Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxpKNJFDUm4
--
Someone once said that symphonic orchestra is the most sophisticated musical instrument humanity ever invented. And I always felt like this is an ultimate challenge for a composer to write music for such a giant. I started my first shy attempts to compose orchestral music a few years ago. Of course, at that time it was all done using digital libraries. I did dream that one day I may experience the thrill of hearing a live orchestra performing my compositions but that was truly an ephemeral dream, no actual plans to do it. Until now.

This summer my husband and I took a composing course (focusing on film composing). As a part of that course I had a homework: to compose a piece for a string orchestra. I chose the solo piano piece I wrote earlier this year as a foundation. It took a few evenings to come up with the orchestral arrangements - again, using digital libraries... at first! But then my husband said that he feels like this piece deserves to be recorded with live orchestra. And so it happened - two months ago we hired a session orchestra from Budapest. We only had half an hour session to record 2.5 minutes of this composition. Gosh, it was such an amazing experience! When I heard 40 musicians playing the harmony I burst in tears. Then I was shocked again to learn that my composition was nominated for Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

I called this piece "Distant Memories". It was written during one of the lockdowns when I was on the edge of breaking down. I devoted it to my mom, who lives on the other side of Atlantic but she used to come here every year.. until 2020.. and then 2021.. I hope we will see each other next year. But meanwhile all we have are those "distant memories".

The original piano solo version is coming next week!

"Distant Memories" (Orchestral) by Milana Zilnik

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jrOSb8mlpk
--
In this turbulent time I didn't even know whether to post this song or not. It was supposed to be a present for my husband's birthday back in January. The world was different back then. We couldn't finish recording it on time, though, so we postponed it to Valentine's day first and to my own birthday next. It happened a month ago but I wasn't much online to upload it to SoundCloud. So here it comes.. And I will "hold on to memories of us", memories of the happier times when we celebrated our 18th anniversary together on top of Eiffel tower, "passing the people - strangers with no worries".
---
Hold me when I'm alone,
Don't let me fall,
And if you let me – I will become fearless. Only because you
Told me that I am strong, 
I'll carry on.
I will remember you from a few pictures...

Chorus:	I will remember Paris in your eyes.
		I will remember how fast the time flies.
		I will hold on to memories of us.
		They belong to Paris in the past...

Look, those windows are doors
Passing us by,
Passing the people – strangers with no worries, only because 
The wind blows and by surprise 
Opens our eyes
To all the street lights hiding inside stories.

Chorus

Bridge: 	Kisses under the bridge,
		Space with no time,
		Time with no limits, memories with no hurry.
		I will be gone
		When the wind blows, and by surprise
		opens our eyes to all that Paris with another end of story...

"Memories Of Paris" by Milana Zilnik

Composed, arranged, performed and produced by:
Leon Pajer

orlando51music © 2023

Flower Girl

Buy the track: dougthomas.bandcamp.com/music

Tom O'Dugash // Piano

All tracks composed and arranged by Doug Thomas

Produced, engineered and mixed by Doug Thomas 
Recorded, mixed and mastered at NOOX Studio, London

Artwork by Doug Thomas

www.dougthomas.co.uk

2023 © All Rights Reserved

Sheet music is available - info@dougthomas.co.uk

Bach/Siloti

01 Bach/Siloti (for Piano Day 2023)

Another version of Improvision 160. Hope You Enjoy!

Johannes Heinen Improvision 160 C

J.S.Bach: Concerto in D Minor for two violins BWV1043: I-III. Transcribed for two pianos, reproduced and  recorded  by VV June 23, 2023 after sequence made by Harm Fesefeldt (1942-2019)in 2015, on playback of edited and revised version, on a pair of modeled Blüthner Model 1 Grand pianos, revoiced, reconfigured, as well as the rec. setup made by VV.
Any kind of commercial use of this track is prohibited.
Photo: JSB statue at Leipzig Domkirche.

J.S.Bach: Concerto in D Minor BwWV043 - Transcribed for two pianos by VViljanen, June 2023

J.S.Bach: Concerto in D Minor BWV 1043: I-III. Transcribed for two pianos by VViljanen, June 2023

Arram Koth is a fabled ancient city somewhere in deep space. Many have searched. Few have found it, and even fewer return.

The caves are unique. There are hot springs inside, filling a range of pools that maintain a constant temperature, and with just enough air flow to form perfect hot tubs and saunas. The cave walls are covered with lichen that emit a warm restful light with fluctuating patterns of colour. There is sound too, from the air currents moving through hollow stalactites.

A universe of naked peoples and creatures float, swim, or just bask on natural rock benches - all in total silence.

The Caves of Arram Koth

J.S.Bach: Präludium & Fuge c-moll. BWV847 / WTK I Nr.2 - Slightly revised, reproduced and recorded by VViljanen  June 28- July 4 (tempo upd.), 2023 On a Seq by H.Fesefeldt (2015).
rec. from playback of VV revised version on a modelled Blüthner Model 1 grand piano, revoiced and reconfigured , and the rec. setup made by VViljanen.
Any kind of commercial use prohibited.
Photo: Detail of JSB monument at Leipzig Dom

Prelude & Fugue in C Minor. BWV847

J.S.Bach: Präludium & Fuge c-moll. WTK I - 2. BWV847.

There are transparent walls between us, we do not hear each other ... Answer me, do not be silent!
I invite you to listen to my piano improvisation "Talk to Me".

Watch the video version on my Youtube channel: https://youtu.be/9FKpsbhfAJ0

The sheet music of some of my compositions can be downloaded from my website https://pianoimprovictor.com/ Some new works are available on  https://www.sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/victor-birkan-sheet-music/3028943?isPLP=1
Find all my music here: https://linktr.ee/victorbirkan

Talk To Me! - Improvised Piano Piece

Worlds Of Shadows

J.S. Bach:Präludium & Fuge B-Dur BWV890. WTK II Nr. 21. Repr. & rec. by VV 2023 on  a seq of H. Fesefeldt 2015, using on its slightly modified version a modeled Petrof Mistral grand, revoiced, reconfigured and the rec.setup made by VV.
Photo: sugust Hues, VV2015
Any kind of commercial use of this track is prohibited.

J.S. Bach:Präludium & Fuge B-Dur BWV890. WTK II Nr. 21.

J.S. Bach: Präludium & Fuge B-Dur. WTK II Nr. 21. BWV890

My warmest thanks to everyone stopping by for listening to my tracks, the most of the representing a  'REVIEW   OF THE PAST TIME PIANISTS' INTERPRETATIONS ON THE HISTORICAL PIANO ROLLS, and in addition to them, also to a minor but growing  LISTS of MY MY OWN RENDITIONS, all of the latter representing a variety of piano music, & some pipe-organ classics, - and  TO THE Growing LISTS OF (just lately done and reproduced)  TRANSCRIPTIONS OF VARIOUS CHAMBER MUSIC CLASSICAL PEARLS FOR TWO PIANOS.
A HEADSET IS RECOMMENDED for optimal sound experience!
This kind of 'touching' on these old pre-sound-rec. era works by the great performers of the past, and giving my sound to these old 'punch rolls',  makes me feel  deep humbleness, .and I wish that this modest attempt to bring these  performances alive will satisfy you listening to them!
To introduce myself...
I am a Finnish M.D., PhD. and Hand Surgeon (now retired), previously when young with 10 years of professionally orientated piano studies at Turku Conservatory in 1965-1975, partly  along with medical University studies. 
The digital sound techniques have become very familiar to me already from 1980's along with my university research work  
and my musical activities.
As continuation to my musical and professional experience, I have, during the last few years of my retirement, adopted a music historical challenge
to bring the past time major and minor pianists, prior to sound-recording era, onto the same 'start line' with the present pianists, by making their presentations, played onto 'punch rolls' i.e. piano rolls, audible with modern digital techniques. This wouldn't be possible without the pioneering  efforts of Richard Stibbons, Wayne Stahnke, Terry Smythe, Warren Trachtman, Spencer Chase, and others, who developed the optical digitizing techniques of the piano rolls, and digitized them.

The main part of my recordings here in SC consists of selection recorded by me from optically digitized piano-rolls** (from 1910's on or earlier, classical and 'vintage era'). These recordings of mine are not and will not be commercially unavailable. - The rolls were first optically scanned and converted into a digital form by diverse operators** (see also to the info of each piece). The pieces here were partly (minor part) picked from various open net sources, publicly available, but mainly from the huge archive (n=ca.5000) of digitized copies copies of the original reproducing piano rolls, made available to me by one of the pioneers of roll digitizing tehchniques (willing to keep anonymous), and then recorded from this archive mainly with virtual grand piano (called by me 'Bluethner Model One') modified/re-designed by me, as well as the rec settings. 
Also a minor selection of my own renditions among my records can be found here, included on my playlist 'Bach Goes Virtual', the name of the list telling something about the techniques used for getting the end result... The list includes various organ works by J.S.Bach and others, and also a few piano renditions of mine. Then there are included also various pieces which have been in my repertoire, but here played mainly by the  'guest' great players of the past (before the sound recording era).
MY MOST HUMBLE THANKS TO THE NOBLE DONOR  OF THIS INVALUABLE PIANO ROLL MATERIAL FOR MY USE!!!
My Sincere Thanks also to The Player Piano Group, UK, for providing me their permission to use the information about the piano rolls collected and provided on their web page ( https://rolls.playerpianogroup.org.uk ),  and for simplifying my short historical presentations of these renditions on their re-publication here!
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, MY MOST HUMBLE THANKS TO EVERYONE  OF YOU FOR LISTENING, AND FOR YOUR 'LIKES' & COMMENTS !
YOUR LISTENING & FEEDBACK IS TRULY APPRECIATED..!!.
Use of good headphones or speakers will make your music experience more enjoyable!
Best wishes, all the best
Veikko
These recordings are not commercially available, and ANY KIND OF THEIR COMMERCIAL USE IS PROHIBITED.

J.S.Bach: Concerto in D Minor BWV 1043: I-III. Transcribed for two pianos by VViljanen, June 2023

Veikko Viljanen