Mendelssohn Op. 38, No. 6 "Duet" Dedicated to My Sister Jenifer

Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words (Opus 38) is one of his most popular works for piano. Number 6, "Duet" or "Duetto" is arguably one of his most beautiful compositions. It is a love song between two voices accompanied by a moving bass and quiet hand. Each voice has it's turn for solo expression and then they both intertwine for a most impressive climax before coming to a distinct and gorgeous conclusion. You can read my additional commentary on this piece by visting this download page for the selection on my Lisztonian website.

This recording is dedicated to my oldest sister, Jenifer (pay careful attention to the one-'n' spelling!). Jenifer is the oldest of five children and has always been a leader and guide to the rest of us.

Growing up, Jenifer was a great inspiration to me. I remember sitting on her bed night after night as she would do homework at her desk, listening to me chatter about unimportant things. This became quite the routine for the two of us. I'm not sure why she put up with it for so long, considering I was always slowing down her ability to get her schoolwork done - but she was always patient and loving towards me.

Jenifer always brings laughter and joy to all situations, no matter how difficult or hard it may be. She also takes the time to share other's burdens and make everybody feel important. I can always look to Jenifer to provide a good outlook on life, to uplift, and to encourage.

I am dedicating this recording to Jenifer for several reasons. She was the first to introduce me to this composition several years ago. She brought me a copy of it one day and mentioned that she thought I would like it. I played through it several times, and again maybe once or twice over the span of the next several years. I always considered it a beautiful piece of music. However, it wasn't until just a month or two ago that I "fell in love" with the piece. I pulled it out and decided it was time to invest more study into it and so I got out my trusty red and gray pencils and began reading through the score while marking the things I noticed. As I did this, I couldn't help but think of my sister and the wonderful influence she has been in my life. So it is with great love and sincerity that I dedicate the recording of Mendelssohn's popular "Duet" to my sister, Jenifer.

To listen to this recording you may use the embedded media player below. You may also subsribe to my iTunes podcast (free) and be updated whenever I release a new recording. You may also visit this page of my Lisztonian website to download the recording as either an MP3 or WMA file - this will provide a better playback experience. Thank you for your support and for enjoying my music.

Beethoven Sonata Pathetique (Patetica) Op. 13 No. 8: II Adagio cantabile Dedicated to My Sister, Jiselle

Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique is one of his most popular Sonatas. This recording is only the 2nd movement of the Sonata, Adagio cantabile. I discussed some about this Sonata in a previous post:

For those of you unfamiliar with this work, it is quite a popular Sonata of [Beethoven's]. The opening Grave section is a fine example of Beethoven's unique style and how he breaks away from the Classical genre of his day transitioning into the Romantic period. This work was written during his younger years but, in my opinion, is still full of the innovation that Beethoven produced throughout his lifetime. The second movement of this piece is a beautiful Adagio. Beethoven indicated Adagio cantabile for the second movement, where "cantabile" translates to something like "singable" or "song-like". I would describe cantabile as something you find yourself singing along to even though there are no lyrics. This can be a bit tricky in this piece because the melody is carried in the right hand along with a moving accompanyment.

This recording is lovingly dedicated to my sister, Jiselle, who doesn't really keep up with my music much, so I needed to dedicate something to her just to get her to listen ;) Just kidding (kind of). Jiselle and I grew up as great friends. We spent most of our childhood playing together - usually her bossing me around. I didn't mind so much though, because her friendship meant a lot to me. We still keep in close contact and my family misses having her close by; but we cherish the times that we have had together and look forward to her visits with great anticipation. Jiselle, I love you very much and I hope that your life will bring you the clarity, peace and serenity that this music so represents.

I have always loved this Sonata, more specifically this second movement. I studied the other movements of this Sonata back when I was in high school and haven't done much with it since. Hopefully one of these days I'll get around to relearning the other two movements so that I can post those on my Lisztonian site as well. Until then, I hope you will enjoy the second movement only of Beethoven's popular Sonata Op. 13 No. 8 - Pathetique! You can find this recording on my Lisztonian website or by clicking here. You may also subscribe to my free podcast on iTunes which will keep you updated when new recordings become available. You may also use the embedded player below to listen to this selection online. Thank you for your support!

Schubert Impromptu Op. 90 No 4 in E-flat

So I have finally gotten around to recording another of Schubert's four Impromptus in Op. 90. I previously had recorded No. 4 in A-flat, so here is No. 2 in E-flat. I hope to record No. 1 and No. 3 in the near future.

This is a fun Impromptu to play. I especially enjoy playing measures 25-34 as well as measures 135 through the end of that section. I first studied this piece several years ago and didn't really play it again until recently. Back when I was first learning it my daughter used to run into the room to dance when I would play the closing coda section. She loved dancing to it! When I picked it up again just a week or two ago my youngest son started dancing to the very same section. I found it interesting that they were both drawn to the exact same part of the music. So when you listen to the last 30 or so measures of this recording you can imagine a little child dancing along with it :)

I am dedicating this recording to my little sister, Nessa. She learned this piece a while back and now when I play it I can't help but think of her. I am priveleged to be her sibling.

To listen to this recording you may visit my Lisztonian website or click here to go directly to the download page. You may also subscribe to all of my recordings (including this one) through my free iTunes podcast. That is the best way to be automatically updated when I release a new recording. For convenience, you may also use the embedded media player below.

The Poet SpeaksDedicated to Judy Stockett

Schumann's Opus 15 is one of his popular and well-known works. It consists of 13 short pieces composed about various "scenes of childhood" (thus the title - Kinderszenen - Scenes of Childhood). This particular "scene" is the final scene in the work and is titled "Der Dichter spricht" or "The Poet Speaks." As many of my friends and family know, I love poetry. I am not a poet, but am an appreciator of this fine literary art. In fact, I read poetry to my children almost every night before I read them their bedtime stories and put them to bed. Good poetry inspires the soul - as does good music. For this reason, I particularly love this work because it is a musical interpretation of a poet speaking.

This recording is dedicated to a wonderful woman, Judy Stockett and her dear husband, Jerry Stockett. I have known this couple only a few years but have grown a deep admiration for the both of them. We are both members of the same faith and so we attend church meetings together regularly. Over these last couple of years Judy and Jerry have been an inspiration to me during times of trial and difficulty. They are the epitome of optimism and joy. I have especially enjoyed having several opportunities to hear Judy speak of her personal experiences and am uplifted by her natural love for life, hope, and the "brighter side" of everything.

Judy, along with this recording, there is a poem that makes me think of you. This fits in perfectly with this musical work by Schumann, and is a great representation of how my family feels towards the great person you are:

Worth While
by Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1855 - 1919)

It is easy enough to be pleasant, When life flows by like a song,
but the man worth while is one who will smile, When everything goes dead wrong.
For the test of the heart is trouble, And it always comes with the years,
And the smile that is worth the praises of earth Is the smile that shines through tears.
It is easy enough to be prudent, When nothing tempts you to stray,
When without or within no voice of sin Is luring your soul away;
But it's only a negative virtue Until it is tried by fire,
And the life that is worth the honor on earth Is the one that resists desire.
By the cynic, the safe, the fallen, Who had no strength for the strife,
The world's highway is cumbered to-day; They make up the sum of life.
But the virtue that conquers passion, And the sorrow that hides in a smile,
It is these that are worth the homage on earth For we find them but once in a while.

Judy, you are an inspiration to us all.
...
This recording may be downloaded here or through my iTunes podcast. You may also use the embedded player below to listen to this recording.

A Happy Memorial Day

It is a cold and rainy day here in Utah. Not ideal for visiting the gravesites of family, but nonetheless a day for remembering our ancestry. I've been thinking a lot of my paternal grandmother these last several weeks. She past away several years ago. Her name is Belva (Coon) Jones. When I was in highschool I made an album of music to sell so that I could help pay for my missionary service in Japan. When my grandma found out that I had made a recording of piano music, she insisted on buying one. She didn't have a CD player at the time and so I told her I would make a tape recording for her. She asked what the difference was and so I explained to her some of the differences. When I told her I was able to fit two more pieces of music on the CD than on the tape, she insisted that she needed to have the CD. So she went out and purchased a CD player to accompany my CD. What a sweetheart. My sister also came out with an album of her own music shortly thereafter, and to my knowledge, that CD player was only regularly used to play those two CDs.

One of the works on my CD was Franz Liszt's Nocturne in A-flat, Liebestraume, or "Dream of Love." My grandmother would frequently tell me that this was one of her favorite songs. "We used to listen and dance to this during the depression," she would recall, with her eye-lashes batting, her body swaying, and an overly dramatic expression of love on her face. Then, in a whisper, she would lean to me and say, "I want you to play this at my funeral." Year after year, she would remind me of this. The night that she past away my father called to let me know. I sat down at the piano and played through Liszt's Nocturne, over and over again. I guess that was my way of mourning the loss of my grandmother. A few days later, I fulfilled her request and played the Nocturne (Liebestraume) at her funeral service.

So now, several years later, it is memorial day and I'm sitting here thinking of my grandmother. Before I get the day started, I think I'll go sit down and play through "Dream of Love" and reminisce on my heritage. You are welcome to join me in listening to this beautiful Nocturne. I've recorded this piece several times (because I almost always include it in public recitals) and have one of these recording posted on my Lisztonian site. You can click here to visit that page on my Lisztonian site, or you may use the embedded player below.

Have a happy memorial day, and be sure to spend some time remembering the great people in your heritage.

Chopin Nocturne in E MinorDedicated to Two Individuals

Chopin's Nocturne in E-minor is one of my favorite Nocturnes. It is a short, yet profound work of art that takes the listener through several of life's most important emotions. It can stir the soul and awaken the spirit. This nocturne can carry a listener through a world of sorrow, anguish, joy, and hope all within just a few minutes. For this reason I would like to dedicate this recording to two very special people. The first is a new friend of mine, Randy. The second is my father, Keith Jones. Both of these individuals have been diagnosed with devastating illnesses. I have sat many hours with my father and spent many, many more just being flooded with the several emotions I mentioned above. As my wife will confirm, I am not one to openly share my emotions on a regular basis - at least not verbally. I do, however, try to let my spirit speak through my music. I have learned that the most powerful of emotions is that of love. So it is with sincere love that I dedicate this recording of Chopin's Nocturne in E-minor to my dear father, Keith Jones, and my friend, Randy. Let the examples of these two great men remind us to always keep hope and optimism in our hearts.

To listen to this recording, you can visit this page of my Lisztonian site, subscribe to my iTunes podcast (free), or use the embedded player below. I hope you enjoy my music!

Mother's Day Dedication #3Chopin Nocturne in E-flat MajorFor My Precious Wife

To my cherished companion:

Happy Mother's Day!

We have been married for almost 7 years now and each year my love and admiration for you grow. These past two years have especially brought a heightened and deepened respect for what a tremendous person you are. Our children our blessed to have such a dedicated and nurturing mother; and I am blessed to have such a strong and loving soulmate.

I recorded this Nocturne one evening while you were away. I didn't have time to pracitce because I wanted it to be a surprise for today; so I apologize for the many imperfections - I suppose that is just a reflection on my many imperfections that you already glance over on a daily basis.

If I were to title this recording, I would call it "First" as it represents to me the many "firsts" that we have shared together: our first date, our first kiss, our first tears, our first child, our first gift, our first success, and even our first argument. Each of these firsts have brought us closer and strengthened the eternal bond of marriage between us. We have an endless supply of firsts still waiting for us, and as my mind reflects on this, I feel that same twitterpation I felt as we first began our courtship.

I love you dearly and look forward to our life together.

You can click here to download this recording to your computer or you may use the player below to listen.

Mother's Day Dedication #2Mozart Sonata in C Major K 300h (330)Dedicated to Mom

Mozart's Sonata in C Major (K 300h) is one of my favorites. I fell in love with it after purchasing a Lang Lang CD with this piece on it. I encourage you to buy a copy of that CD to hear a master musician at work :)

For those of you with finely trained ears, you will notice that this is actually in the key of F Major and not C Major. This recording is only the Andante cantabile section of the Sonata, and this section was written in the key of F Major.

I am dedicating this recording to my mom :) I chose this piece because Mozart is her favorite composer and this Sonata is just such a beautiful work. My mom is the one who originally taught me to play the piano and I owe my passion for music to her -- thanks mom!

Our Mother - author unknown
Hundreds of stars in the pretty sky,
Hundreds of shells on the shore together.
Hundreds of birds that go singing by,
Hundreds of birds in the sunny weather;

Hundreds of dewdrops to greet the dawn,
Hundreds of bees in the purple clover,
Hundreds of butterflies on the lawn,
But only one mother the wide world over.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

To listen to this recording you can click here and download it to your computer. You may also subscribe to my iTunes podcast or simply use the player below.

Mother's Day Dedication #1SerenadaTo My Mom-In-Law

I'm breaking out of my typical weekly (or bi-weekly) posting this week in light of the Mother's Day holiday. This first recording is dedicated with great love and admiration to my sweet mom-in-law. I like to use the term "mom-in-law" because it seems more personal :) I love my mom-in-law very much. She raised a wonderful daughter and two sons who I also greatly admire (James and David). She is intelligent, talented, fun, and thoughtful.

I chose to dedicate Schubert's Serenada (arranged by Franz Liszt) to her because this is one of her favorite classical works. It is a popular vocal work by Franz Schubert but has been transcribed for a variety of other instruments due to the popularity of the piece.

Happy Mother's Day Omonee!

To listen to my recording of Schubert's Serenada you may click here or you can use the player provided below. You may also subsribe to my podcast at iTunes to stay updated on all of my new releases.

Chopin - Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor Dedicated to the Lloyd Family

Chopin's Nocturnes are among the best of classical music! This particular Nocturne was written in 1830 (while Chopin was about 20 years old). It was written around the same time as his famous 2nd piano concerto and even included a note with the first edition that specifically mentioned it as a "warm-up" of sorts to his second concerto. Chopin never had this work published. It was not released to the public until 1875, after Chopin had past away (he died in 1849). Thus it was published "posthumously", which simply means it was published after his death. Therefore it was never assigned an opus number by Chopin and remains a stand-alone Nocturne.

I am dedicating this recording to a friend of mine and his family — Steve Lloyd. He and his family have been wonderful supporters of my music. He also has been the source for many of the subtle features and changes on my Lisztonian site. Steve and his family represent the good in humanity and they provide all of us with a good example of what a family ought to be. Steve is also the founder of a family-oriented newsletter service that provides an ingenious solution for helping families stay in touch. So it is with great sincerity that I dedicate this Nocturne to Steve and his family - thanks for your support and encouragement!

You can listen to Chopin's Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor by visiting browsing my Lisztonian Website. You will have the option of downloading the recording as an MP3, WMA, or you may listen directly through the site. You may also find all of my recordings provided commercial-free through iTunes! For your convenience, I've also included a playbar at the bottom of this post.

If you enjoy this recording, please consider making a donation towards the purchase of a new Steinway piano!

Two Arabesques for Piano (I)Dedicated to the Robertsons

To all of my listener's I apologize for the several-week delay in releasing another recording. Sometimes life becomes too busy for personal hobbies :)

My latest release happens to be my first recording of a work by Claude Debussy (believe it or not). It is the first of two arabesques (Deux Arabesques). This is a well-known composition by Debussy, who is an impressionist composer. It is one of his earlier works, and is actually not very stylistic of the music that granted Debussy's title as an impressionist composer. Nonetheless it has remained a favorite amongst classical listeners.

This piece is often heard at group or student recitals. It is an all-too-common mistake (in my opinion) to hear this piece played at more of an Allegro tempo than the indicated Andantino. I've tried to maintain a strolling pace in this recording although it still feels a bit rushed at times.

I am dedicating this recording to my dear friends, the Robertsons. While I was living and serving as a volunteer missionary in Japan (for my church), the Robertsons acted as my mentors, guardians, friends, and stand-in parents. With hundreds of volunteers serving under their care and direction, they still took the time to make each one of us feel important and loved. They gifted true charity to everyone they encountered; and brought renewed hope, and a warm heart when people needed it most. So it is with utmost sincerity and respect that I dedicate the recording of this Arabesque to them.

For additional commentary and to download this recording please visit this page of my Lisztonian site. For other recordings or to download all of my music, please go directly to http://www.lisztonian.com/.

As has been the case with all of my recent recordings, this piece was recorded on a studio upright. Much of musicality is lost to the limitations of the instrument. To those of you who have enjoyed listening to my recordings, please consider signing your name to the lid of my future piano by making a donation. I am still a long way from reaching my goal, but I am hopeful that the day will eventually come that I can be recording free music on a new Steinway Model B. Regardless of whether or not you choose to donate, THANK YOU for your support and for enjoying the music that I provide.

Here is a streaming version that you can listen to now of this latest recording (Two Arabesques for Piano (#1) by Claude Debussy). You may also subscribe on my iTunes page so that you don't miss anything new!

Rachmaninoff Prelude in C-Sharp Minordedicated to Dane Laverty

Sergei Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor (Op 3, No 2) is one of his most popular and most famous works. It is often called "The Prelude" or "The Bells of Moscow." It is a fun piece and I love playing it. I have only performed this live on two (maybe three) occasions.

I am dedicating this recording to my dear friend, Dane Laverty. He and I served together as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- commonly known as "The Mormons" (mormons are NOT affiliated with Warren Jeffs or any modern-day polygamast group). During that time, I spent two years in Kobe Japan serving the Japanese people and discussing with them my beliefs in God and the gospel of Jesus Christ. My religion is a major part of my musicianship and my faith is the root of my passion for good music. Hopefully that doesn't offend any of my devoted listeners, but hey, I'm just being honest with you :)

Dane Laverty has grown to be one of my greatest friends and examples. I constantly look up to him as a master teacher in life. I dedicate this particular recording to him because he is a fellow pianist and he performed this piece for me during the time we were serving together in Japan. It may not be quite as refined as his performance, but I hope that my listeners will enjoy it all the same.

It was recorded at my home on my studio upright. If you have enjoyed my recordings, then please consider helping me in my quest to purchase a Steinway Model B piano. I appreciate all of the generous donations I have received and hope that someday I can repay that generosity by recording my music on one of the world's finest instruments.

You may listen to my recording of Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-Sharp Minor by visiting my Lisztonian website or by using the following music player: