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We have a new one this week. This week's contestant is Thomas Morgan of Sherwood, Arkansas. I could easily hear a hidden song, but couldn’t place what it was. But then, neither could the contestant and host Fred Childe. I did have a guess, but was sure I was wrong, because composer Bruce Adolph said it was actually adapted from the classical piece, and as far as I knew, my guess wasn’t. But -- it turns out I was right!! I had no idea that the song by a very well-known composer was based on another composition. I thought I had a sense of the composer style, but was way off. Your mileage will likely vary.
And it must be noted that not only do we have a new one this week…we have the last new one this week. Host Fred Child announced last year, in October, 2024, that he would be stepping down as host from Performance Today in a year, and that though there would be a new host of the show, he would be retiring the Piano Puzzler. However, because the archive of past Piano Puzzlers will remain online (and since they’ve often had repeats for years), I’ll still post them – if not weekly, to allow for some other weekend audio, then at least regularly.
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From the archives. And it's charmingly different. The contestant…well, no, make that “the contestants” are the Advanced Placement Music Theory class at Lincoln High School from Tallahassee, Florida, along with their teacher Scott Leaman. The piece of music is beautiful, but for the longest time I didn’t know the composer style – however, I eventually made a guess…and was happily right! (Interestingly, everybody in the class except one person guessed someone else, but the teacher let that one person make the guess – I suspect because he agreed with her and thought she was right – and indeed she was.) It was not shocking that a class of high school students didn’t get the hidden song – though I didn’t either. But the teacher did. Even on a second playing, I had a hard time picking out the song, though I did hear a couple of passages that made me think, “Ah, okay, there it is…”
From the archives. This week's contestant is Jim Weeg of Cedar Falls, Iowa. In an odd way, I almost got the full puzzle. I did get the composer style, which is not as often the case. And my guess for the hidden song (which I thought was likely wrong) was the same as the contestant’s – and we were indeed both wrong. Even on a second listening, where composer Bruce Adolphe slowed things down and pulled the song out more, neither I or the contestant still had a clue. Amazingly and impressively, host Fred Childe was able to hear it on second play (though it even took him that slowed-down version). It’s beautifully done, but really tough.
We have a new one this week. The contestant is Libby Smith Holmes of Saratoga Springs, New York. There was one thing I was right about with the Puzzler – that it would be very difficult because the whole segment lasted almost 17 minutes. It was easy to hear where the tune was, but I just couldn’t place it. Nor could the contestant. Even when pianist Bruce Adolphe slowed the piece down and drew the melody out, I still couldn’t get it. Nor did the contestant. Nor did host Fred Child. So, I at least felt in good company. When Adolph named the song, it’s by very famous composers whose work I know pretty well,– and I’d never even heard of the song. Nor had the contestant and Fred Child. So, I felt all the more in good company. I also didn’t have a guess about the composer style, though the person is well-known, though I think his contemporaries’ music is more recognized, but definitely guessable.
From the archives. This week’s contestant is David Harris from Farmer City, Illinois. I didn’t have a clue with the hidden song, and it’s very well-known. I’d say it was very well-hidden, too, but the contestant got it right away. But even when pianist-composer Bruce Adolphe played the piece again, I could barely hear it, except for a few notes. And I had no idea what the composer style was, since the music wasn’t the style I most known the composer for. You may do better.
From the archives. This week's contestant is Jonathan Jager from Los Angeles, California. I got the hidden song fairly early, and know I should have gotten the composer style, it had such a familiarity to it, but my guess was off. Happily, host Fred Child was stumped, as well, so I don't feel alone.
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AuthorRobert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. 
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