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Just done another Youtube upload, upon which my pug ugly face can be plainly seen, for the first time.

I've just played Cwm Rhondda full bore for a Welsh wedding. And Calon Lan and Ar Lan Y Mor...

I watched the lovely and very talented Sian James do Calon Lan on Youtube this morning. Sian is worth more than an endless amount of Katherine Jenkinses.

It seems i was a bit hasty in stating the failure of my exam, having just opened an email sent yesterday by my teacher, it seems the piano gods have blessed me ( and the examiner must have taken pity). I've scraped through
Grade 6 and 7 sight reading ordered
Dave , what's your youtube channel called? Let's see if you have a face for radio

There you are then, all's well that ends well,

That's not my face you can see, it's actually my posterior. You would never tell the two apart:-

www.youtube.com/user/Pianobloke1

[quote="dave brum"]

That's not my face you can see, it's actually my posterior. You would never tell the two apart:-

Then you have a very stern looking b*tt lol. I find it hard to look "cool" playing, maybe once i know a piece inside out and can play it blindfolded i relax more but i wouldn't put anything of mine on the net, i congratulate you for that. Now you have your first view

PS it might be controversial but bin the digital and get a real piano ( sell everything,pimp the wife, do what you gotta do)

btw, nice playing.

'Pimp' the wife?? How do I 'pimp' the wife and what does that entail??? And what's pimping?? Isn't that an employer of a, shall we say, a Christine Keeler, Pamella Bordes, Good-Time Gertie???

I've seen some piano players on Youtube and they are more concerned as to how they look than how they play. If, like me you're trying your utmost to concentrate on the dots in front of you instead of the fact there's a camera just to your left/right then your facial expression does tend to lose a bit of photogenicism (not that I ever had that anyway).

So I had eighty viewers and I now have eighty one. Well over seventy of those are mine. You're not the first viewer of my channel OHO, Gill's seen some of my clips too. But having a channel that nobody watches is not a novelty (remember TV-am?) I think it's quite unique. Long may I continue to have 0 subscribers. I wouldn't want any more!!!!

My adventures in Buckinghamshire on a church organ will be on that channel also on August 14th. With chickening out not taken into consideration.

The piece 'Quadrille' on Page 11 of CTM book 1 so reminds me of 'B*lls To Mr.Bengelstein'.

dave brum wrote:
My adventures in Buckinghamshire on a church organ will be on that channel also on August 14th. With chickening out not taken into consideration.

You will be the sole star of that particular film then.

Gill the Piano wrote:

dave brum wrote:
My adventures in Buckinghamshire on a church organ will be on that channel also on August 14th. With chickening out not taken into consideration.

You will be the sole star of that particular film then.

More like a video nasty than a film!!!

Not as nasty as it would be if I were in it.

You might have to hold the camera! It's going to be ten long days.....You need to think in terms of ordering the cakes from Waitrose now, and maybe a trip to Fortnums for some of their cheap tea.

Mabel and her boyfriend are going to 2 Proms tomorrow in London, both at the Albert Halls. I do wish I could see Albert's Halls one day.

Make yer mind up; I thought you were going to have to be left in Splendid Isolation whilst you were thundering away at the mighty Wurlitzer (yeuch)?

I'm not driving all that way and playing such a mighty piece of mechanics without TEA and CAKE in copious amounts!

I'm listening to the prom on the radio now that Mabel is in the audience for. I wonder if she's the only piano teacher there?

Tea & cake goes without saying; but you need to decide whether you need a cameraperson or not. Hope T is good with a camera...

Oh yes, I need a cameraperson. Helen Emo wants to see me. It'll be Management of course holding the camera. That goes without saying. Any ideas on which church we're using?

ALL of 'em.

Christ, that would mean a 6am start then! Would I be able to manage (bearing in mind I have to practice them here before starting out!)

No you don't have to practise; that's what you're coming here for! And don't go turning up before 9 because you won't get an answer. I'm self employed, you know...

Well, you might get some Cwm Rhondda as a bonus depending on how quick I can learn it! I have to find your place first as I've not a clue where I'm going in Marlow. How about mid morning then? That would give you ample time to get all your jewellery and powder puff/mascara/lipstick on and curlers out .

Yep. PM me and we'll sort it.

Gill the Piano wrote:Yep. PM me and we'll sort it.

Done, and you'll note I've even threatened to play you something if you phone. Unless I'm sat on the loo reading the Morning Star or something.

The session I've just had at the piano is proof that I HAVE to practice!

Just downloaded the 'Dodgy Toilet Cistern Song' at long last, otherwise known as 'I'll Find My Way Home' by Jon and Vangelis. Next it'll be the 'Wooden Spoon Being Slapped In The Yorkshire Pudding Mixture Song' ('Overjoyed' Stevie Wonder).

The Proclaimers '500 Miles' is travelling around the shrivelled walnut which I keep where my brane used to be.

And when I haver, well I know I'm gonna be, I'm gonna be the one that's havering with you. Isn't that an East London borough?

I've never understood the lyrics. And I always get a mental pic of that Scotch antiques expert, Paul Something, when I hear it...if I ever see it performed I'll expect it to be him singing!

'Letter From America' was the one of theirs that stuck with me. Take a loooooooooook at the rail track from Miami to....where? Apparently it's Canada. Bathgate no more, Linwood no more, Methil no more, Irvine no mooer.....

Alastair Cooke should be singing that one. Bit difficult now though...

His book came into the shop a few weeks back bit it was in a dreadful condition and all yellow and tattered. A bit like Mr Cooke is now!

Taking me slightly longer to learn one small part of Cwm Rhondda. My fingers keep finding the wrong notes every tine. Going to have to take it apart like I did with Hyfrydol.

Wish there was an easy play version of Aberystwyth.

Strange today I've used a little moisturiser on me hands today (one of the endless supply of toiletries my wife got at Christmas 12 but didn't really want) and I appear to be playing the piano better and less afraid of my dry hands slipping off the black notes. Have to do some stripping now and it's worth using the handcream post hocter prompt, or whatever 'Derek and Clive' call it...

'Sir William Borlase' Love that name. Sounds like one of these quintisentially British euphemisms for the male naughtie naughties, like 'John Thomas' sort of thing. You could imagine a bloke going into a barbers shop and asking for a rubber mac for Sir William Borlase's outing!

I hate playing the piano after having applied handcream...slippy!

I have to use handcream, although (highlighting the other extreme) the past couple of lessons with Mabel, I've had to take a towel as it's been quite warm and my hands have been sweaty.

I noticed that, after two months, newsletters are starting to re-appear on the website of our local (and Fanny Fosdyke's) Establishment church. I've missed them. Although with the alarums of the First World War comemmorations, the newsletter they've published (dated 3rd August 3014) is more like a jingoistic red top rather than a messenger of the Gospel of Christ. And I always like reading them, they're usually a titter (especially when they offer prayers for 'our organist Fanny, giving thanks for her musical ability').

I've often wondered on baroque musical instruments why the white keys are black and the black keys white?

There is a possibility that all five of these Buckinghamshire churches will be either locked, in use, or the organ will be out of order. Knowing my luck. We'll have to think of something else to pass the time, like play Scrabble Cymraeg.

Will you be playing tomorrow, Gillberto?

The scrabble cymraeg doesn't live at my house, anfordus. Yep, two gigs.

Mention it to the minister at those church he/she may have to launch an emergency organ restoration fund next Sunday, and to buy a cheap Casio keyboard from Argos for the duration.

So, my wife is off work until the 18th now. Apart from our trip to Marleaux-sur-la-Tamese, we're going to Liverpool for the day for her birthday. And there are music shops there along with shops selling tasty nosh (or 'scran' as I believe Scousers call it). Plus one or two other places as well as Keep Fit on Tuesday morning with our instructor, fresh from two weeks in Bar.....

Eight bars of Cwm Rhondda in t'bag now (up to 'Bread Of Heaven').

Had a nice trip to Morrisons, which involves driving past 'that' church, but Gertie's car wasn't outside. I said to my wife that it's unusual for her not to be playing as she needs all the money she can get for her mortgage. 'How much does she get per gig?' asks my wife, to which I pleaded ignorance - genuinely.

'When you get confident' she continues 'you can offer to play for free as it's will not have to be declared to the Benefits Agency'.

'What do you mean' says I. I don't think the congregatives will warm to the idea of me going over 'bring me my chariot of fire' repeatedly until I get it right!

Nobody can play Jerusalem perfectly without class A drugs...

So I heard today the organ tuner will be in two of the churches on the 13th. But I think with a bit of judicious dodging we can avoid him - unless you fancy seeing how it's done!

He's probably not expecting me (or indeed you) on Wednesday, so probably be handy for us to try and dodge him. Does anyone in those churches know there's this strange bloke from Brum coming down to play their organs (and being filmed doing so)?

Mentioned it to the rector and the parish secretary. Neither seemed worried.

Gill the Piano wrote:Mentioned it to the rector and the parish secretary. Neither seemed worried.

Complacency, complacency.....

No, they trust my judgement. Just don't let me down!

I might let myself down....less that 48 hours to go now from becoming the pariah of the church organ world...

I got the Catholic Hymn Book from the library today and it seems to tick all the boxes, it's big, the hymns are nearly all easy players and there are lots of Welsh belters in there (including Aberyst8). Strange that God Save The Queen in in there, as we all know Mrs Windsor and her family are absolutely nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church?

Bread Of Heaven?? First slice EATEN!

So, thirty six hours before I make a Ryghte Tytte of myself in front of Gill the Piano then....Saw a lovely quadruple manual Harrison at St Martins Church in the Bullring today that I'd imagine Mabel would be quite comfy with.

Also, I've been watching Gizzy's Youtube channel and she has a vid of her doing all of the Group 3 exercises in A Dozen a Day book 1. She's good at transposing and she'll be pleased to know Mabs (or Esmeralda as she once called her) has set me Group 3 to transpose into different major/minor keys as summer homework.