Link to Score (PDF)

Recently I came across a rough sketch of a duet arrangement I had made of "I Love Coffee, I Love Tea," a tune that every beginning pianist used to learn to play years ago. I had extended the tune and added a second part so that it could be played Piano Four Hands or on two pianos. From the sketch, I recreated the arrangement replete with its humorous wrong notes, and present it here. Enjoy the traditional Secondo part alone, or if you can find a second pianist, try the duet. Frank, April…

Just as I begin most musical compositions improvising at the keyboard until I find an idea I can expand upon, I begin most visual art works without a plan, sketching randomly with a pencil, often with my eyes closed. Then I search the resulting image for an idea I can develop, erasing lines lines that don't belong, and adding to those that do until the final drawing emerges. I usually finish with ink, adding texture and thickness to the lines and other details as required. 

I rarely work from real life…

You may hunt for a runt,
Kick a punt way out front, 
But you'll never find a rhyme for month. 

You may pilfer what you will for
Some dill you may kill for, 
And never find a rhyme for silver. 

You may drink a tea that's herbal,
Burble at a gerbil, 
And still not find a rhyme for purple. 

You may cringe or show courage,
You may throw away your porridge, 
But you'll never find a rhyme,
It's a shame it's not a crime, 
But you'll never find a rhyme for orange.

Merry-Go-Round 

When winter nips our noses, frozen fingers thaw from frost, 
In vain we cry, “Oh summer, how were your warm days lost.” 
Then summer with its stifling heat returns to parch our throats, 
And we can't wait till winter to don our duffel coats. 

Le Carrousel 

En ete, vous songer, 
Que vous aimez l'hiver. 
En hiver, au contraire, 
L'ete maintenant est cher.

Come and see the rain, 
Your trip won't be in vain. 
Morning, noon or night, 
Enjoy the soggy sight. 
And for variety for some hours, 
The rain will turn to showers!

To live from day to day is just a coward's way, 
When hopes begin to fall, the time has come to end it all. 
For should your life become a bore, when waking means just one day more, 
Of treasured hopes that tripping fall, like shattered glass against the wall, 
The time has come to end it all. 

Should bank accounts be getting low, and landlords order you to go, 
Evicted into winter snow and forced to live in old skid row, 
With falling plaster, filth and rats, at night the sound of screeching bats, 
No faithful…

THE KING'S NEW DICTIONARY 

( An Adult Fairy Tale ) 

Once upon a time in the medieval kingdom of Foffdan, the King had a dream. And lo, in the dream, a great wizard appeared before him and cautioned, “You have been a goodly counsellor to your subjects over the years, However no-one in the kingdom is wise enough to succeed you. There is an urgent need for a Dictionary of Regulations to guide future kings of Foffdan in their decisions once you are gone.” 

Next morning, the king called his his chief Advisor…

Haiku 

In my late teenage years and young adulthood, I was fascinated with Japanese Haiku, read many in translation and even wrote a few myself. My favorite Japanese poet was Issa and his “romantic” natural imagery greatly influenced me. 

I never attempted to follow the Japanese three line, 5 syllable, 7 syllable, 5 syllable format as it seemed foreign to English, but did adopt a free three line structure, and focused on natural images and moments of insight as did the traditional haiku. 

Below is a…

I was just stepping away from the piano when our host thanked me warmly and observed, “you have an excellent hand position; you've clearly had fine training.” She was an elderly Hungarian Jew, whose tatooed forearm bore witness to unspoken Nazi horrors. 

I acknowledged her compliment and asked if she might favor our small gathering with a selection or two of her own.”You must be quite accomplished,” I added, “judging by the difficulty of the sheet music in your piano bench.” 

“Oh, I don't play anymore” she…

During the first couple of weeks of being confined to my apartment, I was at loose ends, trying to get adjusted to the loss of my exercise classes, piano playing commitments, concerts, lunches and activities with friends. By week three however, it was clear that things were not going to return to normal soon, if ever, and I had no choice but to adapt to the new reality. I decided the way forward was to focus on my various artistic pursuits that had always been a source of challenge and satisfaction…