На полях Украины
I understand no one follows me on account of my music. <sigh>
Nevertheless, I have chosen to post here on my blog the occasional recordings I make of my musical tinkerings. This one was inspired by an old waltzy Russian folk song first recorded in 1909, in the aftermath of the Russo-Japanese War. It was entitled On the Hills of Manchuria, and was originally played with a small horn ensemble, in 3/4 waltz tempo. It is now played all around the world, and many of you may be familiar with it. There are hundreds of versions of it to be found on YouTube.
Here I offer my own arrangement of the tune as a piano solo played in a rolling 6/8 tempo, but still in the original key of E-flat minor (Most of the versions I have heard are played in E minor, and they just don’t sound right to my ear.)
Anyway, my sense of things is that the musical purists are put off when I take liberties with something considered to be perfect in its original creation. I express to them apologies in advance for my impudence.
FYI: Over the life of this blog, several generous people have honored me with voluntary blog subscriptions and tips. But I have never required a paid subscription to read my stuff. And I never will. Everyone will always be able to read everything I write.
That said, I earmark all donations for the Schryver Family Road Trip Fund. You have thereby helped me, a few times each year, fill up both tanks on my 1997 Ford F-350, pay for two hotel nights + a pizza for the boys, and a take out dinner for me and my wife — for which I express my genuine gratitude. I hope my writing has been informative in some small manner and aided you in your quest to understand our crazy world a little better.
— Will Schryver