Contemporary

Wedding Music On The Roll & Beyond Revisited

Selected recordings from digitized piano rolls and virtual pipe organ renditions by VViljanen, and contemporary music composed or/and presented by my good friends, composers, singers and instrumentalists from all over the world.

Moods III

Wilhelm Peterson-Berger:
Sommarsång från Frösöblomster Op.16 No 2.
Tolkning, förverkligande och inspelning av VViljanen den 18. Juni 2022 och på nytt den 9. Oktober 2023  vid modellerad Blüthner flygel  (med setup av VV).
Foto: VV 10.6.2022
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE OF THIS RECORDING IS PROHIBITED.
Olof Wilhelm Peterson-Berger (1868-1942) studied at the Stockholm Conservatory from 1886–89 and then in Dresden for a year.[2]
He is best known for three albums of national romantic piano pieces entitled Frösöblomster I, II and III (Flowers of Frösö), which includes the often performed Vid Frösö kyrka (At Frösö Church) and Sommarsång (Summer Song). The sets, which were composed over a period of 18 years (1896 - 1914) and brought together afterwards as a collection have gained a reputation of representing a quintessential "Swedishness" in the romantic, nationalistic vein of their time. 
The most famous of the pieces, Sommarsång (Summer Song) recalls the warm, calm, harmonious and bright pre-summer evenings where the sun in the north almost never goes down; they were the great breakthrough for Wilhelm. Sommarsång is still known to most Swedes, even to people generally uninterested in music: the majority of young piano students in the Nordic countries have been taught this piece.

Sommarsång

Wilhelm Peterson-Berger: Sommarsång (från Frösöblomster, Op.16 No 2 )

Toivo Kuula: Häämarssi Op.3 No 2. (1908).
Bröllopsmarsch - Hochzeitsmarsch - Wedding  March*
Read & reproduced by VV May 21-31, 2024
Photo: VV May 2024.
*(N:o 2 of Three Piano Pieces Op.3b.: 1. Elegia / Elegy (1908)
2. Häämarssi / Wedding March (1908) 3. Pikku Gavotti / Little Gavotte (1906). Year/Date of Composition	1906-1908.).
This (N:o 2) is possibly the most beloved piece of the Finnish Wedding Heritage....usually played on church organ, but originally being published for piano 1908 by Toivo Kuula (July 7,1883 Alavus – May 18,1918 Vyborg (Viipuri))

Toivo Kuula: Häämarssi - Wedding March. Op.3 No 2.  Read by VV May.21, 2024.

Toivo Kuula: Häämarssi Op.3 No.2 (1908). Bröllopsmarsch - Hochzeitsmarsch - Wedding  March

Toivo Kuula: Pikku - Gavotti - Little Gavotte. Op.3b No3.
Read & reproduced by VV Jun 11-13, 2024.

Composer	Kuula, Toivo (1883 Alavus -1918 Viipuri, Finland)
Opus/Catalogue Number	Op.3b
I-Catalogue Number	ITK 52
Movements/Sections	3 pieces
Elegia / Elegy (1908)*
Häämarssi / Wedding March (1908)*
Pikku Gavotti / Little Gavotte (1906)
Year/Date of Composition	1906-1908
First Performance	No.1: 1908-03-27 in Helsinki
No.2: 1908-05-05 in St Petersburg, Finnish Church (M. Putro, organ) & 1908-05-06 Terehov Palace (T. Kuula, piano)
First Publication	1908 (Elegia, Häämarssi) - Helsinki: A. Apostol, Plate 114
1920 (Pikku Gavotti) - Helsinki: A.E. Lindgren, Plate 1165
Composer Time Period	Romantic
Piece Style	Romantic
Instrumentation	Piano

Toivo Kuula: Pikku-Gavotti - Little Gavotte. Op.3b No3

I just want ' ask a question
who really cares
of you, of them, of everybody else
who really cares
of what is making sense
of what leads someone to happiness 

for Thirty years
to find out who you are, you spend your time learning and creating
but the only thing they want' know is, why are you alone ? 
who really cares
of how long it takes
to get lost and find his way 

Am I wrong to tell you that
in a song,
in a song,
in a song,
in a song
Am I wrong to tell you that
in a song,
in a song,
in a song,
in my song	

one day you see
your life in her eyes,
feeling that you can move mountains, 
but the only thing they want'know is
why don't you marry her ? 
who really cares
of how long it takes to make the feelings grow

one fine day,
you see a ray of sunlight reflecting in a ring, children 
laughing, but the only thing they want'know is
do you still love her ? who really cares
of what is making sense
of what leads someone to happiness

Am I wrong to tell you that
in a song,
in a song,
in a song,
in a song
Am I wrong to tell you that
in a song,
in a song,
in a song,
in my song

Am I Wrong ?

Bolcom, Recuerdos - Paseo

Performed at Peabody Conservatory, May 2015

Rorem: Toccata

Staccato Improvisation

j.S.Bach-Busoni; Chaconne* BWV1004 played by Ferruccio Busoni and published Nov. 1925 (posthum.) on Duo-Art 6928. 
c Recorded  (by permission)from the digitially simulated original reproducing piano roll  in 2016 and the rec updated  13 Feb 2024 by VViljanen  using on its playback and rec. a modelled Bechstein 1896 Grand, reconfigured, revoiced and yhe rec.setup made by VV.
COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED.
Photo: Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924)
The basic info* of the original piano roll:
CHACONNE (Andante maestoso) from Sonata (Suite) in D-minor for solo Violin (transcribed by Busoni)
Roll Number: 6928, 6928-5
Composer/Creator: Bach
Pianist: Busoni
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: November, 1925
Category: classical
Original Price: $3.25
*source: The PlayerPiano Group web page (by permission)

Bach-Busoni: Chaconne BWV1004. Transcription for piano

Bach-Busoni: Chaconne BWV 1004. Ferruccio Busoni  1925 (pub.posthum) on Duo-Art 6928

Artur Schnabel (1882-1951) plays in 1924 J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto I - Allegro, Ampico Piano Roll 62721.  Recorded in 2016, and the rec updated  June 3, 2020 by VViljanen (by permission)from a reconstructed and digitally simulated copy of the original reproducing piano roll with virtual Grand Bluethner Model One, tone/sound modified/re-designed by VV.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Basic info of the original piano roll in 1924:
ITALIAN CONCERTO Movement. 1 allegro
 
Roll Number: 62721, 62721H
Composer/Creator: Bach
Pianist: Schnabel
Roll System: Ampico
Country: US
Date: January, 1924
Category: classical
Original Price: $2.00

J.S. Bach: Italian Concerto - I. Allegro. Artur Schnabel 1924 on Ampico 62721

Edward Grieg plays ca./before 1907 Norwegian Bridal March, Aus dem Volksleben op. 19 no 2, on Artrio piano roll 8267.
Recorded in 2016, and the rec. updated 20 Jun 2017,  by VViljanen (by permission)from the digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: edward Grieg 1843-1907

Grieg: Norwegian Bridal Procession  Op.19 no 2. Played by Edvard Grieg ca.  1907 on Artrio 8267

Mendelssohn-Liszt:  Wedding March and Elfin Chorus. Lester Donahue  July1920  on Duo-Art 6310.
Recorded in 2016 (and the rec updated June 12, 2024) by VViljanen (by permission)from digitally simulated reconstructed original reproducing piano roll, using on its playback a modeled Petrof Mistral & Bluethner 'mixed' grand, modified, revoiced and setup made by VV.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: 'Midsummer Roses' by VV June2017
Basic info* of the original piano roll:
WEDDING MARCH and ELFIN CHORUS from "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Op. 6 (transcribed by Liszt)
Roll Number: 6310, 6310
Composer/Creator: Mendelssohn
Pianist: Donahue
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: July, 1920
Category: classical
Original Price: $2.50 (Price after 1922)
*Roll info rource: from The Player Piano  Group web page (by permission)

Mendelssohn-Liszt: Wedding March and Elfin Chorus. Lester Donahue 1920 on Duo-Art 6310

Mendelssohn: Prelude and Fugue Op 35 no 1 Em, Adela Verne in 1925 on Duo-Art 0217.
Recorded in 2016 by VViljanen (by permission)from a digitized copy of the original reproducing piano roll.
ANY KIND OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: Adela Verne (1877-1952)was a notable English pianist and minor composer of German descent, born in Southampton. She was considered one of the greatest woman pianists of her era, ranked alongside the male keyboard giants of the time. She toured with great success in many parts of the world. She composed a variety of works, including a Military March dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, later the Queen Mother; her sister Mathilde's pupil. Adela (or Adèle) Verne was born into a musical family named Wurm. Three of her sisters (of her nine older siblings) were also notable pianists or composers: Mathilde and Alice both also adopted the surname Verne, but Mary returned to Germany, retained the family name Wurm, and enjoyed great success as a pianist and composer.
Clara Schumann heard Adela play when she was but a small girl. She was so impressed that she wanted to take her to Frankfurt for study, as she had done with Mathilde, however her parents would not permit this. Instead, she was instructed by Mathilde and Alice, and later by Clara Schumann's daughter Marie Schumann. At age 13 she made her debut in Tchaikovsky's Concerto No.1 in B-flat minor, conducted by Sir August Manns at the Crystal Palace. Tchaikovsky himself heard of this astonishing young prodigy and wanted to meet her. The following year she was introduced to Ignacy Jan Paderewski. He was so impressed with her playing that he predicted a great future for her. At his home in Morges in Switzerland, she studied Chopin with Paderewski, as well as most of his own works, including the Sonata in E-flat minor, the Polish Fantasy and the Concerto in A minor, the work with which she made her orchestral debut in New York City. (source: Wikipedia)
Basic info* of the original piano roll:
PRELUDE AND FUGUE, Op. 35, No. 1 in E-minor
Roll Number: 0217, 0217
Composer/Creator: Mendelssohn
Pianist: Verne
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: UK
Date: March, 1925
Category: classical
Original Price: n/a
*info source: from The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Mendelssohn: Prelude and Fugue Op 35 no 1 em, Adela Verne 1925, on Duo-Art 0217

Score available at https://www.scoreexchange.com/scores/for-piano-636796.html

For Piano

Schumann: Intermezzo Op.26 No.4, From Faschingschwank aus Wien (Viennese Carnival Pranks). Irene Scharrer in 1926 on Duo-Art 70499. - Recorded 11 Apr 2017, and the rec updated 18 Feb 2018, by VViljanen (by permission)from a digitally simulated original reproducing piano roll.
ALL KINDS OF COMMERCIAL USE PROHIBITED. 
Photo: Irene Scharrer
The Basic info* of the original piano roll:
INTERMEZZO, Op. 26, No. 4 from "Viennese Carnival Pranks"
Roll Number: 7049, 70499
Composer/Creator: Schumann
Pianist: Scharrer
Roll System: Duo-Art
Country: US
Date: August, 1926
Category: classical
Original Price: $2.25
*source: The Piano Player Group web page (by permission)

Schumann: Intermezzo Op. 26 No. 4 'Viennese Carnival Pranks'. Irene Scharrer 1926 on Duo-Art 70499

A Mass in D composed in 2010. Intro+ liturgy parts for the texts from the Evangelic-Lutheran  mass handbook in Finland. Inspired by Rev. 7:17. Mass undertitle: "The Springs of Living Water"
.

The Littoinen Pipe Organ Virtual Studio Most Humbly Presents

E-P.Kanniainen Missa in D op.7 arr.by VV&E-PK

Ètude Nr.10 for Piano Solo

Hey, thanks for listening to my music and collaborations
(which are a bit dated !). Don't have time to record and post on soundcloud anymore, but I am still playing. Life goes on ;)

My compositions focus on the melodies, the soft rhythms and moods.

Am I Wrong ?

Renaud Deback