Welcome to my music blog - The Soundtrack of My Life!

Many of you have asked me “What’s with all the music, Dr. Weiss?” Well, as I’ve told some of you:

I personally call every surgery patient on the evening of surgery just to make sure they are doing well and have no questions that need answering. Occasionally, I would be at the piano and play a song that we had listened to that day. I gradually realized that I wanted to go through all the music that I had played during my life and at least start making a list of the songs that I had recently played.

Well, there are now about 600 songs on the list and I realized that it in a way it represented the ‘soundtrack of my life’! And that’s how I got the idea to record these songs and share them with my patients, friends and family. After I record them they will reside here, for easy access.

Music is truth. It’s honest. It’s really the first social media, where in a way, people could share their souls directly. And isn’t that what the purpose of social media is and why it’s so popular - trying to share who you really are, as completely and directly as possible?

Finally, it has been (and will continue to be) a genuine pleasure sharing these different songs with you and I really appreciate all of your positive feedback!!

Musical Genres

Mozart as a child

Fantasia in D Minor

January 25, 2019

This performance of “Fantasia in D Minor” is dedicated to and requested by my friend Monique B. Fantasy in D minor (composed in 1782), left unfinished by the composer, is one of Mozart’s most well- known and most popular pieces for the piano. For me, one of the most interesting things about this piece (besides its unique beauty) is that it was later discovered that the last 10 measures were completed by another musician - but nobody knew it for over a hundred years! It was only in 1944 – roughly a century and a half after Mozart’s death and the publication of the fantasy – that a scholar questioned the authenticity of the final 10 measures of Mozart’s fantasy.  Now we know that the last ten measures of Mozart’s "Fantasy" are not by Mozart, but were composed by his contemporary and admirer, August Müller. Listen for a dominant chord and a long pause just before the final 10 measures - that’s where Mozart left it! Can you imagine the music Mozart would have written had he lived past the age of 35! You may notice that the keyboard that I am playing has rows of lights above the keys. [...]
Adult ballerinas in pink performing "Waltz of the Flowers"

The Nutcracker Suite Contest

January 10, 2019

As you've probably read in the email (you ARE on our email list right? ), I sat down to record a version of "Waltz of the Flowers" last night, and completed the recording only to find that I already had a previous version of the same movement!  Well, rather than discard a take, I thought it would be interesting to share both pieces of music with you.  While they are similar, there are certain differences in the performance that I can hear.  I'm curious - which one do you like better?  There are also slight differences in the recordings - (and a couple wrong notes) but I'm interested in the difference in performances, rather than sound quality or notes. This contest also gives me another opportunity to spotlight Weiss Music Minutes!  As you may recall, I have been trying to offer evidence that  the essence of many complete musical ideas (and songs) can be distilled down to  under 60 seconds. I'm hope you'll agree that you will recognize this piece of music by Tchaikovsky as a complete musical concept - in just a minute! Let me know which one you preferred, and if your opinion happens to land in the majority, you'll get [...]
Stevie Wonder against a red background

The Secret Life of Plants

May 11, 2018

Well, this Mother’s Day has been quite the confluence of events!  Of course, Mother’s Day is Sunday May 13th.  As you’ll hear in the video, I decided to play a famous piece of music for my mom called “Claire De Lune” by Claude Debussy; I had played the song some 40 years ago at my mother’s wedding. As I began playing it, I realized suddenly that the middle section of Debussy’s composition has a modulation to the same key as another song I was working on – “The Secret Life of Plants” by Stevie Wonder.  And guess when Stevie’s birthday is?  Yep – May 13th!   But wait – the connections don’t end there!  It turns out that Wonder and Debussy are musically related (in a matter of speaking).  Claude Debussy was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and 20th centuries, much as Stevie Wonder is one of the most influential composers of the late 20th and 21st centuries.  Debussy was also a child prodigy – he entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of 10 (Wonder debuted on the public stage at the tender age of around 11 or 12). Debussy was associated with the Impressionist […]

Harold and Rina Weiss picture e1528749031264

Claire de Lune

May 11, 2018

Wishing all the mothers out there the happiest of days on their special day!  Of course, as we all know, the day is merely symbolic – you should celebrate your mother EVERY day ?. Here’s a famous piece of music called “Claire de Lune” by Claude Debussy.  I played it for my mother 40 years ago at her wedding and I’m happy to share it with you all well!  You’ll learn a bit more about Debussy and his similarities to another of my favorite musicians, Stevie Wonder, a bit later today. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this “classic” Mother’s Day treat.