Watch a 3D piano animation of this performance here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0b9E1sk-yw

COMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCE NOTES
This is an unedited performance of one of my favourites of Felix Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words. It is the fourth song from the first collection of eight that were published. Of the songs, he wrote...

"People often complain that music is too uncertain in its meaning, that what they should be thinking as they hear it is unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me it is exactly the reverse, and not only in the context of an entire speech, but also with individual words. These, too, seem to me so uncertain, so vague, so easily misunderstood in comparison to genuine music that fills the soul with a thousand things better than words. The thoughts expressed to me by the music I love are not too indefinite to be put into words, but on the contrary, too definite."

Beautiful words (ironically!). I may come back to this performance and tweak a couple of things that may bother me with repeated listens or leave it as it is. I shouldn't listen to myself too much anyway! I hope you enjoy it.

RECORDING NOTES

I used the 1899 Bechstein model from the Kremsegg Collection in Pianoteq. Using the Instrument Condition setting, I aged the piano to give it character so a few notes drift in pitch. The reverb is a convolution of St John Church in California. I mixed it using the binaural setting (optimal listening on headphones) and placed the listeners ears standing behind the pianist's (that's me!) right shoulder.

Felix Mendelssohn - Songs Without Words (Op. 19, No. 4) in A Major

Watch a 3D piano animation of this performance here > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLvPi_NbnaI

DISCLAIMER: I am a self-taught pianist and don't claim to have the skill or technique of a concert pianist. However, I hope you find enjoyment from this regardless.

I am a musician and blogger.  I write a blog about music, mental illness and other gubbins @ http://ocpianist.blogspot.com.

COMPOSITION AND PERFORMANCE NOTES
This is me performing Tchaikovsky's Old French Song.  He had always wanted to write music for children to play, like Robert Schumann had done.  He is quoted in a letter as saying...

'A while ago I thought that it would not be a bad idea to make a small contribution to the stock of children's musical literature, which is very modest. I want to create a series of little individual pieces just for children, and with an attractive title, like Schumann's.'

He was very successful with this endeavour and, although I'm not a child anymore, it's still lovely to play.  Beautiful in it's simplicity!

RECORDING NOTES

I used the 1899 Bechstein model from the Kremsegg Collection in Pianoteq. Using the Instrument Condition setting, I aged the piano to give it character so a few notes drift in pitch. The reverb is a convolution of Atherton Hall. I mixed it using the binaural setting (optimal listening on headphones) and placed the listeners ears standing behind the pianist's (that's me!) right shoulder.

Pyotr Tchaikovsky - Old French Song (Op. 39, No. 16)

I was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder at the start of 2015.  At the same time, I started teaching myself to play the piano.  I have been a happier and better person ever since and wish to promote the mental health benefits of learning a musical instrument, with a bit of a bias toward the piano!  I write a blog about music, mental illness and other gubbins @ http://ocpianist.blogspot.com.

The Obsessive Compulsive Pianist

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