One Of The Best Elton John Instrumental Songs

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

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[@Jacob-Vivimord]

This is beautiful. It's amazing how even artists as stratospherically popular as Elton John can have numerous pieces that are largely unknown.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Yes and this one remarkably is almost his most unknown piece!

[@clarkphelps5738]

Wow Tom, that was beautiful, well played, i love the style and your playing as always. Clark

[@ABaker-pl8bv]

Awesome! Sounds so classical I'd never expect it was by Elton John.

[@howardforlong3241]

Thanks Tom. So glad you covered this One of my favourites. Love his classical songs This sing is unknown but will never be forgotten

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

@@howardforlong3241 great to meet a fellow Elton "Deep cuts" fan!

[@ronchiles399]

It's a beautiful piece which he followed with 'Tonight' from his 'Blue Moves' album. You played it exceptionally well and I thank you for bringing joy to my day.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Many thanks! Yes, Elton often in his gigs would do that play this Etude as a pre cursor to Tonight from the Blue Moves album, another stunning orchestral piece in his discography. He also has followed this Etude with the song "Blessed" which is in D minor (from the Made in England album) though I do most prefer the Fanfare : Chloe medley from the original album, I only wish he had done that song more, but the album wasn't really ever a hit, so perhaps that why he never performed it like on the record. The sequence is worth listening to on Spotify! It's rare Elton at its finest.

[@elysiaestee3123]

It is a beautiful piano piece!! Thanks for covering this one, Tom!

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

It is a gem isn't it!

[@MatthewWilkinson]

One of his best, well played!

[@polkmusic]

I love this piece. i think its one of his best. Thanks for the lovely breakdown.

[@MK-ft3qt]

It's a great piece of music...especially when he played it in Australia.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

@@MK-ft3qt that was a historic tour!

[@Hanlie-oj7hv]

Thank 😊you for sharing this Tom. So beautiful❤

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Stunning chords aren't they ?

[@andreiter]

The F#6 to the F# is also like a suspension, as per your latest video lesson. I first heard this piece on Elton's 1986 Australian tour video and soundtrack, fell in love with it straight away!

[@kerryfoster1]

Beautiful song , beautifully played!

[@ronanportley4409]

I found it boring!!- totally chordal without a real note melody🤔🎶- just a bunch of chords one after the other and interesting.

[@ronchiles399]

Even without reading comments which I don't usually do much of or starting video I can come up with the song as I am a lifelong fan of Elton's. He is so melodic and his use of inversions and chords out of key are remarkable and genius.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Wonderful chords writing isn't it.

[@mike-williams]

I've always adored this album and have been playing Carla/Etude for about 40 years. It's always had a great reception. Is it the last instrumental he recorded on one of his studio albums? Song for Guy, and Funeral for a Friend were the other great examples.

[@Rader-Wood]

Thank you!!

[@frederickk2852]

At the time it was a panned album so this is probably why it disappeared. If it was on GYBR it would now be a classic. A beautiful construction displaying Elton Johns classical roots.

[@JackWc22]

It reminds me of Keith Green, who was a Christian artist in the late seventies, and was a brilliant piano player.

[@howtodoitdude1662]

It’s interesting that he plays in keys that pop pianist don’t normally use.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

@howtodoitdude1662 yes, I think he really uses the piano to it's full advantage in that regard.

[@trendtraderx]

Do you like Cole Porter?

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Yes! A songwriting legend.

[@caitlinreesdavies5314]

We need to do the singing part!!!

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

Yes, we need to do a seminar on Chloe that follows the Carla Etude! Two amazing gems!

[@strongchord4384]

Too much embellishment - Elton did not break the chords up in the RH as you’re doing. Listen to the original. Less is more. Meant to be constructive criticism. I remember an interview Elton gave to Andy Peebles at the time of this album’s release where he discusses possibly a future album of instrumentals. Never to be unfortunately. There’s still time Elton!

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

@strongchord4384 each to their own, but I am my own artist, so I'm not attempting to make a carbon copy of the piece, which you can't do anyway unless you have a full symphony orchestra behind you! And the embellishment is very limited. I've heard Elton himself add more embellishments when he has played this piece himself live. Pop music is not about making a soulless replica, or just knocking out a pub version like the recording, this is living music, not a museum piece! That's how I encourage all of my students to study music, look into the music not just try and copy it. This recording is so close to the original anyway, this is on a day, where I'm making very limited embellishments :)) Less than Elton makes in his own live versions of the piece :)

[@strongchord4384]

@@contemporaryschoolofpiano Yes that’s all fine. But in your written description you make no mention of the terms ‘improvisation’ or the fact that this is your own ‘arrangement’. The inference is that this will be a faithful recreation of the original with an accompanying analysis of Elton’s stylistic input. By the way please don’t denigrate pub pianists (FYI Elton was one as a teenager) although I’m not sure they exist anymore. As a lifelong fan and pianist I’m fully aware of Elton’s instrumental catalogue by the way - you could try ‘Lord Choc Ice Goes Mental’ (b side of I’m still standing 12”) or “Song for Guy’, first part of ‘Tonight’ from Blue Moves or most of his live work with Ray Cooper where he dropped in long instrumental sections into songs. ‘Burn down the Mission’ and ‘Rocketman’ just two examples. Anyway, have fun.

[@contemporaryschoolofpiano]

There is an analytical tutorial on Your Song on this channel, which is probably more in line with what you are looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn3QfodpjcSim7s After reading Elton's biography I have nothing but respect for pub pianists, it was a common Saturday occurrence at the Northwood Hotel in Watford for there to be such a violent fight, Elton would have to jump out of the window for his own safety. He used this gig to pay for his first microphone and amplifier, before joining Bluesology. Elton has earnt every one of his stripes, but I must admit, he didn't sell pub piano to me, with these stories, nor did he have much nice to say about 1960s suburban England. Then again, he made something more than remarkable from that. which is the mark of a true genius. I'm glad you like the instrumental stuff, it deserves far more credit! I also like some of the quirky instrumental pieces on Blues Moves, though Tonight is a beautiful composition, One Horse town has a great introduction, and Out of the Blue is standalone in originality.

[@militaryandemergencyservic3286]

i'm afraid I find this piece uninteresting. Nice playing, though!

[@strongchord4384]

@@militaryandemergencyservic3286 The original’s much better.🤩🎹