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Taming the Beast: My Journey (So Far) with "America the Beautiful"

I had such big dreams of nailing Jonny May's arrangement of "America the Beautiful" (with an improvised finale) by July 4. Alas, I didn't even come close. This piece is a sneaky little devil. Jonny makes it look deceptively simple, but it's anything but easy.

This beast has four wildly different sections, each with its own personality--and its own way of humbling me. I'll break it down for you and will include a new video of my ragtime section with links to videos from late June to show how far I’ve come.

Section 1: Jonny’s Jazzy Intro

This intro (in G major) is smooth and melancholy, a cocktail-jazz sound replete with quartals, extensions, and chord alterations I don't understand. It’s slow, moody, and a bear to memorize. I posted about it a few weeks ago, and looking back, I’ve made some serious strides. But full disclosure? I’m still not 100% solid playing it from memory, so there's still work to do.

Section 2: Jonny’s “Fun” Ragtime Section

“Fun” is in quotation marks for a reason. This ragtime section (in C major) sounds like a jaunty good time, but playing it is like wrestling a caffeinated octopus--even at a snail's pace. I was beating myself up yesterday for not playing it faster, then I revisited this recording from late June and ... darn it, I’m actually getting somewhere! Check out my latest attempt below.

It’s faster and smoother, but still a work in progress. This section is, hands-down, the toughest of the four.

Section 3: Jonny’s Actually-Fun Crossed-Hands Section

This section (also in C major) lives up to its name. It was easy to learn and memorize, and it's so easy to play that I only have to revisit every couple of days. Still, I've added some personal flair. (At one point, I got a little crazy and thought about sneaking in the chorus of a totally different song as an Easter egg (in F major, no less), but I eventually scrapped it. It was a bit too much.)

Section 4: My Gospel-Bluesy Finale, with a Nod to Ray Charles

For the grand finale, I’m channeling the legend himself, Ray Charles, using a lead sheet from his iconic "America the Beautiful" recording. The best part? The key change to E-flat! I’m almost there--just ironing out a few quick major-blues-scale runs between the verse and chorus, and the chorus and repeat.

The Road Ahead

Despite the struggles I've met with this piece, I’m pretty happy with how it’s coming along (see video above). It’s so much better compared to a few weeks ago, even if I’m still not quite where I want to be. This journey has been a rollercoaster of “I got this!” and “Why am I torturing myself?” moments, but every practice session feels like a small victory. And I love the music so much that practicing is fun, even when it's giving me headaches! Stay tuned for the full arrangement, which I hope to share before we leave for vacation!

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