and the sheer joy it gave me at every stage persuaded me to tackle other projects, especially when Debussy experts were unable to identify exactly where I took over from Debussy (and vice versa) in Usher.

Contains Le Roi Lear: Prélude,Première Fanfare, and La Mort de Cordélia,Toomai des éléphants, Rodrigue et Chimène: Prélude à l?acte 1p. Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien: La Passion , and No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence

From Robert Orledge's notes:

My interest in the wonderful music of Claude Debussy began in the 1980s when I researched and published a book with Cambridge University Press entitled Debussy and the Theatre. During the course of my studies in Paris, I was amazed to discover that Debussy planned over 50 theatrical works but only finished two of these entirely by himself (the opera Pelléas et Mélisande in 1893?1902 and the ballet Jeux for Diaghilev?s Ballets Russes in 1912?13). Of the rest, many were never started musically (like Siddartha and Orphée-roi with the Oriental scholar Victor Segalen, 1907); some had a few tantalising sketches (like the Edgar Allan Poe opera Le Diable dans le beffroi, 1902?03); some were half-finished (like his other Poe opera La Chute de la Maison Usher, 1908?17); while others were musically complete but had their orchestrations completed by other composers (like Khamma, by Charles Koechlin, 1912?13; or Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien and La Boîte à joujoux by his ?angel of corrections? [?l?ange des Corrections?] André Caplet in 1911 and 1919 respectively).

For it has to be admitted that what some scholars call Debussy?s ?compulsive achievement? could equally well be viewed as laziness, especially as far as the minute detail required for calligraphing his orchestral scores was concerned. It was as if creating the music itself was of greater importance than controlling its final sound, even if Debussy was an imaginative orchestrator when he found the time and energy to do it. It also seems true that Debussy also preferred inventing ideas to turning them into complete pieces. However, despite the lack of detail in many of his sketches (missing clefs, key signatures, dynamics, phrasing, etc.) the notes themselves are surprisingly accurate, whether or not they can be compared with a later draft. Thus, a large number of sketches exist for his Chinese ballet No-ja-li ou Le Palais du Silence and it is not too difficult to see which parts of Georges de Feure?s 1913 scenario (see below) inspired which ideas. But Debussy hardly made any attempt to join them together after the first few bars.

It was usually up to his publisher, Jacques Durand, to find solutions when Debussy risked a breach of contract. Debussy was supposed to supervise the orchestrations completed by others, but this supervision was usually very light and restricted to quiet, sensitive moments in which problems were easier to spot. Far from jealously guarding every one of his created notes, as Ravel did, Debussy once even went as far as to ask Koechlin to ?write a ballet for him that he would sign? on 26 March 1914 when he was hard-pressed to fulfil his lucrative contract for No-ja-li with André Charlot at the Alhambra Theatre in London. In the end, Debussy (through Durand) sent Charlot the symphonic suite Printemps instead, whose orchestration had been completed by Henri Busser in the Spring of 1912.

So, when I was offered early retirement as Professor of Music at Liverpool University in 2004, I seized the opportunity it would give me to spend time trying to reconstruct some of Debussy?s lost potential masterpieces from his existing sketches and drafts?then orchestrating them in Debussy?s style when this was appropriate. I had begun this mission in 2001 with the most promising project, the missing parts of Scene 2 of La Chute de la Maison Usher and the sheer joy it gave me at every stage persuaded me to tackle other projects, especially when Debussy experts were unable to identify exactly where I took over from Debussy (and vice versa) in Usher.

With this sheet music, you can play "Sweet Home Alabama" on piano!

It's a challenging, but playable piano arrangement for experienced players.
With this sheet music, "Sweet Home Alabama" will sound amazing on piano!

The full melody is included in the piano part, so it makes for a perfect instrumental (piano solo) cover.

"Sweet Home Alabama" was first released in 1974 on "Second Helping", the second album by American Southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Written as a response to Neil Young's songs "Southern Man" and "Alabama" (which were about racism and slavery in the American South), there later was some controversy about the song's lyrics.
However, Young called the song a "great record", and was critical of his own songs.
Lynyrd Skynyrd's lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, on the other hand, repeatedly performed wearing a Neil Young t-shirt.

Without a doubt, "Sweet Home Alabama" is Lynyrd Skynyrd's biggest hit, a prime example of Southern rock, and an everlasting classic.

The song appeared in countless films, from "8 Mile" to the 2010 animated film "Despicable Me".

It's also an amazing song to play on the piano!

Here are the full lyrics to "Sweet Home Alabama":

[Verse 1]
Big wheels keep on turnin'
Carry me home to see my kin
Singin' songs about the southland
I miss Alabamy once again
And I think it's a sin, yes

[Verse 2]
Well I heard Mr. Young sing about her (Southern man)
Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around, anyhow

[Chorus]
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you

[Verse 3]
In Birmingham they love the governor (Boo! Boo! Boo!)
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth

[Chorus]
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come, Alabama

[Verse 4]
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two (Yes, they do)
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how 'bout you?

[Chorus]
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you

This "Classical Pop" cover, arranged by Kawai Artist Christine Brown, is an (adv./intermediate) solo piano arrangement of the iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody", a chill, classical/new age version of the song. From the popular piano cover album"Timeless", part 2 of a collection of classic rock/pop hits that are blended "seamlessly" with other pop or classical songs, appealing to generations young and old, being introduced to the iconic classics in a new way. Christine is a distinguished Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of contemporary classical solo piano. Christine?s music is a unique blend of new age, contemporary and classical sounds. With her graceful, elegant touch, Christine paints a colorful landscape with thoughtful musical interpretations of life's emotions and experiences. Since the young age of three, she has been fascinated by the piano. Christine's childhood classical training is evident in her melodic and thematic compositions, while rich harmonies reflect her background in accompanying various choral groups. From Chopin to Joplin, her influences were varied and many, and she also enjoyed creating her own arrangements of popular songs. While attending the University of Colorado, Christine was inspired by George Winston's new age genre of solo piano, yet for many years the piano remained only a hobby. Christine rediscovered her passion for the piano, immersing herself in her music after the loss of her mother in 1990. She began composing, using the piano to voice her emotions, releasing heartfelt compositions that captured listeners.

Christine has released 13 CDs, including her original works, "a mixture of passion, exceptional playing chops and an abundance of grace consistently puts her music in a category of its own. . . the pieces express a wide range of emotions and experiences with depth, sincerity and an elegant touch." MainlyPiano.com. Her original music on ?Souvenirs" (2014) won Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. Christine?s unique arrangements of holiday, pop/rock and children?s music have earned numerous awards. ?A Classic Christmas II? was awarded Best Holiday Album of 2018 by SoloPiano.com. ?Seamless? (2016), a creative mashup collection, was awarded SoloPiano.com's Pop/Rock Piano Album of the Year 2016 a unique fusion of popular cover songs and classical and new age pieces, a sophisticated and seamless musical tapestry with clever medleys of timeless melodies. Original albums, ?Ascend? (2017), ?The Wishing Well" (2011) and "Promise" ( 2009), were also nominated for Piano Album of the Year. Reviewers have noted Christine?s music as ?so stunning and full flowing, with wonderfully crafted compositions and magical and emotive performances. Her care and attention to detail while creating such incredibly powerful and moving pieces will not go unnoticed."

Christine?s style of playing has a unique classical influence with a new age sensitivity that evokes strong emotions. Inspired by her life experiences and emotions, Christine creates captivating music that tells a story, with depth and sincerity. Fans write, "Her music is vibrant, colorful and full of life. Skilled at the art of blending chords and note progressions into beautiful aural tapestries, her emotions come through her music ... and through her music she is able to reach out and touch the hearts of millions of appreciative piano music fans." Christine currently resides in San Diego, California.

A gorgeous arrangement of the Moody Blues classic, "Nights in White Satin", blended with nuances of Debussy's classical masterpiece, "Clair de Lune". This "Classical Pop" cover, arranged by Kawai Artist Christine Brown, is a solo piano arrangement from the popular piano cover album"Timeless", part 2 of a collection of classic rock/pop hits that are blended "seamlessly" with classical songs, appealing to generations young and old, being introduced to the iconic classics in a new way. Christine is a distinguished Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of contemporary classical solo piano. Christine?s music is a unique blend of new age, contemporary and classical sounds. With her graceful, elegant touch, Christine paints a colorful landscape with thoughtful musical interpretations of life's emotions and experiences. Since the young age of three, she has been fascinated by the piano. Christine's childhood classical training is evident in her melodic and thematic compositions, while rich harmonies reflect her background in accompanying various choral groups. From Chopin to Joplin, her influences were varied and many, and she also enjoyed creating her own arrangements of popular songs. While attending the University of Colorado, Christine was inspired by George Winston's new age genre of solo piano, yet for many years the piano remained only a hobby. Christine rediscovered her passion for the piano, immersing herself in her music after the loss of her mother in 1990. She began composing, using the piano to voice her emotions, releasing heartfelt compositions that captured listeners.

Christine has released 13 CDs, including her original works, "a mixture of passion, exceptional playing chops and an abundance of grace consistently puts her music in a category of its own. . . the pieces express a wide range of emotions and experiences with depth, sincerity and an elegant touch." MainlyPiano.com. Her original music on ?Souvenirs" (2014) won Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. Christine?s unique arrangements of holiday, pop/rock and children?s music have earned numerous awards. ?A Classic Christmas II? was awarded Best Holiday Album of 2018 by SoloPiano.com. ?Seamless? (2016), a creative mashup collection, was awarded SoloPiano.com's Pop/Rock Piano Album of the Year 2016 a unique fusion of popular cover songs and classical and new age pieces, a sophisticated and seamless musical tapestry with clever medleys of timeless melodies. Original albums, ?Ascend? (2017), ?The Wishing Well" (2011) and "Promise" ( 2009), were also nominated for Piano Album of the Year. Reviewers have noted Christine?s music as ?so stunning and full flowing, with wonderfully crafted compositions and magical and emotive performances. Her care and attention to detail while creating such incredibly powerful and moving pieces will not go unnoticed."

Christine?s style of playing has a unique classical influence with a new age sensitivity that evokes strong emotions. Inspired by her life experiences and emotions, Christine creates captivating music that tells a story, with depth and sincerity. Fans write, "Her music is vibrant, colorful and full of life. Skilled at the art of blending chords and note progressions into beautiful aural tapestries, her emotions come through her music ... and through her music she is able to reach out and touch the hearts of millions of appreciative piano music fans." Christine currently resides in San Diego, California.

This classical pop cover, arranged by Kawai Artist Christine Brown, is a solo piano arrangement from the popular song, blended with classical excerpts of Bach's Minuet in G, from the piano cover album"Timeless", part 2 of a collection of classic rock/pop hits that are blended seamlessly with classical nuances, appealing to generations young and old, being introduced to the iconic classics in a new way. Christine is a distinguished Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of contemporary classical solo piano. Christine?s music is a unique blend of new age, contemporary and classical sounds. With her graceful, elegant touch, Christine paints a colorful landscape with thoughtful musical interpretations of life's emotions and experiences. Since the young age of three, she has been fascinated by the piano. Christine's childhood classical training is evident in her melodic and thematic compositions, while rich harmonies reflect her background in accompanying various choral groups. From Chopin to Joplin, her influences were varied and many, and she also enjoyed creating her own arrangements of popular songs. While attending the University of Colorado, Christine was inspired by George Winston's new age genre of solo piano, yet for many years the piano remained only a hobby. Christine rediscovered her passion for the piano, immersing herself in her music after the loss of her mother in 1990. She began composing, using the piano to voice her emotions, releasing heartfelt compositions that captured listeners.

Christine has released 13 CDs, including her original works, "a mixture of passion, exceptional playing chops and an abundance of grace consistently puts her music in a category of its own. . . the pieces express a wide range of emotions and experiences with depth, sincerity and an elegant touch." MainlyPiano.com. Her original music on ?Souvenirs" (2014) won Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. Christine?s unique arrangements of holiday, pop/rock and children?s music have earned numerous awards. ?A Classic Christmas II? was awarded Best Holiday Album of 2018 by SoloPiano.com. ?Seamless? (2016), a creative mashup collection, was awarded SoloPiano.com's Pop/Rock Piano Album of the Year 2016 a unique fusion of popular cover songs and classical and new age pieces, a sophisticated and seamless musical tapestry with clever medleys of timeless melodies. Original albums, ?Ascend? (2017), ?The Wishing Well" (2011) and "Promise" ( 2009), were also nominated for Piano Album of the Year. Reviewers have noted Christine?s music as ?so stunning and full flowing, with wonderfully crafted compositions and magical and emotive performances. Her care and attention to detail while creating such incredibly powerful and moving pieces will not go unnoticed."

Christine?s style of playing has a unique classical influence with a new age sensitivity that evokes strong emotions. Inspired by her life experiences and emotions, Christine creates captivating music that tells a story, with depth and sincerity. Fans write, "Her music is vibrant, colorful and full of life. Skilled at the art of blending chords and note progressions into beautiful aural tapestries, her emotions come through her music ... and through her music she is able to reach out and touch the hearts of millions of appreciative piano music fans." Christine currently resides in San Diego, California.

This classical pop cover, arranged by Kawai Artist Christine Brown, is a solo piano arrangement from the popular piano cover album"Timeless", part 2 of a collection of classic rock/pop hits that are blended seamlessly with classical nuances, appealing to generations young and old, being introduced to the iconic classics in a new way. Christine is a distinguished Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of contemporary classical solo piano. Christine?s music is a unique blend of new age, contemporary and classical sounds. With her graceful, elegant touch, Christine paints a colorful landscape with thoughtful musical interpretations of life's emotions and experiences. Since the young age of three, she has been fascinated by the piano. Christine's childhood classical training is evident in her melodic and thematic compositions, while rich harmonies reflect her background in accompanying various choral groups. From Chopin to Joplin, her influences were varied and many, and she also enjoyed creating her own arrangements of popular songs. While attending the University of Colorado, Christine was inspired by George Winston's new age genre of solo piano, yet for many years the piano remained only a hobby. Christine rediscovered her passion for the piano, immersing herself in her music after the loss of her mother in 1990. She began composing, using the piano to voice her emotions, releasing heartfelt compositions that captured listeners.

Christine has released 13 CDs, including her original works, "a mixture of passion, exceptional playing chops and an abundance of grace consistently puts her music in a category of its own. . . the pieces express a wide range of emotions and experiences with depth, sincerity and an elegant touch." MainlyPiano.com. Her original music on ?Souvenirs" (2014) won Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. Christine?s unique arrangements of holiday, pop/rock and children?s music have earned numerous awards. ?A Classic Christmas II? was awarded Best Holiday Album of 2018 by SoloPiano.com. ?Seamless? (2016), a creative mashup collection, was awarded SoloPiano.com's Pop/Rock Piano Album of the Year 2016 a unique fusion of popular cover songs and classical and new age pieces, a sophisticated and seamless musical tapestry with clever medleys of timeless melodies. Original albums, ?Ascend? (2017), ?The Wishing Well" (2011) and "Promise" ( 2009), were also nominated for Piano Album of the Year. Reviewers have noted Christine?s music as ?so stunning and full flowing, with wonderfully crafted compositions and magical and emotive performances. Her care and attention to detail while creating such incredibly powerful and moving pieces will not go unnoticed."

Christine?s style of playing has a unique classical influence with a new age sensitivity that evokes strong emotions. Inspired by her life experiences and emotions, Christine creates captivating music that tells a story, with depth and sincerity. Fans write, "Her music is vibrant, colorful and full of life. Skilled at the art of blending chords and note progressions into beautiful aural tapestries, her emotions come through her music ... and through her music she is able to reach out and touch the hearts of millions of appreciative piano music fans." Christine currently resides in San Diego, California.

This classical pop cover, arranged by Kawai Artist Christine Brown, is a solo piano arrangement from the popular piano cover album"Timeless", part 2 of a collection of classic rock/pop hits that are blended seamlessly with classical nuances, appealing to generations young and old, being introduced to the iconic classics in a new way. Christine is a distinguished Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of contemporary classical solo piano. Christine?s music is a unique blend of new age, contemporary and classical sounds. With her graceful, elegant touch, Christine paints a colorful landscape with thoughtful musical interpretations of life's emotions and experiences. Since the young age of three, she has been fascinated by the piano. Christine's childhood classical training is evident in her melodic and thematic compositions, while rich harmonies reflect her background in accompanying various choral groups. From Chopin to Joplin, her influences were varied and many, and she also enjoyed creating her own arrangements of popular songs. While attending the University of Colorado, Christine was inspired by George Winston's new age genre of solo piano, yet for many years the piano remained only a hobby. Christine rediscovered her passion for the piano, immersing herself in her music after the loss of her mother in 1990. She began composing, using the piano to voice her emotions, releasing heartfelt compositions that captured listeners.

Christine has released 13 CDs, including her original works, "a mixture of passion, exceptional playing chops and an abundance of grace consistently puts her music in a category of its own. . . the pieces express a wide range of emotions and experiences with depth, sincerity and an elegant touch." MainlyPiano.com. Her original music on ?Souvenirs" (2014) won Best Solo Piano Album of the Year by Whisperings Solo Piano Radio. Christine?s unique arrangements of holiday, pop/rock and children?s music have earned numerous awards. ?A Classic Christmas II? was awarded Best Holiday Album of 2018 by SoloPiano.com. ?Seamless? (2016), a creative mashup collection, was awarded SoloPiano.com's Pop/Rock Piano Album of the Year 2016 a unique fusion of popular cover songs and classical and new age pieces, a sophisticated and seamless musical tapestry with clever medleys of timeless melodies. Original albums, ?Ascend? (2017), ?The Wishing Well" (2011) and "Promise" ( 2009), were also nominated for Piano Album of the Year. Reviewers have noted Christine?s music as ?so stunning and full flowing, with wonderfully crafted compositions and magical and emotive performances. Her care and attention to detail while creating such incredibly powerful and moving pieces will not go unnoticed."

Christine?s style of playing has a unique classical influence with a new age sensitivity that evokes strong emotions. Inspired by her life experiences and emotions, Christine creates captivating music that tells a story, with depth and sincerity. Fans write, "Her music is vibrant, colorful and full of life. Skilled at the art of blending chords and note progressions into beautiful aural tapestries, her emotions come through her music ... and through her music she is able to reach out and touch the hearts of millions of appreciative piano music fans." Christine currently resides in San Diego, California.

Sounds like: Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Liz Story's "The Gift", George Winston's "December", early Windham Hill solo piano artists, and "A Winter's Solstice" compilations.


Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Contents:
1. Bring A Torch (Bring A Torch, Jeanette, Isabella)
2. Children Go Where I Send Thee / The Holly & The Ivy
3. Star Of Wonder (We Three Kings of Orient Are)
4. Silent (Silent Night, Holy Night)
5. Midnight (It Came Upon the Midnight Clear)
6. What Child Is This?
7. Greensleeves (homage to Liz Story)
8. Three Ships (I Saw Three Ships, Come Sailing In)
9. The Coventry Carol (Lully, Lulla, Lullay)
10. Sing We Now Of Christmas (Noël Nouvelet)
11. Carol Of The Bells

Album & Songbook review by: Kathy Parsons (MainlyPiano.com):

I have discovered a real wealth of great solo piano Christmas CDs this year! Isadar?s In Search For the Meaning of Christmas definitely falls into this category! Thoughtful, introspective, and a bit moody, Isadar?s arrangements are true to the carols (with some small melody changes in ?Bring a Torch? and ?Carol of the Bells? that bother me just a little) and still seem very personal. ?Bring a Torch?, ?The Holly and the Ivy?, and ?I Saw Three Ships? are given a lighthearted, joyful treatment. ?Star of Wonder (We Three Kings)?, ?What Child Is This??, ?The Coventry Carol?, and ?Sing We Now of Christmas? are all minor, somber, reverent pieces, and all four are given loving arrangements that keep the dark, mysterious nature of the songs and reflect Isadar?s own sensibilities. ?Carol of the Bells? and Isadar's take on Liz Story?s arrangement of ?Greensleeves? are energetic without losing all abandon. ?Silent Night? and ?It Came Upon a Midnight Clear? present us with a very cold, deep solitude - both feel like late night with moonlight reflecting off the snow. Both are moody, but very beautifully so. George Winston?s ?December? is one of my all-time favorite holiday albums, and I feel In Search For the Meaning of Christmas holds up exceptionally well next to it. This is an excellent collection of Christmas music, and I highly recommend it!

In Search For the Meaning of Christmas is the companion songbook to Isadar?s 1999 solo piano release by the same name. Meticulously transcribed note-for-note by David Shenton of New York Music Publishing, the music is faithful to the recording in every way (except for the pianist - YOU!). The scores are clear, concise, and easy to read, and also include chord indications for improvisation or the use of instruments other than or in addition to the piano. Isadar?s arrangements cover a whole range of emotions, from very dark and somber to joyful and buoyant. All of the pieces from the CD are here, including Isadar?s homage to Liz Story and her beautiful version of ?Greensleeves.? My personal favorites of the eleven songs in this book are the bright and cheerful ?Bring A Torch,? ?What Child Is This??, ?Greensleeves,? the darkly gorgeous ?The Coventry Carol,? and ?Sing We Now of Christmas.? Other titles that I really like are ?Children Go Where I Send Thee/The Holly and the Ivy,? ?Star of Wonder (We Three Kings)," ?Carol of the Bells,? and the effervescent ?Three Ships.? ?Silent? (Silent Night) and ?Midnight? (It Came Upon a Midnight Clear) are a bit too dark for my own holiday tastes, but are interesting and very personal arrangements. This book will make a great addition to your holiday sheet music collection and is available from isadar.com and amazon.com.

Isadar is an artist on both Enlightened Piano Radio & Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, the latter featuring some of today's biggest names in solo piano music, including Ludovico Einaudi, David Nevue, Brian Crain, Kevin Kern, Robin Spielberg, Michele McLaughlin, Philip Wesley and over 300 more...

Also available as sheet music in physical songbooks, digital downloads, as well as software for Yamaha Disklavier player-pianos.

For more information, visit his website at: http://www.isadar.com

Contains:
"Carol Of The Bells"
- taken from the Isadar solo piano collection, "In Search For The Meaning Of Christmas"

Sounds like: Liz Story, George Winston, early Windham Hill solo piano artists, "A Winter's Solstice" compilations.

Transcribed by: David Shenton ( https://www.shentonmusic.com/ ) verbatim to the sound recording

Album & Songbook review by: Kathy Parsons (MainlyPiano.com):

I have discovered a real wealth of great solo piano Christmas CDs this year! Isadar?s In Search For the Meaning of Christmas definitely falls into this category! Thoughtful, introspective, and a bit moody, Isadar?s arrangements are true to the carols (with some small melody changes in ?Bring a Torch? and ?Carol of the Bells? that bother me just a little) and still seem very personal. ?Bring a Torch?, ?The Holly and the Ivy?, and ?I Saw Three Ships? are given a lighthearted, joyful treatment. ?Star of Wonder (We Three Kings)?, ?What Child Is This??, ?The Coventry Carol?, and ?Sing We Now of Christmas? are all minor, somber, reverent pieces, and all four are given loving arrangements that keep the dark, mysterious nature of the songs and reflect Isadar?s own sensibilities. ?Carol of the Bells? and Isadar's take on Liz Story?s arrangement of ?Greensleeves? are energetic without losing all abandon. ?Silent Night? and ?It Came Upon a Midnight Clear? present us with a very cold, deep solitude - both feel like late night with moonlight reflecting off the snow. Both are moody, but very beautifully so. George Winston?s ?December? is one of my all-time favorite holiday albums, and I feel In Search For the Meaning of Christmas holds up exceptionally well next to it. This is an excellent collection of Christmas music, and I highly recommend it!

In Search For the Meaning of Christmas is the companion songbook to Isadar?s 1999 solo piano release by the same name. Meticulously transcribed note-for-note by David Shenton of New York Music Publishing, the music is faithful to the recording in every way (except for the pianist - YOU!). The scores are clear, concise, and easy to read, and also include chord indications for improvisation or the use of instruments other than or in addition to the piano. Isadar?s arrangements cover a whole range of emotions, from very dark and somber to joyful and buoyant. All of the pieces from the CD are here, including Isadar?s homage to Liz Story and her beautiful version of ?Greensleeves.? My personal favorites of the eleven songs in this book are the bright and cheerful ?Bring A Torch,? ?What Child Is This??, ?Greensleeves,? the darkly gorgeous ?The Coventry Carol,? and ?Sing We Now of Christmas.? Other titles that I really like are ?Children Go Where I Send Thee/The Holly and the Ivy,? ?Star of Wonder (We Three Kings)," ?Carol of the Bells,? and the effervescent ?Three Ships.? ?Silent? (Silent Night) and ?Midnight? (It Came Upon a Midnight Clear) are a bit too dark for my own holiday tastes, but are interesting and very personal arrangements. This book will make a great addition to your holiday sheet music collection and is available from isadar.com and amazon.com.

Isadar is an artist on both Enlightened Piano Radio & Whisperings Solo Piano Radio, the latter featuring some of today's biggest names in solo piano music, including Ludovico Einaudi, David Nevue, Brian Crain, Kevin Kern, Robin Spielberg, Michele McLaughlin, Philip Wesley and over 300 more...

Also available as sheet music in physical songbooks, digital downloads, as well as software for Yamaha Disklavier player-pianos.

Juan María Solare: Numbered Places (eleven piano pieces)



01 - One Way Flight to... (2:50)

02 - Twopenny Loaf [USA] (3:45)

03 - Three Bridges [UK] (2:25)

04 - Four Oaks [USA] (3:00)

05 - Five Pointz [NYC] (3:45)

06 - Six Mile Bottom [UK] (2:40)

07 - Seven Kings [UK] (5:10)

08 - Eight Streets [USA] (5:55)

09 - Nine Elms [UK] (2:50)

10 - Ten Ten Road [NC, USA] (3:25)

11 - Eleven Lands [UK] (3:30)



Totaltime: 39:15

Numbered Places * piano * music by Juan María Solare



The cycle Numbered Places startsfrom a simple idea: the piece nr. 1 would have a title that begins with theword One, the piece nr. 2 a titlethat begins with the word Two and soon up to an arbitrary number (in this case, eleven).



For everything to have more cohesion, English names of different places orregions in either USA or (mainly) UK were used.



In its own way, Numbered Placesis therefore a conceptual album - alreadyfrom the point of view of titles.



Also musically, this world of sound has cohesion: instrumental piano music,neoclassical aesthetics (a somewhat broad concept that encompasses composerssuch as Erik Satie or Ludovico Einaudi), a certain simplicity in its surface.



Let us briefly comment each of the titles:



- One WayFlight to ...: The imaginary journey starts here. Each person will completethe sentence with the destiny of their choice.

- TwopennyLoaf: This is a neighborhood (and geographically a cape) in the city ofGloucester, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. It is believed to have gotten itsname because it is shaped like a (bread) loaf that at the time cost twopennies.

- ThreeBridges: It is a city somewhere between London and Brighton, and a nodalpoint where trains typically split. Musically, the most minimalistic of all thecycle.

- Four Oaks:There are numerous places so named, both in England and the US, and possibly inother countries. I can imagine that there were actually four oak trees planted near.

- FivePointz: Neighborhood in Queens, New York. A graffiti mecca that wasdemolished in 2014 to build expensive buildings. And yes, it is spelled with zin this case.

- Six MileBottom: Is a hamlet near Cambridge in England. The hamlet derives its namefrom its distance from the start of Newmarket Racecourse and because it lies ina valley bottom. There is no public transport. The old train station, closed in1967 for lack of use, is now a private residence.

- SevenKings: It is a neighborhood in Ilford, East London. The earliest recordeduse of the name is as Sevekyngg or Sevekyngges in 1285, possibly meaning'settlement of the family or followers of a man called Seofoca'

- EightStreets: it is a (very sought-after) neighborhood located in the heart ofthe historic South End of the city of Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

- Nine Elms:a district of South West London. Nine Elms Lane was named around the year 1645,from a row of elm trees bordering the road.

- Ten TenRoad: it is a place -actually the main road- in the town of Apex, NorthCarolina, USA.

- ElevenLands: this place is mentioned in an old legal report from around 1782 asexisting in North London ("a place called Eleven Lands, containing fiveacres of arable, formerly Cosby's, beonging to a farm in the said parish ofBletcheley...", in " Acollection of the Reports of Cases, the Statutes, and Ecclesiastical Laws,relating to Tithes", volume 3). It has certainly changed its name.Musically, this last piece has a certain tango aura.





Why eleven pieces and not more? The truth is that - incredibly as it mayseem - I didn't find any place called "Twelve" something. Yes thereare such names in other languages, but I wanted to keep some consistency. Thereare also pubs or bars called Twelvewhatever, but since they are not sponsoring my music, I had no motivation togive them free advertising at the moment.



This album was released in early 2020 on Spotify, iTunes and allother online platforms through the label BlissRecordings in London (part of frtyfve).Find your favorite service here: https://frtyfve.lnk.to/NPVol1



There are alsovideos of several pieces of this album. They are in the following playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL70vQeCRYmkp3vEdIkdnjJyiU1aZ_u7HA

Heartfelt original compositions, soothing and peaceful music with beauty and emotion, the companion book from the album "Solo Piano Solace", Christine's16th album release. 11 songs, Intermediate/Early Advanced level, and 55 pages. Christine Brown is a Kawai Piano Artist and award-winning composer of the new age, modern classical solo piano genre. Christine has released many albums that include original music, Christmas arrangements, as well as cover songs and children's music. Her unique cover song arrangements are popular with many generations, often blending pop/rock with classical. Awarded Best Solo Piano Album 2014 for her original compositions on the CD "Souvenirs", two other albums were also nominated for the prestigious award by Solo Piano Radio.com, for "Promise" and "The Wishing Well". A unique collection of mashup cover songs, "Seamless" was awarded Best Pop/Rock Solo Piano Album 2016 by SoloPiano.com, blending classical pieces into a pop/rock seamless arrangements of timeless classics, followed by "Timeless", the second cover collection. Christine's holiday CD, "A Classic Christmas" was named "2012 Favorites List" by MainlyPiano.com.

You can find Christine Brown on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes and Amazon, as well as visit her website at https://www.christinebrownpiano.com/

Here's how to play "If Only for One Night" by Luther Vandross on piano!

With this piano sheet music, you get an accurate piano arrangement of the full song which is playable, and sounds fantastic!
The full melody is included in the piano part, so it makes for a wonderful instrumental (piano solo) cover.
However, you can also use this sheet music to accompany a singer, or sing along yourself - it includes a system for the singer, as well as the song's full lyrics!

Originally written by Brenda Russell for her 1979 debut album, Luther Vandross covered the song for his 1985 album "The Night I Fell in Love" ("If Only for One Night" served as its second single).
The album topped the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts and was ranked #93 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 100 best albums of the 1980s!