You know Pachelbel’s Canon in D; we’ve posted about it enough. It provides a steady and pleasant basis for many popular songs you’ve heard. Well, pleasant unless you are a cellist. But pianist Hiromi Uehara performs the classic tune in ways you’ve never heard. It starts out in the most familiar manner, but gradually she adds jazz elements while keeping the basic bass line intact.
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Tony Williams transcribed Uehara’s improvised performance so you can follow the insanity of what’s she’s doing in real time underneath the performance video. Note how she skillfully adds a half-beat at around the two-minute mark in order to synch the music with the offbeat clapping from the audience. She also alters her prepared piano during the song. The metal ruler gives it a harpsichord sound, but changing it while playing can’t be easy. Even if you don’t read musical notation, the narrative comments on the transcript add to the experience. -via reddit
Source: neatorama