ABF recital

The Adult Beginners Forum (ABF) at Piano World is loosely aimed at any adults who are not professional pianists. Most are not exactly beginners (and when does "beginner" status end, anyway?). There have been discussions over the years about changing the name, but the upshot has been that most people like ABF, inaccurate as it may be.

Four years ago, someone came up with the idea of having an online recital, with people submitting recordings of their playing that would then all be posted together on the same day. It was such a success that after much discussion, the group decided on a frequency of four times a year. It's gotten more sophisticated technically -- there is now a website someone set up that enables people to upload their files directly and provides streaming audio. The field also has become more crowded. There are 66 entries this time, at all levels from true beginners to advanced players, and with music ranging from classical to pop to improvised.

Another aspect is that a thread is set up for people to give comments. Most are reluctant to criticize, which is probably a good thing. This forum is an oasis of civility in the wilds of the Internet.

I've participated in some of the recitals, starting with my first primitive recording using the laptop mic, when I wasn't even sure if I sounded like a pianist at all. This time, as I've been writing about here, I submitted my recording of the Bach prelude and fugue. I feel like I've come a long way in these four years.

Recital #16