GREETINGS!

It has been awhile since I have visited the forum. I have been asked by Mark, one of the members that post if I would post the completed version I did of "Invitation." Several months ago, I had posted for a few days a shorter version. At that time, I got such favorable responses and the only complaint was that it was too short and that they wanted it to go on and on so I decided to do a few more movements. Mark has kept in touch through my website, has heard the completed version and wanted others on the forum to hear it.

Sad news about Bob Hendershot passing away. We never saw eye to eye at times but I totally respected the man and he contributed a lot to the forum. He was very knowledgeable about Technics keyboards. May he be in a better place.

For those that did not see my early post of the short version of "Invitation" or are unfamiliar with the song, I will fill you in. A well-known composer by the name Bronislau Kaper first did a movie soundtrack of this melody in 1950 and the movie was "A Life of Her Own" that starred Lana Turner and Ray Milland. The movie didn't do well at the box office but Hollywood was not going to let this beautiful haunting melody go to waste. In 1952, a movie entitled, "Invitation" and starring Van Johnson and Dorothy McGuire got much better reviews. Again, Bronislau Kaper wrote a new soundtrack for the movie and it is when "Invitation" became an actual song with lyrics. It has always remained one of my favorite songs. It actually is not easy to play because it has very complex harmony. For years, I performed it in clubs that I appeared nightly in New York and San Francisco as a vocal and not done in a classical style playing. About nine months ago, I decided to do it in a movie soundtrack sort of theme with classical style piano playing behind a large symphonic arrangement that I composed. I wanted lots of dramatic points throughout. It would be nice if you keep in mind the first four haunting notes of the song because I weave them throughout all the movements. I now call it "The Theme of Invitation" because of all the music I composed around the actual song. It is close to 13 minutes long. This was done on my KN7000. I hope you enjoy hearing it.

http://garnetrecords.com/ThemeOfInvitation.wma

Best regards to all,

Scott Reed