Round Midnight (Fred Hersch, 2021)

Legendary Jazz musician, Fred Hersch, goes through the Thelonious Monk classic, Round Midnight.
Now Available: "Thoughts and Experiments with Solo Piano", Fred's brand new course featuring nine exclusive studio performances (with full transcriptions), 19 video lessons, and much more - a guide to freedom, imagination, and fearlessness at the piano.
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[@ojacobsen3727]

Didn't know Debussy wrote this one.

[@JoshPCohen]

😄

[@Thoughtsinmykitchen]

Definitely more rhythmically classical influenced then jazz.

[@normhall1622]

Thelonius Monk wrote it.

[@brente6107]

Fredussy

[@GhostlyPianoVRC]

@@normhall1622 He sure did!

[@bendameron9922]

Now this is true improvisation. The feeling of neither being fully arranged or fully improvised. Following the gut. Wonderful space.

[@edbettex3998]

In his autobiography, Fred Hersch tells that he studied 13 versions by several masters of jazz. This guy can listen, and still add something more !

[@JJBerthume]

Original, free, creative, gorgeous, and yet still the original melody and changes shine through as brightly as Fred's unique personality and artistry - he always says he thinks of the lyrics when playing, and I personally can feel that in every note. Not that there's anything wrong with constructing something entirely new from an old song, but he balances the line between classic and fresh so delightfully. He's reached a certain level of mastery where everything he touches is gold, and yet still deeply human. Sorry for gushing I just really like Fred Hersch

[@joshklein6450]

Fred Hersch...what an absolutely beautiful, thoughtful, tireless genius of a person, and musician. All of the wonderfully gorgeous colors, painting in real-time. Just stunningly beautiful. Thank you for your most amazing portraits and paintings Fred.

[@micheal-kb6sl]

I've never heard it done better. He's beyond a musician. He's like a musical wizard. Wow!!! Audible candy to any upcoming, pro, aspiring pianist and piano musicians. That was straight mesmerizing.

[@jamesfpianist1168]

I heard Fred Hersch play a solo piano concert many years ago in La Jolla, CA. He played his composition Endless Stars which is such a great composition. He also played the most amazing and burning version of Caravan that I may ever hear performed as a solo piano piece. That night should've been recorded and released as the Steinway also was in great form.

[@georgesember9069]

My favorite ballad. I never get tired of playing it on nylon string guitar (no cutaway)! Of course, I can’t come any where close to this beauty!!

[@craigkeller]

It’s a Steinway, but I’ll bet God himself oversaw construction. Fred’s hands and heart, likewise inspired.

[@ChuloDavidcito]

Wow! I'm just working on this tune. It's inspiring and daunting to hear how the big boys do it. A polished gem!

[@JJamJ]

Always been a favourite jazz tune of mine and a tasteful and intelligent arrangement here too. Well played sir!

[@marvinkmooneyoz]

Certainly my fav Monk tune, though i play “I Mean You” more often

[@OsvaldoCori-o6c]

Grandissimo pianista!!!👏💪👍 0:23 🍾

[@TheClassicalSauce]

She was the type of woman that made you forget yesterday and not think about tomorrow...

[@victorsethy]

First I thought he is one of those young cats disappearing in the noise of the XXI. century, but had to realize, that he is old enough to do well. :) ... I'm not young either, but had to start my life 3 times from zero, and living in Hungary, so I didn't even had the chance to play on a real piano since 2011. Not much fun watching jazz dieing, as the last platform of improvisation... the main language of music for tens of thousands of years. And good to find him - I never heard about before - cause now I have something "new" to listen to!

[@markmandell8120]

Someone at his level is a master at creating a balance between dissonance and "normal" sounding jazz voicings. Another one who pulls this off also available on You Tube is Claire Fischer.

[@UkuleleAversion]

Yeah, Clare Fischer is a good recc. Herbie cites him as a key influence. I'd also recommend Sullivan Fortner and Brad Mehldau, both students of Fred. Jason Moran also fits the bill.

[@romainbertrand253]

Really awesome. Totally Monk and totally fresh at the same time. Love it.

[@pianofromsunsettosunrise]

Yesterday 18/nov/2023 Hersch played Monk at Sala São Paulo! It was amazing as all his repertoire. Wonderful harmonies with this incredible touch… 🎶😍

[@ArgoBeats]

0:27 please someone tell me what's that beautiful arpeggiated chord

[@JukeboxOddities]

Ok. It's a cluster chord. Sounds like it's a BbSus4 in the left hand with an B7 in second inversion added on top. To get the mushy effect it sound like he snugged a 9th in that top chord there too.

[@hanshalt]

Bb Eb F Gb A B C# D# (cool poly chord Ebmi to B9 I think?)

[@JukeboxOddities]

@@hanshalt sounds like it. i think an easier way to think about it would be a B7-ish chord over a Bb Pedal point

[@hanshalt]

@@JukeboxOddities yup- good way to look at it. I was just hearing gthat ebmi9 tonality

[@ArgoBeats]

@@hanshalt ​ @Vyn Chenzo thank you guys!

[@efanshel]

He just keeps getting better and better. I think he is playing a German Steinway. It sounds great....

[@swiftla]

thanks Fred! beautiful work. youve inspired me to revisit this tune after a year or so!

[@marcocavalluzzi2854]

This really deserves more views! Well played good sir!

[@arthurrosch5378]

What a beautiful rendition. If I practice for 40 years I may develop the taste that Fred Hersch has. I can hope.

[@toneyam3643]

Monk would have liked you because your different.

[@omergottesfeld6376]

So true man 🧡

[@dimna27]

Lovely,Fred..thanks a lot

[@petermetrinko607]

So many beautiful recordings from this man.

[@ruthdixon7807]

a spectral treasure - one celebrated pianist putting his own stamp on another's work.

[@s22s55s88]

Maestro Fred Hersch is a genius of our days! That's is really smth incredible ...... What a harmonical solutions!!! Bravo,Maestro !!!

[@kristian2700]

I have heard/watched this wonderful rendering a couple of times already, and will be coming back!! This is just exquisite; really, really good...breathtaking tbh!! Each choice of chord tells a feeling! And even more: a beautiful amalgam of the bluesy american 2-5-1 with some squary (Dutilleux'ian(?)) overtones. Listen!! :-)

[@zlucoblij]

Jesus fuck... this is something special.

[@ОлегАнохин-у2р]

Very nice!! Have to PDF transcription?

[@barnaby12345]

Exquisite taste - one of the all-time greats! I've seen him a few times at the Vanguard, both solo and with trio. Always transcendent...

[@marianlevy9232]

Your playing takes the listener on an emotional journey, truly the gift of a masterful musician.. such interesting reharms ... first time I heard your song “Valentine” it was so beautiful it brought me to tears ..learning so much from your Open Studio course as well .. thank you for sharing your piano genius with the Open Studio family 🎹🎶

[@vova47]

Fred Hersh and his lugubrious sound.😪

[@jambonejim1249]

That's a very nice sounding piano in the right hands.

[@russellhamer8347]

gorgeous rendition. thank you fred!

[@francosoldera3822]

Beautiful and touching, thank you!

[@8tatosha]

Gorgeous!

[@sapristioca1]

Absolutamente magistral, diseccionando y expandiendo la melodía...

[@Hifigor]

Thank you maestro !

[@markahearn1]

The jazz ballad transcending to another level.

[@simoncharacter01]

cot damn, that was good! anxious to see him play live jan. 29th, '23, now!

[@jeffheald4527]

Beautiful! Thanks for that inspiration!

[@wolfganglalouschek148]

Best piano version I know. This song is quite difficult to make something own out of it because it is so clearly structured. Most players adhere much more to the original (which isn’t so interesting)

[@diegoteruel7069]

El jazz es la música más libre. I Fred Hersch me emociona con sus recreaciones i maravillosa "sencillez" sin limite! 😍😍

[@flober1970]

It’s a Hamburg Steinway. Right ?

[@reacionario2026]

Love this!

[@jeffreydelisle7337]

Definitely evocative of the midnight hour

[@alanturry3324]

Amazing- so glad we have that recorded for posterity. Soulful and thoughtful at the same time

[@teflo2]

Incredibly beautiful ! Thank you Fred!

[@mr.k5865]

Bravo! Stunning artist.

[@rodneykendrick775]

Around midnight in Europe!

[@wimpers]

he is in Europe! Performing in Paris both Friday and Saturday, (in between which days this was posted). :-)

[@charliemacco9852]

Migliore round Midnight di tutti i pianisti

[@sallylarhette7083]

the. "real" Round Midnight.

[@kalilsampaio7035]

I feel some Ravel thinking

[@gil-evens]

The first measures remind me of Ravel

[@789armstrong]

Fred Hersch is on another level.

[@richgleason3793]

Your new course is amazing. Thanks Fred!

[@veronicaituarte574]

THANK YOU!!!! WONDERFUL!

[@UkuleleAversion]

You can tell he hears every single note before he plays it. I bet he has absolute pitch.

[@taylordiclemente5163]

Absolute pitch is irrelevant. What matters is intervalic understanding - relative pitch.

[@michaelreinemer]

This is beautiful and a great tutorial. Thanks Fred.

[@CWBella]

Ethereal and so moving!

[@jean-marclecoutre5146]

Magnifique ! 👍👍♥️♥️👍👍♥️♥️👍👍♥️♥️👍👍

[@allenstone7518]

A bio of a great player.

[@SusanPrattDesign]

Exquisite artistry!

[@joeycartwright1692]

4:29 GIANT STEPS

[@JukeboxOddities]

a thing of beauty

[@sallylarhette7083]

Wow. Great piano, too!

[@ronglennproductions5416]

Awesome “touch”

[@giovannifalcicchia9977]

Geniale

[@EduardoSposito-e4y]

Great!!!!!

[@Nat.ImagesLarge.F.Photographer]

Magnific!!!|

[@iBharat108]

A MASTER

[@olivierijazz]

I love Fred...

[@lennardbehnke3681]

outstanding!

[@freeimproviser4303]

What an artist

[@holm81]

sublime.

[@domimonk]

Quelle splendeur, merci !

[@TotalDESSSS]

GENIUS

[@elliottek5049]

bravo

[@jazznutz]

Fred is thrilling!

[@rubinromeo2083]

beautiful...

[@juwonnnnn]

👏

[@danbodanis3983]

Beautiful

[@pablodaquino53]

🙌👏👏

[@jacekploneczka]

👏👏👏❤️

[@mariaaliceleopoldino6111]

Ótimo

[@luistarantino239]

Gracias!

[@antoniog2854]

Love him!

[@TomasJochmann]

Masterpiece!

[@markmandell8120]

There's also a male/female or Yin?Yang balance here, the former when his playing shows a more aggressive streak and the latter when it's more passive sounding.

[@infomgmail]

Fantastic Harmony!!!