In the Works

Hello again, piano fans. My piano was on loan this week (it's portable, in case you're having visions of someone pushing a baby grand down main street), so I didn't record anything this weekend. I've been working on a string quartet score for Oh Worship the King (for the fun of it), and last night I was improvising on The Old Rugged Cross. Since this hymn was requested some time ago, it may be featured this week on Piano by Joel, so stay tuned.

As always, thank you for listening. You guys inspire me to be a better musician. Have a great week, and listen to some great music!

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Creating a Podcast

I always enjoy reading listener e-mail. Of course, I'm also interested in hearing listener podcasts as well, and tonight I received a question about how to set one up.

I started a writeup on the subject, but then decided that this article at FeedBurner.com does a much better job than I would. The idea is to 1) create an mp3, 2) upload it to a hosting service, 3) post a link to a blog, and 4) use FeedBurner to create a feed that podcast distributors (like iTunes) understand.

Check it out. If anyone starts a podcast, please let me know! Of course, even if you've recorded an mp3 or other audio file, I'd still like to hear it.

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In the Hands

Can't get enough piano music? Of course not! As much as I hate to say it, Piano by Joel cannot fill all of your piano listening needs, even with a new mp3 every week and musical scores starting to roll out.

That's why you need to check out Paul Cantell's blog and podcast, In the Hands. (also on iTunes, if you so desire.) Paul is an experienced pianist who offers up a tasty combination of classical pieces and original works. I think you'll enjoy both his music and his informed commentary.

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Index of Songs and Hymns

New Here?
I suggest checking out these recordings first to get an overview of my work:
Be Thou My Vision (Slane) - This one receives quite a few positive comments.
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - I like how this one turned out.
Doxology (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow) - One of my favorites.

Some of the earlier tracks will be noisy, but I've made some studio improvements since 2005.

Scores - These blog posts each contain a link to an Adobe Acrobat (PDF) document. Don't have Adobe Reader? It's a free download.

Be Thou My Vision
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
God Be With You Till We Meet Again

Songs - These blog posts each contain a link to a performance in mp3 format.

The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, has Ended

There's Power in the Blood - 11/3/2007

Just a Closer Walk with Thee, Rainy Day Jazz Version - 10/21/2007

This is My Father's World (Tera Beata) - 10/8/2007

Just a Closer Walk with Thee - 6/30/2007

Taps - 5/26/2007

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot - 4/7/2007

Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) - 3/17/2007

Mediation from Thais - 3/13/2007

A Mighty Fortress is Our God (Sola Scriptura theme) - 1/2/2007

The First Noel - 12/25/2006

O Come Emmanuel - 12/15/2006

I Am a Poor Wayfaring Stranger - 11/8/2006

Guest Performance, Be Thou My Vision - 10/29/2006

Nearer, My God, to Thee - 8/28/2006

God Be With You Till We Meet Again - 2/21/2006

Panis Angelicus 2/4/2006

Faith of Our Fathers 1/25/2006

Holy, Holy, Holy 1/15/2006

All Through the Night (Ar Hy y Nos) 12/18/2005

Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring 12/9/2005

Away in a Manger 12/4/2005

A Mighty Fortress is Our God 11/12/2005

Blest be the Tie that Binds (piano and flute duet) 11/3/2005

Jesus is All the World to Me 7/31/2005

Amazing Grace 8/1/2005

• I really appreciated hearing this this morning. Thank you for sharing your gift!!
• Great work Joel! Keep 'em coming!
• From the Trinity Hymnal, "How Sweet and Awful". The melody is aka Saint Columba, and ancient Irish Hymn melody.

Near the Cross 8/3/2005

I am Thine O Lord 8/4/2005

• Thoroughly mesmerizing! Keep 'em coming. Soon you'll have enough for a CD.
• I was forwarded this link and am totally in awe of your talent. I could listen to you play for hours.

Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing 8/6/2005

• This is beautiful! It sounds like you have a thousand fingers. Keep playing and sharing. Thanks very much! Your work is wonderful. I'll listen often it means alot. I found you on iTunes. God Bless

Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing (understated version) 8/8/2005

Be Thou My Vision (Slane) 11/22/2005

• I close my eyes as I listen and it takes me back to that piano and the friends who sat around it.
• Your recordings are such a blessing to me.Be thou my vision expecially, it was beautiful played.A psalm used much over here in a very good translation.Thank you!
• I play with a trio and we do a version of Slane but it is missing something.....and while I was searching for renditions, I heard yours. It is beautiful
• Thanks, Joel, for the awesome yet delicate songs for worship. I have subscribed to your itms podcasts, and play your works on my iPod, replacing much of the other tracks, but keeping yours on, load after load! The 8th century hymn, Be Thou My Vision, was my fathers favorite. When I found your version of it, I could only give thanks for a godly father, who loved Christ more than anything else on this earth, though he could only see darkly... In his Fathers home, my father now has full vision of Christ!

It is Well with My Soul 8/14/2005

• I have enjoyed listening to your arrangements. They have an immediacy and intimacy that I find very refreshing. I look forward to hearing future arrangements. Thanks.

A Wise Man, a House, and a Rock 8/17/2005

• Many thanks for the time you invest in this ministry,may GOD bless your efforts. There are not many on the web.

My Jesus I Love Thee 8/18/2005

• Wow! Very nice. I'm going to have to go through here and listen to more.
  Is the rain in the background real? It sounds real. I love the sound of the rain so I love it in the background. Keep it up. I probably won't comment much, but I am thoroughly enjoying listening to your music.
• The second phrase is my testimony. I know thou art mine.

In the Garden 8/23/2005

• I really enjoyed the version with the background sound. It was you were giving an outside concert or playing with all of the windows open. I thought it really added to the enjoyment.

At the Cross 8/26/2005

• So far, I have two favorites, this one "Come Thou Fount......." and "At the Cross." They are both beautiful arrangements!

Sweet Hour of Prayer 9/8/2005

Doxology (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow) 9/15/2005

• Beautiful, Joel!

Oh Love that will not Let Me Go 9/22/2005

• Excellent music. What type of instrument are you using? Electronic/Synth? Beautiful and relaxing, thanks!
• O Love that Will Not Let Me Go was my grandfather's favorite hymn, and yourarrangement and work are excellent with this piece! I so enjoy listening toyour music and really appreciate your sharing your time, effort, and gifts in this manner.

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing 9/24/2005

• So far, I have two favorites, this one "Come Thou Fount......." and "At the Cross". They are both beautiful arrangements!

Just as I Am without One Plea 10/10/2005

In the Garden (remix - no background sounds) 10/11/2005

My Faith Looks Up to Thee 10/23/2005

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CD Cover Art

Fresh Hymns

My Faith Looks Up to Thee

Today Piano by Joel features the old hymn, My Faith Looks Up to Thee. The classic melody was written by none other than Lowell Mason (1792-1872). Ray Palmer (1808-1887) wrote the lyrics:

My faith looks up to Thee
Thou Lamb of Calvary
Savior divine
Now hear me while I pray
Take all my guilt away
O let me from this day be wholly Thine

An excellent reminder of the benefits that come from faith in Christ.

Click here to listen.

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Score: Be Thou my Vision

By request, here is the piano score for Be Thou My Vision (aka Slane.) It's my first score (consider it draft copy), so please forgive any issues you may find with the musical notation.

I learned a few things in the course of this excercise. When working backwards, by first improvising a piece and then writing it down, the notation becomes a mirror of sorts. The markings that flow up and down the grand staff reveal what the left and right hands are doing, so I learned a few things. First of all, the musical notes themselves are simple, but that's ok, since the interweaving of beauty and simplicity is important to me. I'm also a little troubled by the left hand. The right hand seems to move purposefully across the keyboard, while the left hand performs its tasks somewhat more haphazardly. Maybe I need to whip out some Bach excercises and give my left hand a workout.

Remember that there is nothing particularly magical about this score. It's notes on paper, transcribed from an earlier Piano by Joel recording. The importance is in how the music is interpreted by the performer. If you choose to print out and learn this piece, I recommend listening to the original, to better understand my original intent.

Enjoy the music. If any of you ever perform it, I would love to hear about it. If it's possible, I wouldn't mind hearing an MP3 either.

Click here to download.

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A word about e-mails

I want to thank each of you who have commented and/or e-mailed me. Your kind words are an encouragement, and you guys provide me with some great ideas. I try to respond to all e-mails, but I need to mention that some anti-spam filters out there might not like my gmail.com address, so beware. I have been blocked by at least one listener's filter!
I've got a few things in the works:

1. The score to Be Thou My Vision is pretty much complete! It will be available soon.
2. I'm working on a piano rendition of My Faith Looks Up to Thee, also available soon.
3. It's almost time to think about arranging some holiday favorites.

Thanks again for listening and interacting.

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Anyone know where to find this?

I'm looking for the score to the classic, "Romance for Violin and Piano" by Amy Beach. If anyone knows where I can rent or purchase it, please let me know. Thanks!

For anyone who hasn't listened to this piece, I encourage you to do so. It's one of the most beautiful piano and violin duets ever written.

Got Music?

I was happy to hear from a few listeners who are also musicians! If you have some of your own music online, please post a comment or send me an e-mail (check my profile for my latest e-mail address.) I would like to hear your work.

If you have a moment, and enjoy Piano by Joel, I'd appreciate it if you would vote and leave a comment on PodcastAlley, one of the podcast directories out there:

http://www.podcastalley.com/podcast_details.php?pod_id=10282

I'm currently working on the piano score for Be Thou my Vision. I'll post it when it's complete. I'm also considering a couple other projects, but nothing solid yet. My main goal is to keep releasing an original arrangement each week, so stay tuned.

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In the Garden (Remix, without ambient sounds)

Today's song is a remix of a previous track, In the Garden, which featured background sounds such as birds and wind chimes. This time, we take the piano inside for a little peace and quiet.

When it comes to sound effects, I have received listener comments both ways... some like the sounds, while others prefer the pure, unadulterated sounds of the piano. Since this is, after all, an interactive forum, and not an album whose content is predetermined by big media executives, I'll be happy to remix a few of my past songs, and post versions that do not contain sound FX.

I do like to experiment, so you will continue to hear tracks that contain different sounds and instrumentation, but you can always count on plenty of fresh piano music tracks as well. Thank you everyone for listening, putting up with my less inspiring creations(!), and interacting.

Click Here to Listen

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New: Subscribe via E-mail

You probably noticed the e-mail form at the top of the page. For those of you who would prefer to subscribe to Piano by Joel via e-mail, just enter an e-mail address and click the Subscribe Me! button.
If anyone would like to suggest additional features or improvements, feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. Thanks!

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Try PodNova.com for Easier Listening

Tired of clicking on individual songs to listen, and wish you could just let them play sequentially, like a CD? Or maybe you've had trouble getting these songs to play on your PC.

If you have web access at work, or just want an easier way to listen to Piano by Joel on the web at home, try PodNova: http://www.podnova.com/religious/piano_by_joel/. They provide a built-in player that will play a recent list of songs for you! Now you can just hit Play and let it go:

Give it a try! If you like it, leave a comment. See you next time.

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Just As I Am, without One Plea

This old, well-known hymn, Just As I Am, without One Plea, was written by Charlotte Elliott (1789-1871) with music by William Bradbury (1816-1868.) It's a great reminder that God not only sees us for what we are, but what we can be.
Click Here to Listen

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Coming right up

Hi all,

Just wanted to let you know that I have a new song ready, but I'm having trouble getting it to register with my media hosting service. I'll give it another try later, possibly Monday evening. Thanks for your patience.

Joel

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