JEFFREY CHAPPELL - PIANIST
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Jeux d’Eau -
Jeffrey Chappell plays Ravel's Jeux d’Eau. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. “Jeux” literally means “games”, and “d’eau” means “of water”. This could be translated as "the playing of water" and the piece is sometimes called “The Fountain(s)” or “Water Games”, although Ravel said that he was inspired by the sound of waterfalls, brooks, and water spraying. An inscription at the top of the score says, “The god of the rivers laughs from the water which tickles him.” Maurice Ravel dedicated the piece to his teacher, Gabriel Fauré. At three points, Ravel wrote the lowest note on the piano, an A, when it is preceded by the two G#s above it. Because I am playing a Bösendorfer piano with extra keys in the bass, I sound the low G# instead of A at 2:59, 3:20, and 3:30.
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Nocturne for Left Hand -
Jeffrey Chappell plays Scriabin's Nocturne for Left Hand. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Scriabin’s Prelude for Left Hand, Opus 9 No. 1 pairs with this piece, but that was omitted from this performance since the Nocturne, Opus 9 No. 2, was played alone as an encore.
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Jazz Sonata -
Jeffrey Chappell plays the Opening of his award winning composition, Jazz Sonata. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, with the composer at the piano. The title is a play on words: an opening is that which begins something, such as the first movement of a sonata; but here the word also refers to a sense of expanding, of blossoming, which this piece of music does all the way to the end.
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Chopin Opus 18 -
From the October 4, 2009 recital on the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano at Frederick (MD) Community College. This Waltz, which is Chopin’s opus 18, is the first one he published.
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Brahms Rhapsody -
From the October 4, 2009 recital on the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano at Frederick (MD) Community College. Although titled “Rhapsody”, this piece is actually in a strict sonata-allegro form. It is Opus 79 No. 2.
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Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, first movement, part one -
Jeffrey Chappell plays part one of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, opus 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elisa Koehler on May 7, 2011 at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
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Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, first movement, part two -
Jeffrey Chappell plays part two of the first movement of Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, opus 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elisa Koehler on May 7, 2011 at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
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Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, second movement, “Intermezzo” -
Jeffrey Chappell plays the second movement, “Intermezzo”, of Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, opus 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elisa Koehler on May 7, 2011 at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
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Rachmaninoff Third Concerto, third movement, “Finale” -
Jeffrey Chappell plays the third movement, “Finale”, of Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, opus 30 by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elisa Koehler on May 7, 2011 at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
Rachmaninoff Third Concerto,
third movement, “Finale”
Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, opus 30, third movement, “Finale”, by Sergei Rachmaninoff, performed by Jeffrey Chappell with the Frederick Symphony Orchestra conducted by Elisa Koehler on May 7, 2011 at Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland.
Read Jeffrey's nine-part blog article, “Rachmaninoff Third”, about this performance.
Beethoven Sonata Opus 78, First Movement From the October 4, 2009 recital on the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano at Frederick (MD) Community College. Unusual for its key of F# Major and for being in only two movements, this sonata was once declared by Beethoven to be his favorite. Its dedication to Therese von Brunswick, a strong candidate for the identity of Beethoven's “Immortal Beloved”, could explain his remark.
Beethoven Sonata Opus 78, Second Movement From the October 4, 2009 recital on the Bosendorfer Imperial Grand Piano at Frederick (MD) Community College. Unusual for its key of F# Major and for being in only two movements, this sonata was once declared by Beethoven to be his favorite. Its dedication to Therese von Brunswick, a strong candidate for the identity of Beethoven's “Immortal Beloved”, could explain his remark.
Tenderly Jeffrey Chappell plays Tenderly by Walter Gross. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. Jeffrey Chappell’s solo piano arrangement of this American popular song plays with the title by beginning roughly, but it eventually works its way around to a tender treatment of the tune.
Tomorrow Jeffrey Chappell plays Tomorrow by Charles Strouse. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, this is Jeffrey Chappell’s arrangement of the famous tune from the Broadway show, “Annie”. The first half might be nicknamed “Annie Sings The Blues”, but in the second half the sun comes out in a big way.
Hootie Blues Jeffrey Chappell plays Hootie Blues by Jay McShann. From the April 6, 2009 solo recital at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. “Hootie” was Jay McShann’s nickname. Charlie Parker made his first commercial recording with this tune. This unattributed arrangement appears in “Jazz, Blues, Boogie, & Swing for Piano” published by MCA/Mills, but the notation of swing rhythm is inconsistent throughout and needs careful decoding.