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!!

Categories


Chopin 1

Chopin Waltz in G# Minor Op 64 No 2

March 1, 2024

Frederic Chopin Waltz in G# Minor, OP. 64, No 2 (3:31) On this day, March 1, 1810, Frederic Chopin was born in Poland. He was a Polish-French composer and pianist of the classical Romantic period. He moved to Paris at age 21 where he lived until his death at age 39 in 1849. In my opinion, this is one of his most beautiful waltzes (although that’s a difficult choice!) Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Dedicated to David G. and Charlie B. Some information from Wikipedia Related Posts: Chopin Waltz in Gb Major Op 70 No 1 Chopin Waltz in F Minor Op 70 No 2  (Haunting) Chopin Waltz in Db Major Op 64 No 1 (“MInute Waltz”)

Im In The Mood For Love

I’m In The Mood For Love

February 14, 2024

I’m In The Mood For Love (1:55) Recorded 2/13/24 George Shearing   George Shearing passed away ON THIS DAY, February 14, in 2011. One of the jazz greats, Sir George Shearing was known for his incomparable and complex reharmonizations. Usually, in classical, pop, or jazz, a piano player may use (hopefully sparingly) the damper pedal (the one on the right) to blend adjacent similar chords, usually one or two measures (4-8 beats). However, for this arrangement, I’m changing the pedal literally with each beat!! Listen carefully and you will hear how Shearing makes the song his own. Thanks, George, for showing us a new way of playing and listening. Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy, Dr. Weiss

Lush Life

Lush Life

November 29, 2023

Lush Life (3:29) by Billy Strayhorn “Lush Life” is a jazz standard that was written by Billy Strayhorn, who was born on November 29, 1915 and wrote the song when he was just a teenager! Despite being written 90 years ago, this song is ageless and has fascinated (and challenged) many jazz legends over the years. Strayhorn also composed the Duke Ellington orchestra’s signature song, “Take the ‘A’ Train.” For someone in their teens to write one of the most unique and sophisticated jazz melodies and chord changes, accompanied by such mature and world-weary lyrics, is almost unbelievable, comparable to other musical prodigies. I’m playing it with very little improvisation and many of the chords in root position. The song and the harmonics are so unique that the wandering melody almost demands that you listen to every note and chord change as written.  (Also, I can’t improvise like John Coltrane!)  There is a great recording by Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass in which Ella (one of the great jazz improvisers) also sings the melody almost note for note as Strayhorn intended. I agree with Jon Batiste (writing about Thelonius Monk’s ‘Introspection”, a different song but one with a similar uniqueness): “Sometimes […]

Chopin 1

Chopin Waltz in Gb major Op 70 No 1

March 1, 2023

Frederic Chopin Waltz in Gb Major, OP. 70, No 1 (3:31) On this day, March 1, 1810, Frederic Chopin was born in Poland. He was a Polish-French composer and pianist of the classical Romantic period. He moved to Paris at age 21 where he lived until his death at age 39 in 1849. Chopin was the master of the classical waltz, and the center section (Meno mosso at 0:53) is one of the most beautiful and sublime melodies that I know. Believe it or not, Chopin ultimately decided against publishing it, believing it unworthy of publication! However, lucky for us, it was published posthumously, after his death. I have played this waltz for years but have never felt that I have gotten my performance quite right, but I’m getting closer. I tend to play all of his waltzes rubato, which is the temporary disregarding of strict tempo to allow an expressive quickening or slackening, usually without altering the overall pace. I just know that I try to play it emotionally, as if it was pouring out of my (and Chopin’s) soul. Special Bonus Track: Waltz in G# Minor, Op. 64, No 2 (recorded February 29, 2024, 4:53) Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Dedicated to David G. and Charlie B. Some […]

Russian children

Russians (2022)

June 1, 2022

Russian Children (they look like our children, don’t they?) ‘I Hope the Russians Love Their Children Too’ On this day (June 1) 42 years ago, Sting released this song on his first solo album. Sting wrote the lyrics to this 1985 song but borrowed the central theme from the second movement (‘Romance’) of Serge Prokofiev’s “Lieutenant Kijé Suite,” which begins at the 4:20 mark of this orchestral recording. Sting reharmonized Prokofiev’s theme by adding a short but profoundly unique bass line (in addition to creating a powerful original but thematically similar melody.) Prokofiev himself is said to have taken the theme from an old Russian folk song called “The Little Grey Dove is Cooing.”  [In playing this song, I’ve further discovered another possible source. Try singing the Christmas carol ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen’ (originating in the 1650s) over Sting’s lyrics.] With the current invasion of Ukraine, Prokofiev’s song is especially remarkable. In one of life’s extraordinary coincidences, Prokofiev was born in Sontsivka in 1891, in the Donetsk Oblast (region or state) of Ukraine – the very center of the area in eastern Ukraine that Putin is claiming to protect and liberate in 2022! It’s just 50 miles north of Mariupol, where the greatest […]

Bille Holiday

You Go To My Head

February 24, 2022

You Go to my Head Billie Holiday   On This Day (February 24) in 1938, Larry Clinton first recorded this song with his orchestra, followed by subsequent versions later the same year by Duke Ellington, Teddy Wilson, and my favorite version by Billie Holiday. This is one of the songs that are so good, everyone wants to sing it or play it, with notable recordings by Louis Armstrong, Oscar Peterson, and of course, Frank Sinatra. You Go to My Head was written by J. Fred Coots (with lyrics by Haven Gillespie.) What makes this song so special that is has been described by one music critic as “a minor masterpiece”? The harmonic composition is surprisingly sophisticated for a “pop” song. And those harmonies are showcased by a melody with an unusual number of repeated notes. It wanders from major to minor chords and ends with a unique coda. I’ve added a final ‘major minor’ chord at the very end of my version to evoke the film noir ambiance. Interesting fact: Coots and Gillespie also wrote ‘Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” but the two never seemed to have any other memorable successes (I guess I would settle for just writing these two gems!) Film Noir I recently described my encounter with […]

On the good ship lollipop

On the Good Ship Lollipop

December 7, 2021

On The Good Ship Lollipop Tribute to Shirley Temple   What can I say about Shirley Temple (who passed away today – December 7 – at age 85)? I will miss her but never forget her spirit. Thanks for all your smiles!  We should all slow down and watch a Shirley Temple movie soon!  In the meantime… Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Dedicated to Josh and Lana

The Scream

Help! John Lennon’s cri de couer

July 19, 2021

Help!   Dear family of patients, On this summer day July 19, 1965 – 56 years ago, the Beatles released the single “Help!” (now ranked at number 29 on the Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.) I remember listening to it over and over again with my brother in his room on our portable 45 rpm record player.  I also remember wrestling with my brother while listening to the B-side “I’m Down” (OK, I was 12 and my brother was 10.) I sent you this song as an Earth Day video a few months ago, but looking back, I now feel that the importance of the Earth Day message as well as the accompanying visuals (not to mention my amateur vocals) detracted from simply enjoying the beautiful sound of this arrangement and instrumentation (Bösendorfer Grand piano sample on the Yamaha Clavinova.) I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the aural quality and chord changes alone, sans lyrics, seem to express all the existential angst of our current global pandemic moment, while improbably being strangely soothing at the same time. Lennon said that Help! was one of his favorite Beatles songs and “one of the only true songs he ever wrote.” I’ve chosen […]

Beethoven

Beethoven 250th Birthday Celebration!

December 17, 2020

Moonlight Sonata and Adieu to the Piano Ludwig van Beethoven Well, unfortunately today’s Covid news is not any better since yesterday, but today we do have something momentous to celebrate! Today it has been 250 years since Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany. He is one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music. Here are links to two of his many popular compositions. I guess I started playing Moonlight Sonata in high school many years ago, and it has given me memories of many hours of peaceful tranquility. Adieu to the Piano is a more recent addition for me, and works perfectly as a ‘Weiss Music Minute.’ Thanks for the memories, Ludwig! Moonlight Sonata (4:30) https://www.drweiss.com/2019/03/29/moonlight-sonata/ Adieu to the Piano (1 minute) https://youtu.be/VqLksqpskT4 Enjoy, Dr. Weiss Bosendorfer piano sound - For this recording I’m playing a Yamaha Clavinova – which has the same keyboard action as a traditional acoustic piano, but there are no strings. Pressing a key activates (in this case) a sound which was sampled from a Bösendorfer Imperial Concert Grand piano. Try listening to it with a good set of headphones! It sounds better than any piano I've ever played!!