Preludes

Variation 18 of Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini composed in 1934. Rachmaninoff said of this piece: "This one, is for my agent." as he sensed it would become a commercial hit. It's composed by playing upside down the original melody from Paganini. The original is like a piano concerto (solo piano vs orchestra) and I'm trying to do it on a single keyboard with sampled sounds.

The theme was used in the movie Somewhere in Time in 1980 starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Bösendorfer grand piano and sampled orchestra strings.

Transcription for solo piano by Hermene W. Eichhorn. Re-uploaded with new take on Jan 26, 2014.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pgj3lVcaGT4

Video

Somewhere In Time: Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody On A Theme Of Paganini, Variation 18

Vangelis' Prelude from the "Voices" album released in 1995.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhkRKpFzgdw

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Steinway Model D grand piano, sampled Mellotron flute, and some virtual analog synth. Lot of reverb with a hint of echo.

Vangelis - Prelude (Voices)

Live video: https://youtu.be/VacHQfyaas8

The iconic track composed by Vangelis in 1980.

Piano / Orchestra / Electric Piano echoes : Dexibell VIVO S9
Brass: Yamaha reface CS
Mr Bean: Sequential OB-6
Beat: Elektron Rytm

Vangelis - Chariots of Fire [cover]

Live video: https://youtu.be/ueVyUUOonYI

Abraham's Theme composed by Vangelis for the iconic Chariots of Fire soundtrack in 1980.

Electric piano + pads: Dexibell VIVO S9 + Strymon NightSky reverberator
Synth: Sequential OB-6 + Strymon Volante magnetic echo with Expressive E Touché
Additional electric piano: Yamaha reface CP + Korg NTS-1 reverb + delay

Vangelis - Abraham's Theme [cover from Chariots of Fire]

Soundtrack of the 1993 film The Piano, composed by Michael Nyman.

Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?ny8-EtKWiKE

This theme is reprised several times, called The Heart Asks Pleasure First/The Promise/The Sacrifice. It is based on a traditional Scottish tune titled "Gloomy Winter's Noo Awa".

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Yamaha C7 grand piano, and one single note of sampled strings.

Note: replaced with a better take on June 3, 2014

Michael Nyman - Theme from The Piano

Piano Concerto No. 21 K. 467, 2nd movement: Andante in F major  by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1785).

Live video: https://youtu.be/vDJdG8Qj4UE

The original is piano solo vs full orchestra. I'm trying to do it all live one one track with piano and some synth. So it feels a little bit empty at times.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Yamaha C7 grand piano and some sampled Mellotron flute and a synth pad.

Spotify

Mozart - Piano Concerto No. 21, Andante [piano + synth]

Mozart's classic classical track: Rondo Alla Turca, Allegretto in A minor and major from the Sonata No.11 K. 331 (300i), composed around 1783.

Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pKKWDumCAo

I play it faster than it should. That's how I love to play it, it makes me laugh and feel good, but yeah I understand it's too fast.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Bösendorfer grand piano, oh, and you may spot a short sample from the amazing movie Amadeus.

Live video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pKKWDumCAo

Mozart - Turkish March (Rondo Alla Turca)

Live video: https://youtu.be/I1JrKgQDTB4

The iconic soundtrack composed by Vangelis in 1980.

Acoustic piano : Klavins Piano Una Corda
Digital wind: Haken EaganMatrix ContinuuMini

Vangelis - Chariots Of Fire Suite [Switched-Off cover]

The intro is played on a Sequential/Oberheim OB-6 synth distorted with an Elektron Heat +FX. The piano is a  Klavins Una Corda 64.

Live video: https://youtu.be/kT5ZUB4tCdQ

Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor [synth + piano]

Prelude Op. 28, No. 4, in E minor – "Suffocation" – by Frédéric Chopin.

“And then the 'note bleue' resonates and there we are, in the azure of the transparent night.” – George Sand

Live video: https://youtu.be/aL-l_JjLES0

Piano: Klavins Una Corda with light felt
Synth: Waldorf Blofeld
Controllers: Dexibell VIVO S9 + Expressive E Touché
Additional effects: Elektron Analog Heat +FX

Chopin: Prelude 4

Für Elise (bagatelle No. 25 in A minor), composed by Beethoven in 1810.

Live video: http://youtu.be/PaTLEn8UjRU

The girl is actually not Elise, but Therese; he proposed, she said no.

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Bösendorfer grand piano.

Can you spot where I mistakenly added 2 extra notes to the melody?

Beethoven - Für Elise [piano]

"La petite fille de la mer" [The Little Girl From The Sea] composed by Vangelis in 1973 for Frédéric Rossif's documentary "L'apocalypse des animaux" [The Animal Apocalypse].

Piano: Klavins Una Corda

Vangelis: La petite fille de la mer - piano solo

Live video: https://youtu.be/re8i5ILYqnQ

Acoustic piano: Klavins Una Corda
Master keyboard/sampled electric piano: Dexibell VIVO S9 + Strymon  Volante echo machine & Nightsky reverberator
Analog strings: Behringer Solina String-Ensemble
Digital strings: Waldorf Blofeld + Elektron Analog Heat

Vangelis: La petite fille de la mer [cover]

Live video: https://youtu.be/UaYFYl5L1m4

La valse d'Amélie composed by Yann Tiersen in 2001.

Piano: Klavins Una Corda with light felt

Yann Tiersen - La valse d'Amélie (piano solo)

Live video: https://youtu.be/ZAG9Xa9gOj0

La valse d'Amélie composed by Yann Tiersen in 2001.

Piano: Klavins Una Corda
Electric Piano: Dexibell VIVO S9 + Strymon NightSky reverberator
Synth Pad: Waldorf Blofeld + Elektron Analog Heat saturator
Synth Strings: Behringer Solina + Strymon Volante echo machine
Synth Bass: KORG ARP 2600 M

Yann Tiersen - La valse d'Amélie

"La petite fille de la mer" [The Little Girl From The Sea] composed by Vangelis in 1973 for Frédéric Rossif's documentary "L'apocalypse des animaux" [The Animal Apocalypse].

Live video: http://youtu.be/_A_cCEHycLg

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Fender Rhodes Mark I electric piano, a high-pitched sampled Fender jazz bass guitar, a sampled CS-80 synth, and some delay and reverb. I'm using room mics as I find some of the noises such as breathing or pedal can actually be quite nice.

The painting is by Vangelis.

Vangelis - La petite fille de la mer [cover]

Etude For Piano  No. 5,  composed by Philip Glass in 1994.

Live video: http://youtu.be/2ebI17EIAx0

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Bösendorfer upright piano, with some delay and reverb.

Philip Glass - Etude For Piano No. 5

Live video: https://youtu.be/Y2QzFZ8fedw

Instruments:
Klavins Una Corda acoustic piano + Lewitt 040 mics + Extinct Audio BM9 mic
Dexibell S9 sampled electric piano + Strymon NightSky reverberator
Waldorf Blofeld synth + Elektron Analog Heat saturator
Behringer Solina String-Ensemble synth + Strymon Volante echo machine
KORG ARP 2600 M synth

Vangelis ~ Prelude ~ electro-acoustic cover

Live video: https://youtu.be/Nw8hUvgPoCo

Muse, from the Guitars album

Composed by Mike Oldfield / 1999
Performed by Olivier Lebra / June 2024

Instruments:
One slightly felted Klavins Una Corda piano 

Mics:
Warm Audio WA-84
Extinct Audio BM9

Bandcamp

Mike Oldfield - Muse (piano solo)

Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet, composed by Nino Rota for Franco Zeffirelli's film in 1968. The song based on this theme is called "What Is A Youth" in the album.

Live video: http://youtu.be/4b4oFp7yYbM

This has been covered so many times, as an instrumental by Henry Mancini in 1969, and as a song called "A Time For Us" by numerous artists. Lana Del Rey also did a very nice cover with a different chorus called "Old Money" in her album "Ultraviolence".

The instrument is a Kawai VPC1 controlling a Nord Stage 2, using a Bösendorfer sampled grand piano with some delay effect, sampled mandola and orchestra strings.

Updated on Feb 26 with a better take.

Nino Rota - Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet (A Time For Us) [piano + synth]

📺 Live video ▸ https://youtu.be/1hqObiqJoyI
💿 bandcamp ▸ https://pianoelectro.bandcamp.com/track/mike-oldfield-red-dawn-piano-solo


Red Dawn, from the Tubular Bells II album

🎶 Composed by Mike Oldfield / 1992
🎹 Performed by Olivier Lebra / November 2024

Instruments ▾
One slightly felted Klavins Una Corda piano 

Mics ▾
Warm Audio WA-84
Extinct Audio BM9

Mike Oldfield - Red Dawn (Tubular Bells II)

📺 Live video ▸ https://youtu.be/6GihxqLbFUQ

Interstellar

🎶 Composed by Hans Zimmer / 2005 (The Weather Man) / 2014
Adapted for piano by Patrik Pietschmann
🎹 Performed by Olivier Lebra / November 2024

Instruments ▾
Klavins Una Corda piano 

Mics ▾
Warm Audio WA-84
Extinct Audio BM9

Hans Zimmer - Interstellar (piano solo)

📺 Live video ▸ https://youtu.be/ipVORlyQi8k

Red Dawn, from the Tubular Bells II album

🎶 Composed by Mike Oldfield / 1992
🎹 Performed by Olivier Lebra / November 2024

Instruments ▾
One slightly felted Klavins Una Corda piano 
Waldorf Blofeld wavetable synthesizer + Elektron Analog Heat drive

Mics ▾
Warm Audio WA-84
Extinct Audio BM9

Mike Oldfield - Red Dawn (Tubular Bells II) [piano electro]

Live video ▸ https://youtu.be/l2oki2j0juI

Swan Lake
Act 2, No.10: Scène. Moderato

🎶 Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky / 1875-76
Arranged for piano by Granville Bantock
🎹 Performed by Olivier Lebra / January 2025

Instruments ▾
Klavins Una Corda piano, slightly felted

Mics ▾
Warm Audio WA-84
Extinct Audio BM9

Tchaikovsky - Swan Lake (piano solo)

The Departure theme from HBO series The Leftovers, composed by Max Richter in 2014.

Live video: https://youtu.be/owkJzOgl-iE

The instrument is a Kawai VPC1 controlling a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Yamaha C7 grand piano, with some delay.

Max Richter - The Departure (The Leftovers) [piano cover w/ delay]

Live video: https://youtu.be/xvmi3ZXUlJY

La valse d'Amélie, composed by Yann Tiersen for the French movie released in 2001.

The instruments are a Kawai VPC1 controlling a Nord Stage 2 using a sample Yamaha C7 grand piano with effects.

Yann Tiersen - La valse d'Amélie [piano]

Playing Love, from The Legend of 1900 soundtrack, composed in 1998 by Ennio Morricone.

Live video: https://youtu.be/CZVVoYbDQwk

The instruments are a Kawai VPC1 controlling a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Bösendorfer upright piano with effects and sampled strings. I also used ambient room mics to perhaps add some presence to the mix.

Ennio Morricone - Playing Love (The Legend of 1900)

1ère Gymnopédie.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZd4BYOzXBo

Lent et douloureux.
Slow and sorrowful.

"Oblique et coupant l'ombre un torrent éclatant; Ruisselait en flots d'or sur la dalle polie; Où les atomes d'ambre au feu se miroitant; Mêlaient leur sarabande à la gymnopédie."

"Slanting and shadow-cutting a flickering eddy
Trickled in gusts of gold to the shiny flagstone
Where the atoms of amber in the fire mirroring themselves
Mingled their sarabande to the gymnopaedia"

- Contamine de Latour

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Yamaha C7 with a generous amount of reverb and phaser, and a thin layer of strings.

Erik Satie - Gymnopédie No. 1 [phaser]

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (a.k.a. Forbidden Colours) by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1983)

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_v_pbd-O8U

Soundtrack from the movie Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (戦場のメリークリスマス), a.k.a. Furyo in Europe, directed by Nagisa Oshima, and starring David Bowie, Tom Conti, Ryuichi Sakamoto and Takeshi Kitano.

The instrument is a Kawai VPC1 controlling a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Yamaha C7 grand piano, and... straight from the 80's a sampled preset named "Touch Perco" from the Yamaha DX7 mk2 synth.

Ryuichi Sakamoto 坂本龍一 Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence [live cover]

Ennio Morricone's Chi Mai (meaning Who Ever in Italian, although it looks Asian to me :)

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHHPlqwxZA8

He composed this in 1971 for an Italian movie called Maddalena, and reused it in 1981 for the beautiful final scene of the French movie Le Professionnel starring Jean-Paul Belmondo who insisted on using this music. It was also reused in some other movies and TV series and is famous in French pop culture thanks to a memorable dog food TV ad for Royal Canin, where the music is used while a dog is running in slow motion.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a Bösendorfer sampled grand piano with some echo, and strings I control with an expression pedal, well, try to control.

Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai (Le professionnel) [piano + fx]

Trying to replicate Vangelis' Memories Of Green from the Blade Runner soundtrack.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqn6AuCiA_s

Vangelis composed (improvised?) Memories Of Green in 1980 for his album See You Later, but it's not as famous as the Blade Runner soundtrack in which the track was included too.

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Bösendorfer piano with a flanger effect, some synthesizers controlled with an expression pedal, and a generous amount of reverb.

Vangelis - Memories Of Green (Blade Runner)

The Symphony No. 7 was premiered with Beethoven himself conducting in Vienna on December 8th, 1813. This is the beginning of the 2nd movement in A minor, transcribed by Liszt.

The instrument is a Nord Piano 3, using a sampled Grotrian-Steinweg Concertino upright piano, sampled strings, and effects.

Live video: https://youtu.be/LaXlupNd5pI

#pianoday

Beethoven - Allegretto from Symphony No. 7 [piano + synth]

Piano Concerto No. 23 K. 488, 2nd movement: Andante/Adagio in F-sharp minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1786).

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Piano 3 using a sampled extra soft Bösendorfer 130 upright piano, with effects, and a sampled Willow flute.

Live video: https://youtu.be/eL8_ZJcO27M

#pianoday

Adagio from Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 [solo fragments]

This is Piano in an Empty Room from Vangelis' Blade Runner Trilogy 25th Anniversary album released in 2007.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok0ZMA7_88M

Photo (cropped) by Kay Arne Jensen - https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=653845857961186

Vangelis plays it on an acoustic piano with beautiful ambient room noise. I tried to replicate the feeling by boosting the pedal noise on my synth, and I added some pads that get pretty dark and intense towards the end.

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Steinway grand piano and virtual analog synthesizers controlled with an expression pedal, and a generous amount of reverb.

Vangelis - Piano in an Empty Room (Blade Runner)

The Sheltering Sky theme, composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto (1990).

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlxAEmGmK-s

Soundtrack from the movie The Sheltering Sky (Il tè nel deserto) directed by Bernardo Bertolucci starring Debra Winger and John Malkovich.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Yamaha studio C7 grand piano, with pedal noise and string resonance, and sampled orchestral strings.

Ryuichi Sakamoto 坂本龍一 The Sheltering Sky

Live video: https://youtu.be/TLDZ02-1LYw

J.S. Bach composed this prelude for harpsichord in 1722 in the first book of The Well Tempered Clavier. In the Baroque period, the piano – meaning "soft" in Italian – didn't exist yet; in other words, each keyboard note sounded as loud as each other. This is a beautiful arrangement for piano transcribed in 1912 by Siloti, a pupil of Tchaikowsky.

The instrument is a Clavia Nord Piano 3 using a sampled Blüthner Model 1 grand piano, with reverb and delay, and an Oberheim OB-6 synth.

Bach/Siloti - Prelude in B minor

My take on parts from Tubular Bells, composed by Mike Oldfield when he was about 15 years old and released in 1973. A single track without any guitar but still I hope to somehow respect the original feel.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVvxnTAp_L4

This was the record that launched Richard Branson's Virgin empire, and the keyboard introduction was used as a soundtrack to The Exorcist movie in 1973. Mike Oldfield also played some segments during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Bösendorfer grand piano, and an emulated Farfisa organ with phaser.

Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells (The Exorcist) [Natural Mix]

This is the main theme from Missing composed by Vangelis. The film, directed by Costa Gravas, was released in 1982.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/copynotice?feature=vm&video_id=jyJlc6TN-1k

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2, using a sampled Steinway grand piano with boosted pedal noises and virtual analog synthesizers controlled with an expression pedal, along with a very generous amount of reverb and a hint of echo.

Vangelis - Missing

Abraham's Theme composed by Vangelis for the legendary Chariots of Fire soundtrack in 1981.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNfLGn9xZho

The instrument is Clavia Nord Stage 2 using a sampled Rhodes Mark I electric piano set to low and a pulse wave virtual-analog waveform oscillator.

Vangelis - Abraham's Theme (Chariots of Fire)

The Woman theme, aka Sherlocked, from the BBC Sherlock TV series, composed by David Arnold and Michael Price in 2012.

Live video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJWZ5bI0Ksk

The original features a lot of violin and beautiful sounds, I'm trying to do a rawer keyboard version of it.

Sheet music: http://www.michaelpricemusic.com/products-page/scores-shop/woman-theme-from-sherlock-violin-piano-sheet-music/

The instrument is a Nord Stage 2 using a sampled intimidating Yamaha S4 grand piano, some virtual analog synthesizer, echo and a very generous amount of reverb.

Sherlock BBC TV series - SHERlocked (The Woman Theme)

Live video: https://youtu.be/_Yyzo9RDf7o

“The crowd intimidates me, its breath suffocates me. I feel paralyzed by its curious look, and the unknown faces make me dumb.” – Chopin

The instrument is a Nord Piano 3, using a sampled extra soft Bösendorfer 130 upright piano with effects and angelic synthesizer voices.

Chopin - Suffocation (Prelude No. 4 in E minor, Op. 28)

Prelude in C Major, BWV 846, written by Johann Sebastian Bach in 1722.

Piano: Klavins Una Corda
Additional Reverb: Arturia Rev PLATE-140 (emulation)
Recording: Lewitt 640 TS, placed near the floor in front of the soundboard

#pianoday2020

Bach Prelude No. 1 In C Major

Live video: https://youtu.be/lzgLOgcEVy8

Maestro Ennio Morricone composed Chi Mai in 1971 for the Italian movie Maddalena (Chi Mai means Who Ever in Italian). It was also the soundtrack of the beautiful ending of 1981 French film Le Professionnel starring Jean-Paul Belmondo who insisted on reusing this music. Chi Mai was also reused in some other movies and TV series and is part of French pop culture thanks to a memorable dog food TV ad for Royal Canin, where the music is playing while a dog is running in slow motion.

The piano is a Klavins Una Corda 64-key upright with felt.

Ennio Morricone - Chi Mai (piano solo)

atmospheric piano + electronica

playing Barber, Beethoven, Chopin, Craig Armstrong, David Arnold & Michael Price, Ennio Morricone, Erik Satie, Handel, Harry Gregson-Williams & John Powell, John Ottman, John Williams, J.S. Bach, Kanye West, Leonard Cohen, Ludovico Einaudi, Max Richter, Michael Nyman, Michel Polnareff, Mike Oldfield, Mozart, Nino Rota, Philip Glass, Pink Floyd, Ravel, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Serge Gainsbourg, Vangelis, Vladimir Cosma, Yann Tiersen, Yiruma

Piano in a Living Room

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