Even non-musicians around the world are undoubtedly familiar with one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s more famous compositions, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring. Usually, this song is played in a slow, almost reverent style during weddings or in religious and liturgical services. However, many music lovers aren’t aware that this recognizable tune was actually intended to be played in a much more upbeat manner.

The song was originally composed for accompaniment of voices, as well as traditional orchestral instruments, particularly woodwinds, strings, and brass. Today though, it is more often performed on piano and organ. It’s difficult to say whether or not Bach might be rolling over in his grave every time the slower version of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring graces someone’s nuptial ceremony. Nevertheless this piece has won the affections of both aficionados and non-musicians alike. In fact, of all of Bach’s compositions, this one is his most recognized.

The German-born composer originally wrote his composition in the early 1700′s. It was performed publically for the first time on July2, 1723 as part of Bach’s cantata: “Herz und Mund Tat und Leben” (“Heart and Mouth and Deed and Life”). What is perhaps less known about this fondly-loved composition is that the underlying choral melody was actually composed by violinist Johan Schop.

Schop was something of a pioneer in the music world during the early 1700′s. Considered to be a virtuoso, his technical ability was largely unsurpassed by his contemporaries, and certainly unequalled by his predecessors. Despite his immense talent, Schop has since faded into the background. Today, Bach himself is attributed most of the credit for Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring.

The piano arrangement of Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring that is most familiar to listeners in the 21st century was actually transcribed by British pianist Myra Hess, well over 100 years after its composition. It is this adaptation that has stood the test of time as far as popular recognition goes, and is how the song is most often publicly performed today. When it does happen to be accompanied by English-speaking voices, it is sung to the words that were translated from the original German to English by the prominent 18th century English poet Robert Bridges. The English version, though, diverts somewhat from the original German. Bridges obviously did what poets do best, creating a poem that still echoes the sentiments of the original work, but contains flowing rhyme which is easy to sing in its translated English.

Since its first public performance nearly three centuries ago, Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring has been adapted and performed by hundreds of other musicians and artists. Even modern artists, such as Josh Groban, continue to make this song one of classical music’s most renowned and adored tunes.

Even though Bach did not consider this piece his favorite or best work, it is probably the most widely recognized of all of his compositions. Because of its mainstream popularity, this song will undoubtedly continue to surface at weddings and other public performances for hundreds more years.

Here are a couple articles I have written recently that do NOT appear in my blog, so you may have missed them. If any of them interest you, take a look:

Play music! The absolute joy of playing music!

Middle C — The Piano Key That Lauched a Million Careers!

Play notes on the piano keyboard using all 88 piano keys.

Read music! Secrets of music reading and speed sight reading.

Chromatic and whole tone scales

If you’re looking for a perfect way to keep your mind sharp, piano playing is the solution. It exercises several different parts of the mind and body, while providing you with years of musical enjoyment. Whether you play piano currently or are thinking about starting, playing piano is great brain food.

Our population is aging. People are living longer lives, and they are constantly looking for brain food to keep their mental prowess in peak condition. One of the best ways to keep those hamsters running might be sitting in the corner of your living room gathering dust. That old piano of grandma’s has more than its share of brain teasers.

Here are 7 benefits of learning to play the piano:

1.Piano playing increases coordination. In order to play piano, your hands must develop independent coordination. This is one of the basic ways to keep your mind sharp. Each hand must often perform entirely different movements, and the brain must tell each hand what to do. By learning separate hand coordination, you stimulate several different areas of the brain. Practice each hand separately, and then combine the movements of each hand.

2. Piano playing increases hearing awareness. Not everyone is born with a good sense of pitch, but people can develop it through exposure and practice. When you play piano, you train your ear to hear pitches and tones in relation to one another. This makes developing a sense of relative pitch possible. Intervals stimulate your mind in slightly different ways. A perfect fifth will cause one reaction in your brain, while a seventh will cause an entirely separate reaction. This trains the mind to recognize pitches and intervals, even if beneath the level of the concious mind.

3. Sight reading offers the brain another workout, as the eyes must follow the music while the hands play it. The ability to sight read is similar to knowing a foreign language, yet also requires extreme hand-eye coordination. The eye muscles are also strengthened as they move up and down the staff across the page.

4.The analysis of musical passages and learning the theory involved is another mental exercise when you play piano. It’s brain food at its finest. Chords, melodies, and changes are all rooted in complex musical theory. It pays dividends to learn and understand how music is put together.

5. Piano playing increases social participation. When you play piano in the presence of others, you are participating in a valuable social exercise. History is filled with participants and spectators in the world of music. You have the ability to make others’ time more enjoyable. You also meet other musicians who can share knowledge with you, expanding your understanding of the piano.

6. Proper piano playing, whether done for leisure or profession, keeps the fingers nimble. It strengthens all the muscles of the hands, which helps in other lines of work. A maintenance man with strong hands is more valuable than one with weak digits.

7. Besides all this, piano playing is great fun. It lets you create your own tune for the day. The piano has provided society with over a hundred years of enjoyment and will do so for hundreds more. It’s not only an instrument; it’s a social communication tool and a brain exercise, as well. Play piano for your brain. It’s lot more fun than Sudoku, and it’s great at parties.

Every serious piano student eventually learns to play some of the most well-known classical pieces during his or her studies. Nary a pianist didn’t learn Palchabel’s Canon in D or Beethoven’s Fur Elise. Even non-musicians recognize names like Bach and Mozart. But what about modern classical pianists who have also made notable contributions to cultural history? Here are four the most well-known modern classical pianists and their contributions:

* Glen Gould: The eccentric Canadian-born classical pianist spent more of his prolific career in the recording studio than on stage. Gould covered many of the original classical greats, such as Bach and Beethoven. Gould may be best remembered though for his recordings of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.

Gould was widely acclaimed for his unusual technique and eclectic renditions of famous classical works. Though he spent many years on the road, touring several countries, he gave up concert performances in 1964 at the age of 32. Though he could have spent decades longer on the road, he preferred to live out the remainder of his career in the studio. Gould’s career was cut short by an untimely stroke at the age of 50, which ultimately took his life. Still, his recordings live on today and have been released and re-released numerous times.

* Arthur Rubinstein: He has been referred to as one of the greatest piano virtuosi of the 20th century. Born in Poland in 1887, Rubinstein’s family recognized a depth of unique talent in him, despite the fact he didn’t speak until age three. A childhood filled with unusual behavior and outbursts fuel speculation that Rubinstein may have suffered from a learning disorder or autism. Eventually, Rubinstein’s temperament gave way to the talent for playing the piano that he eventually became known for. Rubinstein made his concert debut in New York in 1906 and toured until 1976. He reluctantly retired from public performance at the age of 89 when his hearing and eyesight began to fail. Though he passed away in 1982, Rubinstein is still highly acclaimed among modern musicians.

* Sergei Rachmaninoff: This Russian classical pianist was also a composer and conductor. Perhaps it was his unusual 12-inch hand span that helped him become a legend for his technical proficiency. Rachmaninoff not only commanded the stage, but at a height of 6 feet, 6 inches, commanded a room as well. Though he began piano study casually under the tutelage of his own mother, his extraordinary talent quickly emerged. Rachmaninoff was mediocre in academics, even failing many of his subjects for lack of motivation. However, his piano instructor, who recognized his potential, insisted on a strict and disciplined practice regimen. If not for him, Rachmaninoff may have given up on his musical studies as well. A later meeting with Peter Tchaikovsky also served as inspiration for him to continue his musical career. He managed to overcome several setbacks in his career, including scathing public reviews and a long period of writer’s block. After several years of performance and changes in location, Rachmaninoff moved to the United States in 1918. He continued performing until February of 1943, just a month before his death from cancer.

* Myra Hess: This British pianist stands out in a genre typically dominated by men, especially during her years of public performance. Even as a young child Hess exhibited extraordinary talent. She was admitted to the Guildhall School of Music just two years after beginning lessons at age five. She gave her first public performance at the tender age of 17 in 1907, when she toured throughout Europe for several years. Eventually Hess debuted in the United States, where she realized almost instant acclaim. In an effort to boost morale during World War II, Hess organized a series of free public concerts in London. Her efforts during a time that saw the closure of concert halls and art galleries due to the war was deeply appreciated and received by the public. Hess herself performed at many of these lunch hour concerts. It may have been these efforts that endeared her to the public and stirred lasting interest in her music and career.

Building a piano arrangement of a song is very much like building a house. You have to have a foundation (music theory), the materials of the song (the melody, chords & rhythm), and you have to have a toolbox of techniques with which to “build the musical house”.

What this short video and you’ll quickly see what I mean:

A staple of both spiritual and secular singers alike, Amazing Grace is one of the world’s most popular songs. John Newton, its writer, lived a life full of sin and redemption, which inspired the song’s lyrics. According to Newton’s biography, the words of Amazing Grace show the song was very personal in nature.

Newton was born in London. A former slave ship captain when he wrote the hymn, he started his life at sea with the British Navy. He narrowly avoided becoming a slave master in Jamaica. In the Navy, he rose to the rank of midshipman. When he tried to desert, however, he was put into irons and reduced in rank. Newton asked to serve aboard a West African-bound slave ship and ended up on the coast of Sierra Leone. The slave master whom he served was abusive, and eventually he was taken back to England aboard yet another slave ship.

During this trip, the ship met a violent storm at sea. Newton prayed for his life as the ship was deluged with water. This was his first taste of Amazing Grace. It marked the beginning of his conversion to Christ.

In 1754, Newton was forced out of the slave trade and off of the sea when a serious illness threatened his life. He applied to be an Anglican priest, but in the time he waited for acceptance into the priesthood he also applied to the Methodist and Presbyterian churches. In 1764, he was ordained into the Church of England.

Though he was converted, it took some time before Newton regretted his slave trading days. (What else is new? It takes all of us a long time to get our actions in line with our heart.) As he wrote in his lyrics, “I once was lost, but now am found.” Later in his life he became a powerful abolitionist, writing many articles against slavery.

Newton originally wrote six verses for Amazing Grace, but modern times have brought about a seventh. Composed by John P. Rees, Harriet Beecher Stowe published the additional and now-final verse in her novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

The melody of Amazing Grace isn’t Newton’s own. The exact origin is murky. Originally Amazing Grace was sung using a variety of melodies. A song called Old Regular Baptist was a commonly used melody. Other accounts point to a Scottish bagpipe tune as the basis for the familiar melody, which is a reason the song is often associated with the instrument. A popular myth held that the melody was an old drinking song, though this has been disproved.

From Rod Stewart to Kylie Minogue, Amazing Grace has been honored by many voices through the years. It’s even become known as the unofficial Cherokee National anthem, with altered lyrics to fit the Cherokee language.

Amazing Grace is an eternal song, both in use and meaning. Its message of redemption applies to any person who turns from his or her sin and cries out to God for forgiveness. For this and many other reasons, it will stand the test of time.

The joy of music comes in many ways, including playing the piano!

There are lots of reasons to play the piano, but one of the most basic is simply that piano playing is fun! As Leonard Bernstein called it — the joy of music.

Piano Ideas Galore!

In 1940, Woody Guthrie sat down and wrote his personal response to the song ‘God Bless America.’ He felt a different story of America needed telling. This story would celebrate the beauty of the American expanse. At the same time, it would also celebrate the average working citizen who labored across the land. The result of his creativity was ‘This Land is Your Land,’ a song that is still taught in school music classes.

Woody Guthrie felt ‘God Bless America’ ignored the inequities in the capitalist system. He felt it was an unrealistic view of America. He held the view that too many citizens had too little. He believed that too small a segment of the population owned the greatest proportion of wealth.

This was evident in versions that never made it into print or onto records. These versions espoused more of his political views about the state of America. Over the years, he often changed the lyrics to the song, giving different performances of it.

One of the published versions of his lyrics includes this verse:

In the squares of the city – In the shadow of the steeple
Near the relief office – I see my people
And some are grumblin’ and some are wonderin’
If this land’s still made for you and me.

The original title of this song by Guthrie was ‘God Blessed America for Me.’ He eventually changed the line to ‘This land was made for you and me.’ The song received its first recording in 1944 with Guthrie and folk singer Cisco Houston. First published in 1951, it was included in a book with nine other songs.

Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma. He experienced life during the Great Depression and witnessed its effects on the average blue-collar worker. He saw first-hand the trek by workers to find work on the West Coast.

By 1936, Guthrie landed in Los Angeles, like so many from other parts of the country. In the spring of 1938, he spent time going from place to place singing for the migrant workers.

He ended up with the moniker ‘Dust Bowl Troubadour’ as he followed the paths of these workers. As they traveled from Oklahoma to California Guthrie wrote songs about their lives and trials.

He developed his own views of the world around him and these became manifest in his songwriting. The Dust Bowl of the 1930s exposed him to the racism and class struggles that these workers faced.

His wandering lifestyle across America instilled in him a great compassion for everyday Americans. He came to appreciate the variety of races and cultures that made up the country. Along with Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie was responsible for the folk revival of the 1930s and 1940s.

In 1940, he ended up in New York City, a move that propelled his career forward. He wrote and recorded here, wrote ‘This Land is Your Land,’ did radio, and generally made a decent living.

George M. Cohan’s encounter with a Civil War veteran inspired a song that became a Broadway hit. From there it became a household name.

That song was, and is, “You’re a Grand Old Flag”. This song celebrates Old Glory and all that it stands for. The song is a patriotic march with a catchy lilt and equally catchy lyrics. It certainly is a summer concert-in-the park favorite.

George Cohan found himself next to a veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg one day. He noticed the man had a neatly- folded American flag in his hands but that it was ragged looking. This man said to Cohan, “She’s a grand old rag.”

This triggered an idea for a song in Cohan’s head and he wrote one using this line. There was consternation from people over the term ‘rag’. Many felt it was an insult to the Stars and Stripes and they wanted that word removed from the lyrics. Cohan did just that, changing the word to ‘flag,’ and the rest is American musical history.

Cohan wrote the tune in 1906 for his stage production ‘George Washington Jr.’ The play, and the song, premiered on February 6, 1906 at the Herald Square Theater in New York City. The story starred Cohan, who played a U.S. Senator’s son who desires a simple girl from the southern United States. His father has different aims – wanting his son to link up with an English woman of prominence. The story is their battle to achieve two different goals.

The play and the song ‘You’re a Grand Old Flag’ were a huge success. From Broadway it subsequently moved into America’s living rooms over the years because of record and sheet music sales. In fact, this was the first song from a stage musical to sell over a million sheet music copies.
You’re a Grand Old Flag became a staple at the family piano and was played across the country. The tune is bright and positive. It evokes feelings of national pride, and one cannot help being uplifted upon hearing it.

George M. Cohan was born in 1878 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were Vaudeville performers who continually toured the country. George traveled with them, along with his older sister Josephine. He honed his show business skills as a member of the Four Cohans – this mother-father-sister-brother act. They kept up a hellish tour schedule with the B.F.Keith Circuit and belted out four to six performances a day. This paved the way for the big time for Cohan, the dues-paying years teaching him much.

Eventually Cohan became a prolific Tin Pan Alley tunesmith and penned many popular songs. Others included “Life’s A Funny Proposition After All,” “I Want to Hear a Yankee Doodle Tune,” and “Over There.” His influence was so great he earned the moniker “The Man Who Owned Broadway.” Along with that he is known as the father of American musical comedy.

Cohan was not only a songwriter. He wore these hats as well in his career:

* Playwright
* Composer
* Actor
* Singer
* Dancer
* Director
* Librettist
* Producer

His influence and popularity as a true American entertainer resulted in a film about his life. This film was Yankee Doodle Dandy, which portrayed his rise from his Vaudeville days to his Broadway success.

Today, Broadway and its tunes may be a whole lot different from Cohan’s time. They still owe a debt of gratitude, however, to this eminent American songwriter and his stage musicals.

Songs like “You’re a Grand Old Flag” still speak today to people who are thankful of and appreciate the opportunity America offers.

What in the world is “naked music?”

You know it when you hear it, but the words that describe it sound strange, don’t they? We’ve all heard of popular music and rock music and gospel music and jazz music, but naked music?

Naked music is simply the notes on a piece of sheet music. It’s “naked” – not dressed up or arranged at all. No fills, no slurs, none of the ingredients that make a song come to life.

Not a single professional musician plays a song exactly as it appears on a piece of sheet music (except classical music, of course — that’s different). Instead, they use the written music as a map, or an outline, and then proceed to do their own thing with it. They twist it, bend it, add to it, subtract from it, put fills in it, change the key, change the words, change some of the melody notes, and on and on.

So when you hear your favorite artist perform a piece of music, if you look at the written sheet music while they are performing it, you will see it is MUCH different and MUCH better than the plain old “naked music!”

So how can the average musician dress up naked music? There are many ways, but here are seven of my favorites:

1. Change the chords slightly by adding color tones. What are color tones? Color tones are notes added to the basic chord, usually expressed as 6ths, 7ths, 9ths, etc. For example, instead of playing just a straight C chord as it is written – C, E, G – try adding a color tone to it, such as a 6th (A) or a 7th (Bb) or a major 7th (B) or a 9th (D). In fact, try adding a couple together, like a 6th and a 9th. So instead of being a plain vanilla chord made up of C, E, and G, you’ve made it a tasty variation adding A and D to the equation.

2. During the pause between phrases, add a counter melody. How? Take the given melody notes and turn them upside down or inside out, or change the rhythm slightly so the tune is still recognizable, but different.

3. Add chord substitutions. Instead of always using the chords that are written, ask yourself this question: “Into what other chord will this melody note fit?” For example, if the melody is G and the chord is C, what other chords contain the note G in them? There are several answers to that question. G is not only in the C chord, but it is also in the Em chord, the Eb major chord, the G chord, the Gm chord, etc. Try one of those alternate chords until you like the sound combination, then use it instead of the C chord. It will add an originality and freshness to your playing almost immediately.

4. Add fills and runs between phrases. How do you do that? Simply break up the chord that is in force at the moment, and run it up the keyboard as a broken chord – one note at a time. Or start at the top of the keyboard and come down. Or play with the chord a bit by playing 2 of the 3 notes instead of the entire 3 note chord.

5. Use melodic echos. After you have played the melody, echo it by playing it an octave higher, or two octaves higher, or an octave lower.

6. Use half-step slides. If the chord progression is from D7 to G7, instead of going to G7 directly, “slide into it” by playing the chord that is one-half step above – namely, Ab7, then quickly sliding off Ab7 to G7.

7. Use “blue notes.” Blue notes are created by sliding off a black key onto a white key quickly. For example, if the melody is E, slide off Eb to E quickly using the same finger.

This is just a tiny sampling of what you can do to dress up your music. There are literally hundreds of other techniques, from pseudo-modulations to inside blues moves to deceptive cadences to tremolos to twangs to crunches to straddles to 3-1 breakups to walk-downs and walk-ups and on and on.

     By simply adding a few of these techniques to your playing you can easily double and triple the excitement created by your piano playing as you “dress up naked music!”

What is it about The Yankee Doodle Boy, that puts a smile on one’s face and sets toes a-tapping’? It’s the verve and variety inherent in a great tunesmith’s song that gets pianos playing and people singing.

Written by George Michael Cohan, “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” was ‘Broadway Composer Cohan’ at his best. Today, the wit of the lyrics and the song’s tempo and temperament continue to elicit applause in theaters nationwide.

George Cohan was born at Providence, Rhode Island in 1878. He started out in show business in Vaudeville, traveling with his performing father, mother, and sister. Vaudeville is where Cohan learned the nuances of live performing and keeping audiences entertained. He was part of The Four Cohans, the name his family used as their marquee title.

Eventually Cohan made it to Tin Pan Alley as a songwriter, and Broadway as a prolific creator of musicals. “The Man Who Owned Broadway” became a catch phrase for this talented composer during his heyday in New York City. Another name bestowed on him was “The Father of American Musical Comedy”. He wrote his own play scripts, music, and lyrics.

The song The Yankee Doodle Boy is from the musical comedy Little Johnny Jones. This was Cohan’s first full-length musical, and his family performed in the original production.

Though not an initial success on Broadway, the musical eventually achieved acclaim after some reworking. The song is a lively number with flair. The song line “I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy” is sung with unabashed patriotism. The song includes the proudly American chorus:

I’m a Yankee Doodle Dandy
A Yankee Doodle, do or die
A real live nephew of my Uncle Sam
Born on the Fourth of July

The wit in the lyrics of the song was also manifest in the play itself as seen in the tongue-in-cheek name of a girl from San Francisco, Goldie Gates. Cohan’s sense of humor came through in his storyline, music, and verse.

The musical opened on Broadway in New York City at the Liberty Theater, on November 7, 1904. It’s the story of a jockey, Johnny Jones, who rides a horse called Yankee Doodle in the English Derby. Cohan based the character of Johnny on Hall of Fame jockey Todd Sloan (1874-1933). Other popular songs to come out of the musical were ‘Give My Regards to Broadway’ and ‘Life’s a Funny Proposition’.

Eventually a film biography was developed about George Cohan. Called Yankee Doodle Dandy, this film starred James Cagney as Cohan. Joan Leslie and Walter Huston also had roles in this film. It celebrated the accomplishments of Cohan and his rise to fame.

He wore many hats during his career as a producer, composer, actor, writer, singer, and director. His sheer output as a songwriter was phenomenal. He had over 1,500 of his songs published, and he developed the art of melding drama with music.

Cohan livened up American theater with his tunes and plays, as the art form was heading into a stagnant time. He breathed fresh life into Broadway with his fresh, catchy, lyrics and music. Cohan, who achieved the American dream through sheer talent and hard work, was himself a true Yankee Doodle Dandy.